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Categories: Arts & Entertainment, Dance Clubs, Party & Event Planning
Neighborhood: SOMATue-Thu. 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri. 7:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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I came here with friends to celebrate a birthday over the weekend, we had a BLAST and left with a huge inferiority complex because the "ladies" here are more beautiful and charming and cute than I can ever aspire to be.
Completely hassle free reservation process. Because of traffic and our detour to Sophie's Crepe's prior to this, we were running a little late and called several times to ask if we could push back or reservations. No problemo. Then we arrived and were seated immediately. Our servers came and discussed the price fixe menu which was obligatory for Saturday evening. Dinner was $38 and that included an appetizer, entree and dessert. We split the (appetizers) blackened tuna sashimi, beef salad, and chicken skewers; (entrees) and baby back ribs, salmon on black rice, and filet mignon on eggplant; (dessert) and banana beignet, warm chocolate cake and ice cream trio. Surprisingly, the food was GREAT all around. No complaints at all - except that the portions were a bit small. For drinks we had a bottle of the Asian pear sake and a bottle of Gewurtztraminer.
During dinner, the lights are dimmed and the same ladies who are your waittresses perform on the bar. Highly entertaining and super impressive (again, these ladies dance better than I can ever aspire to dance).
The bill was completely reasonable and we had no problems or discrepancies with the billing. We even added a performer's tip! Afterwards, we headed downstairs to the lounge for some dancing. Bruce, our bartender, took care of us and fed us drinks all night. After about 6 drinks, my tab was only $25! Did I read that right? Yes I did. And, Asia SF, I think I love you.
Can't wait for Asia SF Hollywood to open so I can get some of this Asia SF love closer to home!
Not sure what I was expecting since I've been to Thailand and experienced lady-boys in a whole different scene. Asia SF is actually very tastefully done and very entertaining, especially if you come with friends. We came in a party of 20 to celebrate a birthday and we had a blast.
While you wait for your table to be ready, you are directed downstairs to the "club" portion of the venue, where you can dance, relax, grab a drink. They buzz your pager when everything is set and are shown to your seat.
Food at Asia SF for groups is pre-fix. (There is an a la carte but may not make sense if you've got a crew.) You choose between 3 packages. Our group had the Platinum Group menu which had 9 items + 2 desserts for $48 pp. Note this is before the 20% gratuity and 4% health tax. And of course, doesn't include drinks. You are paying for dinner and show though.
So the layout of the evening is food and show, and more food and show. The 'ladies' double as the dancers. Super friendly sporting great bodies, and beautiful hair, guys in our group were definitely doing double takes. The sister to the emcee was especially cute.
Food-wise, I was pleasantly surprised by the fusion cuisine.
5 Appetizers - 1) Blackened Tuna Sashimi (pretty good, but had only a bite since there wasn't enough to go around), 2) Tamarind Chicken Satays (not dry which is good), 3) Asia-dilla (a duck quesadilla which was very tasty), 4) Baby Bok Choy & Shitake Mushroom (nice tender bok choy with sprinkling of mushroom), 5) Grilled Shrimp & Herb Salad (one of my favorites since the shrimp was freshly grilled and overall seasoning was a light thai sauce).
4 Entrees - 1) Salmon (fish itself was typical but the red rice, tomato and edamame it was served on gave nice texture), 2) Orange Lamb (very tender, not too gamey though I still don't like lamb in general, but was plated with sumono pickles which I love, and taro chips!), 3) Baby Back Ribs (very tasty and tender but requires eating with fingers), 4) Soba noodles (with asparagus and mushroom was ok).
2 Desserts - 1) Mini ice cream cones in a variety of flavors - there were at least coconut, vanilla with nuts, ube, among others. 2) Banana Beignets, more like banana egg rolls which does come with chocolate or butterscotch dipping sauce. It was good but not excellent.
Honestly what gives Asia SF a 4 star ranking is the show. The girls get up and perform on the bar, lip sync to a variety of popular songs, have a lot of fun with the choreography, and play with the audience. Among the more memorable acts was Simone who performed to Beyonce. She can really shake her booty. We were all laughing and having a great time.
The ladies will also come give blow job shots. Tucked in their ample decolletage, guys can take their shots mouth only. Lots of photo opps for sure.
And there was good danceable music played throughout the night. The DJ did creative mixes and played all popular current tunes, upstairs and downstairs in the club.
Made for a very entertaining evening. Definitely a crowd pleaser!
Hmmm... so I finally came here for an evening of food and entertainment by the "ladies" of Asia SF.
On a Saturday night, I believe they have multiply seatings, while we were waiting for our table to be ready, the host sent us downstairs to the dancefloor.
I think it's mandatory on a Saturday night, but we had their prix fixe menu.... the "Gold" dinner. During parts of the dinner, the "ladies" performed on the bar. Not gonna lie, it was entertaining.
I think dinner only would've cost ~$40-60, but everybody had multiple drinks, so the total cost ended up being ~$85/pp.
After the dinner/entertainment was over, one of the owners came up to our table and gave my "friend" and i a drink coupon for downstairs... he came back a few minutes later with another coupon for another friend that was there when we were talking. The owner was uber nice.
All in all, with the miracles of modern science and the developments of modern medicine, we were provided quite an entertaining evening.
The first time I went to AsiaSF it was a somewhat costly affair with dinner, girlie alcoholic drinks and dessert for 12 guests. We each paid our own cover charge and the food bill came out to $350 or so.
I can't remember much about the food, although my cousin has photographic evidence that I was licking my lips with a wide eyed look on my face. Either the food was that good or I was completely mesmerized by what was going on onstage. I vote for the latter.
This time me and a couple friends ended up ditching a party at an art gallery to come to Asia SF. Our luck couldn't have been better. We were just in time for the last show of the night. A couple of guests sitting near the stage had seen the previous show so they offered us "the best seats in the house" as they left.
We were not disappointed. The ladies were into their dance routines, shaking their assets at all the right moments. At times I was afraid they would fall offstage or a shoe would fly off and hit someone in the head but no one was injured.
Ginger was a charming hostess and entertainer. The hot bartender made sure we were taken care of liquor-wise. Expect to see some major cleavage, tight booties and overly dramatic lip-syncing to karaoke classics like "All By Myself" to the raunchy "The Pussy Cat Song."
Probably not for the uptight but I agree with other reviewers: bring them anyway to watch them squirm until they loosen up and realize how much they enjoy it! Don't forget to take tons of photos.
Ok ladies, you better get your game on when you go to Asia SF cause I GUARANTEE you that no matter how hot you look.... the "ladies" there will look a whole lot better than you!
I went with a group of my friends and took my mom along. It was about $60 per person without drinks. For about 2 hours of entertainment and dinner it was totally worth it. The food was a lot better than I expected and actually thought it was delish!
The best thing was that my mom had the best time and she was amazed on how the "ladies" looked. She kept telling them, in her broken English, that they were pretty. My mom can't wait to go back.
I went one time with a friend and were seated at the bar. The country bumpkin lady who sat next to me pointed out to me that one of the "ladies" boobs didn't look good. I turned to look and she must have been able to read lips because she thought I was with that lady and kept giving me "stink eye" all night long. She must have told her friends because I got more "stink eye".
Careful what you say.... they read lips....
I'll definitely come back.
I went here for a Bachelorette Party! We did not have dinner or do the package we spent all of our time downstairs dancing in a group to some sub par DJ. We kept missing the upstairs drag show but the bouncer was really cool and kept the drinks flowing= PLUS 1 star.
I think this is a great place for girls night out because there is barely a guy in sight (at least on this particular Saturday night).
I celebrated my birthday at Asia SF last year and we had a blast! The only downfall was the food wasn't all that great, but the entertainment was fun! The ladies of Asia SF is definitely a sight to see! All of them are beautiful!
Overall, the food was my only thumbs down because the servings were appetizer portions and the taste/texture of some of the plates weren't very pleasing. This one was a star down.
Good job on the dancing ladies of Asia SF. I would still recommend Asia SF to my friends due to the great entertainment!!!!
Remember the song 'Girls and Boys' by Blur?
Girls who are boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Maybe they're talking about the 'girls' at Asia SF? Boys, don't be fooled... the dolled-up ladies here were born boys but they certainly could have fooled me! And you too-- judging by the curious, admiring looks some of you were giving those lovelies. Bachelor party? Uh huh. That's what you told your girlfriend ;)
Besides the enchanting entertainment at your fingertips (at times, almost literally), the food also wins rave reviews. We had the 3-course 'gold' menu for $38... really a fantastic value considering the quality of our meal and the 2-part show. If I can make a recommendation, try the Asia-dilla (quesadilla stuffed with duck, jack cheese, fresno peppers and scallions, with sun-dried cherry creme fraiche), the Sansho Dusted Filet Mignon (sliced and served with Korean dipping sauce) and the Warm Banana Beignets with Chocolate and Caramel Dipping Sauces to finish. My 3 courses of choice, wow!
Cocktails are strong and will get you primed for the naughty distractions. Ladies, keep working those 5-inch heels and tiny dresses... and I envy your tiny waists! I wouldn't be surprised if several ribs were missing. Beauty is pain, after all, right?
Good clean fun.
So I really wanted to do something special for my birthday since I hadn't actually been out partying since I cannot remember. It's weird how after the age of 22 going out just doesn't seem as fun as it used to. However, I was in DESPERATE need of sum good ole' fashioned, knock you on your ass, head in the toilet, drinking. Plus I wanted a little entertainment. I had heard about Asia SF and if there's two things I love its Asians and drag queens so I knew this was going to be the spot. Making reservations was simple and painless although I didn't get the time I originally wanted since I chose the cheapest package on the menu (gold, $38). However it ended up working out because when you plan a dinner with 16 people coming from 4 different cities including one that is 8hrs away, things tend to run a bit late.
Got to the restaurant late but they hassled me not and served our food right away. In fact, they gave us extra, complimentary dishes. And the food was delicious, (ahi burgers...yum). Not the highest quality but tasty nonetheless. If you're a vegetarian though I suggest you eat beforehand. Besides, we were too busy watching the flawlessly beautiful ladies of Asia SF do their thing on the catwalk. There is this amazing stage that runs through the middle of the restaurant where the ladies performed and whoa, did they! Very entertaining. Even the straight guys couldn't wipe the grins off their faces. And when it came time to take my birthday blowjob shot, I took it like a man!
Don't quite remember all that I had to drink but I can tell you it was fabulous! After sorting out the bill (which I kept a copy of because it was the biggest bill I have ever seen!) we headed downstairs to dance. The only downside of the night was this "upscale nightclub" I had read about. I felt like I had stepped into a basement party held by a local fraternity. It was that bad. Not to mention, there was only 3 other people there dancing. The music was decent but just when we started really getting down, they kicked us out at 1AM! I was upset about that but I was happy because I got my birthday wish and all my friends had a blast! Thanks Asia SF for a birthday to remember.
I've only been here once, but it was quite an experience. Even for a straight female, the sight of the "ladies" was highly entertaining. Yeah, they look great! And the show was a blast! The food wasn't necessarily the best, but the atmosphere was worth every penny.
I brought along some friends who were visiting from Europe and they were thrilled to have such an authentic San Francisco experience. Initially they felt a little reluctant to join me to this place, but in the end it was a highly enjoyable evening. I would really recommend Asia SF to anybody looking for a great and unusual dining experience or wanting to show their out-of-town friends a good time.
I've been here a number of times and its not really my cup of tea but after a few drinks with family or friends its a guarantee you'll have a good time.
Enjoyed a number of items: Ahi Burgers, dungeness crabcakes, sansho spiced filet mignon, Miniature Tropical Ice Cream Cones
To borrow an over-used cliche', going to Asia S.F. isn't just dinner; it's an experience! There is a lot of confusion around even when you go knowing that it's a up-and-coming night club in San Francisco that's hosted by cross-dressers. The waitresses of the night are not women, but transgender men. Knowing this does help, but not too much when you're there.
I went with my girlfriend and her co-workers for a birthday bash/ company gathering. The place was packed and the ladies of the night were walking handsomely down the aisles. We took a preview of the dance floor on the bottom cellar and waited for our table to be cleared, a table for fourteen. As our pre-set meal started coming, we got ourselves comfortable by ordering drinks and making small talk. Naturally the focus was on the waitresses. For the men, it was mass confusion; for the women, it was a guilty stare of shock and envy. I mean, they have made-up faces, tone stomachs, and shaved legs - not to mention well-endowed tops. Surgery can do wonders I guess. But besides that, the food was good.
Our appetizers came and a small show ensued. I guess if this was the old days, I'd describe it as "burlesque". I guess it's cabaret, which reminds me of the word kyaba-kura, or cabaret club for short in Japanese. I enjoyed the pre-set dinner. It was four courses with a baby-back rib entre' and a memorable lamb course. I didn't care too much for the grilled banana dessert nor the ice-cream cones in the end, but it received spectacular response from my fellow dinner mates. I think they were all still gawking at the men/women.
When we finished our food, which came with a gigantic bill, we went down to hang out with the bachelorettes dancing and acting wild. It's one of the gimmicks for Asia SF, and they have regular bachelorette parties. I guess you feel safer getting crazy in a gay bar than a straight one. I ate, I drank, and I danced. I don't think there is much to say about the place besides to just go see it for yourself. The behavior is quite scandalous, but at the same time you're not sure if you should behave or set yourself apart. Boys will be boys I guess.
Although the food is actually pretty good and drinks are strong, the dancers are simply not that attractive. I am sorry to say that, but it's not even about the physical appearance itself, it's about the trashy look. I
understand that it is kind of supposed to be this way, but they just take it
to extreme. I noticed that the make up was smeared on a few dancers - it
just didn't look attractive. But, if you want to shock your out of town
guests, this may be a good place to take them to loosen up. Sorry girls.
What a DRAG!!! hahaha! The food here is hit and miss. Sometimes it is really good and sometimes it is so-so. Been here with co-workers and been here with out of town guest (make sure out of town guest are not the conservative types!).
Come for the show!!! The waitresses don't just serve you your food. FUN FUN FUN. Keep the party poopers at home!!! And come with a group and see who comes out of the closet!!!
My best friend said she'll take me here for my birthday!!! Can't wait!!!!
4 stars for the girls and decor
2.5 stars for the food...but I guess I'm not judging them for the food here since thats obviously not what people really come for.
I went here to celebrate my birthday on a Wednesday night, so the scene wasn't as crazy as I had hoped or expected. I think it would be much better to come here on a fri or sat since i hear thats when it's really crackin and the dance floor/club is open then too. On a wed night the place pretty much shuts down by 10...to 10:30pm.
It definitely was an experience to remember as I was called up to take a BJ shot from one of the "girls" crotches while clinging on to her boobs!! I'm sure all my friends who came with me also enjoyed it as they became paparazzi on queue.
The place is pricey because the "$30" dollar menu ended up being a $60+ per person meal w/ tax and mandatory 20% gratuity charge. But then again, how often do you come to places like this??
I came back for dinner with a friend on a Friday night. We went with the 'menage a trois' again since it's a good deal. For appetizer, I tried the 'Asia-dilla'. The sauce (sun-dried cherry creme fraiche) that came with it was soooo good and went really well with this Asian version of a quesadilla. The 'sake steamed mussels and miso glazed king salmon' were up to par, and you simply can't end the meal without banana beignets!
We arrived on time for the show which was again, a lot of fun to watch. Throughout dinner, the ladies were walking around doing 'BJ' shots with everyone. It was good laughs considering the "no hands" rule and seeing people spill the drink all over themselves hahah. After dinner, we were invited downstairs to do a little dancing. It's just an overall fun environment and a place you just have to experience for yourself. Come in with an open mind and you will not leave disappointed.
Upon arriving, I mentioned to the person on the phone that we had a birthday girl coming in. The… Read more »
I'm pretty sure I haven't seen a man with a body better than mine until last night at Asia SF. These drag queens are out of this world! Seriously, I felt inadequate next to their long and toned legs; their thick and silky hair and killer outfits. My God are they fun to watch. These "girls" have it going on.
I would imagine that people don't come here for the food but I have to say that it was actually a very good menu. I was more impressed with the first courses: the duck quesadilla, shrimp salad and chicken skewers were all top notch. The main meal wasn't as great. The lamb was too spicy for my liking and the pasta had too much garlic. The ribs were great, though.
Asia SF is a great place for special event (e.g. bachelorette party, birthday celebration, etc) and it's not for the faint of heart. Not open minded? I would skip if that's the case.
Holy Tranny good time!
This place is like Disneyland - except the food beats the shit out of a corn dog, the booze is plentiful and all the girls are really boys!
We went here for a friend's birthday party and ended up with 5pm reservations which means that the night went from dinner to a hot fantastic Tranny mess quite rapidly.
I was actually quite pleased with the foods!!
I had the chicken satays to start and the dipping sauce was really really good!! I wanted to stick my fingers into the dish and just eat the rest when the chicken was gone, but I figured that since the Trannys were already hotter than me, I needed to be on my best, most lady-like, behavior...
I chose the sansho spiced filet mignon for my main and it was cooked perfectly. The eggplant side was AMAZING. I never realized eggplant could be anything other than heinously disgusting! Bravo Asia SF!
For dessert...the warm chocolate cake...and let me tell you, after that cake, the male Tranny lovers weren't the only ones in the house with a hard on! My god. Sin...sin...sinful!
While the food was great, sometimes it took awhile to get drinks, and we all wanted to be good and drunk, so that was a bummer. However, when our Tranny waitress let the birthday girl do a blowjob shot from her crotch, it totally made up for the slow bar service.
Question: If the body shot is being taken from the crotch of a Tranny, can you still call it a "blowjob" shot? Ponder that...
The entertainment was 5 stars...and anybody who says different is a fucking moron and clearly didn't drink enough.
If I didn't already have tits and a vag, this whole experience would have totally made me a convert...
Went here for a friend's bday. This was a pretty fun experience. Located in a GHETTO neighborhood though. I was scared walking down the street from my car to the restaurant. But that is probably because I am from the suburbs. But my other friends from the city felt uncomfortable too. I came early so parking was not a problem, by early I mean 7pm on a Wed night.
The food was just ok, but better than I expected for a place where you go mainly for the show.
Some dishes that stood out:
Truffle Oil noodles: I love all things with truffle oil.
Lamb: My friends found it too spicy and too gamey
Ice cream: Loved it!
Everything was served family style. For us (9) girls, all of us were full by the time we finished. Unless you have a big appetite, it's not THAT small of a meal.
The show is split in two parts, one in the beginning and one at the end. I have to admit, one of the girls were actually really pretty. The other ones I could kinda tell they were "girls". Not as hot as I expected from the other reviews. They are really funny though, they threw in a couple jokes here and there, and they were really friendly and nice.
Rather expensive though. Not sure if I could come again.
The girls all have their favorite drinks on the menu. I thought that was pretty cute and the drinks were all relatively yummy.
Maybe we should've gone on a Friday/Sat?
I love the "girls" here! They're so nice, hot, and sexy. They make me feel and look like a man lol.
I can honestly say that the food would not be the reason to go here. But the experience was great. They really need to invest in an air conditioner though. =/
GREAT place for a bachelorette party - the food was amazing, the 'ladies' were FUN and made the whole evening a blast! Don't bring the prim and proper here - OR if you do, get ready to laugh your head off watching THEM freak out! DO bring your camera and pocketbook full o'cash. It's pricey!
Man, these girls are HOT! I find it natural to call them "girls" because their Ta-Ta's are as big as mine, if not BIGGER! And they can certainly rock their sexy outfits way better than half of the female population out there. Especially Aliyah...she was our favorite!
We celebrated my cousin's Bachelorette here last weekend and had an awesome time! The host was very considerate in seating our group with a great view of the bar/stage where the girls performed. And the shows were very entertaining as the girls were strutting on stage in skimpy outfits and lip singing! Their bodies are to die for! The crowds were clapping, hollering and screaming in delight! I was trying to see if the guys at the table next to us were turned on or not. Haha.
All the girls were very friendly and they took turns bringing out our dinner. We had ordered the gold package dinner which included:
Chicken satays, porcupines, duck quesadilla, & ahi burgers, steak salad, spicy lamb, truffled soba noodles, baby back ribs, and ice cream dessert! Wow- that was alot of food and it was all pretty good!
Our waitress Aliyah was even nice enough to let the Bachelorette take a blow job shot in between her legs! Caught on camera-Priceless!
Our party had an amazing time here! It was definately pricey when all the drinks, tax and tip were tallied up. But for a once in a lifetime experience like this, it was worth every penny!
Food, "ladies", ambience, bar ... everything is wonderful!
One of the top 10 restaurants to visit in San Francisco. You won't be sorry. It's like no other.
P.S. The ice cream is too cute.
I took my out-of-town guests to Asia SF and we had a blast! Everything was great, but what I think was most impressive was the service! We loved how often the ladies would stop by, we were brought an extra scoop of ice cream just because one of us didn't get dessert, and one of the bar tenders went out to the street with us to get a cab home. So nice. And the food was great! I had the salmon and it was literally fantastic!! Lastly, I thought it was a great deal for 3 pieces of a meal, and entertainment.
Okaaaaaaaaay - surprise! Hot chicks here - not! Wow, um, what an "interesting" experience.....
a local took us as a surprise and we were totally unaware. Initially we were consumed with ordering drinks and food. We had no idea what was in store for us. Then I started to think, hmmmm, I'm getting a strange vibe here. OK! Got it! That is not a chick!! THEN the dancing on the bar started! Cat calls, whistling, screaming and singing. As I said, interesting. I was surprised that the guys I was with were so amused with the whole thing, I was a bit uncomfortable. (guess that's just me).
Drinks were good, Food was on tiny appie plates, fairly $$$$$ for what you get. I don't think u will leave o a full tummy....
I think it is 'the thing to do in San Francisco'.
They have a really unique menu and the food is pretty good. We had seared Ahi burgers (very interesting), some fried shrimp with scallop concoction (quite tasty), crab cakes (disappointing), salmon (a bit above average) and dessert was a chocolate cake (great) and an ice cream sampler (pretty good).
Our waiter/server/bartender, Carlo or Carlos, was very attentive and friendly. The gender illusion (drag) show was pretty entertaining.
My disappointment was that this is not at all a "gay" place. I had hoped for a bit gayer, campier atmosphere. I guess you can't get that when you cater to bachelorette parties; however, I didn't know that was the restaurant's specialty.
I'd love to go again for the food and the show, but probably won't because of the clientele.
The first time I came here was for the girlfriend's birthday party, more recently it was for a female co-worker's good-bye party.
The food here is pretty decent, but what people really come here for is the entertainment by the "gender illusionists." The entertainers, who are also your servers, can be quite hilarious at times. It's just a very uniquely San Francisco establishment.
I really wonder if some of the guys who have dined here actually know about the "Ladies of Asia SF." I've seen some guys watching so intently or in such amazement that their jaws have just dropped!
The last time I was here a few years ago the downstairs dance floor and bar area got very stuffy as it was not well ventilated.
We went here for a bachelorette party on Saturday and was so disappointed at the level of service we received. We booked a package where we got our own private "booth/room", our own buffet of all you can eat food, 1 shot each, and a private lapdance for the bride.
When we got there, we were quickly escorted from the nice upstairs area, to this dark, undecorated basement. Then they showed us our booth and host. We were left to stand around for about 20 minutes, before food was finally brought out. The host said he would bring out a small sample of each item, and we could order more of whatever we liked the most. The food was really subpar at most. It included fried scallops that fell apart because it as mostly breading. Duck quesadillas that had not one taste of meat in it. Chicken satay, which were really dry, and had to be drenched in sauce. And old steamed rice, that tasted as if they scooped out a bunch in the morning, and then just microwaved and served.
If that wasn't bad enough, our stripper was short and balding, and kept asking us for more $. I thought the $72 each of us paid already included his fees. But he wouldn't give lapdances unless we paid $5 each for them. WTF? The whole stripper ordeal lasted less than 15 minutes.
The reason they lost all of the other stars was right after the stripper was done, they kicked is out of our booth, making room for the next party. WTF? We barely got there, and didn't even get to finish our food yet. Total time in the booth was under an hour. We even asked our host if we could take a picture with one of the "ladies", since we haven't even gotten a chance to see one while we were there. He said there were none available for us to take pictures with.
Also, there's no show downstairs. There were a few lapdances for bachelorettes on the little stage, but it was hard to see, since it wasn't raised up. The downstairs is ALL chicks, so I would recommend it to any guy that wants to have the odds in his favor.
Overall, I would NOT recommend ASIA SF for a bachelorette party, as they herd you in and out of there faster than cattle. If you DO go, I highly recommend asking to be seated upstairs, because that's where the real show was. I feel so disappointed in my experience, as I have been looking forward to going there for years. :(
This place is so much fun but you can only go once in a while because the performances are the same every night. The "girls" are HOT, especially Amber. For $35, you get a 3-course meal AND a one-of-a-kind show. If you're shy, this is not the right type of place for you. The best place to sit is right by the bar so you can get the best view of the show.
Appetizer - The best value appetizer is the mussels. You get a huge bowl of them plus bread that you can dip in the juices-very delicious. The best tasting appetizer is probably the porcupines.
Entree - I ordered the filet mignon the first time and it was a 3.5* experience. I had the baby back ribs the next time and that was only about a 3. None of the entrees seemed that great.
Dessert - The warm chocolate cake is fabulous. I wouldn't try anything else.
The food is surprisingly good for a place that's know for its entertainment. Asia SF is a true SF experience.
OK. I think Asia SF has enough positive reviews so I wanted to give a slightly critical review.
First off let me say that I totally enjoyed my night here. I totally dig the idea of good food with good drag-ish performance and I thought Asia SF mostly fit that bill.
But just on pure evaluation, I'd probably give the dining like a 5 out of 10 and the performance like a 6-7 out of 10.
I totally was expecting like a drag show. This is more like transgenders lip-synching to music. I know the concept is to distinguish Asia SF from the overt campiness/ cheesiness of drag, but honestly having really pretty M2F girls lipsynching to music is only interesting for so long. I wonder if there would be a wider appeal if they could incorporate some audience interaction or props or debauchery that drag is more known for. Or learn some dance moves. Yes the girls are hot but can they be bigger performers? To be brutally honest it wasn't quite as entertaining as I was expecting... but maybe I was expecting the wrong thing.
Also these shows were short.
The food situation was weird. So you pay like a set price, for us it was $80, for a prix fixe type menu...that is served family style. I don't know- I'm just not into sharing food that way in that type of setting. I understand the logistics of taking individual orders at Asia SF could be crazy, but it was confusing and a bit weird trying to build your dinner on the mini-plate from the platters scattered about the table.
There weren't really any explanation of what the food items were, and the entrees were set on our table literally as the second show was starting, so we were in the awkward position of waiting until it was over to start in eating. Maybe there's a better way to time that.
The food itself ran the gamut from American to faux-Asian, honestly some items tasted a bit like to-go Chinese food, which isn't all bad, just not excellent. We all agreed the appetizers seemed better than the entrees. Maybe everything should be small plates/ appetizers? We liked the fresh bok choy and thought the spicy tuna sashimi was AWESOME. The cliantro and cabbage salad was weird and both the filet and the salmon tasted dry to me. Obviously you don't come for the food, but I thought I'd mention it.
Our waitress, who was also a performer, was amazing. Can't remember her name but she was our favorite up there. Also worth mentioning I wasn't drinking and I'm sure it would have been more fun if I was.
Overall a fun experience just thought I'd mention these things.
My girlfriends and I came here for my friend's bachelorette party. We picked one of the packages that included the bachelorette going on the stage for a front row seat of one of Asia SF's ladies performances. I had such a great time! Chelsea, the lady that danced for my friend, was very nice. She... yeah I'm sticking to referring to her as a woman, it's confusing enough as it is... sensed how my friend was nervous and was on the conservative side so she didn't do anything "too" naughty... just enough ;) The DJ that night was pretty good, would've danced all night if only my feet didn't hurt so much.
I can't wait to go back and get the full experience of Asia SF (dinner and show).
My daring friends brought me here for my bacholorette celebration last summer. The music was uninspired and there were tons of white girls shaking their shit for their last horrahs as single ladies.
Ok now that I have all of the negatives out of the way, I can focus on the positive. DA LOVELY LADIES. Pre-op or post-op I don't know (althought the conspicous lack of a bulge is telling) but these girls shake their shit all while giving you a chance to observe them in their natural habitat. The bartenders were cute South Pacific Islander young men who were prone to sexually suggestive antics (much to the benefit of the tips they receive I am sure). Its cheesy as hell but whatever.
If you have an unquenchable desire to humilate your soon to be wed friends and are interested in hormonaly aided Amazonians then check this joint out. As a novelty it serves it purpose, as a regular party spot search for greener pastures.
Pretty freaking expensive, expect at least 70 a head. Remember to just come here for the experience, not for the food or the drinks. It'll be fun for special parties with the girls or with the boys. Don't come here for a romantic dinner. duh!
OMG!!!! Loved this place. Went there awhile back w/some co-workers. They were actually treating me because I was leaving the department.
I had no clue what I was in for.
The performance was EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The food was good but on the pricey side.
I managed to park across the street at the gas station
Ambiance was great except since I'm short w/stubby legs I'm not a fan of the high chairs. I hate that my legs swing like a kid. Makes me uncomfortable and makes my legs get number.
Overrall I had a great time and loved the fact that the performers were all hot :)
This venue is a one of a kind. Bachelorette party was thrown here in 1999. I have never seen such a creative, hard-working staff as I witnessed at this venue. I mean can you believe your beautiful hostess not only takes your order, and serves your food but she also performs for you on top of a stage. To my surprise these beautiful women were actually men dressed in drag. My friends and I had a wonderful time, and the food is delicious. I left the restaurant happy, satisfied, and in love with those beautiful women. What more can a girl ask for. YOU HAVE TO EXPERIENCE ASIA SF.
As a food establishment... I think this place fails; epic fail. It was either tasteless or over-seasoned. Probably the worst Asian fusion I have ever tasted.
The reason why people come here; however, is for the "entertainment."
So here is the story of my experiences here:
I came here without knowing anything of this place because a friend had a b-day here. So upon entering, we were seated immediately by a "stunning woman;" however, I instantly noticed that there was an Adam's apple. After watching a few "waitresses" pass by, I figured it out.
The reason why I am rating this place more than 1 star is for what happened next. The people, then one of my roommates, that I went there with said something interesting. Pretty much the conversation went like this:(R= roommate; RT= anonymous friend)
Me: why are you guys siting on that side of the table?
R: to see the girls pass by
RT: yeah we want to clear view of these lovelies
Me: ....pauses... then cracks up totally.
Just that incident was worth the extra money... was worth the tasteless or over seasoned food. It was even worth the time where I turned my head (remember I am sitting on the side of the table not facing the dancers) by accident right when the entertainer spread her? legs right in front of me...*mental black out there*
So pretty much... if you want great food... this is not your place...
IF you want a show & to get some unsuspecting soul in a situation that you can always hold over them... THIS IS THE PLACE.
My friend Amanda recently finalized her divorce and so to celebrate the ladies and I headed to Asia SF. Our 10 person group got a $38 prix fixe menu and seats for the 9:45 show. When we arrived we found ourselves smack dab in bachelorette party central--big surprise--and headed downstairs to have some pre-dinner drinks while we waited for our time slot.
Downstairs looks like college, which for me meant Boston frat house basements, loud hip hop music, and lots of drunk...er...women. Every once in a while a performer would come out and shake a tail feather (sometimes in the lap of a lucky bride to be) or some random would hop up onto the stripper pole in the corner and try her hand at spinning around it. I suppose if you've lived a relatively sequestered life these things would be a lot more outrageous for you; for me, they were a little old hat (see again: college) but most of the girls in the bar seemed to be alternately having a great time bopping around beneath their tiaras and squealing in mock horror at the raunch. Whatever.
The four star review, therefore, has nothing to do with the show or the experience--it's all about the food.
Oh, the food.
The food made me completely forget that there were Asian trannies all over the place. When I looked at the menu it had three sections: drinks, first course, and second course. I assumed we'd each be ordering 2 selections and that would be that, but boy was I wrong.
Because it was prix fixe, food just kept coming. We got the spring rolls (yum!) and the tuna burgers and the steak salad and the chicken satay and the soba noodles and some pork thing...it just showed up, plate after plate of deliciousness. Everything was awesome and we all ate to bursting. By the time the show was finished, our bellies were full and we were all pretty toasty (from the $10 drinks that are in addition to the dinner price...). We went downstairs and danced it off, and then sweatily headed home.
Had the food not been such an enjoyable experience, this could have easily been a 2 and a half star review--you can see a lip syncing tranny just walking down the street in the bay area--but the deliciousness of the dinner almost made me forget how much money I dropped on the night.
HOWEVER, it IS bachelorette land and short of another good friend wanting to have her shindig here, I really can't see any reason to go back.
came here last year w/ some friends
it was a lot of fun, and i loved the miniature ice cream cones
i love ice cream, and i love things miniature so it was pretty
much perfect for me.
Went with a group of work friends and I was half expecting balls in my face. Luckily, I was proven very wrong. The girls here are very (very) hot, and the food is extremely good. Just be mindful of when you go and don't pass out from lack of food - even if you have reservations it can take a while before you're seated.
For some reason, I like to take conservative businessmen and friends from Texas to this restaurant. I find that I enjoy watching them as much or more than the show. You can learn a lot about a person at Asia SF.
The show is fun. If you are from 99% of the world, you have never seen anything like this. That alone should be reason to go.
This is how it works. First, you need reservations. Do NOT walk up and expect to get a table. That might happen, but the chances are slim. Yes, this is a restaurant/bar, but it is also a show and seats are limited. I have seen them turn people away as I was checking-in.
Next, you should know that there is a minimum drink or food order. I cannot remember exactly how it works because we always exceed the minimums pretty heavily, but know before you go.
Finally, go with an open mind and don't take things too seriously. Just relax and have fun. I have seen really uptight people loosen up and have a blast here. Everybody I have taken appreciated the experience on one level or another.
If you are having a great time at dinner and want the party to continue, there is a club downstairs that goes until the wee hours of the morning. I have not spent much time there, but the few drunken moments I did enjoy were very memorable.
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Party & Event Planning
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Local Flavor
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Category: Dance Clubs
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