On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Category: Chinese
Neighborhood: SOMAHeaven's Dog validates for three hours of parking in the Soma Grand garage next to the restaurant.
Mon-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sun. 4:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Free Delivery Everyday w/ min order of $15. Fri-Sat: Free beer w/ dinner for Mighty Club goers and Yelpers - mention this ad
Loading...
My GF and I had a very nice meal here.
We were seated in the dining area in the back. The tables are too close together, but we were seated in the corner next to a 4 person table that was unoccupied during the entire time we were there, which made it more pleasant. Contrary to what others have experienced, service was also very good -- prompt and attentive.
Since people raved about the cocktails, we decided to try a couple. I had a Mai Tai and my GF had a Montego (something) which was topped w/a flaming portion of 151 proof rum. The drinks were ok, but seemed a little small for the price. For dinner, we chose are variety of small plates: the shanghai dumplings, salt and pepper squid, edamame salad, ma po tofu and a sashimi dish that I can't on the website menu.. All the dishes were very tasty and well prepared, except for the ma po tofu which had a too-gooey sauce due to the use of too much cornstarch.
It wasn't cheap, but it was worth the price given the overall experience and the quality of the food served. You also have the choice of dining at the bar, in the lounge or at front near the kitchen, which can made for different kinds of experiences in the same space. So, if you're in the area, it's definitely a go-to place for some upscale Asian cuisine.
Only a few places leave me intrigued with never-ending thoughts of food and desserts. Guess what...This is one of them.
Seriously. I can't stop thinking about that vegetarian pork belly thing. Crispy and scrumptious and sweet and sour. How'd they do that with tofu??? If that is how real pork belly tastes, then maybe I've been missing out all of these years.
Onto the other that they absolutely aced: DESSERTS! Wow. True to my style, I managed to sample everything. My mind is still stuck on red bean pancake with coconut ice cream. I swear, I might have to make another trip to SOMA just for that.
After I inhaled the food, it was time to take it down a notch. Loved that quiet lounge scene. Fabulous food plus subdued ambiance plus fabulous cocktail in hand--just what I needed this week (thank you D!).
I really, really like this place. Hip and fusion-y enough to satisfy the SOMA palate (such as it is). Chinese-legit enough to satisfy my father, who frowns on anything other than the best Chinese food.
Don't think of Charles Pham -- this ain't slanted door, and it's better not to think that its related. The chef is Chef Woo, who had for years his eponymous restaurant in San Mateo, which richly deserved its following by the Peninsula Chinese community (I think he also has a fairly well-regarded Chinese cookbook).
Also, if Lance is still pouring drinks, you have the compete package. He was my favorite bartender at Flora and Beretta, and is now at Heaven's Dog of all places.
Ate at the bar. Ordered up the:
- salt & pepper local squid, red chilies, toasted garlic ($13)
- braised pork belly in clam shell bun (3 for $9)
- spicy lamb skewers, cumin, sesame, chili peppers ($9)
- long island ice tea ($10)
Everything was decently good. The lamb was the biggest shocker and fave of the night - tender and moist. I almost didn't believe it was lamb. Almost tasted like chicken.
The squid was meaty and seasoned well but not quite crispy enough. Some were too soggy.
The pork bun came no where close, in my opinion, to Ippudo NY's pork bun. The pork was way too thin and not fatty enough. The scallions were too overpowering. And there was no sauce like Ippudo's.
The long island was prob one of the better ones I've had. This was def a step up from the normal dive bar long islands where you order these to get f'd up faster and cheaper. Here, they were actually really refreshing and tasty. This bar is def more of a mixologist bar after watching them make a few fancy drinks you wouldn't really get at other bars.
Would def be open to come here again for food and drinks at the bar. It's a nice, classy place.
Sister restaurant of the Slated Door, the expectations of Heaven's Dog were set pretty high. Unfortunately in nearly every aspect of a restaurant Heaven's Dog fails to deliver. For a restaurant that goes through the trouble of putting "noodle shop" in it's name I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the noodles to be the most delicious choices available. The noodles, while properly cooked, were bland and unremarkable. The appetizers were pretty good tasty and well balanced.
The cocktails on the cocktail list were also pretty good. Everything off the cocktail list was only just barely palatable. Stick to the cocktail list.
Tables are placed so too close together it is nearly impossible to enter or exit without bumping into the table next to you. Service is severely lacking. Waiters would come by only to ignore empty water glasses, check on tables far too late to fix anything wrong and almost misleadingly describe dishes.
Doubt I'll come back.
Straight from the Noodle Bar...
Loved the concept of the noodle bar in the kitchen and would probably run down for quick bites daily if I lived upstairs. Since I don't, though, I probably won't find much reason to return. The food was not up to snuff for the price. The flavor of the shanghai dumpling wasn't quite right - the meat overpowered the soup and lacked the proper seasoning. The crispy duck was cooked fine but the dish overall bored me. Plain ol' duck thrown on a plate. Pair that with some steamed rice and you got yourself nothing more than what my mom grew up eating back in the old country. I do give props to their coconut ice cream though. Holy wowzers! Made by their in-house pastry chef, this ice cream was packed with more flavor than Humphry Slocombe's. I also give props to the white guy in the kitchen shouting out orders in Chinese. Reassuring to know the men cooking up the grub were actually Chinese.
Overrated! After seeing Heaven's Dog in Bon Appetite as one of the best noodle houses in the country I quickly added it to my list of restaurants to try. I was disappointed to see only 2 things on the menu with noodles (it was ranked as the best noodle house, right?). In my opinion the Ma Po tofu was too spicy and the peanut noodles had too much peanut sauce.
The upside to Heaven's Dog: We had great service and it's 2 blocks from the Orphium Theater, so it was a good location for a pre-theater meal.
I came for the cocktails, I stayed for the food.
I have been to HD twice for drinks and appetizers, and they never let me down. In fact, if I were writing this review on drinks and apps, they would get five stars. I recommend the Freedom from Choice. Its basically putting your drinking future into the hands of the bartender. So far this has had great results.
After all the great drinks, I finally tried dinner. It was excellent. I highly recommend the braised pork belly in clam shell bun. I would also recommend the beef curry puffs as an appetizer with cocktails. I also really enjoyed the Lamb Stew... super flavorful. However, my wife hated it due to the fact that it was fatty and hard to eat. I thought the fattiness is what made it tasty.
Why not five stars? While the food was really good, it was not five star good (perhaps four + stars). Also, the deserts leave something to be desired. Don't get me wrong, they were not bad. They just fell a little flat next to the food and drinks.
Had a dinner with co-workers at Heaven's Dog and it sure had a lot to live up to! We came in starving and ready to chow down, chopsticks in hand! We were seated in the private room which was nice because you didn't have to scream to talk to your dinner companions across the way.
We ate duck with scallions and plum sauce in delicate white buns. I really could have eaten the entire platter myself because that's how good it was. Shared noodles, pork chops and some soupy pork dim sum which was delicious as well. Service was excellent but they didn't give us enough spoons so we shared amongst one another. I guess this really is family style dining?! Perhaps part of the corporate bonding process?
Large paintings of dogs cover the walls of this chic asian fusion restaurant. I think the white fluffy dog one was winking at me. The black fluffy dog had a serious attitude problem so I told him to beat it! Bring me more duck!
I almost gave this place 2 stars, except for one dish that saved it and I gave it 3 instead.....
Reason's to come to HD: Enjoy creative drinks in a Asian-swank setting; enjoy bad chinese food, or you just like fake chinese food but pretend to know how chinese food is suppose to be, while drunk off cocktails
Reason's not to come to HD: overpriced, boring wannabe-chinese food
Okay, so HD is a pretty posh place. I've been wanting to give this place a shot ever since it opened, and finally found a night to check it out. I kept hearing about their shanghai dumplings and their pork buns, so those were on the must list.
What we got: (ratings out of 5)
Braised pork belly buns - 2
Pan fried chicken buns - 3
Shanghai dumplings - 2
Beef curry puff - 4
Salt and pepper squid - 5
Steak - 3
Ma po tofu - dunno, didnt' bother trying it
Items worth talking about:
Braised pork belly buns:
Pork belly is suppose to be really thick, with a thick layer of fat, a crunchy layer of skin, and some real meat underneath the fat. Yes, it's a lot of fat, but it's the fat and skin that gives it the crunch and flavor. The pork belly at HD was too small, and too lean. There wasn't any real flavor to it at all, and definitely not how a pork belly bun is supposed to be. If you want some real pork belly buns, go to the little hole in the wall chinese places that has health ratings lower than B's, or Momofuku in NYC, which, i know is far, but they have a the standard definition for pork belly buns.
Shanghai dumplings:
I'll give them a + for effort, but nowhere near how shanghai dumplings are suppose to be like. The skin was too thick, and it was bland. My recommendation for this dish....go to Shanghai Dumpling House in Millbrae, those are real shanghai dumplings, not this dog crap.
Salt and pepper squid:
This dish saved the night. Honestly, I could've eaten the whole plate. Whatever they did, worked. Made up for the rest of the things we ordered.
All in all, overpriced fake chinese food. But honestly, what did you expect?
My good friend has been raving about this place, trying to get me to go here for a bit now. She's a chef, and we enjoy the same types of food, so I always trust her opinion on new places to go. This past Friday night was it. We walked in around 8:45 and sat at the end of the bar toward the back of the restaurant. We had started the evening with a bottle of sparkling wine at another place closer to work, and decided this is how we should continue on, so we ordered another a bottle to share. Yum.
Our meal was fantastic. We started with the shanghai dumplings. While good, they were not the best I've had. The vinegar should have been more tangy, and not mixed with soy, but I appreciate the creativity. This, in my opinion was the low point of our meal. From there we had the scallion pancakes, ma po tofu, and dan dan noodles. All were delicious! My favorites were the scallion pancake and the dan dan noodle. The Ma Po tofu was a close second. I'd order all three again. Yum.
I can't wait to return and try more!
Came here for dinner today ... wowza!
This is literally one of the best dinners I've ever had. Oh - and no - dog isn't on the menu!!
After checking over some other Yelp reviews it was decided that our group would dine on some of the food items that other people seemed to rave about. The braised pork belly in a clam shell bun was AWESOME! I'm not usually a big fan of pork but this was tasty. We also had dumplings that were super tasty and best of all, the calamari. Perhaps the best I've ever had.
The drinks were also spectacular. Everyone ordered something different and we passed them around. You can get anything from a Chartreuse mixed drink to something with egg whites. Really hip!
Dessert was equally stunning. Nothing was less than perfect with regards to presentation, flavor and creativity. Since eating here I've recommended this spot to a number of friends.
I can't say much about the food, so my review will be about the bar, bartenders and drinks only.
The drinks are amazing. Inventive. Creative. Delicious. Beautiful.
The bartenders are fantastic. Creative. Knowledgeable. Intuitive. And yes, Beautiful!
As everyone else has mentioned, Jackie is the (wo)MAN! I told her I usually like Capt'n'Coke. Yeah. Fratboy drink, I know... She made me this amazing, spicy, sweet, tasty concoction of some type of special rum and I don't know what else... OMG... Amazing...
I'm not consuming too much alcohol these days, but if I did, I'd be coming here all... the... time...
Outstanding cocktails, including an option where you don't really have to make up your mind?
Small plates that invite sharing? A cool, loungey atmosphere? A vegetarian treatment of pork belly buns? Free dim sum at 11pm?
And here's the kicker--they serve dinner until 1am, every day? Count me sold.
Best cocktails in the city. I know that's a bold statement for San Francisco. I know. And it's true. In fact I haven't had anything here that I haven't loved. Food, service, drinks, dates, you name it.
You guys rock. Never lose the mustaches. I love you.
That's all I got.
We've been to HD perhaps 5x....we live in Soma, so it's a mere block away...we can get tipsy and totter home sans auto....BUT it's really the host, staff and the small plates that make us feel we can rely upon consistency here...
the only exception was our first trip there, when we sat at the bar and endured one of the prep guys CONSTANTLY chipping at ice. it was unbelievable that he was directed to do so right smack dab in the middle of the bar! the ice chipping was accompanied by the necessity of mixologist's regular, and might i say very thorough, shaking of cocktails, all in all making for an insanely noisy first visit.
we sit in the lounge area exclusively now.
Erik Adkins is a very amiable and sincere host, as long as HD isn't kicking into busy mode. We had great service that was unobtrusive yet attentive by Dan.
My fiance and I are always grateful for new drinking and dining establishments in our neck of SOMA.
Our favorite small plates here are the pepper sauteed lightly breaded calamari--it is beyond the pale of ANY humdrum run of the mill fried calamari-it melts in your mouth, has great flavor, and best of all for me is the ratio of tentacles to suckers. I LOVE TENTACLES!
Next honorable mentions go to the pork belly with a dish of Maas brown rice (kudos to HD for understanding the dedication the Maas family bring to their Sonoma rice patty....this brown rice is all the rage and deservedly so). Aside from this combo, we love the minced stirfry served with belgian endive to convey it to our lips....
Of course the complicated cocktails are great, but lately, I prefer the lovely list of wines by the glass and the big guy starts with a custom made spicy margarita and after one of them moves on to beer....
I hope this place holds up well with all the vagaries of this economy....
ciao and chow....
No, they don't serve dog. No, you can't bring your pup. Thought I"d clear that up in case you were wondering...I was! The only dogs I saw were paintings on the wall. What they do serve is unbelievable cocktails and tasty Chinese food.
My party of 10 was lucky enough to score a little private room in the back. I chose a prix fixe menu for the group ahead of time. After very carefully examining the Yelp reviews I decided on the following:
* braised pork belly in clam shell bun (sounds gross, but tasted uhmazing)
* shanghai dumplings, pork, rice vinegar, ginger (fun to eat)
* scallion pancake, pangasinan sea salt (so-so)
* salt & pepper local squid, red chilies, toasted garlic (so good i had about 3 helpings)
* lemongrass pork chop, velvet pioppini mushrooms, chantrelles, black trumpets (skipped this, but the others at the table seemed to enjoy)
* chicken stir fry, chicken breast, green beans, satay sauce (super salty)
* spicy wild prawns, szechuan pepper, chilies (unmemorable)
* dan dan mein, pressed tofu, spicy peanut sauce, sesame, chili, egg noodles (hit the spot)
I was considering not getting a drink since I couldn't remember the last night I had sans alcohol, but I couldn't possibly miss out on trying something from this impressive cocktail list. And so I had one of their Monk Bucks and can't believe I was able to stop after just 1- it was delicious!
For dessert I was psyched about the flourless chocolate cake, but it ended up tasting a bit bland. Sad. We also decided to be a bit adventurous by ordering the gingered tomatoes with buttermilk ice cream. And this innovative dessert turned out to be much better than the chocolate cake- go figure.
Highly recommended for a big group dinner....and a cocktail (or two).
Enjoyed lunch recently. Delicious and fairly priced. Five stars if they would have had the lotus leaf, I assume. Rough 'hood but but can park in the SOMA Grand.
The decor of this place is definitely for the contemporary at heart. The staffs are friendly and accomodating. We ordered the dumplings as an appetizer, and it was absolutely delicious. One of the best dumplings I have had in SF, however I was a little bit dissapointed by my wonton soup. My friend ordered the beef noodle and that have the perfect amount of spicyness to it. A good place to catch up with old friends or if you just wanted to grab a drink.
This place is fantastic. We had the scallion pancakes, shanghai (soup) dumplings, haddock clay pot, and dino kale, and each thing was spectacular. My only (minor) complaint is that I wish the scallion pancakes had a dipping sauce, but they were so good, I don't even care. For dessert, had the red bean crepes with phenomenal coconut ice cream, which was a really unique and delightful twist on red bean desserts.
Best of all, I asked them to whip up a non-alcoholic cocktail (because it's really sad to be here and not be able to drink), and they made me something that was so good, I didn't even miss the alcohol (and believe me, I'm the type to miss the alcohol). Wow!
This is the second time I've been here - the first time was for lunch - and I am consistently blown away by their execution of these tasty dishes. Good service, great drinks, and great food - Heaven's Dog is a very welcome addition to SoMA!
When we arrived in SF late one night and hungry, we came to eat at Heaven's Dog on a tip from a friend. The food was excellent, the kitchen is open late (yay!), and they specialize in really handsome cocktails. I'm not really the cocktail type (though the process to make each one made them look all the more amazing) but my friend ordered one. She wasn't sure what to get so she let our super friendly bartender pick for her. It was a twist on a mint julip of sorts, but with all sorts of fancy stuff in it and ice on top like a snow cone. Childish, whimsical and very tasty.
We shared the shrimp vermicelli and tofu pork curry were both super tasty. This place will definitely be on my list of must-return-to-joints in the city
Happy hour @ heavens dog = $5 cocktails. This has to be the best deal in town. Legit cocktails made with great ingredients and care for the price of a regular beer.
It looks like their website has been hijacked so I cant find the names of the drinks, but the one with rum and egg whites was outstanding.
The ma po tofu with beef was spicy and a nice accompaniment to my liquid dinner.
Had an early poor visit. Last night returned and had a much better time. Sat at the bar. The… Read more »
Date & Time: Friday October 2, 2009 @ 8:30pm
Company: Michael After Picking Up Mommy from SFO
Crowd: Dressed-Up Couples- Guys in Paul Smith Shirts & Rock & Republic Jeans & Girls in Little Dresses or Alice+Olivia Tops w/ Hudson Jeans & High Boots
Atmosphere: Energetic
Music: Techno & House
Decor: Sleek & Contemporary. Dimly-Lit Lounge, Noodle Bar w/ Bottega Counter-Seating & Dining Room w/ Communal Table & Banquettes w/ Tightly-Packed Tables
Service: Nice & Professional
Imbibe: Gin Fizz
Devour: Pork Belly in Clam Shell Buns, Shanghai Dumplings, Spicy String Beans, Sweet & Sour Pork, Dan Dan Noodles & Steamed Lemon Cake w/ Sour Cream & Blueberries
Total: $88.68
Went here tonight for dinner...
I think my expectations were high when I heard it was in the Slanted Door family... Everything I have ever had at Slanted Door has been delicious, and it may be a bit overrated, and always booked, but understandably. It's in the Ferry Building and attracts a lot of tourists, and is probably in every SF guide book. Also I LOVE Out the Door, in particular the one at the mall...
Anyways, back to Heaven's Dog... Here's what we had:
Edamame salad, 2 Stars, when it came out, it looked like it came with soba noodles, but when I put it in my mouth, I realized that it wasn't, and it was a little surprise for my mouth! Apparently they were slivers of tofu, so it didn't have the smooth texture I expected, and it was a little weird...
Vegetarian pork belly buns, 3 Stars, I enjoyed the soft buns and the sauce that came with it but not so much the fried thing that was inside.
Scallion pancakes, 2 Stars, they were pretty bland, but then they sprinkled a lot of sea salt on it which made it way too salty, and no sauce to dip it in...
Dan Dan Mein, 4 Stars, this was by far my favorite thing I ordered. I love Dan Dan Mein, although I have not had it before in the US, but this was really good. Loved the noodles and the sauce was super tasty.
Sweet and Sour Pork, 2 Stars, the sauce was interesting, with what seemed like cranberry jam, it seemed, but the fried pork was SUPER fatty.
Banana Hazelnut Torte, 2.5 Stars, could have been a more delicious dessert to the end of our dinner...
All in all, I was not so impressed with the food, but I thought the service was great, the waiter was nice, decor super cute and asian modern, and I would go back for Happy Hour cocktails and nibblies, but probably not a full on dinner. I'll stick to Slanted Door for that... if there's no wait... :)
I came here for a work dinner with a planned menu all set so I can't speak to every single thing they offer. I used to be a big fan of Slanted Door when I lived in SF so I was excited to try this (semi) new offering.
The space is predictably nice, new and sparkly at the bottom of a large apartment or condo building, I couldn't really tell. The noodle bar is through the left doorway and the restaurant is to the right. It has that slick, urban feel that is great and makes you feel nice, but really you could see in most any big city.
The service was excellent. Our waiter made drink suggestions, and when I didn't end up loving my first egg white cocktail, he noticed my slow drinking and offered to replace it with my second choice. (Much better, by the way: The Bumble Bee, with gin, honey and egg whites, and a lovely little floral design on the foam for good measure. Yum!)
I assumed (and you know what that makes me and you) that the food would be a bit more fusiony or modern than it actually was. In reality, I found a lot of the dishes to be pretty traditional Chinese dishes, and that's dangerous in San Francisco, home to some of the cheapest and most authentic Chinese cuisine in the US.
My favorite dishes included the squid, which was perfectly crispy and chewy (beware the fiery red chili flakes), the pork buns made untraditional by clamshell/taco shell shaped bread, and the pork chops. Wasn't as big of a fan of the dan dan mein, which was a little too peanuty for my taste, and the shrimp which to me had an odd flavor in the meat.
As for dessert, we were scared to try the tomato and buttermilk gelato dessert, but I have to say I'm glad I had a taste because it was really like nothing I'd tasted before. Unfortunately I couldn't say the same for the flourless chocolate cake or the banana hazelnut torte...the flavors were very tried and true, although we enjoyed them both.
We sat in a little private room that seems great for work dinners or big birthday parties and things of that sort. I think I was most impressed by the service and the cocktails...the food I might consider hopping in a cab for five minutes and going to Chinatown.
Finally tried Charles Phan's new Chinese creation, but unfortunately it failed to impress. I had heard the cocktail program was one of the best in the city, but the three drinks we tried didn't wow us. Rickhouse serves my favorite drinks at the moment.
Of the menu we tried:
Shanghai dumplings - good flavor but the broth gelatinized quickly, maybe they weren't steamed enough.
Pork belly buns - pork belly was more meaty than fatty, which I typically like but the meat was overcooked, almost stringy. I also didn't like the sort of char siu marinade of the pork belly.
Salt & pepper squid - Not sure if the kitchen was having an off night, but the squid was not fried properly, producing a heavy batter, almost mushy and not at all crispy. The squid was too chewy as well. Seasoning was fine though.
Spicy Green Beans - Pretty similar to what you'd find at any Chinese restaurant, but with more of a kick from the dried red chilies. This was good, but not overly special.
Well-done, high-end takes on street food. Expansive lounge area with couches, well-protected from the wind (with the help of wooden baffles) even though it's right by the entrance. Snag the couch along the window -- it's the biggest one.
$5 beers, $9 cassis bubbly, and upwards of for the fancy schmancy drinks. Stay for dinner -- spicy lamb kebos, pork omelette, dumplings, onion pancakes.
I think Mr. Charles Phan did it again. Was heading to see Wicked last week and Heaven's Dog just seemed like the most sensible spot in the area. Had one hour until curtain but not a problem.
We enjoyed the front lounge are with the comfy sofas. Two great glasses of wine from Oregon, spicy wanton, basil chicken served in endive spears but the favorite was the crispy fried salt and pepper squid. All so flavorful and just the right amount of food.
Waiter service was impeccable.
It's simple, it's delicious and a few appetizers and two glasses of wine is perfect combination before a show that won't break the bank.
Paid the bill and out the door around the corner with 10 minutes to spare.
The cocktails are delish! The food is good...nothing exceptional...rather hit any of his other spots for food. I have only been there once though, so should hit it again for more bevvies...and maybe the noodle shop. Will go back
Went here recently with a small group for a late night dinner. At 10pm the place was practically packed on a Friday night, but we are able to get seated within 5 minutes.
Service was very quick and the food was awesome. The portions were smaller and made for sharing. Some of the memorable dishes are the pork belly, pot stickers, and flank steak.
The only weird thing about our visit to Heaven's Dog is the artwork on the walls. Big pictures of dogs everywhere....
Oh and for some reason catching a cab after dinner near this restaurant was impossible!
Heaven's Dog has been on my list for ages and last weekend I finally had a chance to try it. It is in a tricky spot, but once you realize that it is in the lobby of the Soma Grand AND there is free 3-hour parking, it is easy to find. I am a huge fan of Slanted Door, so I was excited to try Charlie's latest restaurant; however, I was skeptical given it is a hotel-type, lobby restaurant. That said, it surpassed all my expectations.
Heaven's Dog has the best front of house staff ever! The host was so helpful and accommodating without being intrusive. He totally took care of us, sitting us at the bar until a suitable table in the lounge became available. And the bartender was excellent, whipping me up a custom cocktail after quizzing me on my likes/dislikes that involved one of their handcut ice cubes - delicious!
As for the food, I could have just ordered plates and plates of the braised pork belly in clam shell bun; but alas, we were dining with our vegetarian friends so I was only allowed one order :-( Other recommendations include: sale & pepper squid and kung pao tofu. I wouldn't recommend the dan-dan mein - the sauce was too gooey and peanut'y. I'll be back to try more of the meat options - and the free parking makes it easy!
Dim sum nirvana,
Craftastic mixology.
What more could you want?
A good friend and restaurateur recommended Heaven's Dog to us for some pre-dinner drinks and snacks. Hit up the bar and tried a couple unique cocktails and a few dishes and they were solid. The baretenders were great and fun to chat with but what I liked the most was the atmosphere and vibe in the restaurant. It was buzzing and everyone was havving a good time, a great feeling these days.
I was there for a drop in dinner last night with a friend from Berlin,
They were very accommodating & seated us right away, attention to drinks & service was GREAT.
The cocktails were well made & nice and strong, just one for me THANK YOU.
The pot stickers were YUMMY, done just right a tad on the expensive side but then one has to pay for the decor.
Talking of decor, the entrance to this place is NOT the most welcoming, I am not sure what the hell the designer was trying to do here but it DOES NOT WORK or feel WELCOMING....not when you have to walk 20 feet to get to the host station.
The Beef curry was good but I could have done without the skin ON...we were told about this ahead of time & I think they should fix it, how the hell do you eat beef with the skin on with CHOP STICKS ????
Please help us on that on ??
the chicken & the green beans made up for it along with the brown rice.
The rest rooms were clean but again the designer failed with the sinks, look pretty but do NOT function well there is not enough room to turn the faucets on ....
I would go back there again but I do hope they would lower the prices just a bit after all this is kind of glorified Chinese food really.
Delicious drinks. Uber-fancy metal straw/stir stick that is reminiceint of a dental mirror. Wish I could have a set of them.
There was a group of 8 of us, and the house was able to accomodate our last minute reservation change without issue. Our service was friendly and prompt throughout our dinner service as well.
I really enjoyed the food. I don't know how else to describe it other than "clean" and "fresh"...definitely unlike the asian food I've had in my hometown of Minneapolis. In fact, there wasn't anything I didn't like. YUM all around.
I had pretty high expectations for Heaven's Dog. My sister loves this place and comes back constantly.
She recommended HD because of my affinity for fine cocktails, so I came in with some solid expectations on the cocktail culture. Unfortunately, I will say that the cocktails, while ok, were really sweet, and really SMALL.
The worst example of small is the Cap Haitian cocktail. In the description, it said ' hand-cut ice cube'. The ice cube was quite literally the size of my fist. Imagine then pull the ice cube out to see how little of the actual drink you get for $10. I just felt a little ripped off for highly sweetened drinks compared to what I normal experience from places like Absinthe.
For the food, I thought it was pretty tasty. The Shanghai dumplings & char sui appetizers were good. The Spicy chicken was not spicy, but the flavors were clean and the spicy green beans with pickles was Excellent. The Vermicelli left a little to be desired.
Overall, I would go back, but i would not get cocktails, instead they have a great 750ml Belgian Trippel which is $12 and is great for two people to split and more cost conscious.
It is good to order few things and share with friends.
Unless you can finish one dish by yourself without getting bored.
They are vegetarian friendly place so you can take your veggie eater friend too! woo!
Beer selection is small but I liked it!
Pork belly bun was super!
I will definitely go back for sure and would like to try their noodle dish next time.
My friend and I ordered 5 things off the menu. They were all remarkable. Our waiter was patient and let us order 3 different times. He suggested 2 dishes for us and the least expensive wine on the list. It was a wonderful evening with taste treats and super atmosphere.
I ordered the Flank steak, miniature shitake mushrooms and broccoli - thinking that i would get a flank steak much like Fog City Diner's Flank Steak. Instead, to my surprise it was Broccoli Beef - the menu items are Asian Food names deconstructed into its basic components. My wife was laughing as I normally don't order Broccoli Beef.
We tried the Shanghai Dumplings - my almost 80 yr old mom is a finicky eater in re to anything 'Shanghai' as she's OG Shanghai. She said it was good. The braised pork belly in a clam bun was also delicious. The portions don't over-stuff you - good place if you are on a diet. The Elderflower Spritzer reminds me of the Mosto d'Uva - it was also good refresher.
The service is impeccable - better than most 5 star Chinese Restaurants. After our appetizers devoured, they came to exchange plates. My plate only had a dot of dumpling juice - that was exchanged for a new plate. H2O service was also timely. Food Service quick. Cleanup quick. We are most definitely be back to taste the other appetizers. We had an option to sit in lounge or the kitchen. Kitchen we chose - away from the hustle and bustle of the folks 'networking'.
Love this place for its cocktails and appetizers! Great place to hang out and catch up with an old friend.
Prix-Fixe Dinner
Neighborhood: Financial District
Special Deals for Yelpers!
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond
Neighborhood: Lower Haight
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Food Stands
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Sandwiches
everything on yelp is converging upon 3.5 or 4…
(not the Tendernob and not Polk Village) (no…
Call them small plates, tapas or whatever…
They say you could eat out every night for more…
When you're jonesing for a top shelf, flawlessly…
I already have a personal best-of SF restaurant…
Places where the looks tried to kill, but more…
Places I've stayed, shopped and fallen in love…
