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Category: Chinese
Neighborhood: Financial DistrictMon-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Oh my, Nanking style = honey/basil/??? yummieness.
Small, not fancy at all. Service is fast rude and to the point.
But the best Chinese food I've had anywhere.
They've cleaned up their act some, it's amazing what some paint and new lighting can do for a place, but it's still a tiny Chinatown hole in the wall.
We make a trip to Chinatown and circle the block praying to the parking fairy every time we visit SF just for House of Nanking.
I ate here a few times when I used to live in SF (and YES I lived in SF! Not in SJ, Fremont, San Bruno, South SF, etc.....). I lived downtown SF!
Anyways., I was never that impressed with Nanking so I decided to give them another try.
Sesame Chicken is their special so I ordered that with a hot tea.
The sesame chicken tasted great. The chicken was cooked perfectly with yummie sauce that goes perfect with steamed white rice. The accompanying sweet potatoes were a nice touch.
So why only 3-stars?
-- They charge you $1 for steamed rice. How the heck are you supposed to eat your sesame chicken with? No asian restaurant shold charge for white rice!
-- The service sucks! The only time anyone came to my table was to take my order and bring out my food.
-- Most people rave about this place as a great budget place but $15 for sesame chicken, steamed rice, and hot tea is not budget..
I think House of Nanking has great tasting food and it's a place worth trying but it's not as memorable as people make it out to be. It'd be a good place to go with other so you can eat family style.
God dammit I love chinese food.
i really wanted a good cantonese meal, and not have to pay more than 15 bucks or so.
So Misha S. took me to this spot. Which I love.
It's cramped, loud, and fast. Just the way I like.
We ordered way too much food, 5 dishes total. Ate it all, and was EXTREMELY satisfied.
Would go every week if I lived in this city.
After moving back from LA, I decided to take my husband to House of Nan King. Needless to say, I was sorely disappointed. I first came to this restaurant back in the late 90's when I went to Cal and it never disappointed. The portions were generous, the prices were great and the owner always took our order. Many times we never even looked at the menu, we just said "we want chicken" and the owner would make something amazing appear.
But alas, long gone are those days. The portions got smaller, the prices went up, and the pot stickers aren't as good as I remember. The service has always been horrible, but everything else made up for it. It makes me sad to write this review, because as I said, in my younger days, this place was excellent.
House of Nanking is some of the best Chinese food I've had. I make sure to eat there at least twice every visit to San Francisco. The only problem is that you have to wait in line. Carry out isn't so bad if it's busy.
Authentic? Hardly. Tourist trap. So tourist trappy we had to wait 20 minutes to get chopsticks from surly "I work in a hip place" waitress. Only someone who thinks Eric's in Noe is real Chinese.
NOTHING like real Chinese. Go next door for that.
Will give two stars for food because it isn't barfy. Just not anything more than round-eyes Chinesey.
I came here on recommendation from some friends who were from out-of-town who were raving that this place was a hole in the wall that served authentic food. I found the place to be greasy and dirty (almost intentionally to keep up the schtick), the server annoyingly impatient and the food to be edible, but very overpriced and not at all authentic as my friends claimed (sorry guys, adding a goji berry to my hot tea does not give this place street cred).
If you want good chinese food, head to the avenues. You'll find the places with the same greasy spoons, but they'll only set you back $6.
12:45PM: Inside House of Nanking
12:46PM: Menu's arrive
12:46 1/2 PM: Waiter asks what we want in a hastily fashion. Okay I get it, asian lady wants us IN and OUT (we order right away)
12:51 PM: Food comes. holy shit that was fast.
10:00 PM: Still burping this shit up!
Good tasting food. Ridiculously oily. "House Noodles" are oil slicked noodles in a bowl of grease with awesome flavors of basil.
Go in there with a strong stomach & no expectations of "service" (which is fine by me). Saved me three dollars on the tip =)
Not a bad place. I've always thought this was one of those tourists trap places so I avoided it. Pleasantly surprised that the food was actually pretty good. They also serve beer & wine.
Can't remember exactly what we ordered but the noodles were good, beef and green onions had really good flavor, and the veggies were good.
I loved it when it was a hole in the wall but now it is a bit bigger. Worth the wait, and the food was pretty good but not GREAT!
WOW WOW WOW
We went for lunch and they squeezed us in We were offereed beer or soda (I love this place) we each orderd a dish the man said to us" no no to similiar, I bring you something different" and walked away before any one else could order what arrived were 4 of the most tasty dishes I have had at a little chinese place.
It was soo much fun
You must try the Nanking Chicken.
First Time at House of Nanking ...
I was buzzed off of two really strong mimosas served up by a friend. We were to rendezvous with the boss to have lunch and when we got there the folks seemed to know the boss and proceeded to fix up a special meal for us. I forgot what we had, but damn, it was GOOD! Or maybe it was good because I was hungry and buzzed and trying to keep a straight face on since the boss was there? I had two more beers, btw.
Second Time at House of Nanking ...
Brought my parents over. The owner saw us deliberating over the menu and suggested he'd put together a special meal for us. Whoa, deja vu! We had chow mein, garlic fried shrimp, stir fry beef, fried rice with some interesting spices, and tofu veggies. I liked it but mom said it was just okay.
Third Time at House of Nanking ...
Celebrated the end of a project with a group of coworkers and, yes you guessed it, got a special meal whipped up for us again by the owner. Kung Pao Chicken, spring rolls, Mongolian Beef and that fried rice with interesting spices again.
Notice the trend?
I'd give it 4 stars were it not for the "rustic" atmosphere and the windows that always seemed to be wide open no matter how friggin' cold it was outside. Flavor-wise, it's good, inventive Chinese. That''l do for me.
This is the reason we eat Chinese food. After countless, bad strip-mal joints, I'd almost forgotten what really Chinese eats tasted like.
See for yourself. Miss the lunch crowd so you can have a little more space -- sometimes the seating is a bit tight.
I feel that, if I have to wait in line to pay for the privilege of eating, the food should at least be interesting. This food was not exceptional in the least; we shared a number of dishes at our table and not one jumped out at us as being memorable.
A week later we went to nearby Hunan Homes and found it much more interesting and much more satisfying.
We won't be returning to House of Nanking.
If you're looking for authentic Chinese food, look elsewhere.
In fact, take your silly expectations not to the Richmond but to somewhere else, like Rowland Heights in Los Angeles or even better, Vancouver, BC, because you'll get real Chinese food there. Not in San Francisco's Chinatown. Maybe something in Richmond will be close.
Whatever, yo.
However, if you want something bad for you, yummy, and satisfying, this is the place.
We walked in, and she ordered in Chinese. Me, being the white, semi-literate English guy (I dictate these reviews to my dog, who is a very literate Jack Russell Terrier) watched in confusion when the food order taker said something in Chinese, and walked away.
The "she" said something like, "The server said, 'I know what you want, I'll bring it out to you'," and laughed.
(Recommendation -- if you find a restaurant where you can go off the menu, you go back, period.)
Out came a beef dish with noodles, and some vegetable. Dark green, I think.
It was LOADED with MSG.
It was LOADED with Garlic.
It was GREASY.
It was SOOO GOOD.
Bad for you GOOD.
I have always heard good things about House of Nanking but today was the first time I actually tried it. I give it two thumbs up! The place is really cute and authentic looking. I like how they gave me a big giant glass of tea, the tea leaf blossoms into a flower.
The house noodles is a must order, it was very tasty!! :)
I also had the chicken rice chowder ( not bad)
Sesame chicken ( also not bad)
Potsticker...made different than usual and very tasty
I would definitely come back again. I have also heard that the lines were long, but there was a lot of seating. I think they just recently remodeled.
I would classify this as a Chinese themed restaurant and is a solid 4 in that genre. Obvious we all know the lowest and it's little sister "Express". Anyway, san francisco is known as much for good Real Chinese food as it is for Chinese themed food. Our city even invented the fortune cookie and we should embrace that.
I came here for lunch and it was such a fun experience. Coming in a lot of people tell you too ignore the menu and just tell them how hungry you are. This was so much fun and we were quite hungry. They even took into account that we had a vegetarian with us which was nice. The food that came out was delicious and though I am sure you would not find dishes like these in Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Beijing (somebody fact check that for me) It was absolutely delicious.
We had some crispy chicken with sliced sweet potato, perfectly tender fried calamari, and a delicious mushroom dish with onion. The tea was also a Silken Pyramid Whole Leaf Tea Bag which again was not authentic but fit the theme I thought.
It sort of reminds me of all of the places in hong kong that do the "American Breakfast". A place called cafe coral (popular HK chain), comes to mind where all of the American themed dishes have obvious HK twists. It just happens to be that people there like certain flavors but want that style of food.
I had so much fun here and I will be back!!!
overpriced westernized chinese food, the worst meal i've had in my life...
too salty, too greasy, and made me feel sick.
This place deserves 5 stars for their ridiculous service. Normally I would get offended and would have a mouth full to say about the crappy service. After working in the service industry for 7 years, I expect nothing but the best service! But this was something else...
So we come in somewhere between 5 and 6 pm on a Thursday! We ask to sit in the other room, no sorry other room closed... ok fine can we sit over here from the door- no this table taken! So- we ended up sitting by the door! I am still trying to squeeze myself in to sit down, and the server comes over and say ok... ready to order (while snapping her gum in her mouth loudly) - umm.... we haven't seen the menu's yet! Ok! brings over menu's say's ok ready to order... so we nicely ask for another few minutes!
Let me start with the fact that I love chinese food- growing up in san francisco, I have been exposed to the best and worst of it! But the downside of me eating chinese food is I am always sick! :(
Anywho- we ordered the hot and sour soup- which was extremely fresh and delicious, it tasted completely different that I have had it anywhere else, I didn't even as for pepper or hot sauce! incredible!!! we also ordered general tso (Sp) chicken which came with crispy sweet potatoes- yummmy, it also had some sort of pickle apply looking ordeal on the plate which I was absolutely loving! we also had the sizzling beef which was also extremely delicious! I had a glass of their house merlot, which was great...
overall the food is great- I liked the ambiance, the service is so ridiculous that it's hilarious.
will definitely be returning again!!!
My favorite place to eat in all of San Francisco!! This is the one place I would take family and friends when they came to visit, of course my treat. If it's your first time just tell them that and they'll bring out three different plates, or just order off the menu.. Soooo freakin good!!!!!! Really great cause after a fabulous meal there right around the corner up a few blocks there's Jack Kerouac alley. Stop into Vesuvio's and have some drinks...
My first experience with House of Nanking was great. Big group of guys for a birthday, crowded table, tons of food to go around. I would have rated it a four on this day. A little on the expensive side for Chinese food, but I lived.
My second experience (for lunch) didn't go quite as planned. The play-by-play goes like this...
Waiter: What would you like to drink?
Me: Hot tea please.
3 minutes later, waiter returns with with a huge mug of tea and very fancy-looking teabag... I think to myself oh no... I frantically browse the menu to see if this tea costs a lot, it looks expensive... doesn't it? Much to my surprise, the tea menu has a few options, and the waitor graciously brings me the 2.95 tea. Wasn't tea free at restaurants?
I know, I know what you're thinking... stupid Asian goes to restaurant with tons of tourist hype filled with NO Asians and is surprised when he gets jipped... go figure. I guess you could say it was not meant to be from the beginning.
My entree was actually very tasty. I ordered a mongolian beef (probably the most tender beef I've had in this dish before) and a side of rice. The beef had a lot of strong basil taste... a bit overpowering and there was definitely a hasty amount of corn starch used to thicken up the sauce.
Summary:
$20 dollars for good (not great) meal
Could have been cheaper (the tea!!!)
Could have been better
Definitely shoulda found a restaurant in SF Chinatown with more Asians eating inside.
Best enjoyed in a party of 4 or more, with family style being a must. The head chef or his wife is usually in the front of house & will help you create a meal (and may even create a dish or two) for your party. The dishes are slightly Westernized: heavier on flavor, sweetness, sauce consistency.
++ | Spicy Wor Dumpling Soup |
Chinese soups are usually very light and almost.. too simple. However, this broth is clear while still managing to be -unusually- packed full of flavor. The pork dumplings and soft morsels of fish are never overcooked.
++ | Calamari |
Fresh, with no fishy taste at all. The lemon garlic sauce offers a surprising sour and salty touch to the unconventionally long and lightly-fried strips of calamari.
++ | Scallop Tower |
BEST dish here. Perfectly seared scallops with a carmelized crust over a slice of lemon and simmered eggplant.
++ | (Any beef dish) |
The beef at Nanking is unbelievably succulent. We had a custom dish with scallions, Chinese veggies, & a dark rich chili sauce.
-- Fried Shrimp Packets
One giant deep fried wonton skin containing one shrimp and a pea. Yes, a pea (singular). It's sopping with oil and tastes just as it looks.
Decent, though unremarkable:
Stirfried Baby Peashoots
Panfried Garlic Fish
Fried Onioncakes
Fried Banana w/Iced plum wine
Dinner for 7 w/drinks: $25/person
Westernized greasy chinese food.
The first impression when seeing the line out the door is this place must be good... Then taking a second look inside I noticed there is not a single chinese person actually eating here .
Bad sign #2 no chopsticks on the table- hinting this is an americanized place. Then I am rush by a rude waiter to place my order.
We ordered some of their famous items: sweet and sour chicken, lettuce wraps, chow mein, garlic eggplant, scallops and garlic and spinach fish. My overall comment is everything was very heavy and nothing really stood out as wow! The portions are big and the prices very affordable making this place great for sharing if you want a GET IN GET OUT eating experience. If you are looking to have a nice dinner and linger in a nice atmosphere you better choose somewhere else to go.
Attention to all House of Nanking newcomers: Before you go to eat here, you have to first decide what kind of Chinese food you like. Authentic or Westernized? If your idea of good Chinese food is Panda Express and egg rolls with sweet & sour sauce, then you'll LOVE House of Nanking. It has everything you'd ever want from a Westernized Chinese restaurant -- overly sweet and thick sauces, overly deep-fried meats, non-spicy spices, and starchy soups. It has a very bustling, crowded atmosphere that will make you feel like you're truly in the night districts of Chinatown.
So why do I only give House of Nanking two stars? Because, personally, I'm not a fan of Westernized Chinese food. Actually, for me, I feel like House of Nanking serves food that is just a tad better than Panda Express, but around 4 times the price. It was way too much sauce, probably to cover the subpar quality of the actual meats and vegetables.
In addition, the waitstaff is very pushy -- they seem to think they know what you want even though you clearly say you don't want it. We wanted to try the Country Rice soup, but the waitress told me that she thought I would be much more satisfied with the Spicy War Wonton Soup. We went back and forth about 3 times, before I just gave in. The problem was that when the Spicy War Wonton Soup came out, it was luke-warm, too salty, and had way too much pepper in it. When you say "spicy", I expect spicy from chili, not spicy from being over-peppered. Thanks Waitress, you're wrong about what I want -- and I now I have to pay for the $7 soup that I didn't like and I didn't even want in the first place.
The sesame chicken was okay -- pretty comparable to Panda Express's (which is sad, btw). The glazed eggplant w/ sweet potato is pretty good -- a little too saucy.
I should have known that "Zagat-Rated = Non-Authentic" when it comes to Asian food. The entrance is covered with Zagat stickers and awards proclaiming it to be the best Chinese food in SF (probably voted by non-Chinese people) -- that should have been my first red flag to not enter. Especially when just a block away, there are streets littered with truly authentic, much-more delicious Chinese restaurants.
Don't get me wrong though, I'm not dissing those who love Westernized Chinese food. To each his own. Just make sure you love it, before you fall victim to all the raves and awards.
One of the best Chinese restaurants EVER... try the hot flower infused teas, so amazing!
Chinatown is a bit intimidating at first. House of Nanking is reassuring with a full house of happy people. After waiting in a short line, the girls sharing our table (HofNanking is cool, casual and you just share tables) said, "just tell them what you feel like, don't look at the menu." That concept really threw my mom off and she deliberated over the menu for 20 minutes while everyone else around us who'd been seated at the same time ate. In the end we did a blend of chef's choice and menu research.
But, I digress. The pea shoots and their house chicken were delicious. I'd get both again, but also try the eggplant and house noodles. The wines and beers are cheap choices, but they stay cheap for the customer. It's not a place to go drink anyway, it's the place to get your chow on. This is my new 'go to' in SF Chinatown.
Good:
Calamari, pea sprouts, Nanking sesame chicken.
Okay:
White fish with spinach leaves, Nanking Beef.
The 3 good dishes are 4.5 stars. The 2 okay ones are 2.5 stars.
The service isn't the greatest. You don't go there for the service, tho. And you'll want to know what to order before you go. The calamari, pea sprouts, and sesame chicken are the 3 dishes that we've really liked. We've travelled an hour to eat here just for those dishes. If you ask the waitress what to order, she'll tell you to get the white fish. It's just okay tho. In the past, the Nanking beef was a really good dish, but it's not as good now...
Greasy. Grim. Gross.
The best thing about Nanking was the jovial taxi driver gentleman we had to share a table with who shared his eggplant appetizer. If you are reading this Mr. Taxi driver, NanKing should thank you for an additional star!!!
Service is unattached.
You are a pawn and the servers want to move you and remove you. You are a sardine in a dark, dark can.
I had a beautiful view of a green recycling trash can in the kitchen...at least they recycle?
Food is drenched and dripping in grease, rice is hard and dry.
A sad sight for foodies everywhere.
The Sister thought she remembered House of Nanking from her college days. I Yelped for a Chinese restaurant where the owner is very bossy and orders for you and House of Nanking came up. When we went, however, it was very different. It's rather dark inside and the doors are covered by a curtain so don't be deterred.
We ordered the sizzling rice soup, fried calamari, sesame chicken and sauteed eggplant as well as some hot tea. The rice soup was not what I was expecting as it had many more ingredients in it than I was used to and the rice didn't sizzle as it slid into the soup. =T The fried calamari was delicious and tender. Chinese-style fried calamari is not your typical calamari with golden-brown batter. It's very lightly fried and allows much more of the natural flavor of the calamari to come through. The sesame chicken wasn't anything spectacular - it tasted much like other sesame chicken I have had but I did love the fried sweet potato squares that came with it. Last but not least was the sauteed eggplant. It was delicious! Flavorful, tender and moist, it might have been my favorite dish.
The coolest part about this restaurant is the hot tea. I was expecting typical Chinese tea but out came three ginormous glass mugs (they almost looked like beer steins) filled with amber liquid and with a plant floating on top. However, after a few minutes, I noticed that the plant slowly sank and was opening up. And a few minutes after that, the flower (as we found it to be) blossomed! In the tea! And it didn't just blossom at the bottom but spread out a stem and blossomed up into the mug as well! Awesomeness. The tea itself is very sweet so if you're not into that, don't get it.
If you can find street parking, it's free after 6 p.m., but if not, there are several public parking lots nearby that are reasonable.
Amazing Chinese food on the edge of Chinatown. It can get busy and crowded there so try to come during a non peak hour. I went at 2pm and 3:30pm and both times got seated quickly and had fast service.
First visit I got the vegetarian noodle bowl. I tried some of my boyfriend's order of crispy calamari and it was fantastic. Light crisp with a spicy coconut sauce. Both very delicious.
The second visit he ordered the sesame chicken with sweet potatoes. They were the best I've ever had. The sauce wasn't overly thick and salty like most places. I ordered the lettuce wraps with chicken. Oh man it was heavenly! Various veggies like cucumber, peas, onions with pineapple and mint with chicken wrapped in crispy lettuce.
The teas are really amazing, especially the blossoming flower tea.
Pretty much one the of the best Chinese restaurants I've been to! The wait was pretty long, but I think it adds to the mystique. The long lines is what has made me want to come to this place, Ive been seeing the long lines for YEARS! Besides, hanging around the streets in the city is one of the reasons why it is so damn cool.
I was pleasantly surprised from the moment we were sat at the table. We had a great view of the Coppola building across the street and and the waitress or hostess was VERY polite(not even by Chinese standards!). She took the time to explain to us the preparation style since I told her we just returned from China. She told us the chef prepares in some "old traditional" styles with dry seasoning, not as much sauce. A great departure from what we are used to. Not only was the food excellent but the tea was the best Ive had since returning from China.
Man, I love me some Nanking. I mean, you need to know what you're getting into. It's like a quickie with a stranger. You wait in line, out in the weather, watching the happy people inside, and the buildup is agonizing. You're finally seated and the waiters treat you a little rough, but you like it. You look at the menu, perhaps out of habit, or maybe to keep it civilized for just a moment longer, but you know you're going to get what they give you, and like it. Then, all of a sudden, it's on. A pummelling of sensations. The most amazing tastes coming at ya, seemingly endless, and in no particular order. You can't get enough. You're completely seduced by the dumplings, the bao bing. It's hawt. But then something in the frenetic kitchen catches your eye. Ooh, you'd rather not see. You want to preserve the mystery. You don't even care what's really in the sesame chicken. Then, as abrubtly as it started, it's over. Like literally 20 minutes later, you find yourself back out on the sidewalk, a little dazed, unsteady. Just like that. You feel cheap and uncomfortable...but you know you'll be back. For the bao bing. You will.
Ok, but this time, no bang from the bao bing! Total disappointment. Where's that sauce? I love that sauce! I'd consider licking that bao bing sauce off an old shoe if the situation presented itself, so you know I was disappointed. And the meat! Where is the fall apart, perfectly shreddy, meat that I love? This time the meat was so tough. Totally inedible. Either not the same grade or cooked for a fraction of the time. Total bummer. Complete disappointment. Also, on this same visit I used the bathroom. Big mistake. I don't recommend that bathroom at all.
I'll have to go back to see if it was a fluke or if they've made some cuts "in this economy." Oh, I hope not.
If your looking for the best chinese food you ever had.
The House of Nanking in my opinion is the best in the Bay Area.
The food is so good... it will leave you licking your lips on the way out.
No doubt... do not sleep on this joint. The line does get long and out the door..... but its well worth the wait. TRUST ME!
You wont regret it.
At what point do you judge an eatery based on it's service?
It's a question we've all pondered, and my experience here definitely made me think about it even more.
You see, the house of (spa)nanking is somewhat famous in San Fransisco for its amazing asian cuisine. However, my experience there was extremely surprising in it's shittiness of service.
After being seated in very cramped quarters with two of my friends we proceeded to be rudely yelled at in an accent that was hard to understand to "hurry up and decide". Mind you, we had been seated for about two minutes. This waiter was like Triumph the Insult Comic Dog wearing a human suit.
In addition, my hip got firmly smacked by the skull of the (possibly inebriated) busser as he fell to the ground next to me. How shocking/sad/weird that was for all the customers.
The food, however, was amazing.
The service was worse than being asked for money outside of 7-11.
If you can tolerate the rude, go for the fude. Otherwise order it to go and get the hell outta there.
I just do not get why people are so crazy about this place? I have been here a few times, and it is ALWAYS the same experience:
* Cramped, long tables elbow to elbow with strangers. Forget having a conversation there.
* LOUSY LOUSY LOUSY service. I thought about checking NO service below. Ask for anything and you get a dirty look and a rushed, annoyed response. They never return to your table except to bring food, and collect the check.
* Expensive, white people safe, Asian style food. Maybe that is why people rave. if you want safe, boring food, this is the place. There is little Chinese about the food here.
* Did I mention expensive? 4 people, 5 dishes, two teas and one beer was $80 before tip. Green tea is $2 per person for a large beer mug filled with hot water and a tea bag hanging on the edge.
* Did I mention the bad service?
* Everything seeps to be deep fried. They would deep fry the rice if the could figure it out. Even the pot-stickers were deep fried!
Ambience: You come in, you are crammed into a long table of other people, they throw a menu at you, then start suggesting dishes, eventually say they will "take care of you" and take away the menu. Then, they will just start brining you food. Be careful, they will keep bringing it if you do not say stop.
We started with Calamari. It was deep fried, but not crispy as it was sitting in a pool of oil. The size of the dish was rather small given its large $15 price tag. Next we had the Sesame Chicken, their special dish. This was basically deep fried clumps of chicken in a tangy sauce served with sweet potato slices. The chicken was more deep fried batter than chicken, but it was tasty. We had fish fillet nanking style. Again, deep fried pieces of fish with some vegetables. OK, not great, The house noodles were a sticky, oily, slightly spicy noodles in a bowl with chunks of deep fried chicken placed on top. Pass, it is not good.
While it rates moderate at $11 to $30 per person, the dishes are small, and $80 for Chinese food for four people is outrageous given only 5 small dishes. Steam rice is 50 cents per person, not bad, but they charge you even if some of your party do not want it.
Summary: This place has buzz , but I think it is left over from a previous time when it used to be better. I find it noisy and cramped, with bad service and mediocre food at best, and way too expensive for what you get.
Quick service and really great food. They asked if we had been there before, because if we had not, they offered to set us up with multiple dishes to easily sample. I have eaten here several times before (although my companions had not), and we ordered the hot and sour soup, a beef dish, and the fried calamari. Everything was really excellent-I always have outstanding food here. The hot tea is fabulous--comes in a giant mug. If diner-like ambiance doesn't bother you, I think this is one of the best places to eat. Interesting how basil often comes into their dishes when you are not expecting it, but I really love basil.
I went around 9:00 on a Saturday night not knowing what to expect line wise, because I had passed it many times seeing a long line out the door.
The staff was very accommodating, allowing the two of us to take up 4 seats while we waited for our other dining guests who ended up being almost 30 min late.
The food itself ranged from good to very good. The appetizer soups are huge and have 4-5 servings easily. The hot and sauce soup was very fresh and tasty.
The main dishes were pretty good too (except for this order of Mushrooms that tasted as if salt had been spilled all over it), but there was nothing especially memorable or unique that would make me come back for it,.
Overall I had a good meal and felt pretty full after, but there's nothing special that would bring me back.
Meh is perfect to describe Nanking.
Like others I had confused a line out the door with meaning good.
But seriously, nothing special about this place. DO NOT believe the Zagat!!
And whats with all the raw onion?
Onioncake, peasprouts had it....did they get too much onions from their produce delivery?
Beef was chewy, sesame chicken was soggy, and pork was really old tasting.
Garlic noodles were the only thing good and not even that good.
Plus this was pricey! Save your $$ and go elsewhere and get actually GOOD FOOD.
( about me: I love authentic & westernized food but would seriously go to panda express over this place lol)
I can't stop thinking about it. The best Chinese meal I have ever had. Don't order off the menu, ask the server to bring you whatever he likes.
One of the best Chinese restaurants I have ever been to. We had them get what ever they recommended and it was good!
The onion pancakes are amazing, and the chicken dish (off menu) was great! Spicy too! And the shrimp and mushrooms was great.
All in all, it was like no other Chinese food I have had before. Location looks kinda weird, but highly recommend!
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Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Chinese
I love taking my late afternoon strolls in the…
A list of all my favorite veggie-friendly…
A summary of the places we ended up carousing in…
Like the people, there are possibly over 200…
I worked here for six years and tried everything…
Sure, not all of these are 5 star dining…
A list of stops along the way from San Diego to…
And by myself, I mean THESE PLACES. Frequent these…
