7 Cozy Asian Restaurants to Try in San Francisco

Servers walking with multiple dishes in hand, the smell of frying and sizzling food lingering in the air, and the sound of continuous chatter of the patrons- I miss the chaos of restaurants in Asia.

I frequent Asian restaurants in San Francisco with the hope of recreating this atmosphere. It's never quite the same, but here are 7 restaurants where you can enjoy the chaos and the food alike.

Save these for your next San Francisco visit. I've listed them in order by neighborhood.

King of Thai Noodle House - Union Square

This is my all-time-favourite Thai noodles place. I have eaten here at least 15 times now and their food reminds me of my time in Bangkok!

Dishes: My go-to orders are Pad See Ew and Thai-Style Fried Rice with Chicken and Beef. I have also tried out Kao Gra Prow with Beef, Fried Chicken Over Fried Rice and Green Curry with Steamed Rice. They are all absolutely delicious.

Ambience: This is more of comfort food or quick-bite kind of place, less of a "let's dine in to celebrate" spot. If you are in Union Square shopping at the Pop Mart or Macy's, this is one of the best Asian restaurants closer to both places.

R & G Lounge - Chinatown

Google Maps reviews mention that Anthony Bourdain loved dining here. So once again, I was convinced by strangers on the internet. I'd recommend reserving a table ahead of time.

Dishes: I have tried Szechuan Pork (Spicy) 四川肉片 and Chicken Fried Rice. The choices can be overwhelming but if you know your way around a Chinese food menu, you are good here. You get a fortune cookie at the end of your meal.

Ambience: I like this place mostly for its Chinese restaurant vibes. It ticks all the boxes for the perfect restaurant for family dining and group lunches or dinners. You completely forget that you are in San Francisco after you walk down to the downstairs dining space.

bao - Valencia, Mission

Stacks of bamboo steam baskets are permanently stuck in my head because of this place. It's a dim sum restaurant serving an array of Xiao Long Baos (XLB), dumplings, deep-fried and baked sides, and small plates that pair well with their main menu.

Dishes: I have tried Steamed Chicken Dumplings, Shanghai Xiao Long Bao, Steamed BBQ Pork Bao, Sichuan Xiao Long Bao, Pan Fried Chicken Pot Sticker, General Tso's Chicken Wings and Golden Egg Fried Rice. They are absolutely delicious. I'd totally recommend to try the shrimp dishes too.

Ambience: There are always people waiting outside to dine in and the place is bustling with its patrons and servers moving around. It has an open kitchen layout, so you can see the chefs at work. Warm yellow lighting, bamboo steamers, and artful decor give it a comfortable fusion vibe.

Dumpling Story - Fillmore

If you are stopping by the Fillmore street to shop, this restaurant is a must-try! It's a sister restaurant of the famous Dumpling Home located in Hayes Valley.

Dishes: Practically everything on the menu is great. I can safely recommend Pan Fried Juicy Pork Bao, Fresh Cucumber Garlic Sauce plate, Pork Xiao Long Bao and Pork Dumpling W Sesame Sauce & Chili Oil. This is a great place to order to share when you are with friends.

Ambience: Cozy and minimal interior. It's a great spot for casual dining. This is another bustling restaurant but wait staff is super nice and you won't be feeling left out!

Izakaya Sozai - Inner Sunset

I have walked past this restaurant way too many times and it's always busy. It is a glass fronted, corner restaurant where you can see the patrons dining and open kitchen from outside. I made a reservation a week ahead, I won't recommend walking in if you are traveling here.

Dishes: I went there in a group of 4, so we ordered a couple of dishes to try. We ordered Yakitori, Tonkotsu Ramen, Salmon Onigiri, Tuna tartar w/wasabi guacamole, Chicken Karaage and Jasmine Tea Ice Cream, Kinako Mochi w/Red Bean for dessert. I highly recommend pairing yakitori with a good sake. We enjoyed our order with Kizakura Nigori Sake which is a cold, creamy, sweet and smooth sake.

Ambience: Dimmed lights, friendly hosts and open kitchen layout makes the dining experience cozy. I realized that even though the restaurant is glass fronted, you don't really mind people outside when you are seated inside.

San Tung - Inner Sunset

I always see this place with a long line, even on the coldest days in Inner Sunset. Since I didn't want to stay in the line waiting for my food, I did what everyone else in the neighborhood does, ordered takeout.

Dishes: San Tung is known for their chicken wings. So I ordered a portion of original dry fried chicken and spinach with garlic. I thought the wings would be spicy, but they were actually sweet and addictive. I'm yet to try more dishes from there. I'll update here whenever I try new dishes.

Ambience: I didn't stay to dine in but from what I saw while picking up my order, it's got the typical Chinese restaurant vibe and a great spot for casual dining with friends.

Daeho Kalbijim & Beef Soup - Japantown

If you are craving Korean food while you are in Japantown, this is one of the best places to go to. I went all the way from sunset district to try food here.

Dishes: The Main recommendation is the kalbijjim (braised short rib). You can customize it by adding glass noodles, rice cake and cheese on top. I totally recommend that. We had a party of 3 and we only ordered 1 kalbijjim and 3 steamed rice portions. As usual, you get around 3-4 free side dishes with kimchi, radish etc. It was so good, I still think about this meal once in a while.

Ambience: Dark and lighted up interior of a typical Korean restaurant. It's another one of those bustling restaurants with servers cleaning the tables, people waiting outside to be seated and patrons enjoying delicious food and chatter. It's a fun vibe inside because it's the perfect place to catch up with friends over dinner or for celebratory group dinners.

I've been to every one of these with friends, so I'd highly recommend going as a group. None of them are overly pricey, they are all mid-range spots with hospitable staff waiting to serve you.

If I try any new dishes I'll update this blog as I go.

Have fun exploring San Francisco. If you’d like more recommendations, check out my Instagram profile.