The Best Authentic Asian Restaurants in SF (Family Friendly)
Let me start by clarifying that this post relates to authentic East and South-East Asian restaurants in San Francisco, which is more commonly referred to as just “Asian” at least in this part of the US.
Why should you trust my recommendations? I’m Asian, grew up in Asia, and I’ve lived in the city for a decade. I used to ask friends who grew up in the Bay for recommendations, but realized that their recs were outdated. Many of the hyped up options on the internet are not really worth the hype – or not authentic – if you get what I mean.
These family-friendly authentic Asian restaurants are the true (sometimes hidden) neighborhood gems, in places where your car won’t get broken into. More importantly, you won’t need reservations most of the time!
The best authentic Asian restaurants in SF – the list
Most, if not all of these restaurants are in the West side of the city. While there are still good Asian restaurants in Chinatown, most Chinese families relocated to the Sunset and outer Richmond (West of the city), so some locals would say that is where you’d find the real authentic food. And now, after covid, a lot of people have relocated to the west side of the city, so the restaurant scenes have been thriving.
This list is in no particular order, and include a mix of different Asian regions.
Happy Family Gourmet
1042 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116
What to eat here
IMO, this is a true hidden gem in terms of authentic asian restaurants in SF. It is run by a bunch of older Chinese ladies who barely speak any English. All of their clientele seem like people who are locals and really know what they’re doing. Even though I live close to this spot, I overlooked it for quite some time before I realized how good it was!
As you can see in the menu, it is a mix of Northern (Xi’an) and South-Western (Szechuan). I recommend the E1 dish: Xi’an Hemp Sauce cold skin, and A11 spicy beef tendon. I have not found the noodles in any other restaurant and, like other dishes from this place, packs a unique and flavorful punch.
Why it’s family-friendly
It’s a tight space, but the staff are accommodating with kids. They love to see my kids devouring their food, and the ladies who are busy making dumplings in front of a window are more than happy to wave back at smiling faces. They offer smaller bowls and spoons for the little ones and extra napkins when needed.
Dumpling Zone
408 Dewey Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94116
What to eat here
There are about a dozen or more restaurants authentic asian restaurants in SF that have “dumpling” in the name. Don’t get them confused! Though, most of them are pretty decent. This one however, holds a special place in my hear because not only are they great at XLB and pan fried buns, they also have the best dry noodles (like the sour spicy pork dry noodle) and they even have yummy dessert in the form of lava buns.
Why it’s family-friendly
I’ve been here countless times since my youngest was barely two years old. They have bench seating tables which are great for wiggly kids, and it has a relaxed vibe. The owner is very accommodating and likes children, and the ordering system is nice and easy via QR code.
Dumpling Specialist
1119-1123 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116
What to eat here
This is the only authentic asian restaurant in SF, I’ve come across that does Taiwanese style savory spicy soy milk and sticky rice rolls. Their Chinese fried dough rolls, Tan Tan noodles (noodle in peanut sauce) and beef noodle soup are also as good as expected.
Why it’s family-friendly
Even though it’s quite small inside with small tables, the vibe is relaxed and the staff were accommodating of small rowdy children.
Mini Potstickers
2045 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122
What to eat here
I believe bite-sized food that packs a punch in terms of flavor is better than having giant pieces of dim sum (or sushi for that matter!). These mini potstickers and other dumplings are delicious. Their beef noodles are also good, though some reviews seem to suggest otherwise. I would NOT suggest the multi-grain crepes. They look and smell real good, but the taste was off the mark for me.
Why it’s family-friendly
Again, this authentic asian restaurant in SF is another small restaurant with small tables, however they are kind about families with kids. However, this place probably got some kind of social media boost and lines formed outside the doors, causing issues with petty restaurant-goers.
House of Pancakes
937 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116
What to eat here
A legit hole-in-the-wall style, this place specialized in their pancakes, but the hand pull noodles are also very distinctive, and the dumplings, while not unique, are also delicious. We are also a fan of the skewers, as they also taste “authentic”.
Why it’s family-friendly
Another small authentic asian restaurant in SF with only about 6 tables. There are bench seats for families with kids and the people who work there are happy to see young famlies.
Yuanbao Jiaozi
2110 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122
What to eat here
As the name suggests, this place is great authentic asian restaurant in SF for dumplings. They come in many flavors and you can see them making them in house. This is another place that serves our favorite spicy beef tendon, and I think their Dan Dan noodles and beef noodles are decent and hit the spot.
Why it’s family-friendly
I think this place must have also gotten a social media boost. I used to never see lines now I see crowds outside quite often. Having said that, they are very efficient and there are a good number of tables with a relaxed vibe.
Dragon Beaux
5700 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
What to eat here
Anyone who lives in SF knows that Dragon Beaux is the legit authentic asian restaurant in SF to go for dim sum. Harborview is also good but that place is a bit harder to access given that it’s in some office building where you have to take multiple elevators to find the venue.
The dim sum here is innovative and delicious. It’s definitely more upmarket than your old-school dim sum house, with popular dishes like pineapple pork bun. I’m not even sure that’s the name of the dish. They are consistently good at ALL dishes across the board, which makes this a great place for dim sum, or for a banquet dinner.
Why it’s family-friendly
Dragon Beaux has a mix of large and small tables, so it’s relatively easy to get a table unless you happen to go there without a reservation during peak hours. There’s also a small car park on the same block! Afterwards, get a coffee one block north at Home Cafe.
Gao Viet Kitchen
1900 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122
What to eat here
As you can see in this snippet of the menu, this place serves vegas-style deluxe dishes, made for the gram, but still tastes delicious. I’ve loved everything we’ve ever ordered here, from the raw beef carpaccio starter to the regular pho. The large “zilla” dishes are probably best shared.
Why it’s family-friendly
This restaurant is huge and has many tables. There are tables with bench seating if that’s preferred, and the vibe is energetic and noisy, so you don’t have to worry about keeping your kid’s voices down 🙂
Bhan Mae Vane
1511 Webster St, Alameda, CA 94501
What to eat here
I heard about this from tiktok and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. This is not really an authentic asian restaurant in SF because it’s actually in Alameda, but I really wanted to include this gem. I am still dreaming of going back for the best crispy pork belly I’ve ever had in my life. Get it in the Papaya platter, and try to sakoo, which are rice balls that I’ve not found elsewhere. Literally everything they make is amazing.
Why it’s family-friendly
This restaurant is also quite large, and we were able to drop in for lunch without a reservation. It’s got a good busy vibe inside, not quiet, so don’t worry about your kids being too rowdy 🙂
