House of Nanking - Reviews

My experience at this restaurant was incredibly disappointing. We were excited to try it and ordered several dishes, but unfortunately, all the food arrived cold. The veg dumplings had an odd taste, and the sesame chicken was rock hard. Adding to the unpleasantness, the windows were up, allowing the sewage stench from outside to completely overshadow the dining experience. The restaurant desperately needs a deep clean; the chairs were covered in about an inch of dust, and the menus were filthy.

My experience at this restaurant was a stark contrast between the past and the present. 25 years ago, it was a gem, offering much more affordability and great service. Today, however, it's not so much. They seem to be living on their laurels. The place needs a complete renovation as it just looks dirty. They now operate as if they just don’t care.

My experience at this restaurant was a mixed bag. The food was great and very delicious, earning a 5-star rating. However, the service was a major letdown, receiving only a 1-star rating. We experienced extremely late food delivery, with a wait time of 35-45 minutes, and dishes arrived separately. To make matters worse, the servers did not even apologize for the delay. The atmosphere was also rated low at 1 star due to it being very crowded, with tables practically sitting elbow to elbow. The noise level was loud, but conversation was still possible.

My experience at this restaurant was absolutely incredible. The Chinese food was the best I’ve ever had in my life. It was like doing drugs – I went to another dimension with every bite. The food quality was outstanding, truly a culinary journey. The service was excellent, rated 5/5, and the atmosphere also received a perfect 5/5. We visited for lunch as a group of 2 people. The noise level was loud, but it was still possible to hold a conversation. The price per person was between $10–20.

Like others, I decided to give House of Nanking a try given its good reviews and relatively high rating. Upon reaching the establishment, I saw their “accolades” filling the entire door, which reformed my expectation. However, upon being seated, I was rushed by the server to submit my order in a somewhat pushy/rude manner. Honestly, this was not a big deal to me as sometimes this is a sign of top-tier food 😅. Unfortunately, the food was anything but top-tier; in fact, it may have been some of the worst Chinese food I’ve had. The steamed dumplings and Szechuan chicken both lacked flavor and were truly disappointing. To compensate for the lack of flavor, I asked for chili oil, but even this was some sort of combination of chili flakes and hot sauce. I’m not sure if this restaurant is catered to the local palate, but I would not consider this anything close to authentic Chinese cuisine.

We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday and found it to be very busy, but we were able to get a table inside. It was great to see Chef Fang onsite, actively involved in taking food orders and engaging with guests. We ordered the house noodles, pork dumplings, steamed buns, and the egg dumplings (as seen on TV). We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and even had the opportunity to get a photo with Chef Fang.

My experience at this restaurant was a significant disappointment. I was expecting a Chinese or Americanized Chinese meal, but instead, I received a dish that was more like Chinese-inspired fusion. The Mogu Beef, which I was instantly recommended, was served in a small bowl with three cubes of beef and a sauce I couldn't identify, described as overly sweet, mustardy, and mayo-like. This, along with a small bowl of rice, cost $30. While the vegetables and mushrooms were fresh, the overall dish was a big miss. The service was also a major issue. The first waitress was nice, but an older lady was awful. Despite having multiple empty tables, I felt rushed, being asked to order three times within five minutes of receiving the menu. I wouldn't classify this as Chinese, nor Americanized Chinese. It was more like Chinese inspired fusion. I am shocked it has such high ratings. It was recommended to me and I had my concerns when arriving but decided to give it a try. The first waitress was nice but the old lady was awful. Within five minutes of getting the menu I was asked three times to order and despite multiple empty tables I felt rushed. I asked for recommendations and she was instant on Mogu Beef. What is Mogu beef? Still trying to figure out what Mogu sauce is, an overly sweet mustardy/mayo sauce. There were 3 cubes of beef, shiitake and cauliflower. This and a small bowl of rice for $30. It wasn’t the worst I have eaten in my life, the veggies and mushrooms were fresh. But this was a big miss.

This is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. The Mogu Chicken is absolutely to die for, and I love how the fried rice is served. My only wish is that the mogu recipe or sauce was available in a cookbook or for purchase, as I don't live in SF and can't easily visit.

My experience at this restaurant was absolutely superb. I first visited three years ago and fell in love with the food. I recently returned and confirmed that the food here is still outstanding. I had the Mogu Chicken with Broccoli, which is probably one of my favorite dishes of all time. I can’t say enough about the food here!

My experience at this restaurant was amazing! The staff was incredibly friendly, and our food arrived very quickly. We opted for a family-style sharing experience and ordered enough to take home, but everything was so delicious that we ended up eating it all. Our favorites included the pot stickers, wor wonton soup, sizzling beef, and the Szechuan chicken, which had just the right amount of spice. It's definitely worth the trip if you find yourself in San Francisco!