Sam Wo - Reviews

Welcome back to a legend! I'm so happy we haven’t seen the last of Sam Wo. Of course, the bbq pork rice rolls are still soft, handmade, and as good as ever. I hope we see it around for another century.

Really glad to see this place back in business; I always come here when on work trips. Everything was good, but this time around, something seemed like it was missing. Not sure what it was, but my friend and I agreed that it felt different. Either way, the service and food were really good!

I was excited to try this place out last night after its reopening. However, upon arriving at 9: 10 PM, I found the restaurant locked up with staff cleaning inside, despite the sign outside indicating they were open until 10 PM on weekends. This was a disappointing experience.

This was my second time at Sam Wo when visiting San Fran, and OMG, I just had maybe my favorite Chinese dish ever. Bella, our server, was very accommodating and worked to get us a delicious, no longer on the menu item I had seen in other reviews. The pork noodle roll was delicious. I think they have some of the best Chinese mustard ever, but be sure to ask for Ping and see if you can get this Beef fried rice with soft scrambled egg on top. Make sure you sprinkle a little bit of the Chinese pepper sauce!

My experience at this restaurant was a mixed bag. The food was not bad, and the service was good, receiving a 4 out of 5. However, the ambience could definitely be better. There were some unpleasant smells and annoying bugs that detracted from the overall atmosphere, which was rated a 3 out of 5. The vegetarian offerings were adequate with a vegetarian menu or section, and it was somewhat recommended for vegetarians.

I was so thrilled this iconic establishment is back in business. We were delighted to bring visiting friends here this weekend! I would love to see classic HK drinks back on the menu (HK milk tea, lemon tea, etc.) :)

This was my first visit to Sam Wo with four friends. I had the Beef Chow Fun, which was very delicious and a nice size portion. We encountered an issue with food delivery timing and a missing drink and food order, even after several reminders. It was a busy night, and the servers were occupied with cleaning tables, seating, and serving other guests. Despite the busyness, the staff remained friendly. Ultimately, the situation was made right. Thank you! I would love to make another future visit to Sam Wo.

I had a random bout of nostalgia and was looking up Sam Wo. For a moment, I was freaking out thinking it closed! Being born and raised in SF, establishments like this are a prized gem and part of SF culture. With so many of SF businesses and such closing due to high costs and otherwise (cough gentrification and tech industry cough), it is vital to continue supporting SF's local businesses that literally defined it's beautifully colorful and rich cultural history. Glad to hear it's back up. I'm immensely homesick 😮‍💨 Sam Wo was amazing to me. It really gives you an authentic experience in the heart of Chinatown. The food was always amazing, fresh, and priced really well. Because of SF, I am nearly always disappointed with my options for Chinese now (been in FL since '13 and Tampa specifically since '21) - although it has improved a bit over the years. Sam Wo is part of that and tbh I'm more than happy to be pretentious about genuinely authentic Chinese cuisine.

Happy to report the duck dry mixed noodle is back to its original taste! Can’t wait to try other dishes next time! Very happy they’re *back*! Changes in price and portion are understandable—even appreciated for Sam Wo’s evolution and long-term prospect, but changes in taste were disappointing. Really hoping it’s temporary while the new team ramps up—will try again in a couple of months and update the review. For example, the duck dry mixed noodle should be served in a bowl with an appropriate ratio of lettuce, duck fat, duck meat, sweet soy, and the noodles used should be slightly less thick.

My experience at this restaurant was quite disappointing. I ordered the BBQ pork (char siu) noodle soup, and it was honestly the worst I've ever had. The pork was too lean to be considered real char siu and was very dry, which is why it was cut into shreds; otherwise, it would have been barely edible. I suspect the dryness indicated it was older food that hadn't sold. To make matters worse, there wasn't even an ornamental green leafy vegetable on top, only scallions, which made it feel not authentic Cantonese food. Adding to the unpleasantness, the tabletops were so sticky that the menus actually stuck to them.