Cancel

Open app

Search

Hunan Empire

3.9 (196 reviews)
Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Order Hunan Empire Takeout or Delivery

Hunan Empire Photos

Business Info

HUNAN EMPIRE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Quiet
Good for groups
Good for kids

You might also consider

More like Hunan Empire

Recommended Reviews - Hunan Empire

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Lunch for 4
Lorissa W.

I was curious about this Chinese restaurant as it is across the street from my favorite SF restaurant, Wildseed. The restaurant is inside a large office building that also has a garage (3 dollars per 30 minutes). It is very convenient. I took my mother and brother to the SF Botanical garden and came here afterwards for lunch. I noticed that the restaurant is very dark and looks extremely old as if it's from the 80's and time was frozen. I have to admit the ambiance is depressing. It's the ugliest Chinese restaurant I have ever been to. Lots of construction workers and office workers come here for lunch (all men). The staff looks like a large family. The service was very clumsy. A young man gives us the menus and when I told him I already knew what I wanted, he looked confused. The owner was told that I had looked at their website beforehand so he came out to get my order. I don't know why no one else could take my order except the owner. The others stood around in the back of the restaurant. Their website mentioned free vegetable chow mein with a 40 dollar purchase and since our meal was 75 dollars, I inquired about this. The owner explained the free chow mein was only for dinner time. I ordered 4 dishes. We had beef chow fun, large size wor wontons to share, dry cooked green beans, and shrimp with broccoli. The chow fun was authentic and was good but not great. The beef was tasteless and cut very small. The broccoli had a beautiful green color but soft and mushy. In fact, everything was soft enough to be on the menu of a nursing home. The shrimp was on point (succulent and not overcooked). The dry cooked green beans had a cloying hot sauce that tasted like cheap bottled sauce. I wish they would use fresh chiles to add spice. They didn't bring out my mother's rice even after all the dishes came out and I had to remind them. The food was pretty good, the restaurant is ugly, the service inconsistent and strange, and the portion sizes were average. We probably won't return.

11. Broccoli with Chicken over Noodles
Sharon B.

Hunan Empire has one of the best lunch specials I've seen in SF! They have a bunch of meat+rice/noodle combos with soup for $11. The portions sizes are pretty reasonable, I even had a bit leftover. The service was very curt but efficient, similar to what you would expect from a classic takeout spot. The ambiance is nothing special either. But it's rare to find a good cheap eats spot in SF (especially in Marina) and Hunan Empire did a great job for the price you pay. Similar meals would be double the price or more at other restaurants. Will definitely be back!

Sign
Marissa R.

Best orange chicken; dumplings are tasty and large; mu shu pork was delicious. Service was excellent.

1. Mongolian Beef
Jillian S.

Shocked by the good reviews. The only thing that was averagely good was the bbq pork fried rice. Mongolian beef didn't even look like beef let alone Mongolian beef (pic attached). Hot and sour soup was weirdly sweet like dropped sweet and sour sauce in it. Pork dumplings tasted like chicken. Seems expensive for the quality of food. Maybe something fried that is hard to mess up like Orange chicken could be good... wouldn't go back.

Daily soup
Shannon W.

I love it, reminds me of a dining hall (NICE ONE) at a college campus because they serve quick, hot food, and lunch hour specials are from 11:30 -3:30pm (correct my hours if they're wrong pls). The restaurant sits inner in the building, and you can find refuge away from the cars and business of cow hollow. I think my hunan beef had enough kick for me to feel this has Wok hei google:"translated into English means 'wok thermal radiation' or, metaphorically, the 'breath of the wok.' The menu is very reasonably priced because dishes are categorized by the protein you want, they can do so because the main ingredient is the same just depends what sauce you want it stir fried in. I suggest you change out regular rice to the fried rice, worth it. Another way this place makes me nostalgic because they have unlimited tea to wash down the msg!

Set up my own plate!
Claire C.

Officially my go-to Chinese place in the Marina. With so many fancy, expensive, modern/fusion restaurants in the area, sometimes what you need is the authentic, cozy home-cooked vibe. Large portion sizes, beyond reasonable prices, and considerate staff. I've had a great experience every time I've been!

Inside
David B.

The food was great and served quickly. Some of the furniture could use an upgrade. This place is in a strange location, it does not face the street. You have to enter the building, then you will see the restaurant.

Wor Wonton Soup ! All there soups are amazing but this one is my fav ! It has shrimp , chicken, beef and bbq pork so good .

See all

Photo of Tiffany K.
236
47
11

12 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Marky M.
116
58
1

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Great hot and sour. No delivery Fer with minimum Prompt delivery. Veggie items spicy items available

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

My favorite place to grab lunch. Very delicious cuisine, and perfect for family orders.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Cath F.
0
49
26

9 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Amena H.
20
14
25

8 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Mary M.
129
62
3

11 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 1
Love this 3
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 2

4 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0
Photo of David N.
215
2939
4372

5 years ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 0
Love this 5
Oh no 0
Photo of Nicole C.
4
643
118

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Honestly my bf's and I favorite Chinese restaurant. Such yummy food and friendly staff. We love to dine in at least once a month. 5 stars!!!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

2 years ago

Affordable lunch specials! Yummy food for the marina area and very friendly staff! Super fast too.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Great service and cheap lunch menu! Huge plates of not super greasy Chinese food with a great taste.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

5 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Xuan C.
2267
954
932

8 years ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 0
Love this 5
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Raven C.
296
10
21

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Jm V.
84
52
30

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Shellie S.
165
27
17

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Lovely atmosphere, wonderful service and very mediocre food. There's too many good restaurants in the City to settle.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Kathy T.
388
30
32

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 5

Hunan Empire Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Hunan Empire

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Chinese 143,959 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Woodhouse Fish

Woodhouse Fish

4.1
(2.9k reviews)
0.7 mi
$$

WHEN: Wed @11:45am…read more PARKING: Paid Metered Parking. A bit tricky since it's a busy area, but we managed to find one! Hung out around Hayes Valley with plans on checking out Japantown, sis and I got hungry and stumbled upon this spot. It wasn't too busy so we were seated right away! The decor inside was quite lovely and cute, too! Here's what we shared: LOBSTER ROLL - $29 (3oz) Chilled with Mayo, Celery & Chives OR Hot w/Butter. This also comes in 6oz for $57 but the smaller option is plenty! We chose the Hot w/Butter, so it looks like order a naked lobster on a roll, and it was quite good. We even asked for a side of melted butter which made it so much better! The roll was buttery, crisp and warm, and we both enjoyed it! BAJA STYLE FISH TACOS (3) - $22 Crispy Battered Cod with Cabbage, Chipotle Aioli, Pico de Gallo and Avocado. You have the option of ordering 2 tacos for $18, but I figured for just $4 more you get another one to take home! These tacos are quite hefty and filling, so one was enough for the each of us! These tacos battered Cod was light and airy, like tempura, and I asked for extra aioli on the side. This was so good! I'm so glad I ordered this!

Could not have found a better place to end our SF vacation, cute restaurant, great staff, and even…read morebetter food. My kids and I shared a bunch of things and they made sure to bring us extra plates and utensils to divide the dishes. Clam chowder, great consistency and no bacon, just like I like it. We have the $1.25 oyster special, talk about a steal. Fish and chips. The fish melted in our mouths and fries were perfect. My first time having cioppino and it did not disappoint.

Photos
Interior
Interior
Lobster Roll
Lobster Roll
Lobster Roll

See all

Lobster Roll
Hog Island Oyster

Hog Island Oyster

4.4
(7.7k reviews)
2.1 mi
$$

Killer fresh seafood! We generally come here if we're in town visiting the city. The ferry building…read moreis a cool spot to walk around and take in views of the Bay Bridge. So, try to grab a table outside. Service is always superb here - staff is very attentive. You can't go wrong w anything. Char grilled oysters (split 50/50 between jalepeño and chipotle bourbon) are a must. They come out piping hot and are massive. My wife ordered the mussels which she loves and I opted for shrimp and chips. Big meaty shrimp and well seasoned / cooked fries. If you're nearby, this is a must.

Second time at Hog Island & this visit was certainly not as good as the last…read more Food: 5/5 - always, highly recommend the grilled oysters as an appetizer and then we had the steamers with pasta + the seafood stew. Both were fantastic. Ambiance: 3/5 - ambiance is just okay. It's right on the water so a nice view from the outdoor seating but nothing particularly outstanding about the restaurant itself in terms of decor or architecture. Service: 1.5/5 - huge miss. For the prices on this menu, I would expect service to be a lot better. We waited in line to be sat (no waiting list, just an old school line) and it took only 10 minutes or so to be sat but it was very bizarre, we were a party of 2 ready to be sat & she took the couple behind us and sat them first. No particular reasoning given. The host seemed to really not care about much. From there, service was odd. Our server didn't introduce herself and just asked us what we wanted. Again, not a necessity but you would think for somewhere you're paying $30+ per plate, service would be a bit better. An oyster holder was delivered to our table after we had already finished oysters. Glass was broken near our table and hastily swept up. Bussers were dropping silverware right next to our table. Again, just wasn't great ambiance or service. The food is good but there are other good restaurants in San Francisco. I would really only come here again with low service expectations.

Photos
Inside 05-2026
Inside 05-2026
Seafood Stew
Seafood Stew
Raw Oyster Bar Mix: a selection of the above oysters | $26 (6pcs)

See all

Raw Oyster Bar Mix: a selection of the above oysters | $26 (6pcs)
Sotto Mare

Sotto Mare

4.3
(5.9k reviews)
1.3 mi
$$$
Outdoor seating
Family-owned & operated

Amazing cioppino and amazing scallops. They cook all the seafood perfectly. Lemon butter caper…read moresauce on everything Service is old school and great. The restaurant has great decor - you can feel it's been open and they've been perfecting their craft for decades.

I'm a hospitality specialist that works in SFO and some customers of mine recommended this place. I…read moregoogled them, took one look at the cioppino and it was official: I KNEW what I wanted for my birthday. I talked about going to this place for weeks. Finally the day was upon us. I had called ahead to check on the foot traffic and to determine the best time to get there. As they open at 11:30, after speaking with someone over the phone the week before, my wife and I determined the best time to get there was 12:30pm, they don't take reservations for parties of 2. We arrived, saw they already had a wait but were on the list by 12:30pm. We were told the wait would be 30 minutes. No problem. We received the buzzer from them and walked around the block and ended up two restaurants down the street around 12:50pm. At 1:09pm, the buzzer still hadn't gone off and my wife, who went in initially to put us on the list, went back in to check on the status of our table. At the host stand, she heard the manager tell a woman who clearly didn't have a reservation she would be sat in 3 minutes. After hearing that, my wife showed the manager the buzzer we had been given and asked, "So how much longer for us?" The manager replied "It may be another 10 minutes." We then watched them scramble to clear a table and immediately give the table to the woman who had arrived after us. Upon this disappointment we decided to leave because if they can't get something simple like seating guests respectfully right, I can only imagine what else they'll screw up. People don't remember what you do... They remember how you made them feel. As a hospitality professional, not only was this experience totally unavoidable but it left me feeling disrespected and not valued - as a customer; as a person. In being honest, I have to mention that, oddly enough, as I looked around during this disappointment I noticed that everyone seated and being rapidly seated were of one particular ethnic group. Everyone waiting was part of various minority groups which made this incident even more sickening - reinforcing our decision to not only choose to spend our money somewhere else on that day, but to never spend any money there... EVER. I was extremely excited to visit this place and to be shown this kind of treatment further proves that there are still some places that don't want minority dollars so much they simply don't care how they treat you. And unfortunately for them, I'm certainly sharing this experience with as many visitors to the city as I can letting them know "There a MANY fine places to eat in the city... but I'll tell you where NOT to go - unless you feel like being treated like a second-class citizen." Please check in with your personal values before choosing to support this place. Sotto Mare... you all really need to invest in some cultural sensitivity training. It's 2026. Highly disappointed.

Photos
Scallop saute
Scallop saute
Crecked Crab
Crecked Crab
Steamed clams and mussels is really fresh. And the portion is big!

See all

Steamed clams and mussels is really fresh. And the portion is big!
Causwells

Causwells

4.1
(1.2k reviews)
0.6 mi
$$

This is such a cute restaurant. I went here with a group of 4 for some pre-dinner drinks and apps…read more We were adventurous with our drink selection: -Succotash: weird but in an expected way. The menu is very clear about what you're in for. - Lavender Sgroppino: basically a fancy alcoholic frozen lemonade, everything I wanted it to be! - Irish Coffee and Parmesan: this was... interesting. The base drink, basically a frozen espresso martini, was good, but the topper cheese was SOOO salty. If that's your vibe, try it! We switched out for a brut, which was lovely. The apps were excellent! We got the smoked salmon sliders and the 100 layer, both of which were well-designed and very tasty. Our waiter was excellent. Super attentive without being invasive, very fast service. And the vibe of the place is so cute. Will DEFINITELY be coming back for the full dinner!

I'm just not a Marina person. I don't wear designer athletic-leisure outfits or hang out with my…read morefrat bros all these years later. That's why you rarely see me lurking about on Chestnut St. However, here I was looking for a bite to eat before heading home to the tenements. I had heard of this spot because I heard the double smashburger was pretty tasty. There were a lot of people out on the patio but not a single diner inside. Guess where I sat. Not in a burger mood, I first went with an indulgent treat, the $11 Brioche French Toast Bites, five of them dusted with powdered sugar and accompanied by maple syrup (Photo 8). Quite tasty and gone in seconds. I followed this up with a surprisingly healthy choice, the $18 Dirty Girl Castelfranco Salad, an exceptional mix of sugar snap peas, sunchokes, cara cara, and sunflower seeds tossed in citrus vinaigrette (Photo 9). Did I turn into a Marina man? Uh, not quite. FOOD - 4 stars...tasty choices for a light lunch beyond their burgers AMBIANCE - 4 stars...nice when it's empty in the middle of the afternoon SERVICE - 4.5 stars...really attentive server, enthusiastic follow-through TOTAL - 4 stars...Marina outsiders are welcome here RELATED - Exploring the Marina? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/WrzRjort2Q

Photos
Photo 2: Bar
Photo 2: Bar
Deviled Eggs
Deviled Eggs
Espresso martini

See all

Espresso martini

Hunan Empire - chinese - Updated July 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...