It's probably been about 20 years since I last came here. It still looks almost the same and the food is just as delicious! My favorites are deep fried crispy taro rolls and any noodle dish with soft tofu and veggies. The gluten puffs are always a great snack as are the sushi rolls. The waitress was very friendly and accommodating. Although the restaurant is small and old, it is clean and comfy. Lucky Creation is less than block away from the Chinatown subway station. I wish I lived closer or they closed later so I could come more often. read more

See all

Too greasy and high prices. The $0.50 cent charge per takeout container really felt like nickel and diming. I wanted to like this place more. Our waitress did give good recommendations and the sauce for #16 and eggplant dish was good. I did not like the texture of the imitation sweet sour pork. It was too chewy. Service was good and food came out really fast, you can see people in the kitchen cooking with big woks. read more

I came here specifically for the gluten. My family used to buy these occasionally for us. I miss the taste and went to Chinatown recently for some vegetarian dishes. I had forgotten whether I like the sweet and sour or the curry flavor, so I got 1/2 lbs of both. I end up liking the curry more. Anyway, I also got the crispy noodles with black bean sauce. Tasty, but a tad salty. Since it was autumn moon festival season, I also got a few vegetarian moon cakes. This is mostly a takeout place with some tables inside for eating in. I came around lunch time and shared a table with two lovely ladies that offered me a taste of their dishes. I refused but they were so nice. Service friendly and make sure to bring cash because they don't take card. Located on Washington St. and Ross Alley. read more

See all

Vegetarians look no further as wheat gluten is the specialty here, made fresh and comes in a variety of flavors to suit your palate and supplement your meal. Lucky Creation hosted in the heart of SF Chinatown is a long time favorite of locals and visitors for their vegetarian and meat alternative dishes. There's not much parking in this part of town so be prepared to try to squeeze into street parking or park further away and walk. Otherwise, public transportation is always an option! For us, we typically just drop one of us off and circle the block while they grab the goodies. Their selection of wheat gluten dishes have flavor and texture profiles reflecting popular meat dishes like sweet and sour, curry, and BBQ pork. Each bite has a chewy and spongy texture which seems to soak up the sauces packing bursts of flavors. Eaten cold is our favorite method but I'd imagine heating it up is also just as good. Every time we come, sweet and sour and the BBQ pork are the flavors we go home with. Most patrons buy takeout but they also have a few small tables for dine in. The place is relatively clean and open, illuminated by the bright fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling and accented by the giant mirror along the wall. The staff is super friendly and welcoming. If it's your first time, consider perusing but also just ask directly. They may have some recommendations for your craving. Overall, Lucky Creation packs classic Chinese flavors into vegetarian dishes for those with dietary restrictions or those looking to minimize meat in their meals. The quality of dishes are just as good as I remember from when I was a kid although the prices like for all things have gone up. If you're lucky enough to have plans to go into the city, consider making your way to Lucky Creation and grab a variety box to open your eyes to a meat-less diet! read more

See all

A place I used to frequent when I worked downtown, Lucky Creation has been here forever and it's a solid place to grab take away vegetarian whey proteins fashioned like meat: sweet and sour, curry, oyster sauce, etc. It's become more of a takeaway spot post-Covid, which is probably how they survived the pandemic. The vegetarian food in this tiny Chinatown greasy spoon involves homemade seitan used as meat in solidly classic dishes. The owners are Buddhist, and have an excellent house seitan incorporated into many of their dishes. It's fun to eat, drink Oolong tea and watch the parade of loyal Chinatown residents cue up for take away while you enjoy your lunch. I always park on Clay and walk up to eat here and then explore afterwards. Recommended. read more

See all

This is our favorite vegetarian restaurant in China Town, San Francisco. We visit there every time when we are in San Francisco. I always crave for their Hong Kong Jai Lo Mei (wheat gluten puff combination), I couldn't find a good one in LA. We ordered the following: -The wheat gluten puff combination (appetizer) in large size ($14.95) -The sautéed mushroom & gluten puff with string bean ($16.50 + $4 for adding the flat noodle on this dish) -Lucky Creation pan fried noodles ($12.95) The gluten puff was still delicious and we especially liked the sweet and sour and the curry gluten puff. The Sautéed mushroom dish was flavorful and my daughters liked it. The pan fried noodles were crispy but the noodle portions were small. A lot of bean sprouts on top though. The owner was very friendly and the price was reasonable. read more

See all

We ordered three things with 2 bowls of rice: 1. Hot and sour soup -- probably my favorite of the three. More tomato than other ones I've tried but the flavor was great. 2. Sweet and sour pork -- uses gluten as the protein and the sauce was on point. Gluten could use some stuffing in the middle as it felt like it could use some substance on the bite. 3. Tofu eggplant stuffed with taro -- I enjoyed the interesting combination but it felt a bit heavy. Flavor was good though. The restaurant is more on the hole in the wall type of vibe, but service was fast and the staff was fast to help. I would stop by again to try more dishes as a vegetarian. read more

See all

Great vegan food. It's right in the middle of Chinatown so traffic is extremely crazy. but the food is really good you'll probably share a table with somebody everybody shares tables and eats together it's a cool place. Service is very fast. takes longer to find parking read more

Still the best vegetarian Chinese food in the Bay Area. They do take credit cards now (I just realized) but there is a surcharge to use it, so we always pay w cash. They has the mooncakes in a variety of choices as well. read more

See all

Really solid vegetarian family run restaurant in Chinatown! We came by for lunch and got the stuffed eggplant, bell pepper, and bean cake with black pepper sauce, lucky creation fried rice, and sweet corn and white fungus soup to share. My favorite was the stuffed eggplant, pepper and bean cake. Loved the taro which was perfect with the eggplant and the savory black bean sauce was great to eat with the fried rice and not too heavy. Fried rice was yummy as well with a meat substitute that reminded me of char siu. The portions were large and plenty to share among 3 people. I'm not vegetarian but this is a great spot to bring those who are and the flavors are great for everyone. You can tell that many of the customers are regular by the number of people coming in and out and lots of people getting take-out products as well! read more

The vegan food has been consistently good over the 17+ years I've been coming, for the most part. Recently, I brought my vegan aunt and uncle here while they were in town. We asked if we could get some char siu bao, but they didn't have any fresh ones. So they went back in the kitchen and nuked one, and brought it out where it turned out very dry. My uncle also noticed that the person at the counter was wearing gloves, but was handling both cash and food with the same gloves. SMH. read more

This is the best vegetarian restaurant in SF Chinatown. They've been around long time. Food was always tasty and prices were reasonable. Totally recommended. read more

See all

Every dish is tasteful and unique, full of character. Pairs perfectly with the cozy, home-y ambiance. read more

Another good choice for all vegetarian options in Chinatown. As far as I know there is only a handful that specialize in all vegetarian but of course many places have options. This place is bigger and than the other one we visited so better if you have a large party or just can't get into a smaller place. Food we excellent for the most part. Only thing I would skip is the "duck" as it was just a bit underwhelming. With a group of 4 we tried a lot of different dishes and would definitely come back next time we are in town. read more

Ask for walnut soup. To top it off, best front case ever. There's a few delicious noodle wise, such as crunchy which I find uncommon. read more

I've eaten here a number of times now for the past 20 years. I've been holding off on giving a review because I really want to like this place. It's one of the older vegan Chinese restaurants around in SF Chinatown. It seems to ooze the spirit of Chinatown's ancestors way before plant-based was a thing. I give credit to the restaurant for their consistency with the food. Alas, that's the problem. Tons of gluten puffs used for all kinds of mock-meat dishes swimming in highly processed sauces. I echo some of the 1-3 star reviews here: Once I've had their Lucky Creation fried rice where the oil smelled slightly rancid, but luckily I didn't fall ill. Another time, my receipt didn't seem to add up (before they started taking credit cards). Inflation has hit the menu hard here, which makes the low quality of the food stand out. My lunch meal of mock sweet and sour pork ($16) and half a cup of white rice ($3). After taxes, fees, and tip: $27 Don't let my disappointment in the food keep you. I might even come back. After all there could be a gem that I've missed. And there are less and less establishments in SF into where you can step and be transported back in time. Surely that's worth something. read more

Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - San Francisco, California

We always get take-out vegetarian rolls: they are on the trays just at the cashier shelf. The lady would get whatever quantity you want. There are usually flavors: curry, original, and sour. They are quite tasty. Ambiance is extremely casual: a very small mom and pop shop. Also quite small as well. It's clean. read more

Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I used to really like this place. So, that's why on a cold rainy day I was really looking forward to a big bowl of Hot and Sour soup. This tasted like warm sweet chunky tomato soup. I've never had H&S soup like this. It was a big disappointment. But they still have a friendly staff in the same cramped little space. I will probably return, just not for the soup! read more

If we visit Chinatown, there are two must-visit spots: Golden Gate Bakery for their iconic egg tarts and Lucky Creation for the sweet gluten. The kind lady at the counter suggested the sweet rice rolls, and we decided to try them -- they are amazing! From now on, we'll be getting two rolls because they disappear so quickly that I never even get a chance to take a picture! read more

Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant - Sweet and sour gluten - Vegetarian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I could never stop myself from over-ordering because it's all so good, and all so affordable! Make the most of your visit by rounding up a solid group of friends and ordering a bunch of dim sum, lest you attempt to tackle much of the menu solo. It's all vegan, which means you can indulge without a second though. Take advantage of all the rarities that usually have meat, fish, eggs, or chicken hidden somewhere inside, such as the hot and sour soup, "pork" with vermicelli, and soybean sausage. I miss and crave this food whenever I'm away, since nothing else quite compares. read more

Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Lucky Creation Vegetarian was one tea restaurant that reminded me of having my first vegetarian selection for takeout since childhood. Seeing those soy protein foods like faux bbq pork and sweet & sour gluten puffs were proof enough. So for lunch, I came all this way to savor a vegetarian dish during this year's Autumn Moon Festival. The space of this vegetarian tea restaurant had been small over the years, but there were still few people with half the amount of empty seats, which was perfect for me to fit right in. The food here, especially my Diced Mushrooms with five spice curry over rice, never gets old. Moon cakes, at the very bottom of the glass display, look good (should've asked if these have real egg yolks inside). If there's any tea restaurant where I can easily find, Lucky Creation Vegetarian will be my best place to go to. If I were given the path of a Buddhist for my new journey, I might, depending on how much thought I put in. For now, I will always eat more greens. read more

Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant - Diced Mushrooms with Curry over rice - Vegetarian Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

One of the few all vegetarian shops in Chinatown, SF. They have a small dining section with about 8 tables. There is a single bathroom that you need to walk through the kitchen to get through. We ordered the dried bean cake with chili sauce, potstickers, and the black mushroom with bok choy pan fried noodles. Everything was tasty, not overly greasy or salty. The pan fried noodles was probably the best dish, but it could've used some more seasoning. Service was comparable to other Chinese restaurants in the area. The shop prefers cash and does offer a cash discount. Many individuals came in and ordered the gluten items to go. Might try some of those next time! read more

See all

As a meat eater, I usually would not go for an all vegetarian restaurant as my first choice but I was taken aback by how yummy everything was. I had gone to Lucky Creation for a work lunch since it was recommended and I was surprised at how well I enjoyed everything. We arrived on a weekday at noon and it was luckily not too crowded. My favorites were the stuffed eggplants, potstickers and minced bean plate and mixed plate that is displayed up at the front. The potstickers were huge and definitely worth it. The eggplant dish was stuffed with fried taro, which I love. The mixed plate had a mix of different flavors of tofu skin and a a meat like item, ranging from curry and something similar to cha siu. read more

See all

I always appreciate a fully vegan restaurant. This place has a lot of really interesting and unique mock meats (goose!) and lots of tofu options. I got the potstickers which were very tasty. Filled with cabbage and paired with a sweet and sour sauce. Also got some seaweed/tofu soup which I would've liked a little more dimension to, but would be good for those that prefer a simple broth. Portions are pretty big! Couldn't finish the soup as a single person. Good value for the cost. The servers and staff are lovely. 3% surcharge when using a card. read more

See all

I saw hair in my food and got disgusted by it. Never eating here again. Was able to not get charged for their dirty food. They are not clean and I am surprised they passed the health inspection. There needs to be another one. read more

I was thinking that I should be eating more vegetables & less meat so I thought I'd have lunch here today as I have walked past this restaurant loads. I ordered the Braised bean cakes with assorted vegetables & a bowl of rice (extra charge for the rice). I also asked that the dish be prepared with less oil & salt. I figured that If I'm going to eat vegetarian then I might well be gung-ho about it. So this was my 1st visit and after trying this flavorful dish i will return. The prices are reasonable. The food is good because they used fresh ingredients. read more

Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant - Braised Bean Cake - Vegetarian Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

A friend and I took forever to decide on a place and saw the sign for a fully vegan Chinese restaurant. I've had something similar back home in SoCal so decided to give it a try! The place was pretty simple, not too much seating for a lot of people, but it fit the bill. The food was really yummy and as someone who likes meat, they have enough flavor where you don't miss it in addition to a variety of dishes with meat substitutes & sauces that taste like the real thing. The service was short and simple, although I had some complications translating what I was looking for (all on me). Prices were on the higher end but still decent for Chinatown and quality vegetarian food. Got a vegetarian sushi roll thing to-go which was really tasty as well (like peanuts, carrots and other things in season sushi rice and seaweed) It is a sit down restaurant and cash only, but you can also order takeout or order from their counter of vegetarian meat things. A nice small restaurant to take your vegetarian friend to for simple good food read more

Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant - Black Mushroom with Chinese Green Chow Mein - Vegetarian Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

What a savory surprise of a place in Chinatown! Though low key and unpretentious- this little gem is a new favorite vegetarian spot for our family! We ordered the appetizer potstickers (perfectly filled with yummy veggies like cabbage and carrots) with sauce. For our mains we shared included the tofu eggplant clay pot and the bean curds wrapped around various mushrooms with bok choy!!! Wow! The flavors were perfect and the entire thing tasted fabulous! You cannot wait on this place- it's a must go! So fresh and delicious! I would give the taste a 5/5. Please be mindful- this spot is CASH ONLY! There is a bank ATM located on Stockton (a half block up) but otherwise please know this before arriving! Bathrooms here are tiny- you have to walk through the kitchen to get there but you can see the awesome chefs chopping and cooking! Which is half the fun! Thank you again read more

Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

My favorite Chinese vegetarian restaurant in the US. Lucky Creations started in the heart of San Francisco's Chinatown 37 years ago. Ambience is 1980's nostalgic. I became a fan in the late 1980's. I make it a point to enjoy their offerings whenever I'm visiting my old stomping grounds. Ask the proprietor what good the day you're visiting! Service was fast, friendly and efficient. read more

See all

I was very excited to try an all vegetarian restaurant! I'm trying to eat less meat so this seemed perfect when I saw their menu. Ordering through Grubhub was easy. Pick up was friendly and fast. The food was a bit of a let down. It was soo oily and dunked in grease. Plus I found a small piece of black hair in my rice. The taste was good, veggies are healthy and no need to make it that greasy and gleaming! read more

Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant - Menu - Vegetarian Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Amazing food, quick service. Definitely visit if you're vegetarian or if you like food in general.

This is the only place I know in SF that makes the wheat gluten dish like the ones in Hong Kong. I usually get their soft wheat glutens at the counter for to-go. There are three kinds, original, curry, and sweet/sour flavors. I get all three and then I would order the tofu skin rolls on the side. They are also popular on the gluten rice roll, with peanut, mushroom and carrot inside. It's perfect for a quick bite and it's delicious. The place is small and you should expect it to be more like a hole in a wall. But the taste as vegetarian place is definitely worth a try. I would love to keep them going as a local for as long as I live in SF. read more

See all

I feel so lucky to have found this place for some amazing vegan Chinese food in the heart of Chinatown. I never thought that one day I'd go plant-based and completely change my lifestyle. I'm glad I did and that there are placed like Lucky Creation to fill my cup when I feel like eating out. This unapologetically Cantonese veggie spot is amazing. Small but cozy, with owners and workers that really care for their customers. Come with a small party as seating is limited but take out is available. We started with their Fried Taro Rolls which were deep-fried tofu skin wrapped around mushy pieces of taro and served with a sweet dipping sauce. It was a combination I was a fan of and a great snack to start our meal. It also wasn't super heavy like tempura and retained the texture of a standard egg roll. For our mains, we ordered their Braised Veggies in Claypot and Sauted Black Mushrooms in Bean Curd Rolls (plus Bok Choy as a bonus!) My goodness was everything here full of umami flavor and color. The claypot dish was expectedly piping hot so pair it with a side of brown rice. The bean curds were our favorite for sure - loved the texture and amount of food that we got as well. While a little more on the saltier side, it was all phenomenal and something I want more now. They also sell gluten and soy meats at the front (referred to as their vegan dim sum) plus some Moon Cakes with different fillings. If I was a bigger fan of moon cakes, I would've spent a bit more to buy one or two. The selections looked great and there's so much variety here. Cash only which means they are able to offer lower prices. Come on through and support this local family owned establishment. PS: They take covid restrictions very seriously. There were a few European tourists that day who were turned away because they did not have a CDC-approved vaccine. Even if you can't dine in, support them by doing takeout and taking it to a nearby park to enjoy. It's so worth it. read more

See all

Stumbled on top this vegetarian spot in sf Chinatown and was told it's one of the best vegetarians spots, so why not. Usually my mom eats this type of cuisines at Chinese temples and this was very similar, loved all the glutenous imitation meat items as well as the use of mushroom and veggies. I would say this is very traditional Chinese temple cuisine, iykyk. Honestly this was a fun place to try even if you're not vegetarian . I highly recommend the lemon imitation chicken and the mix veggie, both delicious and thoroughly enjoyable. I didn't get a chance to try their honeydew moon cake (sold out) such a shame, but will def come back for it next year. read more

See all

I've been enjoying the vegan Chinese meals since 1990 (exactly half my life). The Stuffed Eggplant, Bell Pepper, Bean Cake; the Bean Sprout And Celery Wrapped In Bean Curd Rolls; and the clay pot Braised Eggplant are long-time favs. read more

Sau Ling Lam Kwan and her husband Lam Kwok Leung are the names behind this establishment, serving Chinatown, San Francisco since 1988. They are a devout Chinese-Buddhist couple from Hong Kong. This restaurant specializes in serving vegetarian Cantonese food. Seitan is from scratch here, then made into a variety of wheat gluten and other mock meats. Another specialty is their deep fried taro fish in the shape of a sea bass. This place has a hole in the wall feel, but carries an established history and character in the food. There are enough seats to go along with the foot traffic that come and go. The bathroom is passing the kitchen and it is very tiny. You'll find this place to be comfortable and casual. It is a humble establishment in the best way possible. My favorite menu item is the mixed vegetables and mushrooms in a clay pot. The black mushrooms in the clay pot tastes silky and the thick soup is savory with a striking umami flavor. It was my first time trying wheat gluten here. The wheat gluten puff combination dish comes in four different flavors. Another great option would be the meatless chicken in thick lemon sauce, though it can be overwhelmingly sweet. This spot is mostly vegetarian, but there are plenty of vegan options. read more

See all

Came in with friends who were visiting from out of town. This location was initially chosen to accommodate dietary restrictions, but the food exceeded my expectations as somebody who typically eats meat with every meal. (Transportation & Wait Time) This is located in the middle of Chinatown, SF so it'll be exceedingly difficult to find street parking at any time. My recommendation would be to either go to a parking garage or to walk/take public transit if possible. This is definitely a hole in the wall restaurant, so seating is limited. We had to wait for around ten minutes to be seated. (Interior) Classic Chinese restaurant interior with decor to match. I believe there was table space for around four parties. You order at the entrance-adjacent cash register, find a table, and wait for the food to be brought to you. Food can be paid for with either cash or card, though the card does come with a 3% surcharge. (Taste) We ordered stir fried veggies, meatless chicken, curry and chow mein, and wonton soup. Each dish was flavorful and I liked how there wasn't a big departure from how their traditional (with meat) Cantonese counterparts typically taste. The gluten substitutes had a similar texture as the meat they were imitating, while bringing their own unique taste. I liked the curry and chow mein combo in particular and was pleased with the overall meal. I'd recommend this restaurant even if you typically eat meat with each meal! Whether it's to accommodate a vegetarian/vegan friend or if it's to expand your palette, you'll enjoy the food here. read more

See all

This place was 5 star quality. Well, before most of these reviewers were, I'm born and I cannot believe that that family has select there quality slip at all. I do understand that is a very popular area in a popular street. I'm sure a lot of people go in there. People don't appreciate the vegan lifestyle and/or the flavors or textures or whatever, but it's not a good reason to leave a bad review. This is an amazing place, and it is 5 star, all the way. it has been quite a while since I have been there. But yeah, but I am absolutely sure that everything there is it's hot quality dedicated people. read more

Today, we had lunch at this restaurant. We ordered and ate lucky fried rice, braised vegetables with curry sauce, black mushroom noodle soup. Everything tasted well but my husband had the soup. Later within the hour my husband had a bad and upset stomach. He never had a problem any time in his life before. So we think the mushroom soup was the reason... We went home cutting short our trip in San Francisco.. we feel sad this happened after eating at this restaurant read more

The best vegetarian Chinese food around hands down. My grandma swears by this place and I've grown up coming here to buy dishes for my family for special and non special occasions. Great curry flavor, great sweet and sour sauce, and overall great vegetarian fare and I'm not even a vegetarian! Honestly, they make vegetarian food taste flavorful, so much so that I don't even care that it's not meat. Parking is super difficult here, but if you're a local or if you're lucky enough to find a parking spot definitely try this place out especially if you're a vegetarian who likes Asian food! read more

See all