First off as always, shop local when you can! This store has lots of supplies for small critters, both scales and fur. We are get our first insectivore her food here. Pro tip, as they are a small enterprise from time to time they open late, they do open, just head to enter the cafe next shop, right on the corner, a local favorite! read more

Excellent Experience! ! we got a milk snake for the kid. They walked us through everything and answered our million and one questions (on the several occasions that we went by to ask them) It was a bday surprise and they even acted like the snake wasn't going to be purchased (played along) when kid went to pet store to see it. (they pulled it out so kid could hold it) Kid thought they were just going to look at it and we surprised them right then and there- we had already bought the enclosure and all supplies and those were waiting at home. The service was excellent, and thoughtful. GREAT PLACE! HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Ask for Eric or Nick - totally cool dudes. read more

Pet Central - Milksnake - Pet Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Dropped by Pet Central and picked up some supplies and this beauty! Somehow matches the foliage in our guppy aquarium perfectly. read more

Pet Central - Very fancy betta! - Pet Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

When I first moved to the city, I didn't have a job but my girlfriend and I stopped by pretty frequently to visit the guinea pigs. Janet and Chris were very friendly and after visiting a few times, they let us in and pet the guinea pigs, which we really appreciated. Once I found work and got settled down, we decided to pull the trigger and buy some guinea pigs. They were very friendly and helpful throughout the entire process from walking through everything we need to make sure these little piggies are happy. Overall, very happy with everything that has happened! read more

See all

Workers are very knowledgeable there , left a number for supplies wasn't expecting a call back since a lot of places toss your number out but the owner actually called me back . Staff is very polite and friendly , they answered all my questions with confidence. This place really knows their stuff ! read more

The owner Chris is extremely knowledgeable and friendly. He really cares about the animals he sells and helps with any issues regardless if you purchased from his store or not. One of the most healthy fish sold in sf!!!! read more

Two years ago I bought a light head here. It blew up (like sparks and a loud pop. I'm glad it didn't electrocute my turtle) after a few months and I brought it back to exchange it. The person working in the shop wouldn't do anything to help me. I hate having to go to chewy and would rather support a small business, but I also think they need more feedback about how not customer friendly they are. I remember the clerk who sold it to me saying it was the last one, and they hadn't ordered them in a long time. read more

When I moved into my new place last year , I was exited to have a yard and can finally set up a goldfish pond. I want these fish to have a good life, which meant not overstocking the pond so that each fish has 50+ gallons of water. I had to be very selective of my goldfish, which meant over a few months I checked out stores form all over the Bay Area. The City, San Mateo, east bay, South Bay. This place by far had some of the best variety of fancy gold fish. I bought beautiful ranchu and shubunkin. Almost a year later, they both made it through the winter outdoors and are growing strong. I expect all 9 of my fish to live a few decades so sadly I won't be back here for a while to buy new fish, but I do appreciate the business I did here. read more

A couple years ago I purchased 2 cute goldfish from this place. They both had a happy life but died shortly after a few months. The owner was very kind and helpful. The store was clean outside and inside. Yes, they tried to pressure me to purchase these expensive type of food for my goldfishes, I kindly rejected them because I was young and couldn't afford those expensive type of fish food. AND YES, they certainly raise the price for the pet food here too. Wtf? A few days ago, I walked by the store and witnessed how bad the living situation for these pets have changed... Guinea pigs were living under all these birds/parrots whatever. All these feathers flying everywhere especially into the cage of these precious guinea pigs. The cages were too small for 3-5 guinea pigs to live together with just 1 water bottle. There was barely any food or hay for them. The cage looked like it haven't been cleaned for months. Guinea pigs were living in wood shaving, one of the igloos was broken into halves. I can image these guinea pigs are consistently mating. (They are all relatively very similar to one another as well.) The hamsters were living in a small starter cage (that's why it's buy a cage, you get a hamster for FREE), they were living under one another all stacked up. There was one hamster that was consistently trying to escape from the cage. I did not see any food or water bottle provided for them either. I wish I could confront the owner but like other yelpers mentioned, the owner is ruthless and rude to people who tried to confront him on the living situation of these unhappy furry animals. So please, do not purchase from this place because you're just encouraging them to continue this type of business. Looking at how bad the living situation these furry animals are in currently, it's very sad. I wish I can take one or two in but they do not look healthy at all... read more

Pet Central - Pet Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

I came here to get a betta fish. We named him Misha Pasternak and I kept him on a tank at my desk at work. He became a beloved and inspirational co-worker. We had some wonderful times together, like when Adrianne would play tippy-taps, or the time Alfie Squigglesworth got stuck behind the filter and we had to free him. I look back fondly on the one-year surprise anniversary party we threw for him, where we ate Phish Food ice cream and Swedish fish and drank Schlitz cocktails (a can of Schlitz with whipped cream and a cherry on top) into the wee hours. He was a great friend until he sadly passed away, as fish do. Anyway, I always went to this pet store for any fish needs, and they were very helpful. We also got a catfish named Henrietta, the aforementioned loach named Alfie, a couple bottom feeders named Brad and Chad who, at the store clerk's recommendation, helped keep the tank clean (until Misha ate them). We also got a dozen neon tetras named James who were beautiful while they lasted. We were going to get 6 but the clerk told us we should get more because they don't last long and sadly he was right. FOLLOW-UP: I see a previous 1-star review discussing the issue of selling pets to minors (ages 14-15 years old). I spoke with my attorney, and he does not believe a pet store has any obligation to check parental consent when selling a pet. He says the only issue is that a minor doesn't have the ability to contract for non-essential items, so if they wanted to return the hamster, bird, or whatever-the-animal, the pet store would have to provide a refund, regardless of what their refund policy is. So a 14 or 15 year old buying an unwanted pet is a parental issue, not a pet store issue. That parent needs to do a better job of setting household rules for their children, and not relying on a China Town pet store to manage their behaviour. It is a very different matter than, say, if the minor were to go to a grocery store and buy a Schlitz cocktail, which has one ingredient (Schlitz) that is not purchasable by anyone under 21 in the state of California. read more

Pet Central - Misha the fish when he was middle-aged - Pet Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Beautiful variety of goldfishes and healthy for sale. The owners are vary nice and very knowledge when asked questions. I would recommend if anyone who's looking for quality goldfishes stop by this store. read more

New owners are awesome! Super involved with the community and really got this pet store in good shape

Such a great pet store for fish - the owner is super knowledgeable, friendly, happy to help, and they have a great variety of options for all sorts of aquarium needs. I've been going here for years and highly recommend this spot. They also have toys for our dog and cat! read more

I love stopping by and I learn something each and every time about how to take care of our Koi and Goldfish.

I usually buy fancy goldfish from online websites or just from your local pet smart but somebody from fb goldfish forum recommended this pet store and i'm VERY HAPPY that he did. Not only are the goldfish such good quality but if your a fancy goldfish keeper or breeder yourself than you know the prices are VERY CHEAP especially for the rare quality. I bought two 4-45 inch ranchu goldfish and usually when I buy ranches online from goldfish island or kingkoi they're at least about $100 each but I bought a pair of the cutest, chunky ranchu for just $26 (talk about a deal). The owner was so kind, friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about these fishes and im very happy and will be a loyal costumer from now on. FORGET PETSMART and PETCO. The store is a hidden gem in SF and has lots of HIKARI goldfish food (which I recommend as well for healthy and fast growth for goldfish). Overall i'm very happy to have found this place and can't wait to buy more fancy goldfish like yuan bao, Oranda, ranchu, butterfly telescope and many more. read more

Note: This review relates only to fish and aquarium supplies. I had an aquarium throughout most of my childhood, which ended 27 years ago. So it's been a long time. Totally out of the blue I got the urge a few weeks ago to get back into it, so the kid and I stopped by Pet Central to get set up. With the help of the lady and gentleman working on the ground level, I gathered up all the supplies I thought we would need. I appreciated that they didn't try to up-sell; in fact, even when I played dumb as to whether I should get item A or the more expensive item B, they didn't try to take advantage. The prices seemed reasonable. Granted, it's been a long time since I bought fish supplies, but the total stayed within my cheapskate comfort zone. Then we stepped downstairs to select the fish. So many beautiful fish in crystal-clear tanks. The fish catcher guy is sorely lacking in the charm department so don't expect small talk, but he's quick and efficient and, even within a huge tank filled with goldfish that all looked exactly alike to me, he managed to catch the very one that my daughter pointed out...without rolling his eyes. Over the course of the next couple of weeks we realized that we needed a few more accessories, such as an aquarium light and a gravel vacuum. Again, the gentleman who works on the ground level pointed us toward the most economical and appropriate choices. He even remembered the exact model of aquarium we had purchased weeks prior. When I mentioned, in passing, that the filter I had selected was making enormous amounts of bubbles on the surface of the tank, he gave me a valve for free. It was only $1.99, but still...little things like that go a long way toward building customer loyalty. You should note that getting a refund for anything non-defective might be challenging. When I realized I had bought too much gravel and tried to return one of the two bags I had purchased, they grimaced a little and offered me store credit instead. So be sure of what you want before you leave the store. read more

The parrots and chinchillas look okay, but the cats and dogs look okay when you look at them. I don't think the cats and dogs look too happy being in a room without any fresh air to breathe. I have noticed one major difference after looking at the pets many times in this store. The cats and dogs are placed in a pen in the back while the parrots and chinchillas are in the front of the store. These are one of the two types of animals looking like they're in good health just because they are in cages located in the front of the store. It just really would be nice if the cats and dogs were placed next to the parrots and chinchillas. read more

I almost always enjoy coming here whenever I'm visiting Chinatown. Chinatown definitely puts a damper in my day anytime I go to visit, but Pet Central (when there are cute puppies) brightens my day. Whenever I see cute puppies, it makes me soo want to get one. Haha :) read more

Pet Central has been a clean productive and well ran pet shoppe for years. I purchased my 11 gallon marine bio-cube here and a 5 gallon tropical aquarium here last Christmas as the foundation for my saltwater setups. Not only are both aquariums amazing rad, the shoppe's service is great. I recommend this place for anyone seeking reliable aquarium supplies backed by excellent customer service. The only drawback is their lack of invertebrate marine critters. read more

See all

Visited their new location which is a few blocks from the old. They improved on their Saltwater section immensely... but they still don't have much and are only moderately priced. They cut down on the number of tanks because their new location is about 1/2 the size (if not smaller). No coral or live rock. Their freshwater tanks seem dirty and feels like they crammed all the old inventory into fewer tanks. On a positive, I like them for their frozen food section: Hikari, SFBay, and mice too (for you reptile owners). It's a better atmosphere but i do miss the old video/petstore setup. They appear to have a decent selection of birds but I'm not a bird person. read more

There isn't much to say except if you want a ton of choice in fish and small animals..this would be your place. It's a bit on the odd side, and some of the toys and accessories are really odd. As far as fish stuff, this is a great place to find a lot of different tanks, pumps, and media for your canister filters. All time favorite accessory found...Cat Muzzle. How much that would NOT work on my Penny ;) read more

Pet Central - The funniest accessory I found at Pet Central ;) - Pet Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

I admit that this place has improved on their appearance over the years, but I DO NOT believe this is a good place to purchase you animals. -A few years back I noticed a guinea pig in a cage with a big sore/scab on its back and I mentioned this to one of the guys (who stills works there, bald Asian guy) and all he did was say "oh its nothing" and sprayed alcohol on the piggies back. - Pet stores shouldn't be allowed to sell puppies. Who ever that buys puppies from pet store are idiots and need to do more research. No breeders in their right mind would ever sell their precious babies to a pet store. and with that said pet stores like this one most likely gets all their different breeds of dogs from the same backyard breeder or puppy mill. On a side note: The animals from this pet store seem very under socialized. I have met animals from the local shelter that react better to humans than the animals they have here. Everyone, please do yourself and your community a favor. Check out your local animal shelter and see what they have to offer, you will be very surprised at the variety of pets that need homes. Animal shelters have more than just cats and dogs, they also have small animals and various exotic pets that are up for adoption. Also make sure you do research about a certain pet before going into a pet store and purchasing one. Pet stores generally do not give you all the information you need about owning a pet. read more

I wouldnt really recommend this place for puppies... The last time I was there I saw a pug...and i really wanted a pug, well cause I love pugs..but anyhow I got stuck with a shih-tzu but yea thats besides the point. So they had a pug, and I asked to see him. Something didnt seem right..eyes were red like bloodshot..and seemed to a runny nose...anyways the clerk said this was normal for pugs which kind of didnt seem right. And to top it off she said that they are easy to take care of and can eat rice...I was like WHAT!? this puppy here is being fed rice?! I objected and she said well of course we feed him dog food.. YEAH RIGHT...i felt sorry for this pug but Im not rich enough to go around saving all the puppies that are being mistreated. Besides that though..they do have a large selections of fish downstairs. With a wide range of accessories for pets upstairs. And in the front of the store to the left side they do have TVB dramas and others. Remember to walk softly when going past the reptiles..hard food steps will cause the cases to rattle.. read more

This store has a great selection of fish, but the quality of merchandise and customer service are both subpar. I will never shop here again. My experiences: A goldfish I bought for my son's aquarium developed lymphocystis and died painfully within weeks, but not without first infecting the tank and killing other fish. On another occasion, I returned a very large Moor that was bullying our other fish and Pet Central at first refused to take it, pretending that was ugly and unsalable even though I'd spent $30 on it at their store not too long before. Eventually the manager agreed to trade it for a $10 fish. The aquarium thermometer I bought didn't work. Battery was DOA. Bottom line: Poor quality. read more

I've always wanted a pet, and after I moved to SF I got one, still alive. :] My first experience with this place was not the most pleasant. I wanted a guinea pig and they had tons. The guy who helped me out wasn't very good with English but when we picked out a guinea pig I thought it was the cutest thing ever. He grabbed the guinea pig and put it in a box, poke holes, and sealed it shut until we got home. When we got home we realized that there was a healed patch of hair. And ever since then, our poor guinea pig kept scratching and turns out it had mites. Part of it, was our fault for not checking it thoroughly but part of it was their fault for selling us a sick pet. To them, it seems like that if it's still sell able, then they'll sell it. We took it to the vet a few days later, spent about $180 for the poor little animal and saved him. We also found out that it was a boy, even though the seller told us it was a girl... Like really? You couldn't distinguish a hole versus a dick? I highly doubt I will ever buy any animals there again. The hay and the pellets are good prices and we do go back there once our supplies are gone. And sometimes even look at the animals and feel bad for how sick they look. They allow 'special ordering' and breed any kind of dogs. So I suggest not to go there for dogs. They also don't have cats, but they do have tons of cat posters.... i think the really amazing part of the place is the fish tanks, There are up to 100 different fishes, not sure if they're 'healthy' but it's good to look at when you're down there. read more

I really enjoy coming in here. Looking at all the cool fishes and looking at the cute little doogies and the other animals. It really looks like the pets are happy living at Pet Central. They really do take care of the animals which is great to see and know. Every time I come in here I always have answers about my fishes and they always help me and suggest other treats to give to my fishes and what other ways to take care of my pet fishes. They have not let me down...... read more

I have bought 2 hamster in Petco and they always get wet tail within 4 days. I bring them back to seek vet help but they never made it. The hamsters I have gotten from Pet Central are always healthy and socialized. They do not always have a variety of hamsters because the hamsters they get are usually owners that surrendered their hammies or when their customer's hammies have babies. Unlike Petco, that gets their hamster from breeders every week or two and are unhealthy. I would like to encourage people to support local shops more because they need our love. read more

Ok, they responded to my call when i tried again, Am looking forward to visiting next time when I'm in San Francisco Chinatown Can't wait till then, i hope to buy a hamster here and some supplies like food bedding and toys Glad to hear, this place is still open, though i do hope they stopped selling puppies read more

I bought my Betta Fish and all that the little fella needed from here. Quick and easy service. I avoided looking at all the rodents/reptiles (they seemed to have a lot) and made a beeline to the back where the fishies were. The clerk was super friendly and got us in and out in less than 10 minutes. What can I say, I'm a happy first-time fish owner. :) read more

Last weekend, I unexpectedly acquired a betta fish -- it was the sad looking, though well intentioned centerpiece at a wedding (I'd discourage this, folks.) I worried about setting up the fish tank and getting all of the right supplies to make a worthy home for my new fish friend, and was about to trek all the way across North Beach to Petco. I thought to take a quick peek in this Chinatown store, not expecting very much -- so I was very impressed when they had everything I needed for the betta. Nice to have a Chinatown store that carries quality, name-brand products (you know what I mean.) Pet Central can't compete price-wise with chain pet stores (so it charges full retail for its stock), but it made up for it by being a one-stop shop that got my betta out of a tupperware container and into an aerated, heated, graveled tank. In fact, my betta's watching me type this review right now, and it's blowing bubbles in agreement. read more

Only bought the kois here. The kois are separated by sizes in huge blue tanks! So comfy and spacious for them making em happy healthy kois! Yay! Long live our babies! Talking parrot. Doggies in the back upstairs! And reptiles. Bunnies and rats! This is definitely a PET store! Hella pets! But the guy sucked at fishing for our kois and even dropped one into a bucket of stuff in between the tanks! ): If they had better caretakers then it would have 5 stars! read more

5 stars because they gave me my bundle of joy! I got my puppy here, well not a puppy anymore since he's almost 4 now. This may not be the cheapest place to get a pet but there's no price on happiness. read more

under the sea~~ under the sea~~~~ darling it's better down where it's wetter take it from me~~ up on the shore they work all day~ out in the sun they slave away~ while we devotin' full time to floatin' under the sea~~~~~~! pet central carries everything from filters to fish....xxl fish slangin'...fish dealin'....pet supply pushin'...mega store right in the heart of chinatown....selections vary from exotic koi fish to simple guppies.... read more

HELL NO! I wish I could give a negative amount of stars!! This place is AWFUL, any pet store that has a waiver that says if you buy a pet and it dies, they don't care because their prices are cheap shouldn't be allowed to run! STAY AWAY, unless you need supplies, don't go here! DON'T, I repeat DON'T buy any live animals here. read more

One phone call stopped me from driving here to shop.... Lady on the phone: "Pet Central" Me: "I was wondering if you stock Bushynose Plecos?" Lady on the phone: "What that?" Me: "Plecostomus" Lady on the phone: "What that?" Seriously? A pet store that sells a lot of fish doesn't know what a plecostomus is? No Thanks read more

Ever since Christmas, I have a pet turtle. Her name is Rue McClanahan, and she can get really smelly, really quickly. Dirty girl's about as full of diseases as Blanche Devereaux's clambox. And while I already love her, I don't love cleaning out her tank every two days. Sorry, Rue, but there's a limit to my love, and you've found it. The only solution was to flush her down the toilet. Or buy a filter. After two unsuccessful ventures to different PetCos, I was not only miffed but reconsidering sacrificing Rue McClanahan to the porcelain gods. The last ditch effort was Pet Central by recommendation from a local pet store owner. Consider me impressed. They had a ton of stuff in this place, and it seemed to be pretty well laid out in terms of floor plan. The employee not only showed me two filter options within my first minute of being there, but she also told me exactly how to clean out the filter, how often, and what would need to be replaced in the long run. It was surprisingly painless and efficient. Two words I never associate with Chinatown. Ever. They also had a huge selection of other stuff, which I was tempted to browse. Rue McClanahan, however, waits for no one. Plus I wanted out of Chinatown. read more

I use to come here a lot as a kid & do tricks with the fish in blue pools. I would put my hand out & they'd come to me like it was MAGIC. Today, I didn't come to play with the fish, but to talk to the talking macaw. He says "hi" and "hello" and he'll bow down to you if you bow down to it. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/2UeT1q6fSvGUYK3aTwNrmg?select=WSSTKtLztUNbL8JL0hmhow I also came to admire the chinchillas & puppies in the back. They are so cute, but so $$$$. I saw a total of 6 dogs for sale, an older one for $600 in a cage, 2 on the left in a cage sleeping, & the 3 cutest puppies you'll ever see. There was a yorkie that had a white line on it's head like a skunk http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/2UeT1q6fSvGUYK3aTwNrmg?select=6em2vHNGPHaJrZLwUqciOw, a Pomeranian & something else...they fought, played, chased each other, pounded on each other, & chewed each other like they were chew toys. They took water breaks as they were chasing each other, so the other puppies waited. THEY WERE SO CUTE!!!!! If you wanted to buy 1, you'd have to buy the other 2, you can't separate best friends like that. Those puppies were the main attraction at the store with many people (including myself) taking pics and making videos of them, because their $1,000+ price tag was just too much. One day, I'll be back with $$$$ to buy me some puppies. read more

See all

Just reviewing for the fish stuff. Good for supplies, but I wouldn't recommend stocking your tank from here. They've got a pretty nice selection of chemicals/nets/filter cartridges here - if you don't like using Amazon for that sort of thing. They've got frozen food here, too. The livestock is pretty meh. They've got a few varieties of small marine fish (reasonably priced), a few freshwater tanks (didn't really check these out), and a ton of goldfish. No live rock, coral, or invertebrates. It looks like they carry a lot of juvenile "big" fish. I'm pretty sure the staff here won't stop you from cramming a soon-to-be-huge fish in a tiny tank, so do your research ahead of time. I got some substandard guidance here and bought a 3-stripe damselfish. The owner claimed they were as docile as other damsels, turns out they're actually striped balls of hate (the fish, not the owner). I blame that more on myself than the store - but there are more helpful fish people in SF (Lucky Ocean). read more

Great place for pet supplies hands down. Another mom and pop pet shop I think. They have a variety of aquatic animals from puffer fish to sea anemone. They have lots of birds and have some rare finches. Yesterday there were Maltese, Pekingese, and a German Shepherd puppies! Adorable pups, but could be in better living conditions. They seem to have plenty of fish and reptile supplies, but I think they could have more small pet supplies like other people have mentioned. It's a wonderful pet shop and on the side they do sell/rent Asian dramas. read more

I haven't been here since I bought my pup but Pet Central hooked me up with the coolest chihuahua ever. He's athletic and outgoing and so much braver than the average small dog. -- He may be mixed breed though. And for the prices they charge he should definitely be purebred. Still he's been worth every penny! Thank you Pet Central for being the only pet shop sketchy enough to sell dogs despite San Francisco's city laws which prohibit it! read more