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Spicy King

3.7 (517 reviews)
Open 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

Order Spicy King Takeout or Delivery

Spicy King Photos

SPICY KING ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Spicy King

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Service was friendly and warm while the dishes were spicy and flavorful! My meal was served with flame lit under the bowl, to keep it Hot. Nice touches and nicer servers.

Camilla M.

I didn't have this place in my list, but I went yesterday night after a drink at Moongate Lounge! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very casual spot, and it felt authentic![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] As the name of the restaurant, they have a lot of spicy plates, but we asked for having a less spicy dish, and they did it. It was also very good. I don't remember the name but it came with a hot pot and there was beef and veggies. We ordered also the steamed rice and the hot tea. Prices were also a good point.

Spicy Lamb with Flaming Chili Oil
Bonnie H.

Visiting Chinatown we were happy to stumble upon the Spicy King. We waited a bit to sit, we were told they just needed to clear a table but there seemed to be some confusion or delay between the two servers. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance and decor is nice inside this small restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Finally were able to sit and ordered the Dan Dan noodles, Pepper beef and Lamb with hot chili oil. All of them medium. They came out really quickly and were true to their word, the dishes were spicy! Once done we had to ask for our bill and a to go container. [[HIGHLIGHT]]For some reason the door was left open during a lot of our meal and it got fairly chilly in there.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We'd definitely visit again and try some of the other dishes next time in San Francisco

From outside, it's on a corner
Cat N.

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Delicious , located off the Main Street in Chinatown , so glad we stumbled upon the Spicy King, we loved the ambience , the food was off the charts , best Chinese I had in a long time[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], the only thing is my husband ordered medium spicy and it was above his level of tolerance, our waitress warmed him tho so this is on him lol The flavor of everything was amazing , I wish we weren't just visiting the City because I'd be there very often . [[HIGHLIGHT]]The decor and everything made it for a very warm, authentic experience[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We Recommend it

Eggplant with garlic sauce
Rajbir S.

We came here on the evening of the San Francisco Lunar New Year Parade after a friend recommended it, so we were looking forward to trying it. It's a popular spot and there was a queue, partly due to the parade crowd. We waited about 20-25 minutes for a table; it's a small place with limited seating. We ordered the Chongqing chicken with explosive peppers, plain rice, and eggplant with garlic sauce. The Chongqing chicken was the highlight - well fried, not oily, and adequately spicy. The eggplant was flavorful but a bit too sweet for my taste. Service was slightly slow but they only had 2 servers on a very busy night. Slightly on the pricier side for Chinatown. Would recommend the Chongqing chicken.

Tea
Monica C.

We had the best time in Spicy King. The food was amazing. Only downside was that the dishes came one by one. They brought the chicken dish and rice after about 20 minutes and then honey pecan shrimp 30 minutes after we were done eating. We were in a good mood because we were there to see the Chinese New Year parade so didn't mind. The tea was great. The macha cheesecake was too good. Food was the star and service was polite.

Exterior of Spicy King in San Francisco's Chinatown.
Jason F.

The king of spice is alive and well in San Francisco's Chinatown neighborhood! Located on the corner of Clay Street and Waverly Place, Spicy King serves up authentic Chinese Szechuan, or Sichuan as they call it their native language, cuisine. Open for over a decade now, Spicy King replaced the longstanding Uncle Restaurant on the same corner. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Gone are the more esoteric tables and chairs for both small and large parties, and since opening, they have remodeled to turn Spicy King into a more themed restaurant complete with interior woodwork that represents a more traditional yet exotic restaurant whose goal is to clearly match the cuisine with the ambience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] What brought a group of myself and two other diners here on a chilly weekend evening before we headed out to take in some local flavor of downtown San Francisco. With one of our group of three a serious spice addict, I suggested we head to the Spicy King for dinner, as it was their well lit signage that alerts all passersby of what they are serving up. Upon entry to Spicy King, we were instantly seated at a table close to their open kitchen area taking in all of the atmosphere that Spicy King has to offer. The menu at Spicy King is separated into categories including Appetizers/ Side Dishes; Chef Recommendations; Pork, Beef, Lamb; Chicken and Duck; Seafood; Mini Hot Pot; Vegetable; Noodle & Rice; Family Combo Dinners; and Beverages. Of course with Spicy King serving up authentic Sichuan cuisine, we wanted a little kick with our dinner, so we ordered their Mapo Tofu; Dan Dan Noodles; and Kung Pao Chicken along with two individual bowls of steamed rice to go with our entrées. Our first dish to be served was our Mapo Tofu which was served in a metal bowl on their version of an iron hot plate complete with open flame. Presentation wise the dish came across as very authentic, and taste wise the dish was mid-level acceptable as the tofu was nice and soft without the over-bearing of hot chili peppers. Our second dish to arrive was their Kung Pao Chicken which would turn out to be the star of our meal, as it was both flavorful and filling, thanks to the abundance of chunks of chicken, chili peppers, zucchini, peanuts and a plethora of heavy sauce. When combined with our steamed rice, we easily could have enjoyed this one dish and steamed rice and had been completely satiated for the evening. Our third dish, their Dan Dan Noodles was a bit of a disappointment, as once again their presentation was really strong on this bowl of noodles, as it was topped with ground pork, green onions and sliced vegetables along with a heart red soup broth. Perhaps it was the noodles being overcooked, but everything in this bowl tasted too bland for our taste as the umami never came out with any sip of broth or noodles with every bite. Two out of three hits among our dishes is not too bad of an odds when dining at what is essentially a place for tourists to partake in, but clearly locals can easily enjoy it as well. With a total bill that was under 60 dollars before tax and gratuity was added in, Spicy King provided both an affordable and filling meal without busting our wallets and taste-level thanks to a moderated level of spiciness. With the weather outside being so chilly, it was nice to enjoy comfort food that was a little outside of all of our comfort zones, and it was nice to see a steady stream of customers come in and enjoy everything from their mini hotpot entrées to their traditional stir-fried entrées. Here's to the long-lasting reign of Spicy King, may they continue to proudly show off their crown as the king of Sichuan cuisine in San Francisco's Chinatown.

House Vegetarian Pot
Sanskruti D.

We tried the Veg Hot Pot, and while the Sichuan broth and glass noodles were tasty, overall the experience didn't quite live up to others I've had at similar spots. The vegetarian options were limited, and it felt like the menu was more focused on meat dishes. Service was underwhelming, we waited around 10-15 minutes without being checked on, both before and after being seated. When it came to tipping, we had planned to leave a custom amount, but the server was quite pushy about selecting a higher tip, which felt uncomfortable given the service quality. The food had its moments, but overall, I've had better hot pot experiences elsewhere. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was cozy I liked it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Jeffrey W.

Service friendly and upbeat for Chinese restaurant! Server gave wonderful recs and accurately persuaded us to order us less since it was the 2 of us. Their portions are humongous though so we still have lotsa leftovers. Their eggplant is the best since I've left Berkeley. Twice cooked pork and noodle dish were ballin too. Gf and I both wanna come back soon

Young Y.

Solid sichuan spot but I have to take off two stars since TWO of the dishes came out extremely salty, which I assume the chef overseasoned it in the kitchen. Overall flavors were pretty good though and authentic, but not the best I've had. The BBQ fish was the best dish of the night. Got 4 dishes (1 not pictured). I would've rated a 4/5 if 2/4 dishes weren't over seasoned (we sent 1 back).

Outside
Clarissa C.

This was a great find! There was enough variety in the menu to satisfy folks on all ends of the picky spectrum. The food was great, the service was good, and this will now be on the list of places to come back to when in Chinatown :)

General tso chicken. So good!
Mickenzee R.

We were strolling around China Town and wanted to find somewhere good for lunch. We found Spicy King and decided to give them a try. They weren't very busy since it was during a weekday for lunch but it was really nice to sit in a quiet restaurant after being out all day. The ambiance was really nice and relaxing, we enjoyed it. They had lots of different options on their menu to pick from. We decided to try the general tso chicken and Mongolian beef. Our food came out fast and fresh and hot. The food was delicious. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive and filled our drinks up often. We will definitely be back when visiting the area!

Chicken And Fish Maw w/Flaming Pot
Andrew S.

I don't really eat Szechuan food enough. I was looking for a quick lunch in Chinatown that was a little out of the ordinary and I stumbled upon Spicy King. It's an intimidating name for a restaurant but I gave them a try. I ordered the chicken and fish maw with flaming pot and it was excellent. It was definitely "hot" - it numbs the tongue a little and my face started really sweating. I absolutely loved it. I needed more napkins to wipe the sweat off my face. Service was good though the restaurant wasn't busy. I liked the decor - it's a little more upscale than the traditional Chinatown restaurant. With tax and tip, this dish was around $38 - relatively pricey for lunch but I enjoyed it. I'd recommend them if you are looking for some spicy food in Chinatown.

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

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Spicy King Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Spicy King

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Little Szechuan

Little Szechuan

3.6
(704 reviews)
0.3 mi
$$

Don't change a thing, the spice level is perfect!…read more Sincerely, I'd like to meet the people who think Little Szechuan goes easy on the heat because to me, it's a blast of mala spice and numbing sensation- and I have a high tolerance. The Spicy Garlic Pork with vegetables was HOT and there was no escape: Like an opponent's chess pieces trying to grab your king, one bite after the next puts you in jeopardy. It was a good kind of peril. The Chow Mein Select noodles with lots of fresh crunchy vegetables was nicely executed with firm, plump chow mein. It was a very generous helping. I thanked my stars for the relief of white rice. The quart of hot and sour soup will have to wait until tomorrow, so much delicious food. For vegetarians, lots of menu options for you as well as those looking for unique dumplings and lots of offal dishes for those who crave it. Ambience is fresh, polished, non-touristy yet in the very heart of Chinatown where this is not always guaranteed. Locals and visitors alike, bookmark this restaurant. Little Szechuan was another Too Good to Go find. We'll be back soon, before Chinese New Year. 新年快乐

We were seated immediately. It was raining outside. We…read moreordered salt & pepper calamari, Braised Crispy Tofu w/Red Chili Oil (can be ordered hot), Kung pao chicken, curry chicken. We loved all of it. The tea was a very comforting accompaniment. Don't forget to order it. There are televisions that are playing some things and you can also see the food being prepared inside. We'll come back here again whenever we think of Szechuan food Consider taking an uber to reach here. Parking is tough to find in the neighborhood.

Photos
Orange Chicken, J10. General Tso's Chicken, Chicken Chow Mein
Orange Chicken, J10. General Tso's Chicken, Chicken Chow Mein
Sesame Chicken (ig:@heatherr.eats)
Sesame Chicken (ig:@heatherr.eats)
Fish Fillet Boiled W. Flaming Chili Oil

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Fish Fillet Boiled W. Flaming Chili Oil
Spicy House

Spicy House

4.4
(330 reviews)
7.2 mi
$$

Everything we ordered was delicious! Small hole in the wall restaurant with plenty of dishes to…read morechoose from. Highly recommend getting the wings. I personally like the wet coated wings and it is comparable to San Tungs but without the wait/crowd. I also recommend the Mapo Tofu. Rice was 2 dollars per person with unlimited refills. Service was good and the waitress seemed amicable and delighted to serve. Restaurant was mostly full on a weekend for dinner although I don't think there was a line. Probably my only complaint is that the food seems to have a good amount of sodium in it. So I highly recommend ordering rice to eat with the food to balance it out. As a matter of fact, the rice tastes incredible when you get the sauces of the dishes mixed into it. Also be prepared, because although the food isn't overly spicy, you will likely be eating a couple dishes that are spicy and will feel the kick stack up hence why they call it Spicy House! Finally, the price per person came out to be very reasonable for eating out these days. There is a small discount if you pay with cash. I would gladly come back to support this business because it offers tasty food at a very reasonable price.

Decent food for the lunch price. The chicken wings were our…read morefavorite dish. The chowmein was dry. Everything else was ok. Service was fast and the waiter was customer service friendly. Thursday afternoon pretty empty. Plenty of space at the table, comfy seats.

Photos
Interior seating area
Interior seating area
12. Eggplant with Tofu Lunch Special
12. Eggplant with Tofu Lunch Special
Fried chicken wings

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Fried chicken wings

Spicy King - szechuan - Updated July 2026

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