10/10 service by Jenny! Got us a superb desert on the house too!! Beware of long waiting queues though. read more

Z & Y Restaurant - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

We stopped by Z&Y Peking Duck for lunch on a Sunday and really enjoyed the experience. The restaurant has a polished, modern atmosphere, and I liked how the food was presented in a more elevated way while still keeping that familiar Chinese family-style dining experience of ordering several dishes to share around the table. We ordered quite a spread: Peking duck, pork belly, house fried rice, shrimp noodles, crab maw soup, lamb, two orders of siomai, hot tea, and a lychee mojito. The house fried rice and shrimp noodles were easily my favorites. The fried rice was flavorful and one of those dishes I kept going back to throughout the meal. The shrimp noodles were another standout and paired really well with everything else we ordered. Of course, we had to get the Peking duck. The presentation made it feel like the centerpiece of the table and really fit the restaurant's more modern approach. My mom especially enjoyed the lamb, and we also ordered two orders of siomai to share. The pork belly leaned more on the sweet side, which wasn't really for me, but my husband thought it was good. I think that one comes down to personal preference--if you enjoy a sweeter flavor with your pork belly, you'll probably appreciate it more than I did. The crab maw soup was just okay for me on its own. Stanley had made us a special sauce for the siomai, and I decided to add a little to my soup. Surprisingly, it made such a difference! It gave the soup the extra flavor I felt it needed. For drinks, we had hot tea and a lychee mojito. The hot tea was a nice pairing with all the food, while the lychee mojito was light and refreshing. Stanley, our server, was great throughout lunch. He was friendly, attentive, and very informative about the menu and the dishes we ordered. He took the time to answer our questions and explain things, which we really appreciated. Overall, we had a great Sunday lunch at Z&Y Peking Duck. I enjoyed the modern, elevated presentation while still being able to order a table full of dishes to share. Not every dish was necessarily for my personal taste, but that's part of ordering family-style--everyone at the table had their own favorites. The house fried rice and shrimp noodles were definitely mine, while my mom especially enjoyed the lamb. I'd definitely come back and explore more of the menu next time. read more

See all

If you want to try some delicious Chinese dishes, come on down to Z & Y Restaurant in Chinatown. They offer lots of special dishes that aren't available in other places. The flavors are very good and the portion size is fair. Their prices are a bit on the high side. However, it's all about presentation and specialty. The staff are all super friendly and helpful. The restaurant is small and cozy. If you are seated by the wall, you'll feel cramped. I would come back for the glazed prawns and noodles. However, this place is known for their Peking duck. It was good, but I've tasted much better ducks at other restaurants that were less expensive. read more

See all

good food i liked the beef and broccoli the most followed up by the peking duck. the service was there but not complete or great, the best part was the tea guy pouring a tea behind his back 360 no scoping it. pretty cool trick. overall nice family style meal, but nothing too exceptional taste wise. worth a shot but not a second visit / a place where i would take people to. a bit pricey as well, but we did get a whole duck. read more

Z & Y Restaurant - 1. Peking Roast Duck - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've heard about Z&Y Restaurant for years and finally having a meal there, showed me why it's one of San Francisco Chinatown's most celebrated restaurants. We started with their famous Tea Smoked Duck, which was tender with an incredible smoky aroma, and wrapping it in the thin crepes with fresh cucumber, scallions and sauce made every bite even better. Their signature Garlic Fried Dungeness Crab was another standout. Crispy, fragrant, packed with garlic and so addictive that we couldn't stop reaching for another piece. One of my favorite parts of the meal was the aged Pu-er tea with an incredible Kung Fu Tea performance, where the tea master served traditional tea pouring with martial arts inspired movements. It was such a unique and memorable show! I tried it for abit and it was not easy! Whether you're visiting Chinatown for the first time or looking for authentic Sichuan cuisine with great vibes, Z&Y deserves a spot on your list. read more

Z & Y Restaurant - 2. Half Tea-Smoked Duck - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

The restaurant is plastered with photos of Chinese and American political figures, proclaiming its legendary status. The food is decent, but if it truly is the "most authentic Sichuan restaurant," then the quality of Sichuan cuisine in San Francisco is seriously lacking! Fish Filet with Flaming Chili Oil水煮魚: As expected of a signature dish. The fish melts in your mouth, oily but not greasy. My Sichuan colleagues said it was very authentic, and the kids devoured it. Beef with Flaming Chili Oil水煮牛肉: Not bad! The beef was very tender. Stir-fried Pork Kidney火爆腰花: Overcooked; the kidney was tough... Twice-cooked Pork大刀回鍋肉: Well-cooked, fragrant but not greasy, but the seasoning is a bit too sweet. Yangzhou Fried Rice揚州炒飯: The rice grains are distinct, full of wok hei鑊氣 (wok aroma), showing skill. I think Sichuan restaurant fried rice is generally quite good. It was extremely delicious when mixed with the broth from the fish fillet or beef. Steamed Pork Dumplings灌湯小籠包: Very average. The skin and filling were both mushy. read more

See all

My son came to SFO to work for a few days so we went to the city to meet up with him for dinner. He said he heard good things about this place, and was Bib Gourmand so we decided to give it a try. He tried to make reservation but was told no same-day reservation (?) why?? Anyway we got there before 7 and put our name down. It is very old fashion that they would call your name, and not getting your cell and text you as many other places. After an eternity, we were finally seated around 8:30. Placed our order and watch the kong fu tea being poured for those who paid extra for the tea. I am particular about my Chinese tea, and if I have to pay for it, it better be good, and I did not want to chance it. I also do not need my tea poured by someone with the long spout, but it was fun to watch. The food finally arrived. We order fish in chili oil (water boiled fish), sichuan string bean, for appetizers we had beef jerky, chicken in chili oil, and spicy wanton. The food was okay, with the best ones be the string bean and the chili oil chicken. I have to say I have had better tasting dishes elsewhere, and did not have to commute over an hour to get to the city. I honestly can make better spicy wanton. The service was not great, maybe because they were busy, we had to ask for water a few times, and lastly asked for the water with check, and we got the check still no water. The place was very small and noise, and that is why we had to wait for over an hour as many people just sit and drank tea after they were done with food. I can understand that as they did pay good money for the tea, so might as well drink more. read more

See all

It was shocking to find authentic Sichuan food in SF Chinatown, which is traditionally Cantonese. Service is classic Cantonese, very brash and direct, my female companion wanted to fist fight the waitress until I explained rude waitress is a sign of good food in Chinatown. The decor is super old school with 1970's vibe, with dust from 1970's on the Guangong statue. That is genuine Chinatown experience. The food was shockingly good. The smoked duck was a hit. The cold appetizer were amazing. The hot pepper chicken and beef filets were great. Great food and highly recommended read more

See all

We love bringing guests here or just going out for a family occasion. It's festive, not fancy - just a fun and unique atmosphere with delicious food. Be sure to check if the special tea service is happening the night you go! read more

Ordered the cabbage, spicy fish, and spicy dumplings. If you like Szechuan pepper, this is the place for you. It was pretty good but there wasn't any mind blowing dish or flavors. Service was great and food was very authentic. read more

4.5/5: for serivce. I know becuase of the serivce. Thats not common in asian places like this. The place was packed and there was a long line. So glad my cousin made a reservation before. The waiters were nice. Kyle was very nice when we dropped off the cake to see if they can put it in the fridge for dessert after our dinner there. Ambiance is definitely on the noises end but people come here for food. The two dishes I like were the fried chicken and fish soup. We also order tea and if you do, you will get to watch a performance by the guy who pour tea into your kettle. read more

See all

We came here on a Saturday night with a large group of 10 after calling in a reservation. We didn't have a long wait, and we were comfortably seated. It was some of our first times trying this cuisine, and it was a wonderful experience. The food was delicious and the service was prompt. read more

An absolute must-try if you love spicy Chinese cuisine in the city. This place just slaps your taste buds and awakens you to remember that food can taste amazing. Every spice here has a purpose outside of burning your mouth, it's rich, it's spicy, it's fun, and it's most of all, very flavorful! I was so enamored with the food, I forgot to take more photos. Ranking: 1. Szechuan style chicken (cold appetizer) 2. Spicy Beef in mini flaming pot 3. Pea sprouts with garlic 4. Truffles Fried Rice 5. Dong Po Pork Shoulder I also got their almond tofu dessert! That was so good, it's similar taste to almond croissant, if you like those, but super different texture. I honestly couldn't eat enough here because it's so tasty. I will 1000% be returning sooner than later. One of my favorites in the city! read more

See all

I've been coming to this Peking duck spot many times, and overall it's still a solid favorite for the food. Food (5/5): We ordered the truffle fried rice, honey walnut shrimp, Peking duck, and crab soup, everything was delicious and on point as usual. The only issue was the soup this time, it was way too sour compared to what I've had before. We politely asked the server to check with the chef, and after they remade it, it tasted much better and back to what I expected. Ambience (4/5): Nice and comfortable, nothing too fancy but a good, relaxed dining space. Service (3/5): This was the part that felt a bit off. The server did help us with the soup, but his attitude seemed a little annoyed, which was surprising since we were just asking politely. It made the interaction feel less welcoming than usual. I've had many great experiences here before, which is why I'm still giving 4 stars. But I did notice that service felt warmer on previous visits! I really love the food here, and I know they're capable of great service too. If the service matched the food consistently, this place would easily be 5 stars every time. I'll still come back, just hoping for that same friendly vibe I've had before. read more

See all

We came in for a late lunch with a party of 3 and got seated right away. Food started hitting the table maybe 10 minutes after we ordered, which honestly surprised me because we ordered a lot: chicken with explosive chili peppers, Peking roast duck, creamy prawns with honey walnuts, scallion pancake, and black pepper beef. Every dish felt like it had intention behind it. The flavors were bold but not sloppy -- nothing tasted like filler. The black pepper beef had that deep heat that creeps up instead of punching you in the face, and the scallion pancake was crisp without being greasy. The duck had good texture, and the chili pepper chicken definitely lived up to the name. The coolest moment was when the honey walnut prawns came out. The plate had dry ice underneath so it looked like it was sizzling in thick steam at the table. Not gimmicky either -- just a really nice presentation that made you pause for a second before eating. Service was brief but pleasant. Nobody hovered, nobody rushed us, just efficient and friendly. The place was clean, noise level was moderate, lighting was comfortable, and I don't remember any music -- which honestly let the food be the focus. Price wise I had zero complaints. We got both quality and quantity, and it felt worth it. This was one of the best meals I've ever had. If I lived in San Francisco I'd probably be here way too often. read more

See all

Absolutely mind-blowing experience. The food was exceptional and exceeded all my expectations.

I don't really get the hype. This is a tight restaurant whose tables are practically touching. The service was polite. There was a line of young people out the door. My friend was able to get us a reservation for four, so we skipped the line. Did they do spicy? Sure. Do they hit both the Ma and the La? Yes. But boy, are the portion sizes small. We got lamb, explosive spicy chicken (fried), the 水煮魚, and kung pao chicken. While the kung pao chicken had a decent serving, the rest of the dishes looked a little abysmal in terms of the amount of meat provided. The lamb dish was physically tiny, and the difficulty with the fish and the fried chicken is that the lack of meat felt a little disguised by the quantity of chilis. Those big platters took up a ton of real estate at our table but we were literally fishing through peppers to find the meat, and I left still hungry. As is the trend lately, rice cost extra, as did the flavorless tea. I think all in all the food was fine - but it would have been nice to eat more of it. read more

This review has been sitting in my drafts for close to two years now....trying to find words to describe both the food and the vibez. I just can't do it justice, so I'll quote a Lil Baby song like I do when I need some support: "Go hard all year, I don't care, I'm goin' all in. This house, vibes everywhere, she callin' more friends". I'll translate: This place "goes hard all year" and I'm always "going all in" ordering everything, Z&Y got "vibes everywhere". read more

Wait time is not an hour, it will be abt over an hour for the most part of it so be ready to wait, especially weekends. Food is great, anything you order will be worth the wait. All plates, are pretty good, I've been coming here for a it so i recommend anything on the menu.! It's a small place and well known place to have Chinese. Service is fast tho, once seated. Any pla read more

We had a fantastic dining experience at Z & Y Peking duck the other day, and decided to try the other Z & Y restaurant on the same street. It does not disappoint us. the Spicy Crab is an absolutely must-try, and lives up the expectations. the crab is incredibly fresh, sweet, and meaty, buried under a glorious mountain of fragrant chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. It delivers that perfect flavor without overpowering the natural flavor of the seafood. It's messy, but is worth every single bite. Easily one of the best dishes in Chinatown! read more

Z & Y Restaurant - 2. Black Pepper Angus Steak Cube - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Came here for Chinese New Year and was not disappointed! I would definitely recommend getting a reservation ahead of time during events as many people were waiting. The service was so good-- both the host and server made our experience better even though they were so busy. The food was phenomenal! We tried many things-- the fish in flaming chili oil, spicy bamboo shoots, cucumber salad, veg chow mein, frog in dry pot, hot and sour soup, and peking duck. ALL of the dishes impressed. That's rare! There are a million restaurants to try in the city, but we'll be back to this one! read more

See all

The food tastes okay, but the portion is very small and not worth the price. I ordered the fish fillet in chili oil and Mao Xue Wang. About 60% of the dish was covered with dried chilies, leaving very little actual food to eat. The male server was nice, but the female server was very rude. When I was ready to pay, she asked for the mandatory service fee and said it is charged in the San Francisco area. She seemed annoyed when I asked about it and was not patient while explaining or asking me to pay. I still left a tip because the other servers were good, but the female server's attitude was really unpleasant. Overall, it was not a good experience for me, and I would not recommend this restaurant. read more

Z & Y Restaurant - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

Amazing food, long wait time and attitude from the wait-staff. The ambiance is decent, as expected for SF Chinatown. The fish in sichuan pepper with clear broth was amazingly tasty. Fish was very fresh and cooked to perfection. The dumplings were fresh and delicious. read more

See all

HANDS DOWN THE BEST CHINESE / SZECHUAN DUMPLINGS IN ALL OF SAN FRANISCO! Holy crap! This place is the absolute bomb! Nestled in the heart of Chinatown, SFO, this place is amazing! We stumbled in after trying two other dumpling restaurants that we declined to even order. They were just sad, smelly, and disappointing. We found Z&Y and we were so pleased. We ordered a little bit of everything off the menu. What was going to be a nice little afternoon snack turned into dinner. Drinks, dumplings, the works... it was all fabulous! There is nothing I didn't like. We had a table full of food and we ate until we were stuffed. The price is perfectly fair for the freshly made dumplings that come steaming hot to the table. Service was on-point and it was nice and quiet, as we had the entire place to ourselves. Do yourself a favor, skip the other mediocre dumpling places in SFO and check out Z&Y, you won't be sorry! read more

Z & Y Restaurant - PORK DUMPLINGS! - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is currently closed it's under construction. Don't be like us that drove here to find out it was closed.

Seating upstairs and downstairs, can get pretty loud. Food was really good, flavorful, and decent portion size. The duck was great along with the typhoon crab read more

I used to come here all the time back when I lived in SF, and I was really craving their chili crab. I stopped by on a Wednesday around 11:40am--right when they opened--and there was no wait. I asked the waiter to confirm which chili crab was the one I remembered, he pointed it out... and unfortunately, when the dish arrived, it wasn't the same. This version was fried and then tossed in chili, and it just wasn't what I was hoping for. When I mentioned it, they didn't seem particularly concerned, and I get it--they're not going to remake an entire crab. So we ate it. We also ordered a soup and fried rice, both of which were not bad. But overall, it wasn't the experience I came for, and the real dealbreaker was downstairs: the bathroom floor was so slippery and oily that it felt unsafe--and this was right after opening. It made me wonder how often it's actually cleaned. Disappointing visit, and I'll probably skip it next time. read more

Z & Y Restaurant - "Chii crab" - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here for a team dinner (group of 10) and made a reservation. We ordered a variety of dishes, but my favorite was the mung bean noodle, la zi chicken, and the boiled fish. Everything else was good, but nothing unexpected from a Chinese restaurant, which is why I'm giving it 4 stars. We also ordered the roast duck, which was different from what I expected (does not taste like Peking duck, more like a smoked duck). Overall I think it's a solid place with decent food, would eat here again if I was in the area but would not go out of my way to come here. read more

Z & Y Restaurant - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

Everything we ordered was so delicious! The service was quick, and the flavor of everything was amazing. I was especially surprised by how good the green beans were -- they had so much flavor! We also got the orange chicken, veggie fried rice, and pork dumplings, and everything was seriously so good. We enjoyed every single dish and can't wait to come back! read more

Went here for my Mothers 60th Birthday for lunch on a Sunday. The reservation was made 1 day in advance and we got seated pretty quick. Overall, the ambiance is very calm with warm lighting and some Classical Chinese chairs. We ordered a lot of food for the 5 of us. Full roasted Peking duck, caviar on duck, spicy boiled crab, sautéed green beans, spicy lamb, and a bun dessert. My favorite order was the spicy mala crab, with great flavor and a nice mala kick to it that was soaked into the meat very nicely. Since this restaurant is famous for its Peking duck, we of course had to get that and I would rate it a solid 4/5. Not too special but the caviar with fried duck skin was something that I haven't tried before so it was refreshing. Overall, would highly recommend for a date / nice dinner spot with friends and family. read more

See all

Highly recommend. We arrived early for our reservation and Kyle was welcoming and very accommodating. He had us seated in less than 20 minutes which was unexpected based on previous reviews (we were prepared to wait). The place is small so the wait is to be expected. The food was amazing and the portion sizes were perfect for family style. Everything we ordered came out hot and every bite was rich in flavor. Definitely will be returning next time I'm visiting. read more

See all

If you need to get your Numbing experience in with really good Szechuan food this is your spot. We've had this place on our radar for some time ,with my wife having a very rare Saturday off because of July 4th, we decided to go. Party of 3 or less you add your name to the waiting list and grab a menu and wait. It didn't matter how long the wait was, we were in it to win it understanding there would be a wait did not bother us at all. There's a wonderful spot in Berkeley that We enjoy going to so my wife & daughter can get their "Numbing Fix" on with, but as I typed, coming to Z & Y has been on our radar. It was definitely worth the wait, & drive as we commuted almost an hour to get there. The staff did come by as we waited to inform us how long it would be. There are plenty of options available for some of us customers that can't handle the Numbing spice, I've never seen a presentation with Honey Walnut Prawns looking as wonderful as I did at Y& Z Restaurant. I could not describe the dishes my beautiful wife of 25 years ordered for her & our daughter but they were both satisfied & happy with the quality of the dishes they ordered, & of course they were both loving every bite of their very spicy Numbing food that was on our table. After we ordered the food started coming to our table separately after a few minutes. I was looking at the presentation of other dishes that were arriving at other tables , they all looked spectacular The interior of this restaurant was clean including the bathrooms , I would absolutely bring my family back here again & again read more

Z & Y Restaurant - Menu photo - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

Delicious! Came here for the first time since my friend was visiting. No wait and we were seated right away. Very crowded inside but service was still decent. We ordered a few dishes and they were all delicious. The three of us were stuffed. Dishes were a decent size and food was very flavorful. I would come here again! Delicious! read more

See all

First time trying this place is definitely a must visit if you ever come to San Francisco as a tourist like me. For food taster like me, 100% recommended. They're duck as a must!!! Duck soup is are delicious and their almond dessert is so good. Not too sweet, but light enough after the full meal. Their customer service is wonderful as well. Our server is Shelly, she's very nice and provide a wonderful hospitality. Lots of a good recommendations from her. 100 out of 100. read more

See all

The food was good. We enjoyed the fried crab, Mongolian beef, my favorite was the salt and pepper prawns...omg! Yummy! And the shrimp chow main. Restaurant is cold so dress warm. Location: No parking so plan ahead Reservations is highly recommended read more

Z & Y Restaurant - Fried crab - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

I and a friend were visiting the area and were in the mood for some good Szechuan food. This place consistently popped up during my search, so we came for a quick lunch. The restaurant itself is very neat and staff is kind and efficient. For food, my friend and I tried: tan tan noodles, the chicken with explosive chili, and house cold noodles. The dishes were flavorful and had a pleasant spicy kick to it. Of the dishes, so would say the tan tan noodles were our favorite. I would highly recommend stopping by if you're ever in the area. read more

See all

Z&Y is a great restaurant located in SF Chinatown! Arrived here around 5:45 PM on a Thursday and waited about 30 mins to be seated. Seating for waiting is limited and wait times vary. I definitely recommend making a reservation if possible. Previously tried to dine here as a walk in on the weekend and they sold out of the duck just a heads up! The food here is great and of course the duck is the highlight. Ordered a half for two people and it was more than enough. Sweet and sour chicken was very good as not many people order so def recommend! Black bean noodles and eggplant were also delicious and all the food came out fresh and hot! Will definitely be back hopefully to try their sweet and sour fish! read more

See all

Very nice chicken with explosive peppers. Quick service at a low key Chinese restaurant. read more

Z & Y Restaurant - 7. Vegetable Chow Mein - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

If you are in San Francisco and looking for amazing Chinese food, look no further, this is your place. Forget about the service or a clean restroom, you are here for the food, the most amazing food. The duck was amazingly moist and yet the skin was extra crispy. The spicy pork dumpling did not disappoint either; they were filled with flavor and the chili oil they are served in is not too spicy but enough to make your tongue tingle. I highly recommend this place. read more

See all

Very happy we were taken here for lunch...the best scezhuan style food we've had. We were seated and tended to quickly. Our group of 6 shared the spicy dungeness crab,smoked Peking duck, princess wings,walnut shrimp,fried rice, and several veggie dishes with the green beans being our favorite..rarely do we eat somewhere where literally all we ordered was excellent...I see why they are Michelin recommended! We were seated at the rear large table so had a great view of all the other dishes coming out of the kitchen...all looked good.. our server was on top of it ...highly recommend this place..reservations are accepted. We will absolutely go back ! read more

Z & Y Restaurant - Spicy fried Dungeness Crab - Szechuan Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all