Chinatown Restaurants

We love the food and vibe here and keep coming back. The popovers are an incredible treat. But the best part of every experience is when Andres (busser extraordinaire) comes to the table. His smile is so big, bright and contagious, you can’t help but feel extra happy! He’s the best part of any evening!

A dinner at Empress by Boon is definitely an awesome experience. We were celebrating my birthday, and upon arrival in the lobby, the hostess was most welcoming. She wished me a happy LNY birthday and told me there may be fireworks. She also told me my party had already arrived. She then sent me up the elevator to the restaurant. Upon arrival, it had a Great Gatsby feel of opulence. I was then greeted by a 2nd host who took me to my party and seated us. We were situated in a dining room with a city scape view of the downtown high rises. Our server then came and introduced himself and talked us through the prixe fixe menu. We started with 2 fantastic cocktails as they're known for their cocktail program. We enjoyed everything that was on the prixe fixe menu. All of the dishes were visually appealing and tasted even more so. Service was also fantastic. We never had to wait or ask for our server to come to our table as he anticipated our every need. Dessert was served with a candle as requested and was on the house. It was a perfect evening from start to finish. If you're looking for a high-end, opulent dining experience, Empress by Boon won't disappoint!

Those who complain on the thread about spicy food perplex me—why did they go to a Sichuan restaurant? I have a lower craving/tolerance for spice than a typical Chinese person with Sichuan roots—I like the flavor but don’t seek the heat necessarily. To me, the food at Z&Y was the appropriate level of spicy and flavorful. Actually, there’s a variety of regional specialties, and our party just ordered what we felt like without regard to trying to get a typical Sichuan meal. I had meant to book a table at Z&Y Peking Duck across the street, but I didn’t mind the mistake! I don’t live in SF, and am willing to shell it out for a Michelin fine dining experience. I found Z&Y was relatively expensive and in slightly more modest proportion to what one might expect for a typical Chinatown restaurant, but worth it due to the extremely high quality and authentic food. Decor and service style are also typical Chinatown vibe. We had to get egg rolls for the youngest adult with us, and they were crisp and tasty. Tan tan noodles had spice and subtle flavor at the same time. We ordered Peking duck and I wondered if we got the tea smoked duck, but we didn’t even complain because there was a LOT of duck and the smoky flavor was unique and delicious—and there were enough thin pancakes, sauce, cucumber, and spring onions. Pea shoots and cumin beef were very tasty. We added on Dong Po Ro (Pork Shoulder) as our last dish came to the table because we needed more food. It came to the table quickly and was melt in your mouth tender. Yes, it is very fatty, but that’s the point of this cut—if you don’t like fat, don’t get Dong Po Ro! Lots of happy accidents with this meal, wouldn’t change a thing.

so well done. the tableside experience by server and waitstaff and martini shaken right there was awesome! Food is fabulous.

We had a wonderful dinner. Each course was delicious and beautifully presented. This is a shining example of what fine American cuisine should be.