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The Empress by Boon, San Francisco, CA
Award-winning

The Empress by Boon

4.3
4.3
1412 Reviews
$50 and over
Chinese

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 14 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Great for scenic views
  • Fancy
  • Good for special occasions
Empress by Boon is San Francisco’s newest, must-visit epicurean destination, offering a seasonal menu in modern Cantonese gastronomy. Michelin-starred Chef Ho Chee Boon applies traditional techniques to fresh, local ingredients to produce distinctive contemporary dishes infused with Cantonese flavors.

The spacious restaurant occupies the former location of Chinatown’s celebrated Empress of China with striking city views. Reimagined by Chef Boon and team, the Empress was brought back to its former glory by embracing modern design elements while incorporating restored original features, creating a welcoming atmosphere that pays homage to the history of the beloved location.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Chinese
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (415) 757-0728
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Ho Chee Boon
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Area
    Chinatown
  • Cross Street
    Clay Street
  • Parking details
    Public Parking available at Portsmouth Square Plaza Garage. Entrance at 733 Kearny Street.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Empress by Boon Prix Fixe Menu

    USD 118.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    We offer a prix fixe menu that showcases Chef Boon's focus on using only the freshest ingredients available, while offering unique taste combinations not seen in other Cantonese cooking. Our offerings change often to allow for a truly seasonal menu to be executed.

What 1,412 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.3
4.3 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.3Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 3.8Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Chinese

  • San Francisco

    Great for scenic views

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Empress by Boon is celebrated for its "exquisite food" and "opulent dining experience" with stunning views of San Francisco. Patrons appreciate the "fantastic service" and the modern interpretation of Chinese cuisine. Guests enjoy the "creative cocktails" and meticulous attention to detail, making it an ideal spot for special occasions.

1,412 Reviews
  1. Tony

    San Francisco

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was a really great experience, a place to dine rather than just eat. I was somehow recognized upon check-in at the host stand, called by name before I could even say hello. The manager who greeted me out of the elevator up said "welcome Chef", which made it very clear they had at least googled my name or my profile. The level of detail was excellent. I wish the space was more full, 8 pm on a Friday the bar had two patrons at it, no one in the front lounge area, and 1/3 of the tables were empty... this was an experience that deserved to have more people enjoying it! (not sure how people are supposed to do a bar / lounge though if the only menu is price fix, but I digress). Standout dishes were the Prawn with Crispy Nori "Taco", the Dumpling Trio (especially loved the texture of the pumpkin dumpling), and the Noodles on the main course. The steamed Halibut was a bit over and flavors were meh. The added Crispy Skin Peking Duck supplement ($50) was room temperature / slightly cool to the bite, and it would have 1000X better if it had been at least warm. The Duck supplement was also an added dish to the "main course" consisting of 4 family style dishes, and I think as a diner, and out of respect to the work to make such a delicious and labor intensive dish, it could be and should be celebrated as a course on its own. The lotus root that came with the main family style dishes was tasty as hell but unfortunately got lost in the mix, and I'm disappointed I never circled back on it before being a bit too full to endeavor more of it. As a veteran of very fine dining cooking, I was surprised a sweet bite wasn't part of the 6 course meal to finish, and that all deserts were a la carte priced in addition to the price fix. We declined desert, and again was surprised there was not any mignardise served with the check, as a touch of sugar out the door. None of these faults would stop me from booking this experience for a special night out at all. Great Night!

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  2. Enrique

    Orange County

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was not at thensame level- disappointing from previous experiences

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  3. David

    Washington DC

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    I came for Valentines weekend. The pre fixed menu was priced higher than the normal pre fixed menu. Overall, I feel the food and service didn’t quite match what I was paying for.

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  4. Sam

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Overpriced and underwhelming! $510 for dinner for two!

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  5. Patrick

    VIP

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Enjoyed the experience at Empress overall. We were served the Valentine’s Day Prix fixe while the Lunar New Year parade went on outside, so it was very festive. The views and ambience are spectacular, though it can get moderately loud. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly, but the supporting staff were a bit impersonal and less careful about presentation. There were a couple of small misses in terms of food that detracted from our enjoyment, but nothing that would prevent us from returning.

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  6. Claudia

    New York City

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    no amount of ambience/service can save the food — it’s so bad. didn’t even finish the price fix menu

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  7. ARGIENE

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 14 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was me and my wife’s first experience with a prix fixe menu and it did not disappoint. The servers were amazing and provided us outstanding service.

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  8. Harry

    San Francisco

    72 reviews

    3.0

    72 reviews

    Dined on 13 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    First impressions before we were seated: pretty restaurant with loud, percussion music, quite inappropriate to the ambience of a Chinese restaurant. Nine course meal was fine, service good. Had an a la carte dessert for $19...scanty portion, not worth it. Noise increased as more people were seated. Will not recommend, will not return.

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  9. mfaz88

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 12 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous food and service! Loved our experience! We told them it was our anniversary and they did so much to make our experience feel special. Definitely recommend!

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    VIP

    Phoenix

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on 9 February 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was extremely disappointing - we couldn’t even eat some of the dishes. The ambiance & service was great. But too expensive for gross food! The only thing that was good was the last dish, the beef & noodles - but even that didn’t warrant its price point. Cocktails were great - I’d go back just for the bar only.

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FAQs

The Empress by Boon is rated 4.3 stars by 1412 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 14 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The Empress by Boon

838 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108-1738

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Cross Street
    Clay Street
  • Area
    Chinatown
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Chinese
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Parking available at Portsmouth Square Plaza Garage. Entrance at 733 Kearny Street.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Ho Chee Boon
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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