taking a small road trip to from Santa Barbara to S.F.

hi everyone, i hope this post isn't too redundant, forgive me, I'm new to the site, but I was wondering if anyone knows of any obscure old school chinese restaurants in the San francisco area. I have the tiki roadtrip book and I'll of course be hitting the Tonga and trdr Sam's and hopefully Vics, like I always do but I was wondering if anyone knows of any lesser known hole in the wall joints I might hit. Maybe some old school chinese places that serve up tropical grog. If anyone ever comes up to Santa Barbara I highly recommend Jimmy's Oriental Gardens, it's one of those classic old school places and they serve up a damn good Mai tai.
Thanks so much

Check out Sam Wo's on Washington St. in Chinatown -- they have the rudest waitstaff in San Francisco.

You should also visit the fortune cookie factory nearby on Ross Alley. Unfortunately, I don't think they make the ones with the naughty fortunes anymore.

Can someone post the name of that restaurant in Chinatown with all the cheesy celebrity photos in the entry?

Far East Cafe
(415) 982-3245 Web Site 631 Grant Ave
Sam Woh Restaurant
(415) 982-0596 813 Washington St

My favorite place is the Far East Cafe also in Chinatown--are we sensing a pattern here?? 631 Grant Ave, Sf 415-982-3245. This place was built around 1920 and has some private booths with curtains and also INCREDIBLE Chinese chandeliers hanging from the tall ceiling. Full bar -I always get the Mai-tai, which ain't too bad.
Sam Woh (415-982-0596 813 Washington St near Grant Ave) has NO alcohol license so bring your own beer /booze. It is open late(maybe 3am) many nights and that is the best time to go, in my opinion. The food is usually appalling-so go only for the experience.
The Jab knows the name of the place on Grant Ave with the celebrity photos.
If you are going up the coast-try The Golden Buddha in Carmel (near Monterey).

On 2004-06-16 11:08, mrsmiley wrote:
The Jab knows the name of the place on Grant Ave with the celebrity photos.

Empress of China, 838 Grant. Nice celebrity gallery and bar, but their food is way overpriced for the quality. Go for drinks and the view, but eat at the Far East Cafe.

http://empressofchinasf.citysearch.com/

Also, check out the following bars in or near Chinatown:

Li Po - 916 Grant (must-see vintage old dive)
Buddha - 901 Grant (across from Li Po - OK old dive)
Hawaii West - 729 Vallejo (dive Hawaiian bar without much tiki and lousy drinks)

In adjacent North Beach:
Mr. Bing's - 201 Columbus (friendly old bar)
Tosca - 242 Columbus (must-see gorgeous vintage opera themed bar)
Spec's - 12 Adler St. (alley near Tosca - old writer's hangout)
Vesuvio - 255 Columbus (great old beat writer's hangout next to City Lights bookstore)
Tony Nik's - 1534 Stockton (great vintage locals bar with very nice staff and good cocktails)
Bamboo Hut - 479 Broadway (OK neo tiki bar with crappy drinks)

At this point you'll be blind drunk!

[ Edited by: thejab on 2004-06-16 12:29 ]

wow, thanks everyone for the tips! I'll have a serious chinese food hangover after my trip, but I'll definitely check out as many of those joints as I can. I used to go to sam woo's as a kid, I totally forgot about that place...is hawaii west even worth a visit, that's the one "tiki" place I had yet to check out in S.F.

On 2004-06-17 01:21, theronpk wrote:
wow, thanks everyone for the tips! I'll have a serious chinese food hangover after my trip, but I'll definitely check out as many of those joints as I can. I used to go to sam woo's as a kid, I totally forgot about that place...is hawaii west even worth a visit, that's the one "tiki" place I had yet to check out in S.F.

hAWAII West is sort of like a Tiki dive bar. I would check it out--it is not great, but since you never have been-go if you can make the time.