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China Live, San Francisco, CA

China Live

4.6
4.6
3313 Reviews
$30 and under
Chinese

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 95 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Lively
  • Good for groups
  • Hot spot
China Live, Eater's "Restaurant of the Year," features fresh, seasonal Chinese cuisine cooked from specialized stations that merge traditional Chinese and Western culinary equipment. Our main dining area, with views of our exhibition kitchens, plays centerpiece, appointed with chairs and tables all handcrafted in China from reclaimed Chinese elm. We also offer outside dining.

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Chinese, Asian, Sichuan
  • Hours of Operation
    Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri 12:00 pm–9:30 pm Sat 4:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    In addition to Street Parking, there are also several public parking options: North Beach Public Parking @ 735 Vallejo St. and Vallejo Parking Garage @ 766 Vallejo St.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    George Chen
  • Delivery & takeout

Experiences

  • Upstairs @China Live

    Multiple dates available
    Enjoy the China Live menu in our elegant upstairs dining room with featured cocktails from Cold Drinks Bar.
    Upstairs @China Live photo

What 3,313 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Chinese

  • San Francisco

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
China Live offers a vibrant dining experience with "absolutely delicious" food and "superb" service. Guests rave about the lively atmosphere and the unique, modern take on Chinese cuisine. Signature dishes like Peking Duck and dumplings receive high praise. Ideal for group gatherings, the restaurant's lively vibe is a standout feature.

3,313 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    A bit stressful since you were closing, but food was good!

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  2. Guido

    Greater Boston1 review

    3.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    I dined at China Live some years ago and had a fantastic experience. This time, however, things felt different. While the ambiance and presentation remain strong, the restaurant appeared understaffed during my visit on a Monday at 1 p.m., with the host assisting customers at their tables. The Peking duck buns arrived cold, and the bun itself had a firmer texture than expected. The Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) were flavorful, but the chili oil took 10 minutes to arrive, by which time the dumplings had cooled. The Shanghai 'Fat' Chow Mein with pork, shrimp, chicken, and seasonal vegetables had a good temperature but tasted milder than anticipated. However, the Crushed Cucumber Skins with Chili Garlic Vinaigrette was a standout dish. Overall, while the dining experience had its highlights, the value didn’t quite match expectations on this occasion.

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  3. Laura VIP

    San Francisco26 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic food and great atmosphere as always!  highly recommend! 

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  4. Ami VIP

    San Francisco1 review

    1.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    We dine with you regularly and the experience last night was very disappointing. Especially since we brought guests who were visiting from out of town. Repeated issues last night. 1) The food was cold. Everything that came out even after asking several times to make sure it was served hot. 2) Some items never arrived but we were never informed if they were coming or not. Luckily we were not charged for these. 3) Half the table was not set properly and I had to ask several times for napkins, silverware and condiments. 4) We waited over 20 minutes to get service when our fill party was seated and the time it took to get drinks brought to the table was ridiculous 5) When asked to take leftovers to go I was brought containers thrown on the table. Not the kind of quality you would expect for dining upstairs. Overall huge disappointment.

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco1 review

    4.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Our group really enjoyed our meal at China Live. We had one individual with a gluten allergy and we were impressed with the number of gluten free options and our waiter’s attention to detail in making sure we knew which dishes she could eat. The food also came out quickly and was hot. China Live continues to be a go-to restaurant for our group dinners.

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  6. Teresa

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We really liked the atmosphere—so much so that we honestly think it would be a great fit for Madrid!

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  7. Bob VIP

    San Francisco35 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lunch at China Live was pretty chill compared to evening dining,

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  8. Jennifer

    Detroit2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 9, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was tasty but very small portions for the price. Also I didn't love sitting in the middle of a gift shop.

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  9. Nigel VIP

    San Francisco15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food & service! 2nd visit and not disappointed.

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  10. 1966mg

    San Francisco26 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 6, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We asked for a different table than the one we were offered and your hostess was so helpful and gracious. Also our waiter made great suggestions for dishes that we, as long term customers had never tried. Great as usual.

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FAQs

China Live offers delivery in partnership with Postmates and Uber Eats. China Live also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 788-8188.

China Live is rated 4.6 stars by 3313 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 95 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for China Live

644 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Chinese, Asian, Sichuan
  • Hours of Operation
    Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri 12:00 pm–9:30 pm Sat 4:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    In addition to Street Parking, there are also several public parking options: North Beach Public Parking @ 735 Vallejo St. and Vallejo Parking Garage @ 766 Vallejo St.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    George Chen
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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