Great Eastern
San Francisco, CA 94133-5009
Phone: (415) 986-2500
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- Kearny Street
- Hours:
- Daily 10am-2:45pm, 3:30pm-1am
Editorial Review for Great Eastern – by Seth Lorinczi
In Short
Cut-glass chandeliers and dark wood mingle with plastic signs advertising the multitude of live seafood served here. Oversized menus include photos of the dozens of dishes offered, with a focus on the seafood in giant tanks brimming with Dungeness crabs, giant prawns, lobsters and several varieties of fish. Non-seafood dishes range from Chinese broccoli in a bath of tangy oyster sauce to elaborately braised meats and stir-fry dishes.
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Insider Tips
When to GoGreat Eastern is open till 1am--nice for a bite after hitting a few bars in nearby North Beach.
User Reviews for Great Eastern
12/27/2008 Posted by ChloeS142
As a native Chinese, I'm an avid fan of dim sum and have eaten at quite a few restaurants, but I don't have anything good to say about Great Eastern. The food was only average (the shrimp dumplings fell apart when we picked them up, everything was lukewarm, and there was layer over our porridge after it'd been sitting out too long), the decorations shabby, and the service was HORRIBLE. The waiters were downright curt with us, dumping our food on the table with a scowl before they whisked off somewhere else. No joke - I think I've been treated that way only once or twice in my life. I think it had to do with the fact that we had dressed casually and weren't foreigners, sadly enough. Many popular Chinese restaurants I've tried have always looked down on the "native" eaters, with the assumption that we're not the worthy customers. Paranoia? No, this behavior's common in China too, and I'm only sorry that the servers had such big egos here. My suggestion is to try a smaller, less-hyped restaurant. The food here is only mediocre, and it can be had for a lot cheaper at a family restaurant. (Yes, they look cramped and shabby, but the owners love their customers!) My $7.50 quail egg porridge is usually only $4 anywhere else I go - the prices are so inflated because they know they can get away with it. Ugh. I'm sure many people have had great experiences, but I would never go back to that restaurant. This place is popular for food that I could get anywhere else for better service, less wait time, and probably a cleaner restroom as well (although in SF, that's hard to find).
Pros: Popular, great tourist trap
Cons: Bad service, food's so-so, bathroom's under the stairwell, shabby ambience, long wait time
08/23/2007 Posted by victorpf
This is one of the best restaurants in Chinatown or anywhere else. The food is always fresh. Helpful friendly waiters. It can be very busy at lunch time but always a lot of tables. Always full of families and tourists.
Pros: great food
Cons: none
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