Best Open Kitchen Restaurants in Mission District

We dined here to celebrate a birthday and made a reservation in advance, mentioning the occasion. The food and service were both great, but it would have been a nice touch if the birthday had been acknowledged in some way—perhaps a small treat or even a 'Happy Birthday' when we checked in. Little gestures like that make celebrations feel extra special. Overall, it was a good experience, but that detail would have made it truly memorable

Fabulous shared plates. Ordered six plates for three people. Excellent flavors and presentation. Comfortable seating. Very active and fun! Excellent pre-game bar upstairs beforehand (Cold Drinks).

The ambiance was great. Obviously very popular, it was loud and busy. The service was exceptional--it was great to see so many people working, busy and providing wonderful service. The food was delicious. Good choices. The prices were high, but for the mot part, provided value so that it was worth it. Beautiful restaurant and lvely dining experience. I'd return again.

We walked in right at 7:45pm and the people outside said it was a 1 hour walk-in wait at 7:45pm! The place wasn't that full when we walked in ad there were some open tables, but they filled up pretty quickly with reservations. It was so cool seeing Chefs Franky Ho and Mike Long (two Mister Jiu's alums) and their partners Millie Boonkokua and Lucy Li in person working. I've seen their pictures and read their names so much, I fangirled internally. We were seated at the bar next to each other which was fine. I love the art and Canto decor. It's cozy and warm and nostalgic and modern all at once. We enjoyed the complimentary peanuts and cucumber--that was a good starter because we didn't order any vegetables because too many other dishes sounded good. Our waitress said 3 dishes would be good for 2 people--maybe 4 if we got fewer carb-heavy dishes. We ordered the squab ($45) (limited quantities), Mapo spaghetti ($21), and claypot Rice w/ Chinese sausage & Bacon ($26.) We had high expectations for the squab and claypot (which they said would take 30 minutes, but seemed like it was faster.) The squab grew on us--the lemon and powder we were given for it helped amplify the flavor. The claypot was very good--the crispy crackling rice was delicious and rich. The sausage and bacon wasn't fatty but flavorful. The highlight of the night was the Mapo spaghetti.

The shish taouck and the lamb chops were both so tender and delicious! The sampler was excellent. Would definitely order the same again next time we go back.