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China Live, San Francisco, CA

China Live

4.6 (3417)
$30 and under
Chinese
644 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133

Make a reservation

2 people
9:00 PM
Booked 66 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • 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

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • 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
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    George Chen
  • Catering
    We offer delivery via multiple Delivery Services (i.e. DoorDash, Caviar, GrubHub, etc), plus ezCater, Zesty & Moby Dish. If interested in learning more please email events@chinalivesf.com
  • Private party facilities
    China Live can host everything from intimate parties of 10 people to large reception-style events for up to 825 with multiple sensory experiences.
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Chinatown
  • Cross street
    Stockton & Grant
  • 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.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, High Tea, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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

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What 3,417 people are saying

China Live reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Chinese

  • San Francisco

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
China Live offers a lively dining experience in San Francisco with a modern twist on Chinese cuisine. Guests rave about "amazing food," "great service," and the "fun vibe." The open kitchen and marketplace add to the charm. While some find it noisy and pricey, the unique dishes and vibrant atmosphere make it a must-visit.
3,417 Reviews
  1. James VIP

    Columbus2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    We are locals and finally went, and we thought it was just OK. Not trying to be harsh or anything, but it was just OK. Service was a little slow, but the food just didn’t compare to some of our other favorites in the area like little Szechuan or R&G. Seems to cater mostly to tourists and could be why a lot of the dishes like the Mapo tofu were on the sweeter side, which we didn’t really understand. We also got the cucumbers, the papaya salad, the wings, the duck sesame buns, and the string beans. The papaya salad and wings were the highlights I guess. But it’s a cool place and the cold drinks bar upstairs is really nice. The food is just OK.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Alina

    Fresno / San Joaquin Valley1 review

    3.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service. Extremely underwhelming food/flavors especially for the price.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Laurie VIP

    Indiana28 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Good was delicious and unique, but still true to the culture! Server was very attentive and everything came out quick and well prepared! Would highly recommend!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Roger VIP

    Portland / Oregon13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great, unique food and ambience and wonderful service.

    Is this helpful?

  5. rapeepat

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Would not recommend if you want authentic chinese food. Price is very high for what you get, so not a good bang for your buck. Service is good overall.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Ryan VIP

    Philadelphia County7 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    China Live no longer has the quality that it is best known for. The service is slow. The food has become mediocre, and there’s not a great deal of emphasis on customer care. It’s sad really, it used to be a cornerstone of Chinese cuisine in San Francisco, now it’s just a tourist trap.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Jasmine

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing as always. Great service. Great food. We sat in the “store” area and it was my favorite section to sit at bc it was quieter.

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  8. Alisha

    Los Angeles1 review

    3.0

    Dined on June 15, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Stand out dishes: SJB pan fried dumplings, tamarind ribs, and green beans. Unfortunately the other dishes we ordered were luke warm so they didn't have the same impact of deliciousness though the flavor is always on point at China Live.

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  9. Paula VIP

    Washington, D.C. Area16 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 10, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Food ok but bun pockets with Peking duck kind of tasteless. Very busy and noisy. Slow service

    Is this helpful?

  10. Anthony

    San Francisco Bay Area4 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on June 9, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    Overpriced, bland and dry dishes with uninspired presentation.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

China Live offers delivery in partnership with 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 3417 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. San Francisco
  5. Chinatown

Make a reservation

2 people
9:00 PM
Booked 66 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for China Live

644 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Stockton & Grant
  • Neighborhood
    Chinatown
  • 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
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Chinese, Asian, Sichuan
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • 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
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, High Tea, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    We offer delivery via multiple Delivery Services (i.e. DoorDash, Caviar, GrubHub, etc), plus ezCater, Zesty & Moby Dish. If interested in learning more please email events@chinalivesf.com
  • Private party facilities
    China Live can host everything from intimate parties of 10 people to large reception-style events for up to 825 with multiple sensory experiences.
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