SFGuide
Where to go for excellent renditions of this Chinese classic.
photo credit: Erin Ng
Julia Chen
SF has no shortage of duck. You’ll see them hanging in every other Chinatown storefront window, and hickory-smoked duck headlines Cal-Ital menus all across town. But perhaps the most iconic is the Peking duck. Each takes hours of boiling, glazing, roasting, and carving, with skin is so shiny you can see your reflection. All that work frequently means getting a worthwhile Peking duck takes pre-planning (and pre-budgeting). When you want to worship at the altar of hoisin-soaked fowl, here’s where to go.
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No rating: This is a restaurant we want to re-visit before rating, or it’s a coffee shop, bar, or dessert shop. We only rate spots where you can eat a full meal.
THE SPOTS
Erin Ng
8.3
606 Jackson St San Francisco, California 94133
$$$$
Chinese
Chinatown
Perfect For:
Big GroupsSpecial Occasions
The latest newcomer (from the team at ) to the city’s Peking duck scene is also the splashiest of the bunch. The duck gets sliced into perfect half-moons at a spotlit carving station before being paraded through the dining room like an Olympic torch. This swanky Chinatown spot's duck comes with a steamer full of translucent flour pancakes and all of the usual fixings, plus a bit of sugar for an added crunch. Be sure to call ahead or make a note on your reservation to pre-order your half ($48) or whole ($78) duck.
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Melissa Zink
8.2
500 Haight St San Francisco, CA 94117
$$$$
Chinese
Lower Haight
Perfect For:Walk-Ins
YH Beijing is a duck enthusiast’s dream. For $88, this casual Lower Haight spot does a multi-course meal that uses an entire duck in four different ways, kicking off with crackly skin dipped in sugar. The second course has slices of meat swaddled in sweet bean sauce-smeared pancakes. Then you’ll get a neat heap of juicy minced duck served in lettuce cups that cut through the richness, and finish with milky mushroom soup made from the bones. It’s pre-orders only, so call to reserve at least 24 hours in advance.
Melissa Zink
8.5
5322 Geary Blvd San Francisco, CA 94121
$$$$
Dim Sum
Richmond
Perfect For:BrunchBig Groups
While some restaurants require a pre-order for Peking duck, you can get it on-demand at Hong Kong Lounge in the Richmond (though we can’t guarantee you won’t have to wait for a table). The bone-in meat is served with hoisin, scallions, and steamed, memory foam-like bao. Hong Kong Lounge does half orders for $26 or whole ducks for $45. And fulfill your dim sum duties by ordering other Cantonese hits, like baked BBQ pork buns and fried sticky rice.
Melissa Zink
8.2
631 Kearny St San Francisco, CA 94108
$$$$
Chinese
Chinatown
Perfect For:Big GroupsClassic Establishment
You’re probably at R&G Lounge for seafood. This multi-level Cantonese spot in Chinatown has been the roast crab go-to for decades. But despite what Big Crab wants you to believe, no visit here is complete without ordering the Peking duck for the table. Their version ($30 for half, $55 whole) is also served bone-in and topped with pieces of crispy skin that snap like brittle. Plump steamed buns are served here, too, alongside a kiddie pool’s worth of hoisin with curly scallions on deck.
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Susie Lacocque
7.9
28 Waverly Pl. San Francisco, CA 94108
$$$$
Chinese
Chinatown
Perfect For:Eating At The BarSpecial OccasionsDrinking Great Cocktails
You’ll audibly gasp when the Peking duck lands on your table at Mister Jiu’s in Chinatown. The whole bird is roasted until smoky with a pink center, and arrives glittering and fanned out on a circular platter, with a supporting cast of luxurious peanut butter hoisin, matchstick cucumbers, and paper-thin pancakes. At $150, this upscale spot’s duck is more expensive than others in the city, but it can easily feed six people—so go in on this one when you’re with a group or are down to take home leftovers. You can get the duck as part of the tasting menu (reservation required) or at the walk-in-only bar.
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8.3
Chinese
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