Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. San Francisco
  5. Chinatown
The Empress by Boon, San Francisco, CA
Award-winning

The Empress by Boon

4.4
4.4
1395 Reviews
$50 and over
Chinese

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
11:30 PM
Find next available

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Booked 36 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Great for scenic views
  • Fancy
  • Good for special occasions
Empress by Boon is San Francisco’s newest, must-visit epicurean destination, offering a seasonal menu in modern Cantonese gastronomy. Michelin-starred Chef Ho Chee Boon applies traditional techniques to fresh, local ingredients to produce distinctive contemporary dishes infused with Cantonese flavors.

The spacious restaurant occupies the former location of Chinatown’s celebrated Empress of China with striking city views. Reimagined by Chef Boon and team, the Empress was brought back to its former glory by embracing modern design elements while incorporating restored original features, creating a welcoming atmosphere that pays homage to the history of the beloved location.

Restaurants you may also like

View all

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Chinese
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (415) 757-0728
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Ho Chee Boon
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Neighborhood
    Chinatown
  • Cross street
    Clay Street
  • Parking details
    Public Parking available at Portsmouth Square Plaza Garage. Entrance at 733 Kearny Street.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Lunar New Year Celebration

    $168.00 per person

    Jan 28, 2025 - Feb 1, 2025
    Chef Boon is excited to create a celebratory menu to ring in the Year of the Snake! His international culinary expertise transforms any menu into a true epicurean experience. Chef Ho's traditional techniques combine fresh ingredients from local purveyors to produce dishes that are not only contemporary but have the essence of traditional Cantonese cuisine.
  • Empress by Boon Prix Fixe Menu

    $118.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    We offer a prix fixe menu that showcases Chef Boon's focus on using only the freshest ingredients available, while offering unique taste combinations not seen in other Cantonese cooking. Our offerings change often to allow for a truly seasonal menu to be executed.
  • Valentine's Celebration

    $168.00 per person

    Feb 14, 2025 - Feb 15, 2025
    Chef Boon is excited to create a celebratory menu for you on this Romantic Weekend! His international culinary expertise transforms any menu into a true epicurean experience. Chef Ho's traditional techniques combine fresh ingredients from local purveyors to produce dishes that are not only contemporary but have the essence of traditional Cantonese cuisine.

What 1,395 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 3.9Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Chinese

  • San Francisco

    Romantic

  • San Francisco

    Great for scenic views

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Empress by Boon offers a "spectacular dining experience" with "fabulous food" and "engaging staff." The restaurant features a "beautiful space" with stunning views of San Francisco. Diners rave about the "innovative cuisine" and "well-paced" tasting menu, highlighting "exceptional service" and a "romantic setting." Highly recommended for special occasions.
1,395 Reviews
  1. Adrienne

    VIP

    San Francisco

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was bland and overpriced. The fish course (1 of 6) was served raw to both me and my husband. The staff brought a replacement but was not apologetic. When you only cook 6 things in a night, every course should be perfection. The final course was supposed to be tenderloin, but was not that cut. Disappointed that dessert was an add-on to already expensive prefix. Had been excited to dine at Empress, but was truly let down. Ate at Four Kings last week for half the price and was exceptional food and value.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Patricia

    VIP

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    A dinner at Empress by Boon is definitely an awesome experience. We were celebrating my birthday, and upon arrival in the lobby, the hostess was most welcoming. She wished me a happy LNY birthday and told me there may be fireworks. She also told me my party had already arrived. She then sent me up the elevator to the restaurant. Upon arrival, it had a Great Gatsby feel of opulence. I was then greeted by a 2nd host who took me to my party and seated us. We were situated in a dining room with a city scape view of the downtown high rises. Our server then came and introduced himself and talked us through the prixe fixe menu. We started with 2 fantastic cocktails as they're known for their cocktail program. We enjoyed everything that was on the prixe fixe menu. All of the dishes were visually appealing and tasted even more so. Service was also fantastic. We never had to wait or ask for our server to come to our table as he anticipated our every need. Dessert was served with a candle as requested and was on the house. It was a perfect evening from start to finish. If you're looking for a high-end, opulent dining experience, Empress by Boon won't disappoint!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Erica

    VIP

    Las Vegas

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food! Amazing service! Amazing experience! Highly recommend!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Glynis

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    I'm sad to report that the special Simon/Boon collaboration dinner at $225/head fell short on service. The food was exquisite as always, and the paired mixtures were amazing. But they seemed short on staff and the timing of the courses were baffling. Once we arrived, it was half an hour before we got our first course and almost an hour before we got our second course. Often, the drinks came out first and we would have to wait, staring at them (while starving) until the food came. For this price, I would expect cocktails and food to be delivered in unison and in a timely fashion. I don't know what was going on in the kitchen but its a prix fixe meal (less complicated than a al carte). I was bummed. I love this place and have never been disappointed before.

    Is this helpful?

  5. OpenTable Diner

    VIP

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Meeting Simone and team was very cool and special. For the amount we spent- we only got 3 bites of food in 3 hours and we felt that there should have be a canapé buffet area or a larger team to accommodate the crowd last night. The food that came out was delicious but not enough to accommodate the entire crowd and not coming out frequently enough. All the drinks were well made and made within reasonable timeframe given the amount of people. I think this could be very successful with some logistical tweaks especially on service and food. For patrons who didn’t get a table/ there should be a way for us to get water. I also noticed that some patrons hovered around the bar even after getting their cocktails which made the line for other patrons longer and didn’t give others an opportunity to get up close with Simone. Looking forward to seeing and participating in more collabs like this.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Joseph

    San Francisco

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    It was my first time at this restaurant and I really enjoyed the ambiance and vibe the place had. I didn’t drink the special cocktails that night so I had my girlfriend double fisting while I enjoyed the amazing food. Overall the experience was wonderful!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Leo

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    1.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on January 19, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    This is a joke, right? The food was unbelievably bland and flavorless — take-out Chinese food would have been better. The space is fancy and my guess is that’s what they’re charging for, and taking advantage of unwitting diners. Do not be fooled, the food at this place is awful.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Jing

    VIP

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Enjoyed it as always! Love Empress by Boon! Best high end Chinese restaurant in the city

    Is this helpful?

  9. Patty

    San Francisco

    42 reviews

    5.0

    42 reviews

    Dined on January 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Enjoyed this fixed prix menu. Starting off with small individual appetizers, followers by shared family style dishes. There were a total of 6 courses, although some of the courses had more than one item. The food was well prepare and tasty. There was more seafood at the beginning. Starting with a crab egg caviar course followed by a prawn and a spring roll. There was a three piece dim sum tasting. The pork bun was really delicious. Another highlight was the stir fried beef tenderloin and the duck. The duck was an add on. It well worth it. The skin was crispy and delicious. Enjoyed the dinner and there was plenty of food. They even accommodated one member of our party that has a shellfish allergy with good alternatives.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Steve

    VIP

    San Francisco

    44 reviews

    5.0

    44 reviews

    Dined on January 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous food with great, engaging staff Beautiful space and wonderful wine list

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Empress by Boon is rated 4.4 stars by 1395 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation


Find next available

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Booked 36 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The Empress by Boon

838 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108-1738

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Cross street
    Clay Street
  • Neighborhood
    Chinatown
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Chinese
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Parking available at Portsmouth Square Plaza Garage. Entrance at 733 Kearny Street.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Ho Chee Boon
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo