Dragon Beaux — Restaurant in San Francisco

4/5 Food 1/5 Service

We were here for the All You Can Eat Hot Pot ($34.99) + "Superior Upgrade" (+$6.99).

Food here is a bit above average on certain menu. We really like the 'American Kobe' from the upgraded section. Other menu is kind of mix between average and just a bit above (considering the price point). As for the broth, the "Spicy Pungent Broth" that has just enough Sichuan pepper to feel like having a Sichuan-style hotpot (might not satisfy spicy lover though).

Service is where this place is falling apart... Communication is terrible and we also felt discriminated by the servers. Servers are nice to other tables who are western-looking people but treat us in a rude manner, pausing us in a middle of conversation just to say good-bye to a group of customer leaving. They also halved our order without notifying us and after we ask for the rest of the order then reply that they have a limit of number of order we can make at a time (point is... why don't let us know beforehand... if we don't ask, we'll never know that the qty of the order is halved). When we complain that we are not getting the qty that we requested, they say, "it's fine you can just order more" (in a not-caring way) then tell us that this is our last order. The service is bad, as well as the attitude of the servers (especially comparing with the table beside us and in front of us); after finish paying the bill, we patiently explain all the problem that was going on throughout the service to the manager. In favor of the manager, he was very patient while receiving all the criticism but failed to convince us that he is actually sorry for the bad service. He even say that actually the service is good (think he meant to say usually the service is good) and tell us to come back again. Later on, in front of us, he just call those servers who were in charge of us to explain our feedback (in front of us, Cantonese) which one of the server gave a shock-looking face at us.

TL;DR Food is good, service is terrible for people who look like they are Asian-looking college students (probably a stereotype of not a good tipper). Unless you look otherwise and want to just enjoy the meal, do NOT go to...

I was heading for a French brunch, however, my wife dragged me to this Chinese restaurant for dim sum. We went from South Bay and even though Google map said that the drive would take about 45 minutes, it turned out to be an hour and 15 minutes because of traffic at different areas that we drove through. The restaurant is at the Richmond area and finding a parking space is tough. Even though there is a public parking next to the restaurant, well, it has only about 14 parking spaces. It was full when we arrived. It took me quite a while to find a space. I can tell you though, the food in the restaurant worth all the troubles. We have been to all the good dim sum places in the Bay Area: Koi Palace, Yang Shing, May Flower, etc. This place is a notch above all others. Even though it is more expensive, I think you get what you pay for. The dim sum are fresh and it is very evident that the chef put extra efforts in making them. Several dishes that we ordered were exceptional and they are Crab Claw Blossom, Steamed Giant Clam, and Dried seafood dumpling soup. The shrimp paste enclosing the Crab Claw was tender yet crisp. The crust was thin and done just right without being hard. The crab meat was fresh and I don’t think they were from frozen crab claws. The Dried seafood dumpling soup base was using the “Buddhist jumps over the Fence” soup. The soup tasted great, lightly seasoned such that I could taste all the natural flavors of the ingredients: Chinese Mushroom meat was thick and juicy, Fish gas bladder was fatten and filling, and the abalone had decent size and chewy, however, this could be the single item I could nitpick on. There is not much flavor from the abalone. I’m so glad that I listened to my wife and came to this restaurant. I strongly recommend this place for dim sum. Oh, by the way, I found that the services you get in this restaurant is...

The first time I came here was for a friend’s birthday dinner. There’s a private parking lot that is usually full so be ready for that. But street parking is available all around the block. Walking in, I was surprised with the beautiful and modern interior. From the oriental accents and the subtle finishes meshing well to create an aesthetically pleasing environment to dine. The restaurant was really busy but we had reservations. The host quickly seated our party in the back room where it was more private but other patrons were also enjoying dinner. Our dishes came out pre-coursed. 7 courses to be exact. I felt like we were at a wedding but hey! It ain’t tricking if you got it! The first dish was a plethora of meats. From the barbecue pork, to roasted duck. It was a good cold appetizer. Be sure to ask for the XO sauce. It’s a great accoutrement to any of the dishes. One of the courses was the red shrimp. So sweet and juicy and was definitely a good hand food. The quail was roasted to a crispy yet delicate finish. The sea cucumber had a unique texture for those that dare trying new things. But the star of the show was the Chilean seabass. It was perfectly cooked, buttery, and melted with every bite in my mouth. Needless to say, I was very impressed with the overall experience that I came back the next week for dim sum. Dim sum is a whole different monster on a Sunday. The lines are wrapped around the building. You have to grab a number and wait to call Bingo! I came there Sunday and we ordered a variety of dishes. The shui mai was excellent. Everything tasted fresh. Soft and juicy textures. Even their chicken feet was on point! And I don’t like chicken feet!!! Again, I can rave on and on, but you actually have to go try it yourself....