R & G Lounge — Restaurant in San Francisco

R&G Lounge in San Francisco stands as a beacon of authentic Cantonese cuisine, and it’s no surprise why this restaurant has garnered a loyal following over the years. Located in the heart of Chinatown, R&G Lounge offers a delightful escape into a world of rich flavors and traditional dishes, making it a must-visit for both locals and tourists alike.

Ambiance and Service

Walking into R&G Lounge, you’re immediately struck by the bustling yet welcoming atmosphere. The decor is a mix of classic Chinese elements with modern touches, creating a comfortable dining environment. The staff are attentive and knowledgeable, often providing helpful recommendations to ensure you get the most out of your dining experience.

The Star Dishes: Duck and Crab

While the menu at R&G Lounge is extensive and full of tempting options, two dishes truly stand out: the Peking Duck and the Salt and Pepper Crab.

Peking Duck

The Peking Duck at R&G Lounge is a revelation. Served with all the traditional accompaniments, including thin pancakes, hoisin sauce, and sliced green onions, the duck is expertly prepared. The skin is incredibly crispy, providing a delightful contrast to the tender, succulent meat. Each bite is a harmonious blend of textures and flavors, making it a dish that you’ll be dreaming about long after your meal is over.

Salt and Pepper Crab

Equally impressive is the Salt and Pepper Crab, a signature dish that has earned rave reviews from diners far and wide. The crab is perfectly cooked, ensuring the meat remains juicy and flavorful. The seasoning is spot-on, with just the right amount of saltiness and a hint of spice from the pepper. This dish is a true testament to R&G Lounge’s ability to elevate simple ingredients into something extraordinary. The presentation is also noteworthy, as the crab arrives at your table looking both mouth-watering and elegant.

Conclusion

R&G Lounge is more than just a restaurant; it’s an experience. The combination of exceptional service, a warm and inviting atmosphere, and standout dishes like the Peking Duck and Salt and Pepper Crab make it a dining destination that should not be missed. Whether you’re a seasoned fan of Cantonese cuisine or a newcomer eager to explore, R&G Lounge promises a meal that will leave you thoroughly satisfied and...

July 2024: Whenever I visited San Francisco, I always made sure to go to this Cantonese restaurant. I especially loved their deep-fried Dungeness crab with salt and pepper, which was best enjoyed piping hot and accompanied by a lovely wine! The poached chicken with ginger sauce, however, was rather bland compared to Asian-bred chicken.

The steamed wild-caught seabass in Cantonese style was delightful, perfectly steamed with fresh and tender meat. The fried salt and pepper pork ribs were average but paired well with wine, as did the fried oysters. Since we had a vegetarian guest, we ordered the Sichuan tofu and fried rice, which were surprisingly tasty.

The service was attentive, but the food was served too quickly, resulting in a crowded table despite our requests to slow down the pace.

July 2022:

After 4 years, I revisiting this restaurant as I really miss their food especially the fried salt and poet Dungeness crab. You can only able to find it good at this restaurant in San Francisco. You can’t miss but the price has been increased significantly also due to post pandemic and inflation. This time I added the fried oyster which is quite good as the oyster is not overly cooked and dipping it the sweet sauce is quite special. I also ordered my all time favourite steam chicken with dipping scallion sauce .. something you shouldn’t miss when come to authentic Cantonese cuisine. The steam lobster with lots of garlic, scallion and ginger is really tasty. Perfect steaming to prevent overcooking the flesh of the lobster becomes too chewy. The teriyaki grilled cod fish is really fantastic with perfection of the cooking temperature! However the fry noodle is rather too dry to chew and not so great! The meat will melt in your mouth and is so enjoyable. All these food pairing with a bottle of Pinot noir made perfect!

July 2018: It has been my best choice for Chinese food in San Francisco. Very authentic cantonese cuisine and cooked to perfection in USA standard . 2 storeys shop house with limited seats if come to peak hours . Don’t miss to order the Dungeness crab cook in salt and pepper, clam cook in the black b an sauce, fried pigeon .. love it and never gets sick of it. Do make your reservations...

Let me make this simple. This is the most disgusting Chinese food I've eaten, while simultaneously being one of the most pricey.

The crab ($46) was barely noticeable through the mounds of deep fried oil this was covered in. Although, this may have been an intentional attempt to mask the stale crab. This dishes deep frying makes you feel gross, and furthermore you'll feel terrible knowing they've ruined a (once) perfectly good crab. [0/10]

The shrimp & walnut dish ($20) was smothered in sweet sauce that also ruined & masked the shrimp flavour. The walnuts were good, but very limited in quantity. This dish was at least edible, but at this price & quantity, they're stealing from you. [3/10]

The final dish ordered was the scallop in x.o. sauce ($22). This dish was great, even if the final product didn't match the menu description as being spicy. In fact, I think they forgot to add any spice as it tasted like plain scallop (which are delicious). I'm glad they forgot to ruin this dish, it was excellently cooked. However, given the quantity at $22, they're mildly robbing from you. [7/10]

I don't usually care about service, or factor it into my review, so long as it meets some sort of fairly low baseline. This restaurant didn't meet that baseline. It took a shockingly long time to get the servers attention just for some more water and tea, and if he hadn't waved them down, we wouldn't have received service until it was time for them to give us the bill.

I won't lie to you, this was the first time in my life I didn't tip (technically I left $1). That's how disgusted I was with the food and service at this restaurant. I'm glad they lost their Michelin star, they clearly don't deserve it anymore. [1/10]

Tip to restaurant owners: Stop over seasoning your food, let the natural flavours shine through. Find friendlier staff, and hire more. Also, if you call something spicy, it better actually taste...