Great spot for a beer and some food. The beer was goo, the army was nice and the food was solid. I was worried this would be a tourist trap style brewery, but I wax way off. Don’t hesitate to stop by if you’re in the area.

As a tourist it was a good spot to have a burger while walking around the chocolate factory. Had a pool table and shuffle board. Lots of sports playing. Drinks were very good too. As busy as they were we sat right away with a large group and the servers did awesome. Would definitely recommend.

Great place to hang out after a long walk exploring SF! Staff are great, so is the food and the drinks! My husband forgot his driver’s license at our last visit and remembered when we had drown hours away already! They were nice enough to mail it to us. We really appreciated not having to go to the DMV again. Thanks!

Clarissa Lee

We held our wedding reception at Palette Tea House in October and our guests complimented the delicious menu and beautiful ambience. We're very grateful for the exceptional customer service throughout our wedding planning process, which took nearly one year. Special thank you to Mia and Dennis for your attention to detail, prompt responses, and thoughtfulness in coordinating the reception arrangements!

Mat Lit

Beautiful restaurant! Even the sauce cups are so cool and on theme. Food is delicious and distinctive. Especially loved the beef dish and xiao long bao (of course). The mango pudding dish that came with the banquet menu was just stunning to look at and to eat.

+6

Serena Cefalu

Palette Tea House was awesome! We came here for my husband’s 40th birthday, with 12 people in a party. They accommodated us with a big table. The atmosphere is mellow and chill. The ambiance is lovely. The food is ON POINT! WE ATE. EVERYTHING. All their dishes were delicious and flavorful. We went to town with their menu and cocktails! Everyone in our party raved about how good the food and drinks were. An excellent choice. The bonus of this place… it’s in Ghirardelli Square where there’s cute shops, a brewery (which we ended up at afterwards), Ghirardelli itself (we got chocolates and ice cream), and on top of it the whole square was lit up because it was Thanksgiving/Christmas time. Thank you to the staff who were terrific, always checked in on us, and kept the food and drinks flowing. **Side Note: we are all locals here in SF, and going to a tourists place like Ghirardelli Square, wasn’t our first choice. But non the less, our one friend who insisted that THIS place was worth it, was definitely worth it. I also drove us in my big SUV. I found parking right in front on the street. Metered parking is in effect until 7pm.

Alicia DiGiammarino

I am surprised the place is so good given its location in the perhaps the biggest tourist area in SF. But everyone really liked it. We enjoyed tasting the different teas. Golden eyebrow was a favorite. And I really liked the green beans.

+3

A Bansal

Yut and Rafael were exceptionally warm, kind, and gracious, setting the perfect tone for the entire dining experience at Palette Tea House. The pea tenderloins were a flawless start to the meal, served hot, delicious, and seasoned with just the right amount of salt. The vegetarian and crab dumplings that followed were truly out of this world, beautifully presented and even more delightful in taste. The real magic, however, lies in their signature sauces, a vibrant trio featuring cilantro, tamarind, and a bold hot mustard that elevate every bite. Even the shishito peppers surprised me with a hidden gem of a sauce at the bottom, sweet, savory, and perfectly balanced to complement the heat of the peppers. A must visit for anyone seeking exceptional flavors and genuine hospitality in San Francisco.

+18

Inna Patterson

I loved my experience at Palette Tea House! The food was so delicious, fresh, and full of flavor. The presentation was beautiful — every dish looked like art. Great service and a lovely atmosphere. Highly recommend!

+5

MiMeuw

We walked by this place and decided to come in for the happy hour $4 draft beer. The beer was great, they were out of midori so we couldn't try their Yuzu garden cocktail :( we weren't hungry but the happy hour dimsum price was too good to pass. We tried the chicken soup dumpling and the siumai. The chicken soup dumpling was good but the siumai was really amazing, must try!! I didn't know this until i walked out the door but they were featured in the Michelin guide 2023, no wonder their siumai was soo good!! Service was very quick and friendly too

Benjamin Childers

Palette Tea House was fantastic! The service was quick, and I’ve never had such beautifully plated dim sum before. Delicious food and a stunning presentation, highly recommend.

Michael Duong

Wonderful restaurant. The food was great and such a good location. Pricing was reasonable but only one downside is the place gets so hot at noon. Our table were very hot and that might have affected our overall experience. The dimsum tasted very fresh with good quality ingredients. Would recommend this restaurant if you are in the area

FromCodeToCake

Amazing food and great portions! I came in on Monday at 1:30, no reservations. Although they gave me the menu and a pencil immediately, it took a while to place my order and get water. I also had to request a plate and chopsticks. I ordered XO sauce pan seared rice crepe roll, original pork soup dumpling "xlb", and garlic pea tendrils. Everything was pretty much perfect. The rice crepe rolls were soft, well seasoned, with a good balance of crunch and crisp from the bean sprouts and dried shrimp. The XLB had thin skin, but held together well enough to pick up and not rip. They came with a mild vinegar ginger sauce. Meaty, juicy, gently sweet. The garlic pea tendrils were glossy and tender, just salty enough with soft, slightly sweet garlic. I will definitely be coming back to try more of the menu!

Mike Styckle

In. Sane. Ly. Delicious. Wagyu beef pot stickers 5/5. Best thing I had. Amazing flavors and cooked perfectly. Little bit of crisp on the outside, not burnt. Pork & shrimp siu mai were outstanding 5/5. Test out the different sauces with them. Soup dumpling sampler was the perfect intro. Crab & pork and truffle & pork soup dumplings were my favorite. 5/5 Firecracker cocktail was also outstanding. 5/5 Perfectly balanced. Service from Andy was flawless. It’s expensive, but you will enjoy the experience. I’d come back in a heartbeat.

+5

Winky Wong

We had our wedding reception here and had a great experience. Working with Mia and Dennis to get the food, substitutions, and event details locked in was a lengthly process, but they were very accommodating and helped us along every part of the journey. From the planning process to the actual event day, the staff and restaurant took amazing care of us, making sure everything ran smoothly. There was a ton of food and every single dish was a hit. Our guests said it was the best wedding food they've ever had!

Amy M

Second time coming here for dim sum, and the food is still like last time. Different takes on the traditional dimsum without sacrificing the taste. Would come here again for a third time! The palette theme is super cute and interior decor is nice.

+1

Mizz Mo

We loved the dim sum at Palette Tea House. Not only was the food beautiful, but the flavors are uh-may-zing! On top of the fantastic food, the service was warm and friendly. And the restaurant is beautiful. We made a reservation online for dinner earlier in the day. This allowed us to be taken straight to our table without waiting.

Lincell Green

Absolutely loved this place! The Peking duck was perfectly crispy and flavorful, the lobster dumplings were delicate and delicious, and the wagyu noodles were rich and comforting. Service was friendly and fast, and the ambiance was elegant but relaxed. Can’t wait to come back soon!

Steven Marks

After reading reviews, we decided to give Palette Tea House a try. Glad we did! The lobster dumplings are a must order! Full of lobster meat, with a good cook…I can taste why this seems to be a custom favorite. I would eat the yang chow fried rice every day…it’s that good! Servers were very attentive. The entree portions are well sized. When the restaurant started getting busy, food was a little slow to out of the kitchen. I would not hesitate to go back.

+5

We have a group dinner for 9 people a few nights ago in a private room at the Ghirardelli restaurant. The room itself has a brick facade on one side and a wine wall with views of the kitchen on the…

Food is truly exceptional, each one in our party of 8 raved about it. The service is super good. The ambiance and beauty of the restaurant literally sparkles with two minor exceptions: a frequent par…

Food is truly exceptional, each one in our party of 8 raved about it. The service is super good. The ambiance and beauty of the restaurant literally sparkles with two minor exceptions: a frequent p…

food is truly exceptional, each one in our party of 8 raved about it. The service is super good. The ambiance and beauty of the restaurant literally sparkles with two minor exceptions: a frequent p…

Food is truly exceptional, each one in our party of 8 raved about it. The service is super good. The ambiance and beauty of the restaurant literally sparkles with two minor exceptions: a frequent p…

Fancy! We were able to book the reservation same day on Sunday. We arrived right at opening and were immediately taken to our table.\nThe ambience was warm and vibrant. Food arrived 15 min after pl…

Skeptical at first, ordered the Chinese olive fried rice. it was a perfect 10/10. next ordered the veggie dumplings and absolutely loved them. we ordered another time and couldn't wait to come back…

Went there for dim sum to celebrate a birthday. \nIt was all very good to great!\nOur favorites included the scallop siu mai, and the crab dumplings with a black, squid ink wrapper, as well as stri…

It was a great restaurant. Don't miss the crispy noodles with sea food, it was amazing

Food was great. We had a big party of 10 and had their private room, the manager was very friendly and helpful, the duck was great and drinks were good also.

Well… wow! What a great lunch! We needed to eat outside and the hostess said that we would have slow service because they were down a server. Could fool me— the service was certainly fast enough, an…

Well… wow! What a great lunch! We needed to eat outside and the hostess said that we would have slow service because they were down a server. Could fool me— the service was certainly fast enou…

Wonderful experience, we’ve lived in China and it reminded us of our time there. Excellent food, beautiful decor and great service. Thank you!!

I’d read about this restaurant but had not planned a visit. We were nearby having just had an irish coffee at the Buena Vista so took a chance . The food was fantastic very authentic… service was…

Visited this restaurant based on trip advisor opinions and was not dissapointed. The food was excellent. We have had a variety of dim sum: crab (wow!), shrimp and lobster and spring rolls with duc…

This restaurant is located in the Ghirardelli square and serves the best vegetarian spring rolls I’ve ever had. I dropped in for a light snack and was so happy I did! Vegetarian dumplings were also…

Visited mid-week and right after it opened. Sat at the bar for a flight and food. Bartender was super cool. Opted for appetizers and it was plenty. Decent super nachos and an order of loaded tots. Beer selection wasn’t bad. Nothing truly stood out as amazing but the one that surprised me was the Alcatraz Amber, as I’m not usually an Amber fan. Prime location if your touristing and wanting to get slightly away from the wharf and Pier 39 insanity…and why not top it off with an ice cream sundae next door at Ghirardelli’s.

The beer was good, wings and pizza was excellent, the staff was very friendly the only thing is that there's not too many options for food in the menu. I will probably be back but now I have the mentality that is mostly for drinks and appetizers

Had a couple of beers here and some food. Ordered at the bar and went outside for food. Food arrived quickly but the fish was not very hot considering it was freshly deep fried. Chips mediocre. Service once food ordered non existent for me. No server checked on food during eating. Wasn’t very busy during visit. Nice outdoor area.

Right in the heart of Ghirardelli square we stopped for a quick drink. I got their Willy Wonka Sour Beer which was very fruity and very enjoyable. It was rimmed with candy pieces and topped with a sugared gummy candy. We came a second time as well because I wanted that beer again. They have a dimly light interior with a bar and outdoor seating as well in the square that they call the “beer garden”. Both days the servers were very friendly.

Some vegetarian options available. Restaurant inside of the Ghirardelli Square! Fun atmosphere, dim mood lighting with a cool central bar. The decor is very woodsy in a fun way. A classic hipster brewing feel. Went over the holidays so service was a bit busy but nice. Creamy tomato soup was good but the fish tacos were even better. Sort of a tangy sauce, good crunch on the battered fish. Tortilla chips lightly salted, very fresh salsa. Good for big groups and tourists looking for a meal in the Square.

Surprisingly quick and delicious service for being in Ghirardelli Square. We were seated immediately. Granted we wanted to sit inside. I'd expect a wait for outdoor seating. The strawberry dreams cocktail was perfect. The fresh strawberry purée adds the perfect amount of sweetness. The pretzel which is one of the few signature items they have was a big sad. It tastes okay, but it was only half a pretzel considering the other half was thinner than a pencil. The fish tacos were so fresh and yummy I'd definitely get it again. The fried chicken sandwich, also another signature item, was average. Another unremarkable signature item. Overall, it was quick and filling. I'd say it's worth a try.

Like the lager beer 🍺 it is their best selling one. Veg Pizza was good not too heavy. You can play games indoor. Lots of seating place indoor and outdoor. The ambience is awesome in heart of city.

Fanny

Good atmosphere and food is delicious. Though, the food may have been on the salty side because I drank all of my water and nobody came to replace it nor asked if we needed a refill. Food is a bit pricey. I may return to try other things on the menu. Good for small groups. If your group has more than 4 people, you’ll likely need to order multiples of each dish you want to eat.

+4

Mediocre at best. Ordinary food, overworked wait staff, greasy food. Tourist trap with no flair

Mediocre at best. Ordinary food, overworked wait staff, greasy food. Tourist trap with no flair

Mediocre at best. Ordinary food, overworked wait staff, greasy food. Tourist trap with no flair

Tried out Palette on a Sunday. Didn't have to wait for a table for two and got the chilled cucumber salad, lobster dumpling w/ butter sauce, jumbo scallop siu mai and truffle duck fried rice. I lik…

Tried out Palette on a Sunday. Didn't have to wait for a table for two and got the chilled cucumber salad, lobster dumpling w/ butter sauce, jumbo scallop siu mai and truffle duck fried rice. I lik…

Let's face it, there are other dim sum restaurants in the Bay Area that are as good or better than Palette. What you are paying for is the beautiful ambiance, the attentive service and some creativ…

Let's face it, there are other dim sum restaurants in the Bay Area that are as good or better than Palette. What you are paying for is the beautiful ambiance, the attentive service and some creativ…

Food was great. Some worth the price. But the service is so slow. Make sure to order a lot so that u don't have to wait.

Except for the restaurant ambiance and vibe which are great everything was less than average. Service was lousy, i literally gave up on my drink as i had to ask at least 5 times for my drink. Last b…

Except for the restaurant ambiance and vibe which are great everything was less than average. service was lousy, i literally gave up on my drink as i had to ask at least 5 times for my drink. Last…

Except for the restaurant ambiance and vibe which are great everything was less than average. Service was lousy, i literally gave up on my drink as i had to ask at least 5 times for my drink. Last…

Overall quite good. I wouldn’t call it dim sum but the portions are good. My favorite dishes were the shi(profanity removed)o peppers and the fried calamari.

Overall quite good. I wouldn’t call it dim sum but the portions are good. My favorite dishes were the shi(profanity removed)o peppers and the fried calamari.

Stopped by to have a quick bite/ late lunch and decided on a serve of dumplings. Good: The waiter /server was friendly and competent. Bad: The dumplings . For a place that presents itself as a c…

Stopped by to have a quick bite/ late lunch and decided on a serve of dumplings. Good: The waiter /server was friendly and competent. Bad: The dumplings . For a place that presents itself as a c…

Palette Tea House offers a delightful dim sum experience with a sophisticated, artistic twist. The ambiance is super cute and adds to the overall pleasant experience. This isn't your typical ever…

We had two noodle dishes, viz Wagyu Beef Chow Fun, and seafood Crispy Noodle. Both were excellent. For the dim sum dishes, we had the Lobster dumpling. I found the skin to be on the mushy side. …

We had two noodle dishes, viz Wagyu Beef Chow Fun, and Seafood Crispy Noodle. Both were excellent. For the dim sum dishes, we had the Lobster dumpling. I found the skin to be on the mushy side. …

First I want to say that it is always challenging to keep food prices fair when you run a restaurant. You have a high overhead and have to pay the San Francisco health tax to provide healthcare for…

Have been wanting to try this place since it opened and were able to stop in twice because we wanted to try more dishes. It is a great location in Ghirardeli Square and the dining room is very …

William Taylor

Its fine, the flavors are really good. The service is friendly, but you have to call them to you. The food is tasty. The meat did not stay in the dumplings. The dumplings are pretty. Just who cares overall.

Lauren Bruene

The dim sum was good. Some unique things on the menu, but overall over priced for what it was. I get the location is going to increase the price a bit, but it would be hard to justify coming back when just up the hill I spent $13 for just as much authentic dim sum that was equally as delicious.

I got the lobster dumplings with butter sauce (wouldn't really recommend), pork and shrimp shumai (would recommend), duck spring rolls (DELICIOUS), pork soup dumplings (fabulous),…

I got the lobster dumplings with butter sauce (wouldn't really recommend), pork and shrimp shumai (would recommend), duck spring rolls (DELICIOUS), pork soup dumplings (fabulous), wagyu fried r…

I got the lobster dumplings with butter sauce (wouldn't really recommend), pork and shrimp shumai (would recommend), duck spring rolls (DELICIOUS), pork soup dumplings (fabulous), wagyu fried rice …

Place is nice for lunch. Nothing really stands out good or bad, it's not the typical dim sum place where traffic was busy, long wait time and loud dinning room. Quality are consistent, come here …

Had a fine dinner on Chinese New Year, but when we asked for a second round of drinks and desert, at 8:30pm, we were told the bar and kitchen were closed. Not only was this early, only an hour afte…

Palette Tea House is a decent, if not an overrated, dim sum restaurant in the premium location of Ghirardelli Square. Given the location, of course it is on the pricey side for dim sum, but not egr…

No issues with the food here, it was all tasty, but our server was too busy chatting with other staff to refill our drinks and ran our bill twice because he was too preoccupied to remember that he’…

Ok, not fabulous. Service was mixed. Eggplant dish was very good. Green beans were breaded and inedible. Not worth the money.

m raindrop

One of the most disappointing meals I've ever had, and that's saying a lot. Saw this mentioned on the San Francisco reddit so I figured I'd give it a try, especially since I love dim sum and their intuition is pretty on point. Unfortunately, I've now learned--had it cemented, the third time in two days--to never eat by touristy areas; the standards are abysmal. Ordered some dim sum classics (chicken feet, chicken and mushroom siu mai, Portuguese egg tarts, ha gow, soup dumplings) and their Sunday features of snow candy cap pork buns and uni/scallop congee (unique, expensive). I should have known by the size and texture (sticky, flavorless, very little shrimp) of the ha gow that nothing else would be very good and to stop the rest of the service: everything came out either rubbery, dry, unbalanced in flavor and texture, flavorless, and a pale imitation of real dim sum. The milk aroma oolong was okay, nothing special. Same with the Legend of Snake cocktail (one that had baijiu as the base, which was a first). I was very open about my distaste and kept pushing more and more food off to be collected but never had a server come to ask if anything was okay; I'm not asking for anything more than the bar minimum, but it took a few minutes (having sat at the bar as its sole occupant) before the bartender even noticed I was trying to order a cocktail. Ambience is good. It's a clean, perfectly decorated environment, which should be your first clue in leaving and finding someplace better in Chinatown. Despite being ignored most of the time, service was cordial. After collecting the last dish that remained full, a server took off one item as a discount after I expressed my disappointment of all the food I'd received. They do have an extensive menu of non-dim sum items, which may be better. But I'd discourage anyone for coming here otherwise. A pricey $100+ lesson to learn.