Mister Jiu's

“My wife and I randomly picked Mr. Jiu's from a Google search in order to experience SF's Chinatown and WOW were we impressed. The staff seated us immediately (at the bar albeit) and we were attended instantly (by three bar employees), all personnel being very hospitable and knowledgeable :) The food (shrimp chips and the strawberry dessert) did not disappoint, and the beer(s) complimented well. Personally, the playlist was the cherry on top and pushed this place to 5 stars and spurred me to take pics! The price point was listed as ~$100, but we spent way less and still left happy and satisfied...I would for sure come here to meet friends, take a date, or have a meeting! Definitely worth stopping in if you are looking for food in Chinatown and want a high-end flare to the night :)”

“Great fusion of Chinese flavors and and western dining. They don’t skimp out on their portions and the service was also great. All of the dishes were solid, and the cheung fun was my personal favorite. It was served in pasta style, but the tastes were very Chinese with that XO flavor coming through. It felt like eating a delicious plate of pasta with much easier digestion due to the rice noodles. Another favorite was the scallion milk bread - you get that amazing scallion flavor as if you’re eating Chinese scallion pancakes, but through the soft milky bread with the melted butter. The salt and pepper shrimp crackers were a great appetizer to start the meal as well. The lamb dumplings were savory and had a sharp spicy level, so might not be food for people with low tolerance. The dirty fried rice was slightly under seasoned and I did t enjoy the stickiness of the okra as much in fried rice. But still solid and great portions.”

“Great vibes and great food with generous portions. While a bit pricey, I think it was worth the experience. I’d definitely order everything again except maybe the eggplant. Everything off the snacks/classics portion of the menu (milk bread, turnip cake, beef tendon) were delicious twists on more traditional versions of the dishes. Make sure to dip the milk bread in the beef tendon oil for a different flavor profile. The uni cheong fun was expensive but definitely one of the best versions of the dish I’ve had. The grilled pork chops were incredibly juicy but it’s not for everyone with its strong flavors and spicy bitter melons The only thing I’d not get again is eggplant, which felt very average and nothing special.”

“As a massive Chinese food lover, I’ve had Mister Jiu’s on my SF Michelin hit list for a while. The space is stunning, and you can tell Chef Brandon Jew is doing something really special with high-end Cantonese here, though our experience had some pacing "hiccups." The Standouts: The Scallion Milk Bread and the Salt & Vinegar Shrimp Chips are absolute technical benchmarks. I’d come back just for those two. The Chee Cheong Fun (rice crepes) had that perfect, silky "chewiness factor" that’s so hard to nail—I could have eaten that all day. I also have to shout out the Fried Rice with Monterey Bay Squid. The squid was incredibly fresh, and the wok execution on the rice was some of the best I’ve had in the city. Truly vibrant flavors. The Critique: It wasn’t a flawless audit, though. The Taiwanese Style Eggplant was a miss for us—it was so heavy on the fish sauce that it was borderline inedible. My partner and I both struggled with the balance on that one. More importantly, the kitchen tempo felt off. We had massive waits between courses—at one point at least 20 minutes of dead air. They served our fried rice way too early, so it was actually cold by the time our final dishes arrived. Verdict: Despite the timing issues and the eggplant, the quality of the ingredients and the technical skill in the dim sum are undeniable. I’d definitely give it another shot to see if the service rhythm is smoother on a different night.”

“# Culinary Heights, Service Lows, and a Deafening Beat Mister Jiu’s, occupying an expansive and pleasant space in San Francisco’s Chinatown, is rightly renowned for its take on Chinese cuisine. The kitchen delivers a formidable array of thoughtful improvements on traditional dishes alongside new creations that use familiar techniques in fresh ways. In purely culinary terms, it rises well past many similarly priced restaurants in the U.S. and abroad. Unfortunately, that excellence is significantly marred by both ambience and front-of-house execution. Start with the ambience: while the space is meticulously decorated, the tables are comfortably spaced, and the restrooms are sparkling clean, the dining room is overwhelmed by incredibly loud electronic dance music—music better suited to a nightclub or dive bar than to a high-end restaurant where people come to taste, talk, and linger. The volume, which we estimate at roughly 80–100 dB, eliminated any realistic chance of conversation and forced us into shouting exchanges, including with the staff. The staff, unfortunately, matched the chaotic energy of the room rather than the precision of the kitchen. Basic operational issues kept recurring: calls to the restaurant went to voicemail with a message stating that “this mailbox is full and doesn’t accept new messages.” At the table, utensils and sauces arrived slowly and only after reminders. Plates were not reliably cleared or exchanged between courses without repeat requests. Even the dining table—visibly soiled—was not wiped before dessert was served. None of these are “small details” in a restaurant of this ambition and price point; they are core competencies. The Michelin Guide reviewers would likely agree that excellence requires more than a great kitchen. It requires a functional, attentive front of the house and an environment that supports the dining experience. This is where Mister Jiu’s currently falls short. As ordinary consumers, we are not paid or compensated in any way for this review. We hope management recognizes that the restaurant’s extraordinary food deserves equally competent service and a dining-room atmosphere that matches its reputation.”