Canton Seafood & Dim Sum House

The restaurant is easily accessible by bus (if you're a tourist, like I was) and it's just a block away from the Museum of Modern Art (if you're interested).

Even though it was rather quiet, and there were only a few dim sum carts moving around (I was there on a weekday afternoon), the dim sum were all so delicious and fresh! I loved everything I ate, especially the Char Siew Bao (Cha Shao Bao). So good! The servers and manager were very friendly and attentive, so that was a big plus.

Best of all, the dim sum was extremely low-priced. Most of the choices are below $3, but make sure to ask before eating them if you're unsure.

You'll love it here.

Pros: Affordable

Posted 08/09/09

I ate there yesterday and I totally fell in love with the dim sum it's so delicious!!! I can't wait to go back there. :)

Posted 04/27/09

Just ate here today, Best dim sum I have ever had. Canton is better than the award winning Yank Sing across the city.

Posted 08/02/08

Come early as the restaurant fills up quickly for lunch around noon. Most of the dim sum items presented were shrimp or seafood filled. Several dim sum carts are in constant rotation throughout the dining room and include vegetarian and some meat items. The ladies "running" the carts simply open each dish up for you to peruse and you point and eat. Priced very well, this is definitely a place to get authentic dum sum dishes for a great price.

Pros: Fresh, inexpensive, and lots of selections

Cons: Decor is a little outdated but that shouldn't bother those who are interested in good food.

Posted 05/07/08

I come from Hong Kong and have been craving dim sum since I arrived in the US. After reading the reviews on this website, I decided to try Canton Seafood & Dim Sum House. The food was good and quite authentic. They wheel around carts with dim sums...quite old fashioned. The only problem is that the carts do not have signs on them to show you what kinds of dim sums they have available so you have ask the waitress. My husband and I ordered 8 dishes and the bill came out to about $30 (inc tax and tips). The price is reasonable, the food is good and definitely worth a try if you're in town.

Pros: Good food. Very authentic.

Cons: Restaurant kind of outdated and dim sums wheeled around in carts without signs.

Posted 02/04/08

Canton is a diamond in the rough. The decor is very outdated but do not judge this restaurant by it's interiror decoration's first impression. The wait staff is attentive and friendly...and the food...yummm! Canton delivers when it comes to dim sum. I arrived as soon as it opened and was given the entire dim sum menu to choose from (kinda like you would order sushi), which is not typical of the usual dim sum cart experience. It was actually better because I could order all the dim sum I wanted and have them all come out speedily! They started the carts when the restaurant began to fill up 1/2 hour later. However, by then my husband and I had stuffed ourselves gluttonous with about 15 different dim sum items ranging from their mixed seafood dumpling, bean curd skin, country style shrimp dumpling, beef tripe stewed in ginger and scallions, scallop dumplings, a couple of two different and equally delicious fried shrimp dumplings...the list goes on and on... The ingredients and flavors were fresh, clean, and very flavorful. My dim sum craving was definitely satisfied 3 times over with that one meal. I definitely want to go back to try their peking duck with steamed buns. They didn't have it ready so early in the morning unfortunately. Highly recommended!

Pros: dim sum variety, authentic chinese, friendly wait staff, great flavors, great value

Cons: decor is outdated - but who cares when the food is so good

Posted 07/06/07

So most dim sum joints only do their thing during the daytime. However, that is one reason Canton is so much better. To start with, whether day or night, it is really good dim sum at a reasonable price. Sure, it's not as fancy as Yank Sing with the servers wearing walkie talkie's, but who needs that?! The catch to Canton, if you go at night, ask for the dim sum menu. You make a list of everything you want and it comes out pipping hot!!! I mean, sure the day time service is great with the carts going around, but it's nice to just sit and order exactly what you want and it come out hot. I highly recommend it.

Posted 06/19/07

Growing up in Canton, I am a total Dim Sum snob. The first time I walked by Canton restaurant, I thought it didnt look like a good one and didn't try until later. I was SO wrong! Its Dim Sum is certainly the best in SF, even compared to the fancy ones (Yank Sing) and the suburb/South Bay ones.

A good indication for dim sum quality is Coeng Fun (steam rice rolls with beef/shrimp stuffing). A very simple dish, but very difficult to do it well. I have tried many different places up and down the west coast (including the famous ones in LA), NY & Boston, Canton consistently has the best Coeng Fun. Also, dont miss XO sauce (chili dried scallop sauce) rice noodle, a specialty that you usually have to order it rather than picking it straight out from dim sum carts. Walnut shrimp is good too. They also do a good job on traditional dishes like Har Gaau (shrimp dumpling), Siu Mai (dried pork dumping), Pai Gwat (pork ribs). Stuffed eggplants and Sin Zuk Gyun (pork, bamboo pieces wrapped in bean curds) are good, but could be considered greasy by some. Traditional Chinese buns (barbecue pork, egg custard, lotus seed) are all quite good. In terms of dessert, sweet tofu dessert with ginger syrup is a light one for those health conscious people. Its Daan Taar (egg custard) is good, but not the best I had in San Francisco. Coconut cake is good too.

A major drawback is its ambience, a bit dated (thats why my first impression of it was not good, but hey, thats also why its not expensive). But if you want the Chinatown feel, here is the place. The wait staff is generally courteous and fast. I have not tried their dinner menu much, cant comment on that. Even though I have moved to East Coast a couple of years ago, but whenever I get a chance to go back to SF, I always go to Canton for dim sum. Sat 11am to noon is the best time to go, parking entrance on Hawthorne.

Pros: Great dim sum, courteous wait staff, convenient location

Cons: Ambience

Posted 08/03/06

I've been to numerous chinese restaurants from hole in the wall joints to big fancy banquet style ones, and I must say Canton is definately not recommended. The food was a bit over priced for what it was. We ordered the family meals and the platters are small appetizer sized. The other thing about the food is that it was too salty. Plus, in the end our waitress disappeared when it came time to ask for other misc. items and our bill.

Pros: Good seatings

Cons: Too salty, A little pricey

Posted 02/23/06

Being ethnically Chinese, I have grown up eating Chinese food. I have lived in cities all over the U.S. and have eaten some fine Chinese cuisine, but nothing compares to Canton House. Everything about this restaurant is fabulous. The food is tasty, the waiters/waitresses are very friendly, and your orders are service is prompt. There is always plenty of street parking available and ample seating. The seafood dishes are especially good - I would highly recommend the lobster noodles. Portions are ample and the prices very reasonable. I have tried other Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area, but I always keeping coming back here. Try it - you'll love it!

Pros: Inexpensive, Good parking, Excellent food

Posted 01/28/06

This place is pretty big so one can usually be seated without waiting. The food comes out hot and there is a good variety of dishes. Baked pork buns are awesome.

Posted 10/09/05

Food was excellant, service was polite and timely, ambience is typically chinatown (which is a good thing), and the prices are very reasonable.

Pros: good food, good service, inexpensive

Cons: parking is iffy

Posted 07/21/05

Me and my grilfreinds went there on Sunday morning. Even though there are a lot of good Dim sums restaurant outhere. but here, I think its great. There are aways tables available, there are a whole lot variety of dim sum to choose from. The server speaks english. That's great.

Pros: Dim sum , Seated quickly, Service

Posted 07/17/05

This is a very clean dim sum place where the waitresses all speak English.

The dim sum is good, though the servings are small (the dumplings are bite sized). Not a huge variety though. The waitresses know the english names for all the dimsum and announce what it is when they get the food around in small trays (no carts).

A good place to go for someone who is new to dimsum or not very adventurous. I prefer more authentic places where the carts go around, and half the fun is in figuring out what is in the cart that is going by...

Overall, good dimsum although I have eaten much better.

Pros: english speaking, clean

Cons: small portions

Posted 04/17/05

Not quite up there with Yank Sing, but still a good place for some solid dim sum. They always have friendly and efficient service, and the dim sum staples like shu mai, BBQ pork buns shrimp rolls etc. are pretty good. Prices are relatively cheap, you'll probably spend 9-12 bucks a head for lunch.

Posted 04/07/05

Canton has great, authentic dim sum at very reasonable prices. I'm always nicely greeted as well. Good place for solid dim sum.

Pros: great dim sum, friendly service

Posted 10/21/04