Elaine's Kitchen, San Francisco CA

I ordered (take out) chicken chow mein.
I think one of the top 3 store who cooks chicken chow mein.

Elaine I’m coming to see you in a month from Arizona. #1 cat mama cooks up the best house lo mein I’ve ever had!

I am giving this a 3 because last time it was a 4 and I don't feel it's fair to drop it to 1 star for one bad visit.

This time around, the chicken was tough. I couldn't even poke it with a fork and the rest of the food was super oily.

Best Chinese food I’ve had. We had fried rice, beef and broccoli, and orange chicken. All three were delicious. Great pricing, great portions, great food. Elaine was very nice and prompt with service. 10/10. Highly recommend. Delicious.

Food was amazing. Small spot in downtown San Francisco give it a chance you won’t regret it!

Ordered the sesame chicken with rice.
Chicken was very tough and sesame sauce was more like bbq sauce. Rice is good and so was the customer service. Not happy with chicken. It tastes like its old and then when reheated it was overcooked. Disappointed I just wasted money on this and I dont even want to eat it

My favourite spot love the Sesame chicken and sweet and sour chicken as well as the egg fried rice, great portions great price great food!

Food was delicious, one of the best Chinese we've had! We got the Mopu Tofu, Chow Mein and Sesame Chicken and loved it all! Really good prices, great taste, big portions. The service was also very good and fast. Recommending it!

We came here after a long day on the train and it was a godsend! Food was delicious (garlicky and spicy) and the owner was super sweet.

Elaine actually served us! Her food was hot and fantastic! I found parking right in the front of the restaurant. The walnut chicken and her Chow mein was excellent! We will definitely be back to see her. Her place is small, but excellent customer service! My new favorite place in San Francisco! Come visit her small restaurant you won't regret it!

I believe this restaurant is mostly takeout only but the lady catered to us and served us inside regardless.

This place was pretty awful, but my options were limited and I just needed food after traveling from the east coast on a six hour flight.

I ordered delivery via Uber Eats. My biggest issue, is the to-go container for my sesame chicken had two holes in the lid on opposite corners. I don’t know if this was intentional by the restaurant in attempts to avoid condensation, or if my Uber Eats driver made the holes, either intentionally or dropped it. But, that was really sketchy. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice until after I finished the meal - otherwise, I wouldn’t have eaten it, and I would have complained via Uber Eats. Which I might still do.

Other than that, the chicken was almost all breading. It was extra crispy, and tasted a bit burnt.

The fried rice left a weird taste.

Spring rolls were mushy.

Better than House of Nanking/Fang - Shanghai born and raised GF says the dumplings remind her of breakfast back home. Some of the best she's had in the decade of SF living. The Wor Wonton soup was fantastic, I will warn you, the size I ordered was their largest size and cost $20, so a bit pricey for what you get BUT it was packed to the brim with food and it tasted GOOD! Real good. Just wanted more of the broth. The Mongolian Beef was the right amount of heat and the flavor was bursting at the seams. The beef was beyond melt in your mouth tender. We highly recommend people give this place a go. 10/10

TLDR:

- They’re currently takeout only.
- (to me) not cheap (I don’t mind this def worth price)
-HOLYYYY FLAVORRRR (better than any takeout I’ve had in SF -5 year span)
- generous portions
- insane quality
- even the broccoli that accompanied the general tso was seasoned and bonkers tasty
- 100% would recommend.

I WANT TO CRY. It has been my mission to find my go to American-Chinese takeout establishment - I have been in San Francisco for 5 years with no successes. I grew up going to a Chinese restaurant with my family that won awards and was one of my fondest childhood memories. The place has since changed chefs and no longer tastes as good my my memories did.

FAST FORWARD 15 years to spontaneously craving Chinese on my way home with ELAINES on the way. I’m floored, over the moon. The General Tso was crispyyyy perfectly spicy, seasoned to perfection, broccoli was not just steamed it had seasoningggg &&& was tasty. I’d like a smidge more salt in my noodles (but I’m a salt fiend) they were deep and rich in flavor. The spring rolls are as close to the egg roll flavor of my childhood 100% saved and will return many many times. Ty!

Unexpected neighborhood gem. Food is great and authentic. Portions are generous. They do delivery too! What’s not to love!

My go to Chinese takeout spot. Food always arrives super hot and fresh in huge portions. Never had a dish I didn’t like here! Perfectly executed Chinese-American classics like orange chicken, combination chow mein, and beef & broccoli.