I'm basing this solely on the salt & pepper chicken wings. And the trip to the bathroom to the kitchen. Yikes. After having been spoiled by the food queen herself, Karman L. with these ridiculously delicious salt & pepper wings in Boston, I was hoping that Capital Restaurant would be able to deliver on my craving for wings. I scoured the reviews for about 30 minutes and decided Capital -had- to be the place. Meh. They were small and the flavor was just ok. I really didn't taste any pepper, to be honest, but I don't know if it was because I didn't want the jalepenos. Is that what constitutes the "pepper" in salt & pepper? It was a good sized portion and I alone could not finish it. My partner ordered the almond chicken. I didn't try it, but he said it was good. Now lets talk about the trip to the restroom. This was unusual because you have to go through the kitchen to get to them. I was glad I did so after my meal because seeing food in the open and exposed to things made me wince just a little. Right next to the doors of the restrooms is an industrial sink where a woman was washing vegetables. Call me a germ phobe or whatever you want, but I feel a little weird about bathrooms being in such close proximity to where produce is being cleaned. I'm sure there are plenty of wonderful food choices here, but for now, I'd have to say I would opt to try another Chinese place on my next visit to SFO.
(2)
Chanel L.
"Fried chicken wings, chicken wings,. its so good!!" Heard this from my friends all month long and finally they took me here and I agree,. "their chicken wings are BOMB BOMB BOMB." The chicken wings were big in size, nice crispy skin and seasoned with salt and jalepeno. Decent price and our party of 8 had 3 orders of the chicken wings. Would recommend the EGG TOFU topped with ground meat? This was delicious! Also the three egg dish,. felt so healthy! Steamed egg with 1000year egg deep in the dish,. So healthy, I want to bring my parents here for dinner. I actually put the egg dish over white rice,. I NEVER eat rice! Everything else was eh,. filler dishes. Wouldn't recommend the peking duck,. def on the fatter side with little meat. Will be back for the chicken wings, egg tofu dish and the three egg dish! A bit pricey for chinese food, especially in chinatown. But this restaurant has extremely good ratings. So I'm assuming, this tailors to tourist and americans.
(4)
Connie C.
I almost wanted to give this place two stars just because two stars is equivalent to "meh, i've had better". For a place in Chinatown, this diner sure is confident with the prices they charge:( I came here with my boyfriend after hearing about their famous salt & pepper chicken wings. It's been about 12 hours since I ate them and I'm still wondering why they're considered famous. They're mediocre at best. I've definitely had better wings in chinatown for way cheaper than the $7.90 they charged me for about 10 wings. I go to other places like New Moon or Sun Sang. There's plently of places! Capital didn't quite capture the salt and pepper taste for me and I wished the peppers settled in more so that I would have a nice spicy kick to it. The service was otherwise quick and attentive, but I probably won't be returning since there's other eateries that are cheaper in price and equal in taste.
(3)
Cliff T.
very cheap Chinese restaurant.... nothing fancy. The salt and pepper chicken wings are okay but for wings... you should definitely go to San Tung..... chicken chicken........ yum...
(2)
Bjørn R.
Not really any impressive dishes here. The menu is very large, with all just average dishes. Been there 5-6 times. Last time this place gave me diarrhea and vomiting. Needless to say, I'm not going back.
(2)
Jennifer V.
The Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings are finger lickin goodness!
(5)
E J.
I ordered the highly recommended fried chicken wings tonight. It's so salty, and I only took 3 wings. Now after an hour, I already suffered from Diarrhea :( apparently the wings are not fresh at all. Would never go to this place again
(1)
Brendan S.
This was one of the best Chinese food restaurants I've ever been to. It's in the heart of Chinatown in San Francisco and serves excellent, authentic dishes to locals and tourists alike. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants great Chinese food for cheap in S.F.
(5)
J T.
This is a solid 3 star place. Salt and pepper wings were aight. General chicken and asoaragus in oyster sauce were ok as well. Not in a hurry to go back. Anyone who gives this place more than 3 stars just lost all there street credit.
(3)
Mike L.
After several mistakes in terms of eating in Chinatown I've finally found a place that gets pretty much everything right. Some say you can't go wrong in Chinatown when eating chinese food, but they would be very very wrong. You can do quite bad. This, fortunately, is none of that. This place is indeed low key as it should be, with an extensive menu including other things in Chinese as one would expect. The bathroom is located behind the kitchen, so you have to go through their workspace to urinate, which is quite intimidating at first, but they're used to it, and the kitchen is (surprisingly!) very clean (for Chinatown). The wait staff was also surprisingly good with English and very friendly, with a sense of humor. The food was quite good, with no bad dishes in our ~10 dish dinner (preset menu + some additional stuff). The spicy chickenwings were a surprise, they seem to be quite popular and they should be, perfectly fried, not too greasy/battered, and quite salty (but not too salty). We also had a whole flounder, which was cooked in a black bean sauce instead of fried, so it was probably fresher than we've been used to. The beef stew bean curd clay pot is outstanding, and everything else is cooked nigh perfectly with no complaint by anyone (all chinese and one anglo) at our table. Spareribs were sweet and crispy, the soup (NOT the hot/sour, but I'm not sure which it was) was great, whole chicken was good. They even have waffles/ice cream for dessert, and offer breakfast in the mornings ! Prices were standard for Chinatown, about $6-12 for dishes, averaging around $7.50. There's pretty much nothing not to like about this place, at least when I went there. It's a great blend of low key/traditional and western so that I think tourists and local Chinese alike should be pleased.
(4)
Flydyl F.
For cheap Chinese, this place is great. We really enjoyed the roast duck, the wings, the hot pot... pretty much everything. The service was, for cheap Chinese, very friendly and attentive. The ambiance was well-lit, crowded, and cheerful. So glad we discovered this Chinatown gem.
(5)
Mrs C.
If fine dining is what your seeking then look elsewhere but if good, inexpensive chinese food is what your craving then grab a seat! The salt and pepper wings are AWESOME seasoned perfectly and the oyster omlette is pretty tasty too! KudOs!
(4)
Rider A.
Wings are crispy! It's great to be able to call ahead of time to order to go! Wow, they speak English in Chinatown! (not a knock but I've been to at least 30 restaurants there and most are English-challenged; but I still love the food.) Haven't eaten in the place but will try that out sometime; seemed clean when I went to pick up the wings!
(4)
James O.
This place probably had the most Yelp reviews when deciding on which Chinese restaurant to pick in Chinatown. While this place isn't bad at all, it is very crowded consistently and I've honestly had better food at another restaurant on that same street at Chef Hung's on 823 Clay Street. Also, Capital is CASH ONLY. There is an ATM around the corner, but it'll save you the trip. I had the sweet & sour chicken, potstickers, and Sesame Chicken. I'd say they were pretty good. The chicken had that fried vegetable oil taste. I think it could've used a little bit of soy sauce to add a little bit and bring out more of the chicken flavor. The sauce was pretty good though i think it could've been sweeter. It was a mixture of pineapple and tomato flavor but not as sweet. Overall, though, not bad.
(3)
Bill Z.
Been going here for the CHICKEN WINGS since I first found the place around 10 years ago! I still come back at least once a month. I know people will say there are plenty of better fried chicken out there, but this one is just the staple of Chinatown. These wings will taste better than any other restaurant in Chinatown for sure!
(5)
James C.
I searched Yelp and found this restaurant near the top of the list, if not the top. The food was excellent! They have so many choices of plates, it was a little hard for me to commit. I did however, end up with a dinner platter for around $11. It included: tea, egg roll, won ton soup (which is outstanding!), white rice and a combination of beef/broccoli and spicy chicken. I also had to order the famous chicken wings. I wasn't disappointed in my choice. My friend had a noodle platter, beef and broccoli too. He ate all of it! Good place in Chinatown! I recommend Capital restaurant - and the won ton soup!
(4)
Craig W.
My wife and I took the advice of many on Yelp and ordered the wings. Needless to say, there weren't any left after a few minutes! There were delicious!!! To top it off, the service was great and the restaurant was very clean. Oh, and one more thing... Cash only!
(5)
Anne F.
How do I break this addiction to their salt and pepper chicken wings? They are SOOOOO good. But the beer could be colder. Also - try the new Egg Tofu - its a japanese import hybrid of silken tofu and egg that is steamed together, then fried. the texture is absolutely lovely.
(5)
I Y.
I came here with my boyfriend, his mom, and his brother. We didn't know anything about the restaurants in SF Chinatown and didn't know where to look for recommendations. So we turned to Yelp. I should have known better than to trust Yelp for Chinese food. I am a snob when it comes to Chinese - mostly because I am Chinese and I enjoy authentic Chinese food. Sorry Yelpers, I'm sure this applies to other ethnic groups looking for their native dishes done right. We just have certain standards that we are looking for. Oh, this is a cash only restaurant by the way. So bring money... but not too much. The place is fairly inexpensive. We ordered the salt and pepper chicken wings, garlic chicken, stir-fried pea pod stems, fish and tofu claypot, and honey walnut prawns. We were served complimentary veggie and tofu soup before our dinner. This was a nice. Nothing special about the soup but it was still ok. We enjoyed the honey walnut prawns. That went quick. The salt and pepper wings were ok. I had better in Boston. The garlic chicken was totally not what I was expecting. I was expecting a half or whole roasted chicken with chopped garlic smothered over it. But, I guess, in the west coast, it's different. It came out to be sweet and sour deep fried chicken chunks. The fish and tofu claypot was meh. It lacked flavor and again wasn't what I was expecting. The stir-fried pea pod stems were ok. At the end of the meal, they brought us some sliced sweet navel oranges. We won't be back. There are too many other restaurants to try in SF Chinatown.
(2)
Abel L.
As I progress through Chinatown, I realize not all places were made alike. Some serve certain purposes, and some are only good at one specific thing. This place is good at Wings. It's pretty competitive with what they have over at New Golden Daisy, but it's much more EXPENSIVE: $8. They know they do it well, so they will charge you for it. TAKE AWAYS: - Cash only! - Commentary about their famous wings: It's drier and "safer" than the Golden Daisy (they offer more spices/flavors), but it's definitely a "CANNOT FAIL" dish. You will always agree its solidity and consistency of AWESOME POSSUM. - However, it looked really slow, and mostly family were there. - Place is somewhat of a diner-ish experience, but Washington Bakery & Restaurant does a better job of that. Overall, it's just the wings, but at what price?
(3)
Zachary H.
The Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings are EXTREMELY good, we actually just had a friend text us yesterday asking where he should eat in Chinatown and we suggested this restaurant and Hong Kong Clay Pot restaurant. We told him that if he went here, he should get the Chicken Wings. He did indeed decide to eat here, and he thought the chicken wings were delicious as well. We also ordered fish fillet with greens (bok choy), which was very good. We will probably go back there again soon!
(4)
Jamie B.
With so many places to eat in SF and Chinatown it is nice to know a local that can point you in the right direction. So my buddy Hugh took me to Capital Restaurant while I was in town. They are famous for they salt and hot pepper wings. They defiantly lived up to expectations. They were so good I went back and had then for dinner the next night.
(5)
Florence S.
Yumm! The chicken wings are really good. We always get the Salt and Pepper wings and the Thai style wings. I also love their Tofu with spicy meat sauce. The tofu is very moist and smooth. I wish the meat sauce was more spicy, though. Some family friends suggested we order the Tomato and Chicken pan fried noodles with curry. I believe it's not on the menu. You have to let them know you want to add curry. We're so glad we gave it a try! It was a very delicious (and surprising) combination. I would definitely recommend trying it. Prices are good for the portions. Cash only, though. Service is great. They're very prompt with getting us comfortable and taking our order. They were also good with refills. We didn't have to request it. There was a misunderstanding with the bill but they quickly cleared it up. Parking can be a difficult to find if you don't know where to look. An alternative would be to park in a nearby garage.
(4)
Tammy C.
So I did not read any reviews before coming here because I was just cruising around looking for lunch in a very hungry mode... Shrimp with Bok Choy noodles was good. But next time I will come back and try the chicken wings that everyone talks about!
(3)
Les W.
Inexpensive home style Chinese food. Their salt and pepper chicken wings are the best!
(4)
BETTY L.
My family has been coming here forever, I'm ABC so this place is heaven for me and the wings are to DIE for... If you are a vistor in SF, this is the local joint with Coffee too!
(4)
Charlie H.
Great chicken wings and good service. Ordering wings here is pretty much the standard and definitely in the top 5. Almost every table gets an order. The food is quite authentic and I recommend the fish fillet clay pot. The service is attentive and at least understands english. The prices are more than reasonable and the food comes out quite quickly.
(4)
Allison L.
This is the first time Yelp has steered me wrong. Drawn by the 4 star review, my husband and I chose this place over the other joints in Chinatown. Not what we were looking for. Service was atrocious. Felt like we were a burden to the staff just by walking in, like "oh fine, I guess we have room for you." After about a minute, we got the "aren't you ready to order yet" look. Decor is non-existent. Food was not good. Don't remember the exact dishes we had but the chicken was mostly fatty dark meat, some pieces were just fat. My husband's dish was mostly mushrooms when the description said nothing about mushrooms. Seemed like a good place for fast authentic Chinese food, definitely not for American Chinese food. Cash only...seriously?
(1)
Kristin P.
So far, our favorite Chinese restaurant in the city. Stand outs: -fried chicken wings (not as good as SO, but still pretty great) -egg tofu with ground pork -oyster omlette Four of us ate at least 6 dishes for $44. Yea, hi, that's awesome. Everything came out hot and super well seasoned and the ingredients were fresh. Nothing in terms of ambiance or service, but who needs that when the food's so tasty. Park around the block in the garage and get 2 hour validation. No excuse not to go now!
(4)
Karla R.
We found nothing here not to like. No, it's not fancy, but it's GOOD and INEXPENSIVE & YUMMY!! Everyone is right.....the salt & pepper wings are fantastic. We also enjoyed the General Chicken, Shrimp Fried Rice, some kind of BBQ Egg Fu Yung, some beef dish & the ultimate highlight Honey Walnut Prawns (not 100% sure on the name of this - waitress recommended). Had I known how delicious the prawn dish was going to be we may have just each ordered that, but it was all good. A big kick for us (yes, we're easily entertained) was traipsing through the kitchen to use the restroom. Everything back there seemed very clean and they were using what appeared to be all fresh ingredients. We even saw a very "fresh" chicken hanging around....... We stuffed 6 people full, with food still on the plates, including drinks for $91 We loved the authenticity!!!
(5)
Sue C.
This review is strictly based on their famous fried chicken wings w/ salt & pepper! The flavor and texture of the chicken is just perfect! Good for snack or with dinner.
(4)
Johnny W.
The quality here tends to vary, but the one thing that doesn't change is their bombass fried chicken. This place deserves 4 stars for the chicken alone. The skin is uniquely light, yet supremely crispy. Just salty enough to be right on the verge of being too salty. Spicy enough to satisfy. An all-around winner.
(4)
Becky H.
Salt and pepper chicken wings: Over hyped.
(3)
Monster B.
This is an authentic Chinese restaurant for the locals. The food is probably a 3 star, but the whole experience added another star. The honest and brusque staff was refreshing and funny at times. My table mates were lazy and went with a dinner combo and left it up to them to bring what they wanted. Everything (hot sour soup, mongolian beef, shrimp noodles w lobster sauce...and something else I'm forgetting) was good. But I will return for the service.
(4)
Caitlin F.
two words.... egg tofu. this is the only place in SF that i've been able to find it. love me some egg tofu
(5)
stephanie l.
For Chinatown, this place is pretty good--but that's really not saying much. We went there on a Friday night at 9:30 and we were sort of rushed around--they were definitely cleaning up as we finished our meal, but hey. What got to me was that they decided not to bring us two of our dishes. They didn't charge us for them, didn't apologize for not bringing them, just didn't bring them and were like, "Well." I don't regret going there--not really sure of many other late-night Chinatown options that could have been better.
(3)
Sonia C.
Great price and great food
(5)
Hugo C.
The other half and I were looking for a restaurant to hit up while in Chinatown and Yelp led us to this little gem. There's nothing fancy here, just finger-licking deliciousness. I could tell I was in the right place when I noticed that we were the only tourists in the place. We opted for one of their dinner specials. While we picked the dinner for 2, we received three family-style plates with massive mounds of food. We were so sad to realize we wouldn't be able to finish it all. The complimentary tea sure helped to wash it down, but we still did leave tons of leftovers. Our server asked us if we wanted to take our food home with us (wait, we don't look like tourists? score!). We regrettably told her that we didn't want to take any of the food home with us. She said, "You ordered too much food!" We let her know that we only ordered off of the fixed-price menu. She seemed sort of surprised, I suppose everyone else just orders a la carte. I'll make sure to stop by and do that on my next trip to Chinatown.
(4)
Charles L.
Victor L. and I seem to come here every Wednesday since we hit up Azul later in the night, and we haven't been complaining. We brought our friend Eric F. on the latest outing, and he wasn't disappointed either. There's a lot of restaurants in Chinatown that look exactlyyy the same. Capital.... is actually no different. You might actually miss it, but just remember - SAY UNCLEEEE. It's right next to a place called UNCLE'S RESTAURANT. Bwahahaha. We've gotten the chicken wings both times so far and have failed to finish them both times, even with Eric there. Don't get me wrong. They're good. There's just TOOMANYWINGS. Everything is pretty much solid. It's real Chinese food, and surprisingly not as greasy as I would expect. There is REAL Chinese food in SF Chinatown! I haven't had the chance to really try out anything else in Chinatown because I'm a skeptical of most of the places. Suggestions are welcome! Effin' WUN TUN House was closed when we tried to go. *SHAKES FIST IN ANGER*
(4)
Fatty A.
The salt and pepper chicken wings are for fatties only. These are the best I've had in the area. The rest of the food is aite. I'd rather hit up Hing Lung.
(5)
Winona R.
I totally forgot to order wings! I'll have to come back some day. I was worried once I got to chinatown that I wouldn't be able to find this place among the many, many other restaurants on the crowded streets. However, I remembered the pearls of widsom that were passed on to me through yelp--look for Uncle's! It's right next door, which makes it easier to find Capital. We ordered way too much food, but we were starving when we got there and everything sounded good to us. We had potstickers, shrip chow mein, almond chicken, and house fried rice. The fried rice was awesome--I'm not a fried rice fan in general but this was great. I ordered pan fried noodles by mistake for the chow mein and wasn't crazy about them, but it was my fault for blurting out the wrong thing. The hot tea was good, the place was tiny and reminded me of one of my favorite places in Seattle's chinatown, with various dishes that aren't on the menu printed in chinese and english on paper and displayed on the walls. We left completely stuffed and happy.
(4)
Quinn S.
I live in an apartment above this restaurant. No joke. I just moved in and after a brutal day of carrying heavy things to my 4th floor walk-up, I needed some nourishment. I have heard good things and bad things about this place, but I was not that discerning. I just needed to be fed. The woman at the counter was sweet and obliging. Food came out fast and HOT. The chicken wings were good, but did not astound me. I will still go to So or San Tung when I want amazing chicken wings.The hot and sour soup was good, but i feel like hot and sour is such a subjective thing, and this was not exactly my style. This place gets a tentative 3 star with room to move in either direction based on what I am sure will be several more visits in the near future. Looking forward to a breakfast this weekend.
(3)
Jennifer N.
Service terrible. Waitress never checked on us after our entrees were given and we could have reallllllly used a refill. And it's not like it was busy. We were the only occupied table and the waitress clearly ignored us. I even caught her looking at our empty glasses while she kept stocking the counter. The only way we could even get her to give us the check was to get up and head for the door (it was well over an hour before closing time too). My boyfriend and I left this place thirsty, angry, and feeling discriminated against. 2 stars for the food.
(1)
Vicky L.
On a recent trip into SF, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this restaurant. I've always called Chinatown as a cesspool and a place that only caters to tourists. I'm even willing to claim that Chinatown in SF uses Chinese cooks in the back yet, the food tastes worse than when a non-Chinese cook is stirfrying and cooking his heart out elsewhere. This place was a very pleasant surprise. We were on a time crunch and had an appointment near Chinatown so unfortunately I couldn't go to a more desired restaurant that the city offers. A quick check on my iPhone yelp app and scanning a few reviews reminded me of Capital. I came here once years ago, slightly buzzed, very hungry and not really remembering what I ate except for these delicious wings. We hopped on in, sat down and ordered. It is your typical Chinatown "shady restaurant" and things can definitely use some windexing and tables and chairs can be a little sticky, but the food and service here was very pleasant. The waitress actually smiled... and stopped what she was doing to refill our water. We ended up with the sizzling rice soup - very yummy! The shrimp was completely deveined and they had little slices of calamari in there. (Very fresh...) Salt and Pepper chicken wings.... Totally divine!! S asked for a side of sweet and sour sauce. I loved how there was very very limited batter on these wings. Nothing but little wings seasoned with salt/pepper/jalepenos. We also got a salted fish/chicken tofu claypot. The claypot was on the salty side, the salted fish added a nice brine to the dish without being rancidly fishy. The tofu was silky and plump. The dish was a bit heavy on the ginger - probably to cut the fishyness. If we didn't have the chicken wings, the claypot would have been great. The chicken wings set a new bar and expectation... in comparison, the claypot was only mediocre. Highly recommended if you can get past the sticky shady Chinatown look. Oh yeah, bring cash. They don't take plastic.
(4)
Janelle R.
hmmm pouring rain in the fidi best cure the best chicken wings ever made capital of course !!... I hate Chicken wings in general but these ones I'm addicted to !! Try these People comes with shallots and penos ! two things - quality of chicken could be better ( need free range ) & More penos and shallots
(4)
Rich W.
I've heard lot's of hype about Capital's salt & pepper chicken wings. I picked up two orders for $14.70 ($6.75/order b4 tax) for a Christmas potluck. Two dozen was not nearly enough for the 6 of us. They were tasty (after a few minutes) in the toaster oven. We'll be back for more wings next time passing thru Chinatown.
(4)
Ryan C.
I know people are raving about the chicken wings here (which I tried before and is pretty awesome), but I love to go here for their Tuesday prime rib special. Food: Never disappoints. As an appetizer, they serve their soup of the day I believe. This time was a bok choy soup, which made me feel like I was at home. It had great flavor and wasn't overwhelming, yet not extremely salty like how many other restaurants make their soups. Next was like heaven on a plate, a thick, juicy, slab of prime rib served with rice (you have the choice of either spaghetti or rice), a side of veggies, and a bowl of au jus. Their perfectly cooked, medium rare slice of prime rib was melt in your mouth delicious. They even gave me the bone with quite a bit of meat on the side (if requested). I absolutely loved every bite of it, especially dipping it in their lightly peppered au jus that absolutely takes it to another level. If you didn't think you had enough, they top it off with a small bowl of jello and ice cream at the end to have you, and especially young ones, leaving with a full stomach. Your meal also comes with a cup of coffee, which is bomb, because the refills are free :) Service: The waitresses are always both friendly and attentive. They remember me and my parents whenever we come back. And even though they may seem busy, they notice if you're done with your dish, or if you need something, and they come right over and are happy to help. Tips: Sadly, this special is only available Tuesdays, but if you want, they have other specials available the rest of the days of the week. Sometimes, they run out of their prime rib special in a couple hours, so I suggest you come at 11am when it opens, or not too late. I remember I went at 12 once, and they ran out. I learned my lesson after that.
(5)
Brandon J.
Visited this place after hearing about the bomb @$$ chicken wings! They met and exceeded my expectations. They were simultaneously crispy and juicy, and were the right amount of salty. The portion was more than fair. (You know it's gonna be good when you can hear the sizzling oil sounds from the kitchen.) We also tried the Singapore Noodles (one of my personal favorites). They too met my expectations! Fair amount of pork, seafood, and veggies included. The curry flavor was just right. Decor/Service: standard decor, older style restaurant. Walls are covered in images of the dishes they offer. Service was adequate; staff were friendly and pretty much left us to enjoy our late lunch. I will be going back to try some of their other dishes, namely their claypots.
(5)
Maria E.
Good, Chinese food in Chinatown! Yes, this night we were up for Chinese, and this restaurant was close to our hotel on Bush Street. After a short walk in Chinatown we arrived here and went in since it was buzzing inside and we got the feeling that it was good. We ordered 5 different dishes and they were all tasty and fresh. Maybe just a bit too non-spicy. I read in another review that the tea was free, but we had to pay 1 dollar for it. Recommend it!
(4)
Jean S.
There are so many restaurants in Chinatown, so pulled out my handy Yelp app and looked for one closest to us. After reading the reviews, this place looked promising. Granted I didn't read every single one of them and with a hungry family, it was what we picked. We walk in and it's pretty empty, so with a group of six, we go in. It's cash only, no ATM available, but the lady, who I guess is the owner, tells you there's one around the corner and you can get cash from there. We sit and look over the menu. The waitress comes over, no greeting which I've already expected, and asks what we want to order. I start given out what we want and she walks away. I didn't even realize she was gone until I look up and find myself talking with no waitress around. She walks back a few minutes later and says she heard what I ordered, but I hadn't even gotten through half of what we wanted. There is a number associated with the dish and I start giving her the number and she tells me no number just say the dish, so I start naming off the dish and she has a hard time understanding me. I have no accent, grew up in the states, so I know it's not me. She's standing across from me next to my husband and instead of coming over so she can see what I'm ordering she just keeps asking me to repeat myself. No big deal, just did what she asked. You get a free order of lemonade for checking in, but only 1 glass no matter how many entrees you order. I wouldn't have ordered it, but my boy wanted lemonade. I saw her mixing the drink, which is powder and water, you can skip it, doesn't taste good. The hot tea that they serve is pretty much like other places. After all that, we are done ordering and can't wait to eat. We order a good amount of food and the food comes out pretty quickly. The food serving is enough for us and it tastes good, so we are happy. So, walking around San Francisco, it's best to use the restroom when you can. My little boy needed to go, so we ask if there was one and surprising, there is. It's through the working kitchen in the back. I really, really wish we hadn't needed to go. The bathroom is so gross. Dirty rags, dirty floors, just looks like it hadn't been cleaned in months. I understand Chinatown is older and most stores are like that. Bathroom is just a side note, I know we aren't there to rate the bathroom, but the kitchen was so gross! Bugs, roaches climbing everywhere. There were chicken wings soaking in the sink. Who know how long it's been there. The water wasn't clear, but milky looking. People eating there would come back and wash their hands in the sink where the chicken was soaking. There was an open trash can, like the ones you put your trash in to take out to the curb, with the lid on top of the counter. Omg!! If I had seen this before we ate I would have walked out. I've been to Asia and am Asian, so I know this is common there, but with health standards in the states, it was shocking to see. The food tastes good and no one was sick after eating the food. The waitress and staff doesn't even bother me, I'm use to it, but because of what I saw in the kitchen area, we wouldn't eat there again. So 3 stars for taste of food, 0 star for the kitchen, so I give the place a 1.
(1)
Brian F.
Simple, clean Chinese food in Chinatown. What more are you looking for? Everything we had was cooked and seasoned just right, without being too oily. I love a place where I can get fried rice that is white, not yellow or brown. Light and fresh. Recommend: 1. The Pea shoots with garlic. They actually put fresh garlic buds in the dish! 2. Garlic chicken. Fried perfectly in a sweet and spicy sauce. Every waitress was nice, and some of them were quite funny. It was a nice balance of good service and that industrious pace you expect in authentic Chinese restaurants. Finally, reasonably priced. Three of us had two dishes each, and the total bill was under $60. Only thing lacking, as you can probably guess, is ambience. But I refuse to take away a star. Chinese restaurants in Chinatown cannot be evaluated on their ambience. Definitely plan to return...
(5)
Patrick G.
This place is Awesome. They are very friendly. I ordered the Salmon Steak, it was great. I'll be coming here more often.
(5)
Nancy D.
Ahh.. my FIRST REAL REVIEW for 2015 ! Located in the heart of Chinatown it was a bit hard for me to find since I am not from San Francisco but when I did get nearby I recognized the sign from afar! The place is a bit cramped but hey it is Chinatown. The owner greeted us and was extremely helpful! We ordered the crab, clams and their famous wings. Crab: It was OK. I couldn't say it was amazing but it wasn't awful. It could use more garlic , green onion and salt. Wings: They were perfectly salted on the outside but inside it was just really bland. Clams: MY FAVORITE DISH! The noodles were fragrant with the "wok hei" and the clams were stir fry in garlic. UGH. DELISH!! Overall my experience was good! I might not be back only because there is so many places to try in Chinatown so it might be a little while until I return. Thank you Capital Restaurant for being so kind and helpful!
(3)
Karen C.
Review is for the wings, because why would you get anything else here? Jk, I had the regular food here and it was alright. Back to the wings: 12 (yes, I counted them) juicy, hot, crispy, slightly spicy wing thingies for ~$9. Sure, their prices went up, but it's still worth it. The wings are amply sized. Only complaint: the msg they sprinkle on the wings.
(4)
chris b.
Found this restaurant on YELP - a good catch. They have very fresh and delicious lunch specials. Great classic (American style) Chinese food as well as traditional local Chinese. Prices are very reasonable for large delicious portions. I had the hot & sour soup (small is plenty for one) which was great. And the shrimp with vegetables and rice, very fresh and good. My gf had the grilled pork and string beans and she loved it. We sat at a communal table and set cue was fast. Here's a photo. A good find amongst a SEA of restaurants in Chinatown.
(4)
Akemi H.
Went to try this place out Sunday night since my friend was given a flyer of it. Well it looked good in pictures. There was a wait to be seated. We waited maybe about five min for five of us. When we got inside it was SOOO hot! We order a total of seven dishes. We actually got six to begin with, but it wasn't enough for the five of us. The portion sizes are meant to be for two to three people to share. Between the five of us we seriously only got two to three pieces of each dish. We order: Chicken Cream Corn Soup, The Famous Chicken Wings, Vinegar Sauce Spareribs, Orange Chicken, Honey Walnut Prawns, Chinese Broccoli with garlic and white rice. I thought there was too much salt on the wings. The soup was good. The ribs weren't bad. The orang chicken was eh, I had better. The honey walnut prawns weren't prawns, but was good. Chinese broccoli was good and the white rice was good too. I checked in and unlocked the "lemonade drink" since you get that free for checking in. We'll...I put it in quotes cause all it is is some lemon juice, water, and a couple pieces of lemon. I couldn't believe it. And it's regular price is $2.95! Seriously!? It was gross. I took one sip and passed. Also getting to the service. Our server wasn't the nicest or friendly-est person there. I asked about that lemonade drink when we got there and she totally forgot about it, I had to ask another lady for it. Then we had to ask for water refills and when we asked they seem like they weren't too happy about that. Then since they wrote in Chinese on our check we can't read it, we aren't chinese so my friend asks the lady what it says and he goes "sorry we can't read this..." And she says back to him "YEAH, I know." Wow!!! Excuse us. So overall, I WON'T Be back! My friends and I didn't see what was so great about this place. I don't see how this place has three and a half stars, guess mine and my friends taste buds are just not into this. Oh and they ONLY take CASH!!
(2)
Ariel T.
About a month ago I had the pleasure of visiting this restaurant with a few friends on vacation. We had another restaurant in mind, but on a whim we decided to try this place because it smelled delicious and we were starving. I ordered the specialty chicken wings, the chicken fried rice (not my idea, way too basic), and the honey walnut shrimp. Hunty.....let me tell you-the chicken wings were bomb. After the first bite I started calling them wangz because they were deserving of their own name. The honey walnut shrimp was on point too, however the chicken fried rice was lacking. Normally, I wouldn't have ordered that but it was a Sunday and I was trying to turn over a new leaf by humbling myself and not taking over my friends order. Lesson learned. The next time I return will try one of the barbeque pork rices, because they sounded and looked tasty on the restaurant menu picture. No complaints though, everything was fresh and tasted fantastic! Looking forward to my next visit!
(4)
Ann L.
CASH ONLY. 2nd time to Capital Restaurant for dinner Sat 11/22/14. We beat the crowd by going there around 5:30pm. Got: FREE hot tea - fine FREE lemonade - with Yelp Check-In. Tasted ok, sweet and tangy. I think there was a dead bug in it noticed it way too late, so then I couldn't finish it. Bleh. B. got a beer - he drank it all Big pea shoots w/ garlic - tasty, favorite dish. Beef clay pot - not much meat, lots of tendons, and dried bean curd. I liked the brown sauce. I think it was Fried oysters w/ onions - B. liked it, I didn't eat it. Huge pot of white rice CASH ONLY. We paid $44.95 before tip. Bathroom through the kitchen - I didn't want to use it.
(2)
Kiai K.
Not a fan of Chinese food, but this place made an impression. Greeted with a bowl of turnip soup. Not given dirty looks for not speaking Chinese even though I look like I should. A lot of choices on the menu. Specials on each day of the week like flounder with Chinese broccoli on Tuesdays. Staff is very nice saying hello and good-bye to everyone. Some have good manners too. I really wanted greens. And I love mustard greens. And there on the menu, mustard greens. I got the dish with two kinds of mushrooms. I think these veggie dishes are meant to be shared as sides because the server asked if I wanted a side of rice. I wish I asked for a side of wheat noodles. (Really don't like rice. Well, noodles come from China, don't they?) Argh. Now want noodles! The food reminded me of my Chinese-friend-from-growing-up's mom's food, except better tasting and without cheap corn oil. In spite of the ubiquitous brown sauciness of the dish, hints of crystallized ginger came through. The flavor of mustard got lost amidst the mushrooms but at least it wasn't repulsive. Dish would have been awesome over noodles with some hot sauce. Hmm. I wonder if their hot sauce has preservatives.
(4)
Kristen C.
The chicken wings here are exceedingly superior to the ever-popular San Tung variety. Yeah, I said it. While San Tung douses their chicken in sticky, cloyingly sweet sauce, Capital preserves the integrity of the wings with simple, balanced flavors that just work. The exterior of each chicken wing is perfectly crispy and salty, with a hint of jalapeño spice, and the meat inside remains tender and juicy and sooooo gooooood. The egg tofu is also worth noting, and serves as a nice side dish. I will say that the restaurant may not be too aesthetically inviting, but don't let that deter you. True beauty lies deep within. I've always had a wonderful experience dining here. Capital's is one of the few Chinese restaurants I feel comfortable going to without bringing along someone who speaks Chinese. The waitstaff is always pleasant and efficient, and the wait time for food is never unreasonable. Capital's, I Love you (with a CAPITAL "L" heh heh heh, get it... because the name of their restaurant is "Capital" heh heh heh... I'll see myself out).
(4)
Alice X.
Chicken wings!! Get the chicken wings!! Every table in the restaurant orders the chicken wings! Even the waitresses there will assume you'll order the chicken wings! $9.85 for 12 chicken wings! Order the Egg Tofu w/ Spicy Minced Meat and the dried scallops egg white fried rice! And also remember to get a free lemonade with Yelp Check-In and you'll be set to have a tasty meal! The waitresses are super nice too!
(5)
Jayn J.
Capital's fried chicken wings are sort of neighborhood favorite. They are in truth just like much of the rest of the food, good food, cooked just right-to the local taste, and at a very reasonable price. This is really and old school diner serving locals. Both my parents and myself will often get "take out" here when we are too busy to cook. Just look in the window at lunch time and you will see it full of Chinatown residents. Then you know the food is a good and the price is right.
(5)
Steve G.
I hang out at the Y a block away so I come here often. Food is usually very good, cheap and fast. All you could want from a Chinese restaurant. My favorite is the Hung Tao Yee Foo Won Ton, which is kinda hard to find. Capital makes it just right and sets the standard as far as I'm concerned. If you know of any better, let me know. Also like the famous salt and pepper fried chicken wings. If I come here with more than 4 peeps, we usually get 2 orders. Also have had the chow mein and chow fun and both are not bad. Service is not bad for a Chinatown restaurant. Wait staff don't speak much English but are friendlier than many Chinese restaurants. Not the top quality and some dishes are better than others, but overall a great value.
(4)
Vicki S.
Service was depressing! Usually I expect mediocre service in Chinese restaurants since that seems to be the trend. Service is different between Chinese and non-Chinese customers. I was here without my Chinese family and with a half-Chinese friend instead, and they pegged us as being not Chinese, which was a pretty interesting experience. Some notable differences: we weren't immediately offered hot tea, and were given a fork instead of chopsticks (the ultimate disappointment- I was rendered in shock for minutes!). After I started speaking Chinese, my service changed to what I would normally expect. I was also offered chopsticks (yes!). Later, I ordered a beer, and had my ID checked by one of the waiters. A few minutes later, another woman barked at me in Chinese asking "are you even 21 years old?" (now this is the kind of authentic Chinese service I expect!) I bore through the emotional stress of having lost evidence of my ethnicity all the while believing that glorious, delicious food awaited. We had the seafood hotpot, roast pork chow mein, and potstickers. Potstickers were ok, no surprises there. Chow mein was lacking in pork- slices of bbq pork were cut into even smaller slices for the noodles, and they tasted like they were likely yesterday's pork. The seafood in the hotpot was good, but lacked good fresh tofu and more vegetables- there was only cabbage leaves at the bottom (have definitely had better elsewhere). I go to Chinese restaurants to get a taste and feel of home, but I felt very alienated here!
(2)
Luis D.
I have been to China and every Chinatown in the big cities and this place is right up there with the best Chinese food I have ever had. Now, lets delve a little deeper. I am not talking about fake Chinese food like you get at the mall, I am talking some real Chinese food. This place has it and it has it done right. Real good and when I come back to SF I will come back. The wait staff is also real good here.
(5)
MJ G.
Ordered pea shoots, yin yang fried rice, chicken wings, beef chow fun, tofu and shrimp. All dishes were great especially the pea shoots and chicken wings! Oh the crispy chicken wings! Crispy and flavorful but doesn't keep well overnight. First time having yin yang fried rice and I must say I will be ordering this from here on out. This place is great for chinese american home cooking. Gets busy at lunchtime, so order ahead if possible. Will be back!
(4)
Der Maibaum L.
This place is very addicting! Not only their chicken wings are spot on, but even their beef and broccoli stir fry noodle is the bomb!
(5)
Nellie J.
well capital was one of our favorite places the chicken wings are still good and the hung tao yee won ton .my husband likes the salted fish patty here.but most of the items has become somewhat tasteless. I think they have been cutting back on the flavor. we still get our to go here but are a little picker about what we order. take note 3pm is when most Chinese restaurants have their lunch . so your meal may not come as fast or your to go items may take longer .oh I hear there is 2 different cooks that may be why the lack of flavor on some dishes.oh the prices have gone up from about $7.50 to about close to $10 for most items quite a big jump .hung tao yee won ton not as good as before.
(2)
Tim W.
Very mediocre Chinese food. Apparently their salt and pepper chicken wings are "famous". I thought they were done well with the perfect amount of spice and a nice crunch but not as good as the wings at San Tung. Every other dish we ordered was sadly sub-par. Egg flower soup, bland broth that tasted like straight water with no eggy flavour along with what looked like leftover vegetables scraps. Beef stew clay pot with turnips, was decent. The meat was a little tough and the flavors were somewhat satisfying. BBQ pork chow mein, again nothing really notable. My go-to dish for Chinese restaurants, dry sauteed string beans, was a huge disappointment here. Flavorless beans, some undercooked, accompanied by large amount of dry and bland ground pork. Overall, everything was just bland. It almost tasted like they didn't use any soy sauce or cooking wine.
(2)
Darren S.
I have extremely high standards for Chinese, having lived in Beijing for over a year. This got close to what I expect. The chicken wings were the least impressive part to me, although everyone raves about them. The Bbq pork ribs were excellent as well as the garlic lotus root dish. The fried chicken is good, but it's just fried chicken. In China it would be covered in spices, here it's covered in batter. The bbq pork probably gave me the unique bathroom experience the next day. The lotus root was very traditional expect still somewhat lacking in spices. They are however very generous with the tree ear mushrooms, yum!
(4)
Michael B.
Low prices, great Chinese food. Yumm
(5)
Lin G.
So we were on the prawl for some good Chinese food and ended up at Capital Restaurant. The restroom does not exist. So pee before you come here. I tried to wash my hands and was directed to the back kitchen, where fishes were being decapitated and it smelled like much worse had happened earlier. And there were no soap. Despite all that, I was pleased with the food. We got fried chicken wings, an eggplant claypot (fresh eggplants and yummy pork), and the house wonton soup (so tasty). It was all sooooo good and at very reasonable prices. I actually paid for dinner for the first time in ever since I could remember and it came to $31 for everything. The portion sizes were enormous! So large that after shocking my friend by how much I ate, we still had enough to take home for another meal for me the next day!!! Happy MEOW BIRD!!!
(5)
Dee B.
My mom and I were walking around Chinatown looking for somewhere to eat. We were walking down the street and about to look at the menu posted on the windows of this restaurant, when this old lady suddenly appears and says "Are you hungry? Come in! Come in!" Mother decided to follow the old lady because "she was convincing and reminds me of grandma." *_* We ordered the house special fried rice, 1/2 roasted duck and honey walnut shrimp. There was only one server and almost a full house, so service was slower than usual. She honey walnut shrimp first, then after a few minutes the roasted duck. The rice was served around 5 minutes later. The food was pretty average. It was not bad but not good enough to stand out.
(2)
Steven C.
Found this place thanks to Yelp! Was looking for a good place to eat. Ended up sitting with a local, and three tourists from Utah. What a great experience, family style. If you eat here, opt to sit with strangers and spark a conversation. You never know who you're going to meet! :-D Ordered wonton noodle soup, bitter melon with pork on white rice, and salt pepper chicken wings. Come prepared: parking is tough, 25cents gets only 5 minutes on the meter. We parked at the meter two blocks away for an hour and made it back with 10 minutes to spare. The other option is a parking garage $10 flat rate; get this if you plan on walking around the area. Lots of shops to check out. These streets/markets are jam packed with folks. Also the restaurant only accepts Cash.
(4)
Matt G.
The start of 2010, New Years Day, my day-off and my birthday too. Nobody wants to spend my birthday with me. Not even my family who abandoned me. And not even some of you yelpers too. Shame on you, but I still love you all! The only person to wish me a "Happy Birthday" is my lovable niece. So we walked around Union Square and build up an enormous appetite and landed here for dinner. New Years Day was busy for this restaurant, which is good. So we sat at the counter table. Being here for the first time and reading many reviews from the restaurant for their Salt and Pepper Wings, I wanted to try that item. Niece, who I influenced with everything related to "big", ordered the Yang Chow Fried Rice. The wings and the rice plate were both $6.95 each The wings were spicy and crunchy and indeed the "real deal". But the fried rice was a bit bland and could've add a kick to make the rice plate better. We each also got a bowl of house soup and hot tea. The friendly waitresses were indeed friendly and helpful, despite dissing my niece's credit card because the restaurant only accept cash.. So guess who paid? The "birthday man" did.
(3)
Angelique V.
Our gang's go-to for terrific Chinese food. Of course, order the best chicken wings you'll ever have. Other faves: dried scallop & egg white fried rice, pea shoots, bitter melon, tofu with meat sauce, egg foo young, tofu with shrimp. And, no corkage fee for your wine! Not fancy (fluorescent lights), but fab food, fun times and an amazing bargain as well.
(5)
M W.
The fried chicken wings here are fried not differently than any other chinese take out joints across the country with one exception. They add salt and pepper to them afterward. "Wow these wings are great!!!" Really?
(3)
Ben T.
Great wings. I can only imagine the rest is just as good. Mostly locals, not a tourist trap.
(5)
Vici K.
Staff a bit short, but we came right at closing. In fact the cooking staff came out to eat while we finished. Started with won ton soup really tasty, then an order of put stickers really good also. Then salt & pepper wing. These were yummy but no drummettes. The rest of the meal was so-so. Beef with double mushrooms-mushrooms tasty but beef bland, sauce had no flavor. BBQ chow mein, I've had better at Panda.
(2)
J T.
I will preface this by saying I eat Chinese food at least twice a week and a close friends have owned very successful Chinese restaurants. That being said, I can't believe the rating of this place! 4 stars? Are you kidding? In the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles, there are many dozens of places that out do this place on their worse day! The fried chicken wings were the best of the bunch. They were crispy but a bit salty and tough. The tofu with meat sauce was good also but was under seasoned and the onions were not cooked out enough. The crispy chicken chow mien is a staple at all Chinese restaurants and an easy one to make. Unfortunately this popular dish gets a failing grade at this place. The noodles were under fried & soggy, sauce was under seasoned, and the chicken was full of cartilage. The Chinese greens with garlic was underwhelming also. The problem here is that they used a really cheap main ingredient and majority of stems instead of ends. This is similar to eating a plate of broccoli stems! The last dish was a plate of fried rice which is best described as lifeless - flat in flavor, color, and appeal. Skimpy on ingredients, but full of rice. This place is cash only, so be prepared. Parking and traffic is hell so bring your patience. Disappointing to say the least. Pass and try another.
(2)
Carly T.
Ok so we ordered the "famous wings" and yes they were pretty amazing. My boyfriend demolished them and said they were the best wings he's had in awhile and they don't even have sauce on them. But they are still awesome. We ordered the egg rolls and those came out super hot and fresh. The Mongolian beef was amazing. And the chicken chow mein was very fresh and tasty! The price is also good too! Worth trying!
(4)
Ed U.
Deck the harrs with boughs of horry, fa-ra-ra-ra-ra, ra-ra-ra-ra T'is the season to be jarry, fa-ra-ra-ra-ra, ra-ra-ra-ra... Jingre bers, jingre bers, jingre arr the way. Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sreigh! That's my favorite scene in the 24-hour showing of "A Christmas Story" on TBS. It happens near the end when Ralphie and his family go out to the Chop Suey Palace on Christmas after the neighbor's dogs rampaged their kitchen and took the turkey. Well, Jamie W. and I performed our annual Christmas tradition today...went to a movie and ate at a Chinese restaurant. We saw "Nine" since we figured everyone else was seeing "Avatar", and hey, I like singing and dancing. Be Italian. So we knew pickins would be slim for eats afterward...except in Chinatown. Jamie remembered a recommendation from an aspiring city supervisor that Capital has the best fried chicken wings in town. A nice surprise. The $6.95 Fried Chicken Wings are really good, flavored up with a heavy shake of salt and pepper (see photo). There are a dozen to nibble, and the jalapenos and chopped scallions provide a nice kick. We also had the $9.95 Sauteed Pea Shoots with Garlic, which was slick and savory with the garlic cloves just the right consistency to eat whole (see photo). In a bold move for a Christian holiday, I asked the waitress if we could have a chow fun version of the $6.50 Sam See Chow Mein, and they obliged willingly (see photo). There was plenty of squid, pork and chicken in the dish. It just needed a bit more kick. Jamie and I both liked the place and thought the service was really top-notch when I think of the passive abuse I've received at Sam Wo's. I'd put Capital up there with Hunan Homes as the best that Chinatown has to offer to the layman diner. It's enough to make me sing... Deck the harrs with boughs of horry, fa-ra-ra-ra-ra, ra-ra-ra-ra T'is the season to be jarry, fa-ra-ra-ra-ra, ra-ra-ra-ra... FOOD - 4 stars...those wings really hit the spot, a nice treat on a cold day AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...cleaner than the usual eatery in the 'hood...it's quite a trek through the prep area to that restroom though SERVICE - 4 stars...attentive and fast, even as the swarms started to come in TOTAL - 4 stars...a "Capital" idea when you're schlepping through Chinatown
(4)
Anthony R.
These wings be crispy. Almost like the meat and skin is fused together as one. Don't really know how they sell a dozen for $7.95.... ...don't wanna know.
(4)
Javier A.
At first, I was a little concerned. Small hole in the wall place. Once the food came, it was all good. Had broccoli beef, lemon chicken, sweet and sour pork, chow mien, and pork fried rice. My mother in law is very picky about eating out, she had 3 plates.
(5)
Sukari H.
To say I love this place is an understatement. This is my favorite restaurant in San Francisco. Whenever I come home from school I always end up eating here. There Wonton soup with noodles and without noodles is delicious. I had it once and then had it again for my birthday when I went with a group of friends for my birthday. My all time favorite thing there is their chicken wings. Coming from an African American I have eaten plenty of chicken wings and they have the best I have ever had so far! I would recommend this place to everyone!
(5)
Brad L.
Maybe I just had a bad experience but I really do not get why this place is so well loved. Yes the place is cheap for the city. Yes it feels very authentic. Yes the chicken wings are great. However, everything else was bland or salty. We were a large group and ordered a wide variety of dishes and besides the chicken wings I thought the food was mediocre to poor. The vegetables varied between over and under cooked. The place was packed and the servers were definitely running around. I know some people think that the very brusk service is part of the charm. I do not find it charming to have to ask multiple times and wait twenty minutes to get water, plates, napkins, or any of the other things that help with actually eating the food. With the variety of great places to eat in the city I do not understand why anyone would waste a meal here.
(2)
Wendy L.
Clean restaurant that I'd liken to a Chinese diner. Chinatown residents seem to be regulars. The food is not bad. My dad and I ordered the Chinese lunch special, which came with a soup of the day (tofu w/ seaweed). I had the chicken w/ Chinese broccoli; my dad had the spareribs with green beans. Both were just fine. For $6.00 pp, the meal was a good value, nothing to write home about, but good enough to fill a hungry stomach at lunchtime.
(3)
Chad B.
This is what cheap Chinese food was meant to be. The menu is the standard fare found at Chinese restaurants across America. But the preparation lacks the excess oil and salt so common to this fare. In other words, the food taste great. The egg foo young is creamy; the vegetables are crisp tender; the shrimp is plump; the squid is not rubbery. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
(5)
Andrea G.
Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings...thats all i have to say! I only have one warning. This place is loaded with MSG! So those of you who are sensitive to it like I am avoid it!
(4)
Claire B.
Chinatown's best kept secret. Although it may not have the snazziest decor, the food is amazing. Don't forget that it's CASH ONLY! Personally, I'd recommend the fried chicken wings, but truly anything you order will exceed your expectations.
(5)
Dexter D.
Chicken Wings! Chicken Wings! Chicken Wings! No wingtips. No drummettes. Just the mid-joint wing with the two bones. Fried to crispy perfection with just the right amount of salt and jalapeno peppers!! I was leading some friends on a "foodie tour" of my own design. We also had some deep fried oysters (okay) and potstickers (good). Service, as always was disjointed and we had to share a large round table with some other folks but that's the way it is in Chinatown. lol.
(4)
Davidson H.
It was a cold New Years Eve night and the troops were hungry for some real food. Stumbling into Capital was the best choice, and this place ranks up with some of the best Chinese food in the world and that is no joke. If you have followed my reviews you will know that I have eaten Chinese food all over the world and have great experience in these matters. First allow me to say that the customer service at Capital is excellent, and the wonton is exceptional. Lets just say a few things about the food and leave it at that. First and foremost the Wonton soup is the best I have ever had in my entire life, just incredible. The chow mein was just average with very slender noodles. The fried rice was average as well, and the egg rolls a little over cooked on the exterior. Cashew chicken was a plate I could not keep my hands off of, it was like Lucy Liu wearing Victoria Secret caressing herself before your very eyes. I had to have more of the cashew. Capitol will be one of my go to Chinese restaurants in San Francisco, but there is so many restaurants in the city I will probably explore some new venues. If you want to fill up on good food and good service this is the place.
(4)
Sylvia C.
Not Authentic Chinese Food! This place is suppose to be known for their fried chicken wings, but it has gone downhill. The chicken wings are crispy, but you could barely taste the spice. Cleanliness: 1 star Found rice on my spoon for soup. Bowls had grease stains. Taste: 1 Star Food comes out quickly, but not what is ordered. Oyster Sauce Beef, no oyster sauce. Mongolian Beef, taste like red pepper beef. Egg minced beef, no egg and a whole lot of peas Service: 2 If you are looking for service, this is not the place to go
(2)
Rebecca H.
As a native San Franciscan/Chinese-American, I always feel that it is my duty... I mean that I get the lucky honor/privilege of introducing non-San Franciscans to all that is wonderful and amazing about SF as I know it. One of those to-do's is getting the salt and pepper chicken wings from Capital's! Light, with just the perfect batter and that yummy hot fried smell wafting through the air...it's like a dream come true...except that you can repeat this dream on multiple occasions when you want to and it's real. However, one night, one of my friends was craving Asian food and my first thought was do you like salt and pepper chicken wings. With that rhetorical question (as if you could say no), I immediately thought of Kirin and Capital's. However, my family was planning on going to Kirin's the next day and 2 nights in a row is a little overkill for me. So, on to Capital's, we went. I don't know if the cook had an off night or if they hired a new cook between now and July, but the salt and pepper chicken wings were salty, and just not amazing. They weren't hot from the fryer. They were tiny chicken wings that bordered on mediocrity. The batter didn't float on the wings. What the fudge?!?! I have never felt so disappointed in myself as a Chinese American raised in SF. It also didn't help that the waitress switched my order from fu ken fried rice to chicken fried rice. I might just stick to ordering fried chicken wings to go. I always seem to get the right cook when I do take-out.
(3)
William C.
Would I go back? Maybe. The food was average and the service was not so great. I walked in and no one greeted me or indicated that I was to wait to be seated. I wondered through the restaurant before being told that I would need to at one of the smaller tables at the front. It took several minutes for a menu to be produced and then several more minutes for me to place my food and drink order. The wait from order to food was okay but I could not help but notice that others in the restaurant (possibly regulars?) were receiving much more attentive and prompt service. I ordered General's Chicken, my favorite dish when eating Chinese. It was only okay and on par with other places I have tried. It was not that spicy and the taste was dominated by salt rather than the full flavor of the onions and peppers that usually dominate the flavor. The rice was basic white and steamed. No different than what I can fix at home.
(2)
Linda H.
This is a cash only, greasy spoon spot with a plethora of menu choices and pictures on the wall of their meals to help you with your choices. I had a horrible customer service experience here but, shoot, it's Chinatown and since that whole region is NOT known for their customer service, I didn't knock any stars off for that. If you are in a group, get the Salt & Pepper Chicken wings to share. There are normally 10 to a plate. I usually don't care for chicken wings but these are light and crispy and one of the best in Chnatown (although I've heard that Sun Sang is better & cheaper too!) Surprisingly, the Egg Tofu with Spicy Pork (ask for a side of rice with the meal if eating solo) is really good! I like tofu but not enough to order it at a restaurant but here, it's my favorite dish. The tofu is soft and fresh and the minced meat and vegetables are tasty. I've tried a LOT of their other dishes before I banned the place but will have to say the egg tofu with spicy pork is what kept me coming back. They serve really cheap lunches ($4.50 - $7 range) and the food is good (not spectacular, just good) so I gave this place 3 stars. Hong Kong Clay Pot is similar to Capital Restaurant in style but tastes better and is just as cheap so I would recommend that restaurant above this one based on taste and price and DEFINITELY customer service. Although I won't knock stars off for their service, I will highly recommend that if you order food to go to refuse to pay until the food is ready. They are interested in closing a food order (getting the cash from those who haven't yet paid) over service so you might find yourself labeled as their bottom priority once your money is in their hands. I was unapolegetically placed as a bottom priority after paying cash upfront for a to go order. I sat and watched patrons come, order, eat, and go and still wasn't served. When I asked about my order, I was told that they would go check but was never updated afterward. They even asked me to move seats so that I can make room for other customers. It was ridiculous so, since this place is a dime a dozen in Chinatown and I have a pet peeve against unfair treatement, I won't be going back but won't discourage others from trying it either.
(3)
Robert O.
Maybe I should have tried the chicken wings. Instead, on a rainy day when i was hungry and stopped in for some Won Ton soup and spring rolls. Unfortunately, the waitress brought some pot stickers instead and charged me extra for them. Both the soup and the pot stickers were about the most tasteless I've ever had. Poor quality ingredients, too. Super bland. If they can't get these basics right, then I have to wonder about their other dishes.
(2)
Rachel E.
After several appetite inducing hour of shopping in union square (is it just me or is trying on clothes exhausting?!) the boyfriend and I decided to take a stroll through chinatown and find something tasty to eat. I have a theory that the places even half a block up or down the hill from Grant are 10x better and cheaper than any tourist trap, so when we saw capital restaurant and realized we were the only white people in a 20 foot radius, we went right in. We stood around at the entrance waiting to be seated. Several parties walked right in, made gestures at one of the waitresses, and then just went to go sit down. (Rookie mistake #1 to avoid if you go). Once we decided what we wanted, mushu pork, we waited for someone to come take our order. Again, other tables were just waving their arms and/or grabbing someone as they went by (rookie mistake #2 to avoid). We gave them our order and they brought out some tea which was nice. The mushu itself was really good. I thought the pancakes were oddly textured though, much thiner and tougher than I've had at other places where the tortillas resemble, well...tortillas. 4 stars for the food. The bathroom is literally through the kitchen which was interesting. Typically I don't like to see the remains of the animal they cut up to put in my food, but I guess a good sign for freshness? That was a huge turnoff. The main reason I subtracted a star was because the restaurant was so noisy, there was a ton of banging around, and lots of yelling. Service was also pretty non existent.
(3)
Vera W.
While I don't think SF Chinatown has a lot of good Chinese restaurants (I've been spoiled from living in SoCal), I do believe that it's one of the better ones. I guess Will Smith was lucky and stumbled upon a "good" Chinese restaurant (see pictures of him in the restaurant). We ordered the hot & sour soup (it was pretty pepper-y, and I thought it was good, typical), glazed walnut and shrimp (good, but also typical), some fish with eggplant (the eggplant was good but the fish was just alright), some fried rice (typical)... And now for the salt & pepper chicken wings. I was skeptical about how amazing it would be... And, I was right to be. It wasn't that amazing. It was average. As I bit into the wing, the oil splurted in my mouth. It was kind of gross, in that sense. The chicken was still tender, but it was too much oil for me. I wish there was more flavor, well more than the oil. Anyway, it is one of the better restaurants in Chinatown, so it would be a place to take somebody if you wanted to show them Chinatown's better food. I didn't like the way the space looked though... It had the cafeteria-type of feel.
(3)
Mary M.
The Salt & Pepper Chicken wings are delicious! I've had similar at sam woo (cerritos, ca and irvine, ca) this is much more delicious. Skin is crispy and perfectly salty and spicy with the jalapeno. Came out piping out. We were on a food mission and my boyfriend and I ordered this dish alone. Wing and hot tea. =) Thanks to my foodie friend for recommending this place! YUM! Worth it!
(5)
Seung Hyun Y.
After not coming to Chinatown (CT) for awhile, the SALT & PEPPER CHICKEN WINGS are still the best! I think this is the only eatery I frequent in SF Chinatown for the deep fried chicken wings. The noodle soups and beef chow fun are also good options too if you're trying to reduce the pounds. I always take my food to go, so the to go service is friendly and quick.
(5)
Tess T.
Chicken wings. That's all you need to know. But pass on the complimentary soup they try to give you after you order. Don't risk burning your taste buds before the wings come. And it might make you want to go to the bathroom and you don't want to do that here, or anywhere in Chinatown for that matter. Why? Because their bathroom is...just don't drink too much so you don't end up having to go. It's all about the chicken wings!
(4)
Mike L.
After a few missed attempts to grab a bite to eat, Vicky L. and I finally got a chance to meet-up for dinner recently. On the menu? Some budget-friendly food in Chinatown. After all, when on the hunt for some good, cheap Chinese food, I can't think of anyone better for some recommendations than CCG! Well, in addition to my utter uselessness for choosing restaurants in Chinatown (sorry Vicky!) - no joke, most of the places I know of have closed down or changed. Given the semi-rain that was coming down, we took a short walk and eventually found ourselves at Capital. Now, I have to admit...despite having lived in the city for years and years, I had never even heard of Capital and their famous Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings before we went. When it comes to "famous wings", two generally come to mind - San Tung and Hooters. And really, the latter isn't all that impressive (but the former is...and so good). After grabbing a table and debating what to get, I ended up going with the Eggplant and Meat Sauce to go with the aforementioned chicken wings. Served hot out of the kitchen, there certainly is something about Capital's wings that puts the ones I've had at other Chinese restaurants to shame. Whether it's the crispy skin, the moist and juicy meat, or the perfect seasoning (or all of the above really), it's no wonder people keep going back for more. While most other places will be decent in one regard or another, Capital's is good all the way around. Though they may not top San Tung's wings for me, they are definitely the best Salt and Pepper Wings I've had. The only drawback I could possibly think of is that it's served literally "hot out of the kitchen". Should you decide not to wait for it to cool, don't be surprised if that oil scalds your tongue a bit. Sure, it might be worth it at first, but then how are you going to taste the rest of the delicious wings after that? As for the Eggplant with "Meat Sauce" (essentially ground pork and sauce), it was pretty good, mostly because the eggplants still had bite to them. It's always nice to see when a place doesn't turn the eggplants to mush by the time the dish reaches the table. The flavor of the "meat sauce" that came with it was good, and I really appreciated that they slather on a whole mess of it either. In this case though, I did wish there was a bit more on the plate. The funny thing about all of this is that at the restaurant, I thought the food was pretty good and that I would end up rounding up to a four star rating. The wings are a definite must have on any trip here, while my rice plate was solid, though not spectacular. However, by the time I got home and had a chance to snack on my leftovers, everything tasted even better. I don't know if it's because sitting in that box gave it a chance to soak in more flavors, but I nearly polished off the box. Obviously when you're drunk or hungover, that's usually the case, but this was different. It's somewhat rare to have that happen when you're sober and aware, so for that alone, they earned that last half star. Definitely would come back for some cheap eats (parking permitting). After reading the reviews, and meeting the legend, I've now seen how the real CCG eats, and I can now say that it truly is good. And cheap.
(4)
Teri C.
Capital Restaurant is a standard place for your staple quick and easy Chinese food. They can easily serve it up individual style where your entree comes with rice, or family style if you have a group with you. The counter in the front can throw you off, especially when you see old Chinese people snacking on American-style breakfasts. My parents always start off with the Fried Chicken Wings with Salt and Hot Pepper ($6.75) because that's just the thing to get here. I mean, everyone knows it and all the reviews mention it, so just get it already. They have pretty decent lunch specials Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm that range from $4.95 to $6.25. We also ordered the Ox Tail with Dried Bean Cake Over Rice ($6.25) on one of our last visits. Another time we ordered House Special Chow Mein ($6.75 - for pan fried noodles, add $.75) and Wonton Noodles Soup ($4.50). Sometimes we get complimentary soup with our lunch as well. Overall, the place is pretty busy. It's filled with locals and tourists alike, so you may have to wait every now and then. It's authentic Chinese food without all the frills! They do offer parking validation for Portsmouth Square Parking Garage, with a minimum order of $20 or something like that. Cash only. 3.5 stars Mondays through Fridays: 11 am to 9:30 pm Saturdays and Sundays: 8 am to 9:30 pm (Pics posted!)
(4)
Charlie K.
Wonton was flavorless and the everything else we ordered was just eh. If you're drunk and it's late, I guess it'll work.
(2)
Stone C.
Three words, honey walnut shrimp! I have never in all my time of eating chinese food had honey walnut shrimp quite like theirs'! It is to die for honestly! I would recommend it to anyone!!
(5)
Jennifer W.
For Chinatown, this place is pretty decent, although I wouldn't mind paying a few more dollars (per dish) and eat at R&G Lounge. Everything is tasty and it's a little less greasy than other Chinese places, but I think people overestimate just how cheap this place is, given its location and the number of competitors. We also found a piece of black rubber in our pea sprouts dish. Not sure where it came from (spatula perhaps?) but we didn't really want to know so we didn't ask. We got green onion ginger crab for $26 (2 pounds), and I was disappointed with the amount of meat. Given that it's crab season, I expected crab with much more meat in it. Next time I'm craving crab, go to R&G for their salt and pepper crab. At $12 more when it's crab season, you're still getting more bang for your buck because their crabs are bigger and meatier. My friends also loved the chicken wings, string bean chicken, and seafood claypot.
(3)
Stephanie Y.
There are sooo many little restaurants in chinatown and I'm pretty determined to try most of them to compare to each other. This place gave me a feeling of Hong Kong, where all the older looking places have the better food. We looked at the menu and decided here for the special wonton noodle soup. The broth was clear and it was filled with shrimp, scallop, and shimp/pork wontons. The wontons themselves were not good. Out of the 5, I only ate 2 and the second one was to make sure I wasn't imagining things The meat gave off an ammonia type taste, yea, not good. I'm guessing the pork they used already had that smell. The meat was tender and the wonton skin was thin, but it wasn't good. I might try their crispy chicken wings next time for take out.
(2)
Neko N.
Food is delicious here. I love their Moo Shu Vegetable! I shouldn't talk about Bathroom.....but it is quite interesting that it is located in the kitchen. If you like a kitchen tour, you may want to come here and check it out. :)
(4)
Erin G.
What I ate: Eggplant in spicy meat sauce with rice (to go) Visit date: October 22, 2011 First time? Yes. Perfect hangover / late night cravings food. Enough said.
(3)
Leslie Y.
This place has been around for ages .....we have eaten here many times before our meetings in Chinatown.... The one thing we always order is their pepper fried chicken wings....it is a hit....you can always see people coming in just to order their wings...nice light crispy batter and salted perfectly... They have daily weekday specials but have yet to try them...I have been wanting to try their prime rib rice plates.....soon, soon......
(4)
Sam T.
Salt and Pepper Wings are famous? Really? I can make it better than this...I mean it's not bad but it's not good enough to be "Famous" Food: Order chicken wings, egg rolls, pan fried noodles, and fried tofu in a pork sauce. Chicken wings and egg rolls were pretty decent. Pan fried noodles had a horrible flour stench to it. The scallop in it was pretty bad. I liked the round fried tofu dish. Food overall was pretty good. No particular complaints aside from the pan fried noodles. Service: This place is pretty danky and one would assume crappy service but it was pretty good. Environment: Hole in the wall like many SF Chinatown joints like this. Love the feel to it! Makes it feel authentic. Price: Pretty price considering I can find 10 places easily around Chinatown that has the same food for 20% less. Overeall not a bad experience, but I don't think I'd come back again since there's like tons of places to choose from serving the same food. Food: 3 Service: 4 Environment: 4 Price: 2
(3)
Cynthia L.
As a vegetarian, I missed out on the famous wings. Had the eggplant dish instead and it was good, not great, just ok.
(3)
Connie M.
I came here for lunch and ate the beef chow fun. The noodles were a bit oily as in all Chinese style noodles. Big pieces of beef and lots of bean sprouts and onions. I will come back for the chicken wings :)
(4)
Jobu B.
Decor: Felt like a time machine back into 1980's Big Trouble in Little China. Four Words: Mongolian Beef Chow Mein The End.
(4)
Fiona W.
Wow I reviewed the wrong restaurant, so here it goes again. This place is good but I suspect either a lot of MSG or a lot of salt. My grandma needed so much water, I didn't really notice it but you know older ladies have much more of a reaction to the unhealthy things =P Anyways I thought this place was pretty good! I forgot what we ordered, but I thought the people who worked here was nice and the food was good, but obviously not anything that I could go on and on about because nothing really stuck out to me as something I MUST EAT AGAIN OR FOREVER.
(3)
Chris N.
This is my go-to Chinese food restaurant in Chinatown. The chicken wings are amazing! Also, the clay pots and pan fried noodles are very good. I think much of the food is authentic, and the service (or lack thereof) is what is expected from a Chinese restaurant.
(4)
Lem C.
GOOD CHOICE --my son Bryan wants a break from my habitual SF comfort-zone hole-in-the-wall --& explores off Grant's tourist-beaten path for a hole-in-the-wall-with-a-vibe He shows patience as he surveys bright windows on Washington, then Clay St. --& gravitates to a joint dominated by Cantonese patrons --that even features a counter for single diners TOFU & FISH CLAY POT --surprisingly more ample than many hot pots I've been served --wonderfully rich textures, color, & flavors BEEF CHOW MEIN --tasty meat & just enough noodle-crunchiness SHRIMP --delicious PARKING --unfortunately no validation for Portsmouth Garage if under $45
(4)
Jenna L.
I ate here w/ my friends for lunch when I was in the city for work. It's not too far of a walk from my office. WHICH IS NICE. But I was wearing boots and it was uphill. FAIL ! : ( hahahahha I am a mcFatty. We ordered pea sprouts yum! and the famous CHICKEN WINGS.. finger linkin good! i even brought my leftovers to the Giants game. GG!! We ordered noodles as well. I forget what they're called : ( Overall.. very tasty and affordable! I think we spent $10 each !
(4)
Mark C.
Solid Chinese food. Authentic. Legit. Hole in the wall. Fried chicken wings were a little salty, but perfectly fried. Tastes exactly as it looks in the pictures. All our dishes were served hot and fresh! Good sized portions too!
(4)
Tony L.
Went here first time with sister after a friend recommended it. The place is very tidy and clean, unlike many other restaurants I've been to in Chinatown with pixs of the menu items with description in english and chinese, hung in a straight horizontal line at top-of-mirror height in the dining area. Sis right off didn't like their tea so the server took it back and just refilled it. she was then told it's pre-made and comes out of a big POT. same thing just hotter. If you're fussy about your tea like my sister, then bring your own tea bag. I ordered a #80 which is shrimp with broccoli - remember that unless described in the menu as coming with other items, everything is otherwise priced separately. Say you order the shrimp with broccoli as I did. It doesn't come with rice or noodles; if you ask for rice or noodles it'll be priced individually and added to your total bill as a separate plate. The restaurant had about 10 persons eating, some asian and the rest visitors. The food was served quickly and it was piping HOT with good flavor which is a good sign ;) I did notice on the menu that they DO serve fried oysters which is something I've had before elsewhere but it was years ago, so the next time will try that. To get to the single unisex restroom you must go thru the kitchen, down a step and to the left. No parking on street unless you're extremely lucky. NOTE: Returned various days during June 2012 and ordered the fried Oysters (6) and O M G. They are HUGE oysters that are the size of mussel shells!!! they are BIG and batter-fried. Very tasty!!!! They were so huge that along with my food order I couldn't eat it all!!! Am told that actual size(s) of the oysters will vary but so far after many orders on different days (even to take out), in general the size has been pleasantly BIG ;)
(3)
Stephanie N.
Salt and pepper wings may look like nothing special, but lordy lorday those thangs be pack'n flavor. Perfect after a night of drinking, or after a long run as you will not be short of electrolytes after sucking a few of these bones dry. Warning: After consumption you will feel as parched as if you've just walked 10 miles through the Sahara wearing an all black velour tracksuit.
(4)
Christina G.
I was just under-whelmed. For a place that got high yelp ratings and was recommended to me by some locals in San Francisco, I expected some awesome Chinese food. I did like the egg roll. It was way crispier and had a much thinner crust, for lack of a better word, than I have ever had before, so I will give them that. But then the chicken dish came, and it was just OK. Nothing special, nothing out of this world, nothing that made me think it as any better than the Chinese restaurant down the street from my house. Oh, and we never got any tea with our meal. We didn't notice it until we were paying our bill and realized everyone else had some. Maybe it was just our waitress. I wouldn't go out of my way to get to this place, especially because it's Chinatown and there's a restaurant every 20 feet.
(3)
Kirsten L.
Not bad. A local told us to go here. We had their famous chicken wings. Petty good. Crispy and salty just what I wanted. We ordered salty chicken fried rice, seafood dish, and tofu with mushrooms. Also ordered hot and sour soap. All good. Service was good. Price was perfect.
(4)
Da Wei S.
My previous 2-star review was for take-out. We've been back a couple of times to eat at the restaurant. The eat-in food has been outstanding. Thumbs up on the wings. The frog with bitter melon was great, as was tofu with pickled vegetable and pork. I won't order take out here, but I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Victor G.
Capital has chinese and american food menus. there's a regular menu with chow mein and the standard chinese americanitems. would skip this. daily chinese rice plates specials (4.25+)i.e. tomato and beef over rice, pork and veggie over rice, egg and pork over rice. didn't see the american food specials till later. it's on the right side wall as you enter, (7.95-11.95) ex. ox tail stew, 7.95?, salmon steak, rib eye steak.... sampling: tomato beef chow mein (6.95 + .75 panfried noodles) -"gravy: mostly corn starch -noodle fried too mush, had stale grease taste -very large portion-noodles -not all ladies are waitresses, the older one may be owner's mom or... i gave order to her when she asked if i was ready and order took awhile while she looked for aaitress -full but disappointed. -place is busy leftovers: -almost exclusively cantonese clientele. -would skip chinese american fare, go for the home cooked chinese stuff. get the free "house soup". or go for lamb or oxtail stew.... -service haphazard. many single diners here. communal table.. -free tea, refills. -metered parking is $3.00/hour in s.f. chinatown.
(3)
Amy D.
The only good thing about this place is their wings (and a little salty for my liking). Maybe I've become a picky Chinese Food eater but... I went for dinner with about 9-10 dishes, and the only thing I remember were the wings. There were so many dishes that I skipped after taking a bite. The menu was mostly Chinese food that my momma and pops can cook better at home. Also, this was one of the more traumatizing bathroom experiences I've had. (I know, I know... we're in San Francisco China Town) The bathroom is located IN THE KITCHEN, which was freaky. While waiting in line to relieve myself, I saw an enormous pile of uncooked wings sitting 3 feet away from the restroom door. Will I ever come back here? Probably not, there are many Chinese joints to try around the corner.
(2)
Katherine C.
the besttt salt and pepper fried chicken wings!
(5)
Adam E.
Waiting to be seated and we have a party of five. The restaurant was full we were next to be seated by they decided to seat the next party that just walked thru the door because they had more people and that = more money. Kinda disloyal to customers who have been waiting their turn.
(1)
Connie J.
It was my first time at this restaurant and the food was good. The wings were great (must admit). But at the very end, there was a cockroach walking on our table. Most of the time, you know this happens at whole in the wall type restaurants, but you don't ever see it (especially your first visit). I don't know if I will be back here.
(3)
A. Z.
Typical Chinese restaurant service but who cares when food is so yummmmmmy Follow the crowd and order the salt and pepper chicken wings. Every table usually orders a plate. You will not be disappointed... My mouth always tingle afterwards I also love the fu king fried rice. FU KING delicious!! Could do with less chopped up green veggies but the frog with the sauce and scallops is nom nom nom One of my fav spots in Chinatown!
(4)
Steph Q.
Chicken pepper wings are a must! Its such a good deal for the price and its so scrumptious! Every bite into the chicken wings produce this delectable crunch that you can only get here! Try it and you won't be let down! Also their beef brisket is also very good!
(5)
Jonas T.
Three things to order, in this order: 1) salt and pepper chicken wings - they're the best! 2) meat sauce over tofu 3) dried scallops egg white fried rice But I'm sure they have other good stuff too.
(4)
Jane N.
As stated by pretty much every reviewer here, Capitol is known for their EXTREMELY addicting chicken wings. I could eat them all day, everyday! Their other dishes are made to order and also pretty delicious. They have SO MUCH VARIETY with a bunch of off-menu stuff that you can see in pictures on the walls. I seriously get so lost in all the choices that it always takes awhile to order. I've tried other similar Chinese restaurants around the area and for some reason, their food is just not good even though it's in c-town. One con is that it's cash only but I'd probably come here everyday if I lived close by. MSG galore...YUM
(4)
Alison A.
Well lets just say I ate cockroach for the first time. After ordering about 5 different dishes myself, husband and 3 kids ate. When packing up our left overs low and behold a cockroach was fried up with our noodles. I was speechless did not know what to say or do. I told the waitress and she said we have a pest issue but I will not charge you for the noodles. So be aware if you like pest in your food eat here.
(1)
Lisa L.
Authentic Chinese food comparable to your Chinese grandmother's cooking. - Fried chicken - Salted cod (insert way of preparation) - Rice - Vegetable dish of choice - Tea A grand total of less than $30. AMAZING. The tables are sticky, the bathroom typical of a Chinese restaurant... and I think your food comes out extra fast if you speak in Chinese... but it's legit. Why you might ask? I don't feel sick after I eat here and that's saying a lot because I typically don't feel well at all after going out for Chinese. Chinese Grandmother Approved!
(4)
Sam T.
Surprisingly, I've never actually set foot in this Restaurant. Always phoned in the order, drove with a wingman/wingwoman (pun intended), and had them pick up the order. Parking in this area sucks donkey nuts. As other reviewers have noted, amazing salt and pepper wangs.
(5)
Ryan D.
I was very happy with the chow mein I ordered here. It was extremely delicious. The place was packed and it took a while to get my check but the food arrived promptly. I will definitely be visiting this restaurant upon my return to San Francisco....
(4)
Jo H.
Large group, crowded streets of Union Square on Black Friday. We decided on dinner within walking distance. Of course we ordered the famous fried chicken wings. I've been craving them ever since. Light, perfectly crisped skin, a sprinkle of salt with a little spice. We also ordered the honey walnut shrimp, green beans with pork, szechuan eggplant, white rice for a few and fried rice for others. All of these dishes were very good. Service was quick and accommodating. We called ahead and the they put together two large tables for our party in less than an hour. We feasted for $8 a person (7 adults and 1 child at our table), I spent more on parking in Union Square. So anybody down for a chicken wing run?
(5)
Sylvia W.
Was just here for the first time on May 5th and I ordered the Hong Kong style chow mein with seafood and it was the BOMB! I'm picky about my chow mein but this did not disappoint at all. My sister ordered the sizzling rice soup, it's not the greatest. We did order the fried chicken wings and that definitely is a must have at this place! They were piping hot and so crispy when you bit into them. They're just a tad bit salty. I think they just use flour, salt and pepper and deep fry. It's not like fried chicken like you get a KFC or Popeye's that has a batter coating around the meat. Next time I'm in the city, I'm definitely hitting this place up! They have pictures of their dishes on the wall in case you're visual and you want to see what the dish looks like before you order it.
(4)
Daniel L.
With food this good, I really wanted to give this Chinatown restaurant a higher rating so I decided to return with David N to give them another shot. The ambiance was festive, filled with families spending time together over the weekend. We ordered the medium seaweed tofu soup ($4.95), signature fried chicken wings ($5.50), and oysters omelet ($8 plus change) to share. The seaweed tofu soup was filled with silky tofu, egg flower, mushrooms, split peas, and plenty of seaweed with generous pieces of slippery pork deliciously marinated with starch. The soup base was light and easy with a tinge of salt as the perfect gateway to the rest of the meal. Next, our 10+ pieces of fried chicken wings came with a dash of salt, jalapeno and pepper. This simple concept was perfectly executed with a scrumptious mind blowing crunchy texture on the outside and juicy piping hot chicken meat within. The wings were well seasoned and the amount of peppers and jalapenos added a nice accent without compromising the essence of a good fried chicken. Lastly, our fried oyster omelet came with eggs well done with scallion and generous portions of oysters embedded at the center. It was a dish that reminded me of childhood and met my expectations. Service was brief but disappointing. The last time I was insulted when our table was treated differently from the rest with their offering of fortune cookies instead of fruits at the end of the meal. This time, we were skipped over on both items so we were left hanging without either sweets or treats. Oh no you didn't--so unfair and jaw dropping sadness! Three stars for the badass chicken wings. Since I don't know how many more rounds of poor service I can handle at this place, can someone please tell me where to find better chicken wings that come with some decent service?
(3)
Nancy L.
Famous fried chicken wings were fresh and hot but Salt and Peppery, they were not. I know people that love them so maybe the regular chef was off that day. On the good note, whatever grease they use is good because it doesn't stay on the chicken so it may be a little healthier than most. Will be back to check them out one more time. No complaint on the prices. More than fair for how much they give you which is plenty!!
(3)
Andrew C.
I've only ordered the chicken wings and they've got a really nice crisp to them and are nice and hot from the fryer. I also have ordered the Thai wings that are on the wall. Not as good as the regular wings.
(4)
Heather L.
Capital has the best salt and pepper chicken wings! I was starving after a long day at work and had to face having dinner with my inlaws. Luckily they let me do all the ordering so I was quite happy. Besides the delicious salt and pepper chicken wings, we had peking spareribs, chicken with string beans, beef with chinese broccoli, stuffed peppers, vermicelli noodles with mushrooms and snow pea shoots. My father in law brought in the snow pea shoots from the farmers market. They sauteed them with garlic. We also had the chicken and corn soup which was still good even though itw as watered down. So everything was decent. I'm only giving them 3 stars because every time we wanted something it was really tough to flag down the server. And also this restaurant is quite dirty. Lots of tourists like to come here. I don't know how much the bill came out to but I think it's pretty inexpensive to eat here.
(3)
Yan L.
How do they make these delicious chicken wings? Ancient Chinese secret! But if you are heading here I assume you've seen they have been recommended by many folks. What no one told me, is that a soup exists, here, that has fried pork and shrimp wonton in a thick egg drop soup filled with seafood and mushrooms. I'm sure this isn't the only place to get it but it rocks.
(4)
Karen T.
My first time here and it was ok. The famous fried chicken was good but nothing exciting. I mean I can make it it taste like cornstarch salt and pepper then double fried. My family ordered bitter melon with frog and that was disgusting! I guess you need to have an acquired taste for bitter melon and I don't eat frog. We also got a chicken chinese sausage clay pot, that was flavorful. Spareribs and salty fish Clay pot was just ok. Fish in black bean sauce with bellpeppers and onion was good. Best thing was the oyster omelet, I only wish it was less brown on the outside. Place is a ok I would go back to try other things but won't be running.
(3)
Dawn D.
There are SOOOOO many restaurants in Chinatown and I really wouldn't know which ones to eat at. In fact, I probably would be lured into eating at one of those restaurants that pass out flyers to the tourists. Anyways, my df and I were in Chinatown to shop for a cheong sam for my wedding day and we met his parents at this restaurants for an early lunch. My first impression is that it's a pretty clean looking restaurant, not only is it clean, but the food was good too! We had two types of noodles, beef chow fun and house special hong kong style noodles (I think) and their famous wings. Prices were very very reasonable. Oh yeah, those chicken wings were good!! I'd go back! I heard their waffles and breakfast is good and I saw some customers eating their waffles. I'll have to go back next time I'm in Chinatown.
(4)
David B.
very with excellent fried chicken wings and a special chicken dish for new years. They skin the chicken and then stuff the skin with cooked chicken and sticky rice. This is a special order and worth trying at new years.. The rest of the food is OK but not worth the visit.
(3)
Robert S.
Great experience! Everyone else is right about the chicken wings....AMAZING! Other yummy things to try: Roast duck and the eggplant dish. Very clean restaurant. I will be back!
(4)
Eric L.
I was roaming Chinatown and wanted authentic Chinese food while on a recent trip to SF. That's when I put my trust into my fellow yelpers to lead me in the right direction. It seems that everyone loves Captial's "famous" chicken wings, and the Lord knows I absolutely love wings - I even once entered in an all-you-can-eat wings contest. So it was a no-brainer to try their "famous" chicken wings. This place seems catered toward the American crowd although there were some Chinese in there. Decided to go with the Mongolian Beef and of course, the "famous" chicken wings. I was excited. The Mongolian Beef came out first and was your typical dish ordered at most Chinese restaurants. Nothing stood out about this dish but who cared at that point because I was just there for the "famous" chicken wings. And that's when I was disappointed. The wings are just that, wings. Nothing special about them. In fact, no special batter and/or seasoning. Just salt and pepper and deep fried. Not to mention WAY too over-salted. It was pretty bad. I believe a single order is 13 wings, which was a great portion amount for the price. But I honestly had to force myself to finish them off because I don't like to leave food behind. I just don't understand how people can rate these "famous" wings so highly. I'm a wing lover for sure and these were far from great. Good? Hmm...more like okay and that's about it. Service was pretty good though and the staff was friendly even though there was an obvious language barrier.
(3)
Chelsea L.
Ordered: fried chicken wings, tomato beef noodles, steamed tofu with shrimp Comments: The chicken wings are pretty impressive. Very crispy outside and the meat stays juicy on the inside. The tomato beef noodles were also very good and flavorful. Overall, the quality is pretty good and the prices are very reasonable.
(4)
beatrice c.
Never again. Came here for lunch on a Sunday. The place was not packed. It took over 15 min and a reminder to get the first dish on the table. After 39 min my husband's lunch still was not there. They bring you a beer but no glass. Since you are not Asian, they don't even offer chopsticks. no one comes over to check if all is OK, got to call the server twice for water refills. And to add insult to injury, the people who arrived after us...got their food way before! .. And of course not a single smile from anyone on the staff.
(1)
Lily W.
Capital's is HELLA good Chinese food. I always seem to come with a huge group of people, but it means more variety of food to go around. Weirdly enough, I've never had to wait long for the food here. This past time, I came with a group of about 10 people. When we sat down, we immediately ordered 3 plates of the chicken wings. ITS A MUST!!! Its hard to describe, but its almost salt-and-pepper type that's juicy and deep fried. SO good. The other food is pretty decent. I haven't had poor service or food here yet. The servers are friendly and quick. Since we had a huge amount of food and many people, the table was actually a little small. But the servers were able to work around that and keep basically all the food on the table...sans the rice. Our rice was placed on a side table. For about 12 dishes (I count all three chicken wings), the total came out to about $130...and that's including a nice tip. Please note - I think it says something about them accepting credit cards here...I don't think they do. I asked the servers once and they said no...
(4)
alex c.
The lunch specials are awesome. I think like over 15+ dishes ranging from 6-8 dollars. I got the scrambled eggs with beef over rice. It was delicious. The eggs were done right and not overcooked. The beef is nicely seasoned. The rice was a bit hard,. perhaps not enough water. But come on, for like 8 bucks after tax And tips, I will come back many times for sure. The service is typical of most Chinese restaurants. I'm not complaining here. And don't even bother with "decor". ;)
(4)
Rachelle T.
This is my new Chinatown spot. The bestest things about Capital: * Salt and pepper chicken wings (at least 12 in 1 order) * Pea sprouts * Photo menu on the walls (always a convincing feature) * Waiter/waitresses can speak and understand English * Reasonable prices and good portions * Counter space for parties of 1 or 2 * Decently clean for Chinatown
(4)
William B.
Like every other Chinese Restaurants in San Francisco... I always like to order my favorite which is the Mince Beef W/ Scramble Egg Over Steam Rice you may think that this place gives you to little to eat... I dont think so after I finished eating I was soooo full not only did I eat that it also came with soup as well...Overall Capitol Restaurant is not to bad of a place to eat at, I came here on a saturday for lunch which had alot of hungry eating people on a beautiful sunny day!!! The only weird thing about Capitol Restaurant is that if you needed to go to the restroom you would have to go through the kitchen and turn to your left which is just a one restroom for Men & Women... Of all the Chinese Restaurants that I have eaten at in San Francisco not too many Chinese Restaurants has restrooms that you would have to go through the kitchen and use it...
(4)
Mary Ann B.
Crappy service + crappy food = me no happy camper
(1)
Phyllis M.
While shopping in Chinatown, I asked one of the store employees where she went for lunch/dinner. She directed us to Capital. We were not dissapointed! The Salt & Pepper Chicken wings are as delicious as everyone else has expressed. I loved the pictures on the menu. They helped a lot in what we wanted to order. Although I never ventured back to the bathrooms, my dining companions both said it was very interesting to walk through the kitchen. We will difinately be back on our next trip to San Fran!
(4)
Snoflaker L.
This is my aunt's favorite restaurant in Chinatown. Their quality is always consistently good and they have the BEST FRIED CHICKEN WINGS! Mmm. My mouth salivates a bit from the thought of it.
(5)
Misha T.
the wings are good but i would still say don't believe the hype. When I went there was no wait and they came out quick so I can't complain about that but I'm still going to try Z and Y to really see if i can get my fix cause i'm a wing fiend.
(3)
Alexander L.
I went here for lunch. This place has great salt and pepper fried chicken wings. The wings have good flavor. The beef chow fun is also good here. The on the house corn soup that day was kind of odd. There was actually chunks of corncob in the soup.
(4)
Robert B.
Really, other people gave this place 4 stars? Wow... The building and inside of the place was run-down. They don't take credit or debit cards and the food was blah, barely any better than Panda Express. I had the Scallops in Oyster Sauce and the # 1 combination dinner, with wonton soup. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. Where I live in a predominantly Hispanic area, there are several Chinese food restaurants that are much better. I chose this place, out of many other hole in the wall places nearby in China Town, due to its rating. What a disappointment. The service was okay, also nothing special.
(2)
Ed Y.
Come and order the platter of Fried Chicken Wings...PERIOD! Be careful, the delicious wings come out piping hot so easy on that first bite! You have been warned. Oh, it is acceptable to order a bowl of rice to go with the wings. But that's it...and maybe a coke too. Enjoy!
(4)
Nancie T.
You'd think a hole in the wall small restaurant tucked away in Chinatown would be cheap, dirty and oily. But Capital Restaurant surprisingly is clean (by Chinatown standards), decently managed (no barking orders here), delicious (egg tofu, anyone?) and not cheap! If you order a la carte, it comes with the house soup of the day. The fiance and I ordered 2 dishes (silken tofu and shrimp vermicelli clay pot) and our bill ran over some $20 odd dollars because you also need to pay for individual servings of rice. However that doesn't deter us from returning. I didn't realize my love for tofu until I had their egg tofu with minced meat dish. It's heavenly..
(4)
Vicky L.
Cheap Chine$e Girl's Friday lunch craving: Fried chicken. A journey up the street to Capital ended with four coworkers being in a complete and utter food coma. Hot, salty, crispy, crunchy fried wings. There's not much pepper, but I loved it. 6 stars. Too bad the chow fun ($6.25) kind of sucked. It mostly was grease and zero seasoning. It tasted mildly better when I dripped some soy sauce on it, but it's something that I will not be ordering again. 1 star. PLUS, surprise surprise, cash only. But the chicken was so good that I had to give this place 4 stars. You can feel the salt on your grubby little fingers as you pick up the chicken and crunch your jaws into it. Epic delicious. Another cheap, delicious lunch. Working in Chinatown may be hazardous to my health, but it's okay. As long as I can have chicken wings post-death.
(4)
Gloria H.
The salt & pepper wings are laced with crack! That's the only reason to explain why it's so freaking tasty and addicting. We had no clue about the wings - we were in the area and wanted to try a new place. We looked at the menu and it looked promising. Actually, the dishes on colored paper strips throughout the restaurant are the real winners. I was reading and exclaiming to hubby "wow, they have this" and "wow, they have that". I only wish I had my family with me so we can order everything I wanted to try. But my rational hubby suggested we only try a few things, just in case it's not good and we can always come back. Makes sense but so hard to decide what to order. While debating, we noticed almost 50% of the customers had the salt & pepper chicken wings and were chomping away. This turns out to be the highlight of the meal. Spare me just a minute to explain. The dish had ~14 wings - just the middle section and they were big, plump and juicy. The best yet though is the crispy skin - it was so light, crispy, finger licking tasty and not oily. The flavor is more than just salt & pepper, there was a hint of the five spice. Hubby said it tasted like the ones we get in Vancouver - a very popular joint that often has a long line of die hard fans. It also reminded me of the wings we had in NY Chinatown from a street vendor - where we braved pouring rain but laughed and enjoyed every bite while soaking wet. We also had the "tong yuen" - flour ball - I was really looking forward to this dish. To think I can eat this at a restaurant and not have to spend hours making it at home or begging my bro-in-law to make it. While it used all the right ingredients - it just didn't cut it. Back to begging or bite the bullet and make it myself. The last item we tried was the oxtail stew w/ bean curd over rice. I have to give it to hubby on this one because he nailed it - they used too much vinegar and we believe they did that to tenderize the meat quicker. Yes, another pass. Yeah, 2 dishes were passes BUT the wings can redeem them and then some. Even if you only come here for the wings alone, it's worth it. CASH only.
(4)
Maya S.
I'm sad to say I was quite disappointed here. As yelpers recommended, I ordered the chicken wings. The first one I bit into was undercooked! The rest of the wings were very good but that first wing was really a turn off. Sadly, I felt that the servers completely forget about another dish I ordered and I had to ask about it before it was brought to the table. The wings were gone by the time the second dish came. I saw many people who came in after me, get their dishes before my table did. There was a lack of attention towards the food as well as the customers.
(2)
Eve C.
The prices were decent, not overly cheap for Chinatown. We tried the chicken wings and they were good. The wings are salty but just have a glass of water nearby. There is definitely MSG on the wings but still yummy. There's nothing that special of them. The combination pan fried noodles satisfy someone that likes seafood and land animal carnivores.
(3)
Jamie N.
Excellent Chinese food for great prices. Also very close to cable car line.
(5)
Karen W.
It's the old standby that I've eaten occasionally over the years and never reviewed it. We decided that since we were in the city, we'd stop by and have a meal there. It was busy at 7:30 PM on a Saturday night and we sat at the counter and ordered the $28 family meal which included the house soup (lotus root), shrimp with bok choy, beef with American broccoli which they said we could substitute the bok choy, fried tofu with sliced pork and preserved vegetables & fried chicken wings (YUM) All were very delish especially the tofu with pork and preserved veggies and fried chicken wings, light and crispy plus the shrimp dish had so many shrimp. Dessert included was a sweet and delicious sliced orange.
(4)
Amy V.
The chicken wings were so good! Hot and crispy, I could eat a whole plate by myself
(4)
Analyst C.
Good Chinese Food and reasonably priced.
(4)
Michael N.
What are you out of towners doing is this joint? Maybe you did not get the note that this is a greasy, dirty, cheap Chinese restaurant for those who are use to greasy, dirty, cheap Chinese restaurants. Take the test and take a trip to the bathroom is this place. Where is it? Through the kitchen and in the back. Beware of the cook, waitress, mop bucket, hanging food stuffs, MSG container holding soaking mushrooms. Also, it is crowded on Sunday lunch since there are three churches within a block radius ( First Chinese Baptist, Presby Church in CT, and Chinese Congo ). It use to be crowded for breakfast on Sundays, but FCBC has their own breakfast. No more waffles. With all this said, good spicy chicken wings. Decent chow mein and chow fun. Probably one of the only Cantonese restaurants left in Chinatown that have Cantonese people cooking and running the place. So expect careless customer service if none at all, blank looks, and suspect dinnerware. And above all, order Cantonese food. For those not in the know, Southern China food from the region of Canton. No eggrolls, no potstickers, no General Tao anything ( that's Mandarin ), and fried rice at your own peril. If you don't know what to get, order the specials on the wall. There are pictures with it.
(3)
Kevin R.
Love the food!! Get the wings!! A must! And chow mein and fried wontons!! Service was great!!
(5)
Helen L.
I'm a fan of the salt and pepper fried chicken wings. They know their wings. They only give you the wings, minus the drumettes. The skin is crispy and slightly spicy with the fried chili pepper and fried green onions. There's about 15 in each order (yes, I counted the bones afterwards!). When I first got there, I couldn't find the wings under poultry. It was hiding under appetizers! It could be a meal in itself! Lots of happy eating customers in there, especially the kids, boy, they took over the restaurants with their exuberance. There are waittress, no waiters. That's interesting! And they were very nice, no attitudes. On the walls, they've got pictures of themselves with Will Smith. They've got good old fashion Cantonese food.
(4)
Richard C.
The first time I've heard about this place was from a friend, and he said they were famous for their fried chicken. When I took a bite of their chicken for the first time, I realized he was not lying. I've fallen in LOVE with their fried chicken and I would order myself a plate every time I visit. I tasted their rice plates once or twice and it was alright, but what you need to try at least once is their fried chicken. Some people may not like it because it could be too salty, but I find it perfect. I have yet to find a place that can out do these guys in terms of fried chicken.
(4)
Anita L.
Came here with my girlfriends one night and it was one of the most hilarious experiences ever. One of my girlfriends is Chinese but doesn't speak Chinese and we were the only 3 people in the entire restaurant speaking English with one another. None of my girlfriends read Chinese so it was up to me to tell them what was on the 'all Chinese menu'. After much discussion we decided upon a few homestyle dishes to share.... a stir friend veggie with garlic, some pork dish (I don't remember what it was exactly) and a steamed chicken dish. Steamed rice and complimentary soup were given to us probably as part of the meal since we didn't order any. The food was just so-so. I mean it's edible, nothing exciting and it wasn't bad. My girlfriend was getting pissed off at the bad service but I mean c'mon, we're in Chinatown...... not Beverly Hills! We ate and we sat and chatted without them getting too pissed off with us. Best part was, when we left, we only paid about $7 each. HAHA!! That was THE best part of the meal.
(3)
My-Hang P.
What can I say about Capital?!!! UHHH, they have the best freaken chicken wings i've ever had. Those salt and pepper chicken wings jus makes my mouth drool and they're so good I can finish a whole serving to myself. That's how good they are, no lie! !!! I always ask for extra jalapenos, makes the chicken wings taste even better when they're combine. If it was ever possible to leave a camera in their kitchen to get the recipe, I'd do some little asian man trick from Ocean's 11 and put one in there lol! I've eaten here so many times, usually to go though. All i do is call in ahead and it takes about 10-15 minutes to cook and just pick it up when it's ready. Cost is about $7-$8 for one serving of wings and it's cash only so don't forget your money otherwise you might cry cuz your not getting them mucho delicious wings! The restaurant itself is little but clean and the servers are pretty nice. Special thanks to Angie for introducing me to my all time favorite chicken wings! :)
(5)
Dyl H.
good, not sure what the point was. id go again.; it would have to be 2 am and the only restaurant within half a mile. I didn't have the wings though.
(3)
John F.
We happened by and decided on this place for they were friendly when we entered and the place was clean. The food was good with our entire party enjoying what each ordered and we even found ourselves sharing so we could try the different items. We'll eat here again. Please be advised they accept cash only.
(3)
ji K.
Salt and Pepper Chicken wings. They are so good. I'm pretty sure they are really bad for you, but hey! We all have our cravings of awesome chicken. From appetizers to meals, there are 190 types you can pick from. The other items on the menu are pretty fantastic as well. Few of my Favs are: #171 BBQ pork fried rice #136 Mixed Vegetables Chow Mein #44 Mongolian Beef It is in the middle of china town, so don't drive over to come to this place. If you are working near by (FIDI), then I recommend calling ahead of time and placing your order. The lady that takes the order speaks pretty fast. So i used to get a little confused. If you ask nicely, she will repeat it for you. It takes about 15 mins for the chicken wings to be ready. They are made when ordered so be careful not to burn your tongue. This is a cash only place.
(4)
Emily H.
Came here with co-workers, and we were devouring our wings, mongolian beef, and kung-pou shrimp when my co-worker slams down her fork. She found a baby roach in our mongolian beef. It ruined the rest of lunch. Don't play though, them wings are still off the hook and I'll still be back solely for the wings.
(2)
Jackie H.
LOVE the Capital Short Ribs! Basically fried short ribs tossed in a tangy sweet&sour-like sauce. My boyfriend and I devoured a plate of them. We also tried the Garlic Eggplant and the Tofu w/ Chicken Claypot. Somehow between the two of us, we managed to finish off most of the 3 entrees and with some steamed rice and soup too! The food was THAT good. Or maybe we were just super hungry. Their menu was pretty extensive so it was hard choosing what to get but I think we made some good choices. I definitely want to come back again and see what other yummy dishes they have to offer!
(4)
Stacy A.
Very good salt and pepper chicken wings tea and chicken broccoli with white rice!! Very casual environment filled with locals. Great price for a TON of wings only 6.95!!!
(5)
Randy S.
Stopped in with Classy Mike - and special guest star Mr. Matt-boto - for dinner during our road trip from New York to Los Angeles. One of my favorite things about going to Asian restaurants is that the staffs tend to have absolutely no idea how a meal is supposed to flow, and what order to bring out the dishes, despite the fact that they're, you know, in the restaurant business. What can I say, I've got a special place in my heart for people who manage to avoid social reinforcement learning. So, we ordered drinks (some waters and a diet coke), two appetizers (the wings and the Chinese broccoli) and one entree each. Here's the order that the dishes came out. First, the wings. Then, a few minutes later, my entree. Then, a few minutes later, everyone else's entree. Then, soon after, the Chinese broccoli. Then, many minutes later, finally, the drinks. That's pretty genius right there. I found that the food was fairly standard-issue Chinese, and nothing was particularly special about the wings. The food alone should get two stars, but the genius of the order wrings another star out of me. Food: 12/25 stars Ambiance: 15/25 stars Service: 25+/25 stars Bathroom: You have to talk through the kitchen to get there. Don't bother, trust me. Probability of going back: 17%
(3)
Susan Z.
Hands down best salt and pepper chicken wings in the bay. I'm also fond of the asparagus and chicken chow fun. They do it dry fried with black beans. I'm salivating just thinking about it. Always a go to place when i'm in chinatown and i love the old school charm. My parents still come here for breakfast to get the waffles from the old waffle iron and my dad LOVES the jello for dessert.
(5)
Chanel T.
They have the best salt and pepper chicken wings! Its over priced but its so worth it! Every time I go down to Chinatown I would have to grab this!!
(4)
Kathy A.
CASH ONLY I don't even like Chinese food, but the three people I was with wanted Chinese so I went along. I loved it! Their wings are to die for. The beef and asparagus had an amazing flavor and asparagus was tender. We have put Capital on our list of "Next time in San Francisco we MUST go back!"
(5)
Diana Y.
GOOD chinese food. Everything here was delicious. Tried the supposedly famous fried chicken? That was good too. I like that it's quick and easy Chinese food. The only downside is that it's slightly pricier than most other Chinese joints in the area but I think it's still pretty darn tasty.
(4)
Carol L.
I came here to compare chicken wings. I've had San Tung and SO wings...I thought I had to try the wings here to. But beware. there can not be such a comparison! The wings are completely different, as they aren't "dry fried" wings...they're regular fried chicken wings, but with salt n pepper and jalapeno peppers. I mean, much better than normal fried chicken, but can't compare with San Tung and SO. Service was great - the lady running the joint was really nice. Big portions as well, great flavor. The bathroom is through the kitchen...you get to see the chef's cook. Awesome! I walked by a chef hacking away at dead chicken. :)
(4)
Tina C.
A good home style cooking, and very reasonably priced.
(4)
Ezekiel D.
Good food with a great taste. It didn't feel like there was any MSG or loaded with fish sauce like some other joints. Brightly lit and utilitarian decor do not make it a romantic escape, but for us and the two rugrats it could not have been better.
(4)
Jason W.
Came in with a large group, and it felt immediately like home (of course, your version of home is likely different from mine). We had clay pot chicken, fried rice, seafood tofu soup, noodles, etc. etc. etc. If you like high-quality, Cantonese-style Chinese food, this is a great place to go. Decor and service like any other Chinese restaurant. Generally acceptable, nothing spectacular. But you don't go to a hole-in-the-wall Chinese place for the pretty dragons! You go to chow down on what is, at least for me, comfort food. A big helping of food and friends - can't ask for more!
(4)
Jenn T.
This place is a gem! My husband and I stumbled upon it randomly while walking around Chinatown. We were a little nervous, as we are not familiar with the "reputable" restaurants in the area and didn't really know who (or how) to ask. It is just off Grant St. and we picked this place by the number of locals dining here on a Sunday night . . . My husband and I shared the shrimp soup - it was more than enough for 2 people and was colorful with clean flavors. For our entrees, we had the honey glazed shrimp with walnuts and the sliced pork and vegetables. Both dishes were freshly prepared and straight from the kitchen. The shrimp was perfectly prepared and the walnuts were candied and crunchy - yum! The pork dish was not memorable but it must have good, as there were not any leftovers . . . One of the best things about this place is that I didn't have that yucky bloated and lethargic feeling that one usually gets after eating Chinese food at one of the large chain restaurants. Next time I'm in San Francisco, Capital Restaurant is at the top of my list for dining - I'll just have to bring lots of cash (no credit cards accepted) . . .
(4)
Jenn H.
Good quality. Great quantity. Cheap. Fast. Exactly what you would expect, if you want gushy service go somewhere else.
(4)
Brad Y.
I hate giving 1-star reviews.. but I have to for Capital Restaurant. Maybe it's just me, but I either got food poisoning here or am allergic to MSG in that quantity. We had the Mongolian Beef, Pea Shoots, and the ever-famous Salt & Pepper Wings. Taste-wise, it was pretty good! And I enjoyed it. But by the end of the meal I felt really weird.. Got an instant headache and nausea, which finally subsided in about an hour or so. Then the next day? Sick. Throwing up all day. Couldn't keep anything down until late that night.
(1)
Ingrid K.
Had the salt & pepper chicken per the recommendations I found on Yelp. It was decent, though a little on the greasy side. The staff was very efficient and fast with my order, so I was pleased with the service.
(3)
Betsey L.
This was my Dad's fave and easiest place to dine for dinner. Over the years he became frail and couldn't walk far even with his walker so it became the family's spot in Chinatown as well. The salt and pepper chicken wings are my fave is SF, my hometown!! Fresh veggies and amazing steamed fish as well. I am going to stop for wings to go in a minte even if they lose their crisp :D My Dad passed away a few months ago, but the Liu, Low and McHugh family thank you for your delicious food, generousity and hospitality of friendliness over the years!! Thanks for taking care of Dad.
(4)
Ed L.
Capital is not the cheapest restaurant in Chinatown but it is much cleaner and professional than the cheapest restaurants. I think of this place as the poor man's R&G. You get very similar Cantonese/Hong Kong dishes, maybe less seafood selection and not as glamorous but solid quality and taste nonetheless. I love there 3 treasures dish and salt&pepper fried offerings. Check out there walls which list tons of special dishes, would help if you can read Chinese.
(4)
Mob B.
Fu king yummy. Order the duck and the flounder. Tsingtao beer is great with the meal.
(4)
Vien C.
Ahhhh... chinese comfort food. I'm pretty sure my ancestors were laborers or farmers since everytime i eat some Clay Pot Rice...i feel at home and with a nice contentment that lasts until the next urgent meeting and firedrill pops up at the office. Every so often i'd rally up some other souls who crave the flavors of rice that is enhanced by the clay pot as it is by the dried cured meats and a light soy mix. It's an ancient art and done so right here since the translucent rice absorbs all the flavors and oils from the dried meet giving off a strong, yet somehow pleasant aroma. I always ordered the cured duck with sausage and cured pork... i have to use my broken chinese...but it works here and they don't laugh too much. My other comrades just sit back since they're all ABC but appreciate this earthly homely cuisine. Good thing they serve it big as we have a party of 5 dudes.. (also note the Claypot Rice is not on the menu...it's posted in the side in pure Chinese) When the huge clay pot of rice comes, you open it up and smell that homely goodness that's at one time greasy and warm...yet oh so delicious and refreshing... food for the chinese farmer soul. The rice is perfection and so good this way...they've already scouped out the meats to a dish for you. chinese antipasta?...but again... strong tasting but soooo good. We have to fight for the pieces of duck and cured pork...but oh so worth it. They also give a dish of bok choy with huge fried garlic on the side to help digest this heavy food. The best is yet to come... they offer to pour broth of soup to the bottom of the pot when your done..but that's a chinese no no for me... the best part is the slightly burnt, crispy rice stuck to the bottom and edge of the pot. Not only is it crispy, but it's enhanced by the duck and pork fats from the cooking..it's like finding another treasured dish within a dish. Their other dishes are standard chinese dishes you get anywhere but done a little above average...although their salt and pepper fried chicken here is a must and stand out. Comes straight out from the fryer, it's salted just right, with garlic and I try to bite it with the jalepeno's as often as I can. One of these days i'm going to pull a happy hour here with some tsing tao beer and these wings by themselves...probably the best executed salt and pepper wings in the bay area. Bursting with juices and moist...they've probably brined these tasty wings but who cares... it taste friggen good. Overall, highly recommend their clay pot and chicken wings. Just make sure you get a lot of people as the clay pots are huge...and they told me comes in 3 sizes...with the smallest the size of a 9 quart kettle. (if you want a smaller size clay pot rice for 2..i'd recommend utopia that's down the alley block).
(4)
Dylan C.
Big fan of the chicken wings, if you go in you'll see every table with it. heck i even come across town for it. has your basic chinese food, its all good
(4)
Christina L.
egggg tofuuu forr dayyyyzz! that dish is soo soo goood! tried capital restaurant last night based on a gf's recommendation, and was pleased! we ordered - the wings (obvi), egg tofu (SO YUMM), roasted duck, west lake beef soup, and curry beef clay pot. they give you a bunch o' rice to wash everything down with. i thought the duck was really well done! warm and just fatty enough, and the juices were good for flavor. clay pot and soup were a bit bland, but it is cantonese food! expect it to be a bit bland! hahah :) $27 per person for the above, and we got beers. not a bad deal, since we had leftovers... place was packed with a variety of customers. the service was all right - it's a chinese restaurant, not gary danko :P
(3)
Ralph N.
Chicken Wings are my weakness. Especially when they're fresh out of the fryer. Oh man...I think I'm related to Paula Deen somehow. I found out about Capital's Fried Chicken Wings after seeing them on so many blogs. People claim that these are one of the best chicken wings they ever had. And to be honest...now I know why. They serve you around 10 pieces for $7.95. Surprisingly, the pieces are pretty big in size. But bottom line...I love how crispy they are! Literally like biting into a bag of potato chips. And I like the green onions and jalapenos that come along with every plate. So addicting! Service is kinda slow. Took a good 20 mins for my food to arrive. But hey at least they serve good food! I tried their soup bowls too. Comforting for the cold night but nothing too special. If you come here...order the wings!!!!!!
(4)
Bailey L.
Love their salt and pepper wings!!! Constantly crave it. I haven't experienced a wait here yet. A lot of people get their wings to-go. It comes out pretty fast too, probably because they have it prepared since like every table orders it. It comes out really hot and fresh too! We also ordered the salty fish fried rice and that was pretty good too! Great portions and great prices! Really good customer service for Chinatown too! Very attentive and friendly. Definitely recommend!
(4)
Elizabeth Y.
Capital restaurant has really good Kung Pao shrimp and very friendly service. I will definitely be going back next time I find myself in China Town!
(5)
Jack W.
We visited here after the Chinese New Year parade, needless to say it was absolutely crammed packed, but I've never had a problem with sharing a big table with another group. The food was good overall, I had the spicy tofu to start (which was literally one of the tastiest things I've ever eaten) and followed with a Szechuan beef and Chow Mein. The beef was a little chewy to my taste, but the sauce was lovely and the chow mein was great. At 30$ a head we thought it was pretty good, it was a shame that all of us had similar issues with the meat because all the vegetable, tofu and side dishes were absolutely fantastic. I would go back, I'd just likely go veggie if I did.
(4)
Jane M.
Time travel back to Chinatown of the early 1960's. It's not upscale, fancy pants Chinese. In beef with bitter melon the beef was a bit too chewy and the bitter melon a bit overcooked. Singapore rice noodles are too bland. Lots of older Chinese men ordering the prime rib which looks pretty darn good. The chicken wings are sub-par . . . don't know why other reviewers like them. If you want a rice plate or chow fun it's perfect. Capital should be a film location.
(4)
SofÃa A.
I actually really liked this place. Came here after seeinf the rating and checking out the menu. Staff was really friendly and let my friends join me despite the fact they had outside drinks. The menu had a lot of great vegetarian options. We tried the fried rice and my friend said it was deliciois and tasted like the real thing. I had the tofu with black mushrooms and veggies. DELICIOUS. Both dishes about 9 bucks. i wasnt a great fan of the veggie egg rolls. They were alright but tasted a little on the burnt side. 3 rolls for like 4 bucks. A little pricey. Overall a delicious meal. Cash only unfortunately.
(4)
Henry L.
Surprisingly great Chinese food place in Chinatown Chinese food is everywhere in Chinatown, and whenever I walked by this place I had always avoided it because the decor seemed sub-par. This all changed when I went in for the first time--the food quality is really awesome! The fried tofu I had was perfectly cooked, with a crispy exterior and a tofu interior that is semi-solid--enough to hold itself together when you pick it up with chopsticks, but soft enough to crumble when you bite into it. The spiciness is also just right. The food quality of the place is especially surprising, given that this little modest shop one of the better restaurants I've eaten at in c-town. Talk about exceeding expectations! The washroom is the one thing that is non-ideal (you have to walk in the kitchen, and past the entire kitchen crew), but the folks who work there seem to be doing the best they can with what they have (trying to keep it clean, by c-town standards). A lot of other c-town restaurants degrade to unimaginable levels (I'm looking at you, Sam Woo), which just goes to show how much effort the Capital Restaurant folks put into running the place with the sub-par equipment they were given. Plus, you can get free lemonade for a Yelp check-in. That almost never happens in c-town! w00t Keep up the good work!
(4)
Matt Y.
Yes, it's packed with tourists, and yes, it's very popular in Chinatown. But it's also legit Chinese food. Don't ask me why, but I usually avoid Chinese food in Chinatown. It's either very clean but inauthentic or it's very filthy but with okay food. Capital is an exception, and I'm very glad to have discovered it. *Yang Chow Fried Rice ($7.50) is exactly how it should be prepared as in Hong Kong. Wok-fried rice, NO soy sauce, with minced BBQ pork, finely diced green onion, scrambled eggs and shrimps. It's one of the best I have had in town. Not greasy at all. *Fried Rice Noodle with Chicken ($7.50) is also well done, not loaded with gravy. You can either have it "dry"---wok-fried or "wet" with gravy like chow fun. I had the wet rice noodle with lots of greens and bak choy. I noticed that almost every table ordered the Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings. They also have daily Western-style special including prime rib, but I won't recommend because this is a Chinese restaurant. Don't forget to bring your money. Cash only.
(4)
Maria C.
Cash only!!! Specifically came for the salt and pepper chicken wings... THAT IS ALL!!! We ordered other items, but didn't compare. S&P WINGS!!!
(2)
Catney A.
This place gets 5 stars for their Salt & Pepper chicken wings! They are super crunchy, and very yummy.
(5)
Chris L.
CASH ONLY. The service is spotty as expected at a Chinese place. We only get one lemonade (water with lemon) per table with the yelp check-in but they do give free house soup (seaweed/pork soup). The wings were good. The seafood clay pot had mostly tofu. The tomato beef noodles were good. The beef mushroom was ok. Solid place for quick Chinese food if you are craving it in SF.
(4)
Johnny W.
Came here with two friends last night, on the recommendation of Veasna H to try their chicken wings. The three of us ended up getting their: * Chicken Wings - Unlike other wings in the city, these are of the dry fried, unsauced variety, seasoned primarily with salt and peppers. Tasty, albeit a bit dry from being fried too long. * Egg Tofu w/ Special Meat Sauce - Not entirely sure why this was under the vegetarian section, but, basically, lightly fried egg-covered silken tofu discs, topped with meat sauce. Not bad, but a bit on the bland side, and not as spicy as the waitress hinted at. * Oxtail Clay Pot - First off, this was served in a metal bowl, not a clay pot. Secondly, the meat was surprisingly fatty. Aside from that though, this dish was pretty tasty. All in all, about what one would expect of Chinese food, in a fairly clean and spacious restaurant. Service was also much better than you normally find in this part of town. Cash only, so come prepared. ***Accessibility Info*** Venue - A medium sized restaurant that opens up towards the back, but is a little more narrow up front due to the counter seating. When full, people will likely have to scoot or get out of their seats for you to pass. Bathroom - Didn't check them out.
(3)
Alex W.
authentic, good food, and very quick service the crispy rice soup was very good and gyozas were big and they served a lot of people. the shrimp dishes were good but we're mostly vegetables so there wasn't a lot of shrimp. all the chicken dishes I tried including black bean and orange were really tasty. the free lemonade was very light and watered down so if that's what you like then get the lemonade.
(4)
Nicole S.
We happened upon this place and enjoyed it! We got two chicken dishes and rice and all were delicious and came out very quickly. The lemonade was also very good- fresh and not too sweet. This was a great spot for a quick bite in Chinatown
(5)
Earl B.
Just went to Capital last night and had some spicy Tofu. I like their vegetarian dishes because they have a lot of meat in them. And being a casual vegetarian I found it really funny. Since most people think you need meat in every meal. I had some heated Sake that tasted awesome as well.
(5)
Viola K.
I do not usually write bad review. This place is horrible, people definitely overrated this place. The worst meal I had in Chinatown SF. If I can give them zero star, I will. I ordered spicy wings and oxtail clay pot. The wings were over cooked, they were hard. They tasted like sweet and sour sauce, not authentic Chinese dish for sure. Oxtail clay pot is really blend, the oxtail is chewy, not tender at all. Food is horrible, service was okay.
(1)
Meredith K.
I hadn't been here in awhile and the last time was for lunch. We decided to come here with 2 other couples for dinner since our friend works nearby and it was convenient. Our friend comes here frequently so he pre ordered 2 things - crab and this delicious clam with glass noodles dish. Both were really good especially the clams. We ordered 2 crabs and one was fried w/ salt & pepper, other stir fried in ginger. We also shared the pea sprouts, pork hash w/ salted fish, and blk bean spareribs w/ salted fish rice clay pot. Everything was awesome and very fresh! The prices were reasonable price and service was good. I have to say there aren't too many good Chinese restaurants in Chinatown anymore so it's nice to see this one still exists. p.s. You don't come for the ambiance and let's just say it's better then others.
(5)
Amanda K.
No! Don't come here. I'm confused on the reviews and why this places was crowded when we showed up for a bite. Is it a tourist trap? Was it because Chinese New Year weekend was happening in Chinatown? My husband and i were told before heading out to San Francisco we would have some of the best Chinese food in America . I took out my mighty yelp app and let the force guide my way. The darkness fell over yelp that day as we walked into Capital Restaurant. We were ushered to a two person table top and given menus near the door. The table and chairs were very retro by that I mean they were probably here when the place first opened. The menu had a huge selection to choose from. The outside and the inside of the building had pictures of the food so it could help in making an easier decision. After waiting about 10 minutes after putting in our drink order of water and tea I was getting frustrated. There seemed to be only one waitress for the whole place! WTF?!!? We finally put our food orders in and the wait began. This place is fairly cheap food and shouldn't take forever to cook. I ordered the fried tofu seafood hot pot. The fried tofu was soggy (even the pieces not in the broth). The seafood was good but overall this lacked flavor. My husband meal is where it went downhill in a bad way. He ordered what I called the "tourist trap combo meal". It contained: soup, sweet and sour chicken, white rice, egg roll, and fortune cookie. The soup he decided to get was wonton and it was very Delicious and then the rest of the meal came out. I swear LaChoy family meal in a can taste better than what was served. The beef and broccoli was similar to some MRE meal I had eaten out of desperate while I served time in the Middle East while in the Army. The egg roll was overcooked and burnt. Also it didn't look like your traditional egg roll as it wasn't deep fried. If this wasn't bad enough after the meals we didn't finish our meals. :( We decided we both wanted to use the restroom before heading out back into Chinatown. I went first in search of the restroom to be told it was located in the kitchen area. WTF?!? I went thur the kitchen to discover the cooks preparing food and see a makeshift bathroom/cleaning closet that serves as a unisex bathroom. I came back and told my husband where to go. Apparently he went farther down into the kitchen and ended up seeing 2-3 sinks full of meat with water pouring of it. I assume for defrosting?? Side note: I am alive and well today
(1)
Matthew M.
Came here on a sales trip with my company. So we did the touristy thing and asked around and ultimately ended up here based on an Uber driver tip. Overall it was pretty good...not great but decent Chinese food. We ordered so much stuff but let me highlight the good stuff. Chicken Wings is a must have here...you can't miss it because it's on the front page of the menu...haha...seriously. Picture and all! Egg Tofu with spicy ground pork is good but eat it fast cause it goes downhill fast as it cools. Oxtail bean curd hot pot is also a good dish...oxtail kinda scarce but it's a nice tasty dish. Peking style pork chop is a great dish but beware of bones...i think they meat clever it so you can end up with a small sharp bone you can't see! If you're close by come here...if not, find something close by.
(3)
Dub C.
Come here for one item and one item only .... Get the salt and pepper chicken wings. Eat in or take out with ice cold ones of your preference. Enjoy!
(3)
J W.
Not bad. The chicken and salted fish fried rice was good but not enough for the price. Lamb stew was yummy. Overall food was good. You have to go through the kitchen to get to a single restroom and I heard it was disgusting. Typical Chinese service and ambiance. No air conditioning so feel lucky that you are seated at a location where the breeze from the fans blows. Cash only.
(3)
Vy B.
My sister swears by this place when it comes to their chicken wings. I'd agree that they are pretty tasty and fresh--you can tell they don't par fry them because they are nice and juicy yet crispy on the outside. I'd say the hidden gem if this place is their Fukien Tofu-a really unique blend if chopped seafood, mushrooms, and asparagus. It's a nice balance to the wings, which run on the saltier side. I'd say don't bother eating the free soup that comes out before the meal, it's pretty much hot vegetable water...very bland.
(4)
Christopher C.
The only thing I was really impressed with here was their fried chicken wings. The wings are absolutely to die for, making the trek to Chinatown worth it. I cannot even compare it to San tung or any other Chinese chicken wing that I have ever tasted. Everything else that I tasted was above mediocre but their entrees are nothing to write home about. Standard prices for Chinese food; I am moderately surprised that prices for subpar Asian cuisine in SF are a bit more pricier than choices out in the East Bay area. I would go back but merely just for the wings.
(3)
Bobby L.
Great chicken wings. I also like their pork spare ribs, tofu and fish, clams with black bean sauce, steamed chicken, and beef chow fun. Overall the service is what you would expect at a Chinese restaurant but the food definitely makes up for it. Definitely fresh veggies and the food comes out pretty quickly. My go to spot in Chinatown! Just remember, it's cash only!
(5)
Steve S.
When Uncle's Restaurant was sold, I walked down the street to Capital. The food is consistently good and the place is well managed. It is a worthy substitute of Uncle's. Uncle's was cheaper and there was more food - but Capital is better run and the food is just as good as the old Uncle's. This is the place where people go for lunch who work in the area. It's also where the elderly go for a meal. You will see lots of elderly Chinese gentlemen at the counter wolfing down prime rib on "prime rib day" - and flirting with the attractive waitresses who smile and tease the men in a genial way. They speak in Chinese so I'm not exactly sure what they say. The men always leave a generous gratuity. When I was working, I came here by myself and sat at the counter to eat. They have a special menu for different lunches every day of the week. The special menu has two sides: Chinese and American. I liked the corn beef on the American side - corned beef, cabbage and rice. On the Chinese side I liked the minced pork with salted fish. Usually I ate Chinese food there - and it was always good. With your meal is delivered a soup and at the end is jello or ice cream. The soups were always creative and delicious. There is a memorable soup that has bits of corn cob in it. I never fail to be impressed with the skills of Chinese cooks! I never considered that there was a delicate and unique flavor to boiled corn cobs! I know it seems kind of dumb to go into a Chinese restaurant and order American food - but it may surprise you to know that the Chinese cook American food better than Americans - or Mexicans for that matter! I once asked for Chili beans (something that most Chinese don't really enjoy is Mexican food) from a Chinese cook. I expected something close but not that tasty. I was surprised to find that what she produced was better than what I got from a Mexican resturant. She did this cooking Indian food also. She carefully watched my Indian friend cook the food - and then served it to me the following week better than what the Indian made. You may likely be as astonished as I to eat the American special of the day at Capital and discover it to be better than what you could find at your own American restaurant. Tip: Their fried wings are the best I have ever eaten. One of the best lunches I have ever had was to buy a growler of beer from The Thirsty Bear, two boxes of those wings and consume the lot in Yerba Buena Gardens (near Thirsty Bear). You need to coordinate with a friend because it's Capital is about a mile from Yerba Buena Gardens - but it's worth the effort!
(5)
Jonh S.
What else can I say. I think my pictures will say it for me... This is why I don't like buying food from Chinatown, you can never know what it's in your food. Specially when food safety, sanitation, is not their priority. I don't think these owners will spend a penny on training their workers and also inspecting their establishments for this type of issues.
(1)
Sam Y.
Crispy chicken wings and beer. If only they were open until 2am, I would be here all the time!
(4)
Soo W.
My friend took me here for lunch. We ordered their famous chicken wings. The salt and pepper wings were one of the best I ever had. Juicy and crunchy at the same time. Their egg tofu with ground pork was good too. Definitely will come and try out their other dishes if I am around this area.
(4)
Camery V.
I come here just for the salt and pepper chicken wings! They are addicting, every time I'm in the city I always ask my bf to come here for the chicken wings. It comes out piping hot and there's a slight crunch when you first bite into it! Love it! I'm sure he gets tired of coming here. We've explored getting the beef chow fun and Fukien fried rice but they weren't memorable for me. The hot & sour soup comes out fast and is simple so I like it. The chicken wings are pretty filling so soup to accompany it is perfect.
(4)
Jenny T.
Service was pretty crappy, order was wrong, and the beef with broccoli was slimy, no sauce, and came out 15 minutes before my boyfriend's food. The broccoli was cooked well. Flies flying around our plates. Definitely will not be back.
(2)
Nari C.
It's all about the Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings! Finally, a dish that lives up to its hype! I got the wangs and a side of rice, and WOW. They must've laced it with crack (just kidding, it's probably MSG) because it's so addictingly good! The dish comes with japaleno slices. It's deep fried to perfection, so it's crispy on the outside and juicy and moist on the inside. There's flavor on the outside (salt and pepper) and flavor on the inside (chicken juices). YUM. One portion ($10) will feed two semi-hungry people or one starving person. Apparently the famous Will Smith came here and proclaimed that it's the best wings in the western hemisphere. I agree 100%.
(5)
Crisy G.
I love this restaurant !! Don't know why I haven't done a review for this place..?? Use to come here with my Dad for lunch.. He been coming here n lunch for passed 20 years.. My favorite dish is the salt n pepper fried chicken wings.. A must must order.. Mince meat over tofu omg another must order..!! And don't forget there are daily lunch specials which is fast n great value..!!! Comes with soup n dessert..!!!
(4)
Jessica P.
This place is what I would call authentic Chinese food. This isn't Panda Express or even your average Chinese food spot. The food is what I would think is closest to the way they cook in their homeland. We ordered Kung Pow and Curry Chicken. Curry chicken is high in flavor, however the Kung pow is a little on the bland side and I don't mean that in a bad way. Americans tend to over salt everything so we livened it up with some chili sauce and it was good. CASH ONLY.
(3)
Craig M.
We tried the black bean beef, king pai chicken, famous wings, sweet and sour chicken, shrimp and broc. All very good. Decor is date but service was great. A great time.
(4)
Jennea R.
As much as I absolutely love the chicken wings here (that's the only reason I keep coming back), -2 stars for the customer service. HORRIBLE service. Every time I come here it takes about 30-45min to receive food. The ladies that work here are snippy too. Gosh too bad I love these chicken wings so much. Keeps me coming back over and over again.
(3)
Kurt C.
Typical Chinese restaurant in Chinatown with a very tasty menu to say the least . Don't expect your five star restaurant in this place because its not for the germafob to eat here. First off, don't let the small grungy environment fool you and the nasty bathroom next to the kitchen discourage you because their tasty hot food is very delicious. If you want white table cloths with shiny silverware go down a half a mile towards the financial district. This place is roughly "homestyle' type of food, served hot and plentiful with a fair price with no frills. Your not going to be broke forking out the funds to finance this traditional meal like some other places in the area. As for the ambience, its original with all its noise, smell, and decor. If you dare to come here, try the chicken wings, along with the spare ribs and tofu. The service is nothing to write home about, but it comes with the territory when you visit any chinese restaurant. Enjoy and pay with cash...
(4)
C J.
Killer chicken wings, but everything else is forgettable. Slow service and often under-staffed.
(3)
Larry Z.
I from LA & went to SF last week for a vacay. Went to Chinatown & did not know where to go for early dinner. I utilized YELP to show me some nearby restaurant & decided to dine in at this Restaurant. I was with my friend & I ordered Singaporean noodles & their famous chicken wings. The noodles was not good & not impressive-no quality taste and the texture of the noodles is so so bad!!!! The chicken wing? Well nothing special at all, fried, served with jalapeño slices & that's it!!! Worst thing about this place is their kitchen!!! Ewww you have to see what I meant! It' s freaking dirty. I happen to see it when I went to use their bathroom. While I waiting for my turn to use the bathroom I had the chance to observe & look around. After I saw how their kitchen was, i wanted to throw up. So regretful I ate at this restaurant. When we left I asked if they validate my parking, the Chinese Lady Screamed at me & said "did you pay $40 if not no validation" outch!!! I am will never go back to this place ever again. Calling the attention of Health Department please care for the people who dine at this restaurant.....
(1)
tracey h.
The food here was awesome. I have elementary aged children who really enjoyed the food as well. My daughter, who is a super picky eater, was licking the plate. I enjoyed the hot and sour soup. The pepper chicken wings and tomato beef were a big hit with my husband. I found the food to be fresh, not greasy or overly sauced. I also enjoyed the texture of the tofu. It is so easy to overcook tofu until it is the texture of an eraser. That was not the case here. Will visit again.
(5)
Wanugee N.
Old school Chinatown restaurant, known for their fried chickens wings for decades! Curt, Cantonese service, but good grub!
(4)
J C.
Tourist and local hangout. String beans with ground pork 4 yelp Deep fried flounder 3.5 yelp large fish Beef stew with bean curd clay pot 3 yelp beef was not tender. Chicken wings 4 yelp Clams black bean sauce 5 yelp If I was close by I would eat there again.
(3)
David T.
Their fried chicken wings are very good. The flounder fillet with black bean sauce is very good I did not like their Won Ton's, the texture was great but the taste was odd.
(4)
LunchaMunch A.
I came to Capital Restaurant on the Chinese New Year Day and unfortunately I can't say much about the food since I just kept watching my back, just outside the restaurant there was a group of young asian guys dressed up with a dragon costume, I saw them earlier going into businesses as its their custom while lighting up firecrackers, but now they're blocking the entrance to the restaurant while they chat away and smoke right at the entrance, I still want to try it so I get thru not without some dirty looks, as I get my food, an Afroamerican man goes in and I'm not sure what ensues but next thing I see is those guys screaming at him to get out and when he asks why they push him out of the establishment, I could not focus on my food, maybe I'll give them another shot, not on a Chinese New Year for sure.
(2)
Ada W.
I ordered the chicken cream corn soup and the Singapore rice noodles. The soup tasted like a bland mixture of oil and MSG, with barely any corn or even chicken broth flavor. I'm not sure what that concoction was, but I threw it out. The Singapore rice noodles were passable but nothing to write home about. However, given the prices they charge (which are significantly higher than the prices listed in this Yelp page as of 7/6/14), I found the quality per dollar ratio to be extremely low. I would not return.
(1)
Brian Y.
Bomb chicken wings! The other dishes were good too, it's another typical Chinese restaurant but with awesome chicken wangs ;)
(4)
H Q.
+My Uncle's Go To place to eat and meet up with his 90 year old buddies. It's like a gathering of the Yodas. +The food, like most places in Chinatown, was cheap, good and served quickly. +Typical no frills Chinatown decor.
(4)
Stefanie G.
We split 2 orange chicken entrees, chicken fried rice and veggie noodles 5 ways... 7 bucks each for more than enough food. I recommend doing that, get a few and share :) not the prettiest, (or the cleanest, but respectable,) but worth the trip for broke college kids. Maybe spend a few extra dollars if you can.
(3)
Raquel Y.
Idk why I bookmarked this place....It was just ok. Cheap food, but - hot and sour soup was too spicy - "famous" salt and pepper wings were too salty - chicken fried rice had no flavor - food came out SO SLOW. c'mon now, this is a dirty cheap chinese place. I expect it to come out the minute after we order!!! Only thing good was the house special chow mein. I'm just happy it was cheap.
(2)
C L.
Just tried their prime rib special on Tuesdays--buttery, a-ok!
(3)
Rob F.
Two words: chicken wings. They ain't buffalo wings, they're better. The best fried chicken you have ever had. The rest of the menu seems terrific. I'm no expert, but I enjoyed the pea shoots and fried rice as well. Bitter melon too.
(4)
Genaro R.
I took the fam for a quick bite and it was horrible.we order veggie chow mein and shrimp fried rice,sour soup we will never comeback here
(1)
Lauren F.
The boyfriend and I just went here tonight to celebrate Chinese New Year's Eve. First, they gave us a complimentary soup. To me the broth tasted like dirty dish water, so I didn't finish it. We came here for the infamous chicken wings people talk about, and they didn't have any plus they didn't have any chow fun either! We ended up ordering a few dishes still. Initially they tasted good, but then afterwards I felt weird. My boyfriend said it's probably the MSG and I should drink water. Another thing they did was they ripped us off - they overcharged us. When they brought back our change they didn't give us a receipt or any form of bill in order for us to be sure we got the correct change back. We then found out about them ripping us off when we got home and calculated our meal and it's tax and everything. NEVER GOING BACK AGAIN.
(1)
Krystal T.
Small Chinese diner... had the noodles... they were ok. Service was quick. Not fancy. Just relatively cheap and quick. I've heard about the wings... I'll be back to try them and update my review... but this is it for now... Oh and their lunch specials looked good with descent portions. ..
(3)
Eric L.
The food is good, it comes out fast, and it doesn't cost much. What else do you need in life? As everyone suggests, order the chicken wings. One order is a dozen, but you should probably order another to go. Spicy salt is the essence of life.
(4)
Koren Y.
Eh. Nothing special about this place. Ambiance is terrible. All of the fluorescent lights and the tables are laid out fast-good style. The food wasn't cheap at all. My Kung Pao Chicken and white rice was over $10. The food wasn't that great either. When I showed the server the Yelp deal for a free lemonade, he told me that they don't do that anymore. That's pretty disappointing. When somebody tells you that they're a Yelp user, there is a good chance they're going to review your business.
(3)
Bobby K.
I really enjoyed this place. Good portions. Great find if you are looking for authentic chinese food. Me and my sister ordered the string beans and pork, fried egg tofu, sweet pork chops, and beef fried rice. My favorite was the fried egg tofu!! Everything was delicious except the fried rice (very plain). I would personally hold off on that and get regular white rice for the price. We got out of there for around 40 bucks. So I guess reasonable for dinner. I would definitely go here again.
(4)
John G.
The only thing worse than the food was the service. The rice tasted as if it were three days old. My meal was bland, yet it was supposed to be spicy. The oyster appetizer was inedible. My son was promised a bowl of rice with his meal, but didn't receive it until the end of the meal. At which point, we were ready to go.
(1)
Bernard M.
Food was good tasty and fast, waitress was funny. Found this place by asking a couple of shop keeper in the area and they point me here would have gotten a 5 but the appetizers came with dinner
(4)
Helena H.
You must order the salt and pepper fried wings!! They are delicious. We tried fried rice with gravy on it- fu kein fried rice? It had scallops and shrimp with a gravy sauce- different but tasty. A trip to the bathroom will take you through the kitchen where all the cooks will smile and give you a pleasant hello! I will return for the wings! Cash only
(4)
Mel T.
Funny! As I left this restaurant I was admiring the "cleanliness" of this place. But when I got home, I had the runs. LOL... tmi??? This place, like any other in Chinatown, is cheap and affordable. The food was alright, it wasn't anything special. The food was kind of dry, ordered the chicken wings and it was covered in batter. The sweet & sour ribs were mostly bone and fat. They did give us a complimentary soup, which I appreciated, but didn't taste that great. We also ordered the shrimp & walnut prawns which were ok-dokie, not much to say about that. Wasn't terrible, it looked pretty clean on the surface.......butttt it wasn't. LOL :( Overall, I wouldn't come back again.
(2)
Arlene C.
Can't believe I haven't reviewed my favorite Chinese restaurant! Gather here often with friends. If you come here for a banquet style meal be sure to order the Naw Mai Gai (boneless chicken stuffed with sticky rice) a day ahead. Okay, so it looks like road kill, kinda smashed and flat....tastes mighty good! My favorites? Dry Scallop fried rice, Fried tofu medallions with spicy pork, Steamed shrimp with tofu, stuffed bittermelon to name a few, and of course the chicken wings. Good news is that you can memorize and point to the pictures that line the walls to select. Volume is loud when there are lots of people, oh, that may just be our group that's loud lol! Please don't order the tourist menu here, and be sure to advise the tourists that manage to find this hole in the wall gem :)
(5)
Kelly O.
Lunch specials are cheap, but not as cheap as the Chinatown mean. The quality maxes out at 3 stars, even after factoring in their famous salt & pepper chicken wings (which are bomb both at point of entry and, unfortunately for some folks, upon exit as well). It's worth trying once -- how else will you find out for yourself? Those wings DO seem to harbor an addictive flavor quality that keep 'em coming back for more so if you've got a thing for wings by all means see what the fuss is about.
(3)
Britain T.
the prices are amazing. Don't go here just for chinese food because it's sub-par but edible. Go here for the wings. They are advertising the right item on the covers of their menus. The wings are addicting and delicious and the chinese food is only a side thing.
(4)
William M.
The food was okay. My General's Chicken was bland and about as spicy as your standard Heinz ketchup. My wife liked her cashew chicken. The restaurant was acceptably clean. You have to go through the kitchen to get to the bathroom. That allowed us to check out the food prep area. It wasn't clean but it wasn't nasty either. It was okay for a small kitchen. The staff were rely nice and polite. They have our kids complementary jello and ice cream. The only take cash so I had to run to the bank when it came time to pay the tab. To be fair they have "cash only" in two spots but I missed the signs among the dozens of others. The prices were decent.
(3)
Jocelyn L.
Quintessential Chinese diner in the middle of Chinatown. What this means is: don't expect great service; heck, don't even expect good service. What you will get is delicious Chinese fast food at reasonable prices. - they're famous for their salt and pepper wings. A tad salty but the dish came out piping hot and the wings lived up to the hype. - Fukien fried rice: sleeper surprise of the night. Delicious. The stirfry poured over the lightly seasoned fried rice was great. Highly recommend. Even tastier than the version at yanksing - shrimp dumpling soup: ok. A little underwhelming given the dumplings I had at Cooking papa just the night before. -seafood over crispy noodles: wish I didn't order this at all. Massive disappointment. Skip
(3)
Violet H.
This restaurant had a high rating and nice photos so we tried it, but it did not meet our expectations. Forks and bowls were sent back because they were dirty with dried up food. Servers were busy and non attentive. The hot & sour soup was tasty but the lemon chicken and Kung pau chicken were nothing special. Not recommended.
(1)
Darryl M.
I came here with a bunch of coworkers mainly for the salt and pepper wings. They were served hot (temperature) and seemed to have a bit more salt than pepper, which I didn't mind at all. I'd say this is a nice dish for the price - $8 for 12 pieces. It takes 15 minutes to prepare. We were a party of 5 and ended up ordering 2 dishes of the wings, 2 of the beef chow fun, fried rice, bok choy and vegetable chow mein. I think it totalled to ~$50. 4 stars because each dish was worth its price, but I have yet to try more. If anyone is expecting spectacular service, don't come here. However, I'll surely be back.
(4)
Tommy L.
Yes this place can be a little cleaner but so what? What do you expect? You're in Chinatown. The food here is so good I want some right now and its only 8am. They are known for their fried chicken. It's almost a hidden secret because when most people think of fried chicken, they think of their wetter counterpart over at San Tung. If you've had butcher shop fried chicken, capital's version is somewhat similar. Their noodles are also super super yummy. The workers here are funny. They may seem impolite but they're just busy.
So I have not had a chance to check out Chinatown all that much after moving to SF because I try to avoid all the tourists running around the city clogging up the streets. With that said, this past weekend I had a craving for some solid Chinese food so decided to check out Capital after reading all the hype. After weaving through the streets of Chinatown I get to this joint at around 6 PM which seemed like a solid time to go as the "dinner rush" gets in at around 7 and boy does it get busy. This restaurant is busy with tons of activity and the folks running it were actually very friendly oddly enough. We were seated pretty quickly at the counter which is not the best spot as there are plenty of people walking in and out. The servers were quick about bringing utensils and menus and took our order. Decided to order the Salt and Pepper wings, the string beans, and of course the egg tofu topped with meat. For whatever reason, the food took a bit of time to come out that day but the lady was sweet and brought out free soup and consistently asked other people to check on our order in the back which I found thoughtful. The wings are pretty solid but I would still say San Tung is my favorite but they are totally different. The wings were cooked well and the skin is great with the light salt and pepper flavor. The chicken itself was okay but the skin is what really makes these wings. The string beans were solid as the sauce seemed a bit sweet which surprised me because I thought it was a spicy dish. Nevertheless a solid dish and no complaints. The winner for this dinner was the egg tofu. This thing has great consistency and is just a solid plate of food. I thoroughly enjoyed this tofu dish and was actually sad that it came out last as I was already starting to get full. The entire bill for the meal came out to like $29 which is way cheap so props there. All in all, a pleasant dining experience and a joint I will definitely be back to since I have found my favorite dish there.
(4)
Nicha K.
Chicken wings!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really. It's just all about the chicken wings.
(3)
Tony E.
Pretty darn good for the money. Old Chinatown power brokers rub elbows with the common folk in this busy restaurant. They are famous for their chicken wings of all things, but it's all delicious and inexpensive.
(3)
Mindy C.
Let's talk about the chicken wings. HMM... disappointed! It's okay. Can't compare to Sang Tung because it's cooked differently. The salt and pepper chicken wings here is bland....It lacks some seasoning. I thought it might just be this one time, but no, every time I come here it's the same problem - so i gave up. D&A cafe has the same salt and pepper wings, they are just so much better! So much more flavorful, juicier, crispier and more appetizing! D&A cafe, i will never cheat on you again! Bottom line is, if I don't crave for it, it ain't that good. Solly!(Chinese accent, i can do it because I am Chinese yo!) ;)
(3)
Keven W.
My dad wanted to try this restaurant. The place does advertise from February 14 I believe till April 30th, if you like them on Facebook you will get 15% off. Here is the catch you must wait for the coupon and post something on the wall to receive it. Sort of confusion right there on how the coupon works and the owner would not accept that we liked their place and did it in front of my phone. The food was okay, we ordered the famous chicken wings, eggplant, beef and corn soup with pork. I did like the pork in the eggplant, but the eggplant needed more spicy to it, but my mom could not handle the spicy. The beef was okay and the chicken wings were good and would order them again. I like Jollibee fried chicken better, but it is all a matter of taste. The rice was okay. Overall the prices were not bad we spend $40.85 include tax and that annoying health surcharge of $1.25 per person. The service was just okay and if they honored the coupon I would give them a higher star rating. Oh yes one tip do not go to the bathroom before eating the meal. The bathroom is in back of the kitchen and you can see the kitchen is very dirty and the floors had a ton of grease. The bathroom is dirty too god knows what they did there. I am not so sure if I would come back or not, but they did have some dishes I am willing to try.
(3)
Kathy N.
We ordered the dinner special C for 2 people and we noticed almost every table had a plate of fried chicken wings so we decided to try that. All of this food was plenty for the 3 of us. The hot and sour soup was super sour, I think they used too much vinegar? There were 4 fried prawns served with sweet and sour sauce. The pan fried noodles with BBQ pork strips was yum. The fried rice had a lot of chicken bits in it, not too flavorful but perfect if you have some salty protein dish to eat it with. The beef dish had way too many green onion strips in it. The fried wings were a bit too salty but were pretty yummy, it had slices of jalapeños. If you get the skinny waitress with short hair she has a soft spot for little ones (she has a 2 year old daughter) she was very nice.
(3)
Shad M.
Great food for a great price. Visiting San Francisco for vacation while shopping in Chinatown checked out Yelp to see where would be a good spot to eat found great reviews so tried it out. Very small but most restaurants there are. For was great, prices were great and lots of locals seemed to be eating there too which is always a good sign. 4 of us ate had chicken wings, Capitol short ribs, lemon chicken and Singapore noodles. It was all delicious. 1 in the group doesn't even like Chinese food but loved the chicken wings. Great place to eat and the price was excellent! Only down side was it is cash only.
(4)
James C.
Very good walnut prawns. I wonder about some of these places in china town? This place is good. Just off the beaten path!! Super good!!! Check it out!! Famous Chicken wings!!
This is a small restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. Their spring rolls are tiny and golden fried (more than expected), service is slow but ok. I will not personally go back but have to say that it was full of Chinese people.
(1)
Allison W.
If you are craving chicken wings, this is the place to go! Our cable car drivers recommended and it's not a tourist spot so we wouldn't have known otherwise. He had some big statements and he was right...they were fabulous! It's in china town so be sure to stop in.
(4)
Mohan K.
Poor customer service and food
(2)
Amanda C.
Everything in here is pretty typical Chinese food but not the best in Chinatown. BUT, their salt and spicy chicken wings have been my favorite since I was young. The chicken wings are so flavorful on the outside and crispy. It is flavored with salt and jalapeños. The restaurant is a bit small, but I usually do take-outs just for the wings so it is never an issue. But 3 stars for their wings, otherwise I'd eat Chinese food elsewhere. The customer service is super friendly and attentive too!
(3)
Peter Y.
This is the definition of Chinese food. Cheap (like really, really cheap. Like $9 for dinner cheap) Greasy (like really, really greasy, Like your meal surrounded in a puddle of grease greasy) Crowded (like really, really crowded. Like eating on a table usually reserved for waiting guests crowded) Satisfying (like really, really satisfying, Like huge, flavorful portions that will fill you up for hours) Remorseful (like really, really remorseful, Like feeling terrible about yourself after just having had some exorbitant amount of unhealthy food)
(4)
Stacy T.
Really delicious salt and pepper chicken wings that will make your football weekend a real hit! For a quick and semi healthy meal I throw in an order of the dry fried string beans and you are all set! The wings are like crack....
(4)
Veasna H.
I come here for one thing....the Capital Chicken Wings! It's a dried fried chicken with with salt, pepper, green onion, and jalapeno (probably a lot of msg too) that is made when ordered so it comes out extra crispy. The are so juicy and flavorful I ended up eating a whole order on my own the other day. I felt bad for a bit, but then realized I didn't have to share anyways. Also, while waiting for the wings, I noticed that the staff here was relatively friendly and attentive for a Chinese restaurant. Sure you might still need to wave your arms or yell a bit, but they seem to notice right away and seem eager to assist. I tried the chow fun with gravy once, i think it was good....but then I had more chicken wings!
(4)
Lisa M.
I liked it here. I got the egg tofu with minced pork. I will definitely go back and try other stuff. My eyes are always bigger then my stomach and I always want to order a lot. The service was cool.
(4)
James R.
Loved the salt and pepper chicken wings with the peppers. Service was good although it took awhile for the wings because that was what everyone was wanting apparently.
(4)
meshell c.
I almost never venture to Chinatown for Chinese food. First off, it's out of my way. Second, the food is usually pretty greasy and MSG-filled. However, I must say, the prices are always right and you kinda know what to expect and you can get more of the "authentic" dishes. Having said that, the atmosphere is pretty shabby. I don't know if it's word of mouth or they are published in some local tourist guide, but for a Sunday dinner, 90% were tourists and we were pretty much one of the few tables that were Chinese. Atmosphere: The place is a total hole in the wall. In order to get to the bathroom, you have to walk through the kitchen which is actually kinda cool. Saw a big bucket of shrimp in the sink right next to the bathroom wasn't quite appealing though. The bathroom is typical of all Chinatown establishments. There is also counter seating for the solo-travelers looking for some cheap eats. Food: Order from the pictures on the wall. They have everything you want from veggies, seafood, meat, and all your chow mein and fried rice, and clay pots. It's a good selection. We had a variety of food. I like the vermicelli clay pot and the tofu and the fried chicken. Our friend brought their own fish for the chef to cook up (now thats the homey hook-ups). After eating the food that night though, I was super thirsty (a sure sign of the MSG). The food can be on the greasy and saucy side depending on what you order. Overall: Its cheap Chinese food in Chinatown. It has all the bases covered. It's no food-porn, but it passes.
(3)
Naomi L.
You get what you order here. Just like the tag on their business card says, Capital serves both Chinese and American food. If you want Chinese food, stay away from anything that sounds like it came off a Panda Express menu (although hey, if you're a tourist and you like that kind of thing, then that's your jam), and go for hotpot or a noodle dish (preferably Shanghai or chow fun style). If you want American, they're famous for their wings, which I'll probably try next time I go. The place was fairly crowded on Saturday night, about evenly distributed with Caucasians and Chinese (and a couple of mixed tables, too). The owner and waitresses were pretty prompt, considering the locale, and the food came quickly enough considering a steady stream of take-out customers waiting at the door, too. The beef chow fun with sprouts was standard, bit greasy and not the nicest cut of beef, but a good gravy and fresh sprouts. We also ordered the jajiang mien, which surprisingly was not the black gravy noodle that I expected, but a mildly spicy pork and bell pepper mince over the same kind of noodles - it was good, but definitely not traditional. Don't go here if you're on a diet, and don't go if you're expecting to be wined and dined - the list is red, white, and Sapporo, and you're going to be competing with tourists for half the seats in the restaurant - but go if you need a quick comfort food fix and you need a restaurant open past 7p.
(4)
Adam Z.
Favorite Chinese restaurant in SF's Chinatown. Solely for their salt and pepper fried chicken wings. The service is okay- you always have to ask for water and forks and it can be hard to communicate at times, but I've been coming here for years and I am so glad that nothing has changed. The bathroom is located in the back of the kitchen, so you can literally walk in the kitchen and see everything being made right before you have your bathroom break. Every time I visit SF, I have to make a stop before I go back to LA to get these darn wings no matter how out of the way it is. I call in at least 20 minutes in advance because it gets super busy and get three, yes three dozen, orders to bring home to the family. It comes with jalapeños that add a wonderful kick, and I love seeing the pictures of their menu items all around the wall- makes ordering so much easier! Need. The. Recipe.
(4)
Alex N.
Ok, so first off I normally don't jump to write a review, immediately after visiting a restaurant. My grandma, may she rest in peace, used to make bomb chicken. But, not like the chicken wings at this place. I mean it's impossible to describe in words how juicy, tender, and delicious these chicken wings were. I demolished 10 of the 12 that came in the serving, and left two for later consumption, because I just wanted to have that taste later in the evening. I've been to plenty of places that served wings. In most of these places, the sauces in which the wings were coated stood in place of the chicken. In this place, the amaze-balls chicken was the main taste, and the light salt, onion, and chile flavoring was a nice addition. It's a must for anyone serious about their chicken wings :) The rest of the restaurant should be closed, and the owners should just open chicken wing stops all over the place. That would be my wish.
(5)
Matthew M.
The food here is ridiculously good!!!! The cups and plates might not be and the toilet is pretty gnarly, but it's good!
(4)
Petra S.
A friend of mine called me out of the blue for a last minute lunch on Friday and since we were near the area, he decided to we should go eat in Chinatown. He requested that I find a cheap hole in the wall place so I immediately decided to search yelp for what was highly recommended in that price range. The service here was a bit slow when we walked, although they had a lunch menu with dishes under $6 bucks so we decided to split two from there. He got some sort of ginger chicken and I tried the Mongolian beef. Both dishes to me were nothing special and I've actually had better in other similar priced restuarants, however, it wasn't horrible and it didn't look unsanitary. Parking of course is hopeless in this area so you're better off coughing up the 3 bucks to park in the Union St. garage to save on time and peace of mind.
(3)
Tina L.
I had the corn beef and it was good. It's a Friday special, so don't expect to see it on the menu on other days. They have American and Chinese menus on the weekdays. Too bad that they don't offer the American menu on the weekends. I took one star out because of their service. Service is a bit better when they are not as busy.
(4)
Eli Y.
A hole in the wall, but not in your wallet! Thank you yelp for helping me find this place. Came here with the rents one day when we were out in China Town just doing our thing. When we walked in we definitely stuck out as the only non-Asian people, but I knew that had to be a great sign in such a touristy area. We ordered: Mongolian beef: I'm the hold out non-pescatarian among my parents. They both went that way a few years ago, but I can't do it. This Mongolian beef was awesome! The slices of meat were super tender and juicy. Great flavor! Scrambled egg and Prawns: very odd combo, but probably my favorite dish. The eggs were perfectly cooked and flavored just right. Seafood chow mein: awesome assortment of scallops, shrimp, fish, squid and I don't know what else. Super tasty. Shrimp fried rice: one word: bomb. Sweet and sour prawns: perfectly crispy shell. Sauce was to die for. The service was pretty good. We're used to dishes coming out all at once, but here they came out as they were ready which lead to a bit of a time lag between the first and the last dish. I was ok with it, my parents less so. Prices were very reasonable. I certainly suggest a visit if you're in the area and looking to get away from the super tourist congested restaurants.
(5)
John D.
The chicken wings here are way overrated. The restaurant has other solid food like the egg tofu, ribs, prawns, etc. The prices are fair for SF Chinatown.
(3)
Alicia O.
Capital is a must every time we are in SF. We'd love to try other Chinatown spots but Capital is way too good to pass up! On the table each visit: FRIED CHICKEN WINGS!!! Orange chicken & beef and broccoli chow mein Don't forget to use the restroom before leaving, the trip to the bathroom is an attraction in itself.
(5)
Lauren E.
We live in the city and have never really eaten Chinese food in China Town. We went here last night with friends from out of town who wanted to eat in China Town! This was definitely the place to go! Great food! Staff was awesome and very patient with our big group! Prices were good. Everyone got a dish they wanted and we pretty much all tasted each other's food! Chicken wings that they claim are the best in the city are definitely THE BEST IN THE CITY! Egg rolls were good, not great. All the noodle dishes we got were wonderful. The fried rice and wonton soup were amazing! Definitely will be going back!
(5)
Mindy Y.
Dude, there's no lie, nooo lieeeee, that Capital Restaurant SALT AND PEPPER CHICKEN WINS are the maddest and greatest thing everrrrr!!! 5 stars, 5 stars! For the chicken wings! Got two boxes of the chicken wings and it was $16... and, yo, cash only! Home-lady, was cool, but took forever to figure out our order. Other than that, chickkkkennnn winngggss! A must, must get when you're around the area! Chinatown... don't lie... salt and pepperchicken wingssss don't lie toooo ! 4 stars overall!!
(4)
Jioyung K.
One of my friend brought chicken wings one night and it was the best crispy delicious wings I ever had. So I went to this place and ordered couple of items. I bought the chicken wings and pea shoots! This pea shoots cost $13 little bit pricy but huge dish and delicious too! I fell in love with this place!
(4)
Jenni L.
13 hour car ride down the 101. 3 exhausted and hungry girls. We were all too tired and haggard-looking to go out to dinner our first night in SF so we opted for takeout a few blocks from our hotel and ate in the room while we watched some super classy episodes of Storage Wars. No judgies. The place had great reviews and we were a ton of people in the restaurant when we arrived so I had high hopes. The best thing I can say is that it got the job done. At the end of the meal we were no longer hungry, and everything was edible; nothing was great. The salt and pepper wings were severely over-salted, the only other flavor coming from the jalapenos that were tossed in the box. The sweet and sour chicken was overcooked and the pork fried rice had absolutely no flavor. Based on the other reviews I'm going to chalk it up to an off night, though I probably won't bother the next time I'm in town. On a positive note, the staff was super friendly. *** Also, this place is CASH ONLY. We didn't know that before going but thankfully had enough cash on us.
(2)
Joyce P.
I came home today hungry. Even my big appetite said no to the chow fun and chicken wings. I didnt think I could have bland food in the middle of Chinatown.
(2)
Justin S.
This joint is excellant. It's the, "All Locals All The Time" restaurant. The vegetables are always cooked perfectly. Anything with vegetables is worth a try. I need to mention the salt and pepper chicken wings because they really are wonderful. I don't think the previous 70 people were enough to convince you. Even if you don't think they are the best you really need to give them a try. There really is nothing magical about this spot to warent five stars but the food is great. This is by far one of the best Chinese restaurants in San Francisco.
(4)
Andrea V.
I had their house special chow mien- it was a large, heaping portion and included pork, shrimp and vegetables. Noodles tasted buttery. Yum! This restaurant has many authentic Chinese dishes, sure beats Panda Express if you're looking for the real deal. Cash only
(4)
Vivian H.
Best Chinese style fried chicken wings, EVER. $6.95 for 12 big wings -- you can't go wrong. The flavor is perfect and the wings are so amazingly crispy.. yum. Although I can get wings for a lot cheaper where I also won't have to circle around forever for parking, sometimes my chicken wing cravings are specifically for Capital's wings. I also like the egg white and dried scallop fried rice. A little pricey (about $10?) since it's mostly rice and not a lot of anything else, but I still always order this. It gets pretty busy and sometimes you might even have to wait.
(4)
Russ S.
We love, love , love this place. It is a staple for any visit to SF for us, it's what we plan our visits around. Awesome hard-working family that owns and works there has the place scrubbed like a surgical suite. Authentic, tasty, quality, and reasonably priced food from start to finish. Green tea is fresh and tastes great. CASH ONLY though! rs
(5)
Christine A.
Hot day. Pride was raging in the civic center area and all up and down Market Street. We broke from the crowds to head up toward Grant Avenue for some wandering and grub. My friend starts going on about wanting to find this place we'd hit up years ago and so we went in search of Capital. There's nothing particularly endearing about the place, but I guess when you hit a certain age you just want to re-visit the sites of pleasant memories with friends. We get to Capital and it's crowded with locals, which is always a pretty good sign. It's a 20 minute wait for a table, which was a bit of a tight squeeze and hard to pull the chairs out with all the people hanging back in their seats on either side of our table. I think I changed my mind a good five or six times before the waitress came by to take our order since there were so many delectable choices. When put on the spot, I quickly said I'd have the barbecue pork wonton soup ($5.25, photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… ). Hot day and I order soup. Add to that a heaping helping of shrimp fried rice. They say people shouldn't go food shopping while hungry. I apparently shouldn't order Chinese food. Soup was great. Very filling with lots of meat slices, wontons, and noodles. I was also quite happy with the fried rice, which was thankfully much more savory than dry. Great... it's coming up on 1 in the morning as I write this and now I'm drooling like Homer Simpson, wanting fried rice right now. Mmmmm sodium... aauughhh. Only thing was it felt so wrong eating my food with a fork. I'd asked for chopsticks a couple times and didn't get them. Oh well. Food was good enough for a one-star upgrade. Capital has your fairly standard Chinese fare (chow mein, General Tso's chicken, etc), as well as some items for the more adventurous out there (photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… ).
(4)
Kat R.
I ducked inside this little Chinese restaurant for some simple wonton soup at lunchtime on a Tuesday in June. I was also looking for some peace and quiet. I sat at the counter where the staff quickly made room for me. Unfortunately, they sat me next to two AMERICAN TOURISTS, who without introducing themselves asked loudly where I was from. This took me a little by surprise, so I answered, "I live here." I could tell they wanted me to play the "aw, shucks, isn't this city neat" game, and I was really hungry, having run errands all morning. After answering their blunt question, I looked back at my menu so I could give my order to the patient waitress. The woman tourist said under her breath, "she doesn't want to talk to us." Really, lady? I'm 5 inches from you. I heard that. And no, I don't want to talk to you, but I was going to be as polite as I could be, but now I'm going to be exactly the kind of person you think I am. It's a cash only restaurant, which is written all over the entrance, but they failed to see that, and they only had two dollars, which they loudly lamented to everyone. The man was rude to the waitress, who was tenaciously kind back. They went to an ATM together and left her purse because she didn't want to be "left alone with me". Seriously. My wonton soup was good.
(4)
J H.
Yummy! Nothing was greasy, everything was well-prepared, and the portions while on the small side were just right for our family to try a variety of foods from the wor wonton soup to walnut prawns to their salt & pepper chicken wings. Parking is a hassle but getting some exercise before hitting this place is probably a good idea.
(4)
Emily U.
This place had the YUMMIEST fried chicken wings My husband and I have EVER tasted!!Yum!!
(5)
Andrew C.
This place has some seriously authentic cantonese food at some great prices. Ended up getting the following: String beans with braised pork: Pretty standard dish, but necessary to have a veggie Seafood clay pot: This dish was delicious! It's a standard clay pot with tofu, squid, fish, etc. (random assortments of seafood) and came in a nice sauce (albeit, a little salty) Chicken Wings: My friend suggested coming here because she loved the chicken wing appetizer plate. Huge plate of wings that are salted, fried, and have some spice to them. Sounds unhealthy you say? Don't worry about it. Definitely get this dish! Ambiance/atmosphere is reminiscent of any of your chinatown whole in the wall places. I definitely wouldn't mind coming here again!
(4)
Albert L.
Can you keep a secret? Yes, Will Smith probably ate here when he was shooting The Pursuit of Happyness back in 2006, but I'm not going to talk about that. And their famous Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings are no kept secret. yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… Those hot, crispy, plump wings with just the right jalapeno spicy kick. Yup, it's undeniable. But, did you know Capital Restaurant has daily weekday specials? More importantly.. Tuesdays. Two words. PRIME RIB. yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… For about $13, you get a fat slab of tender, succulent, juicy cut of fine Prime Rib to your liking (med-rare is my preference). The meat is so tender that I easily cut through it with a plastic knife and, even after murdering it by putting it in the microwave because it got cold, it still kept that succulent juiciness with each and every bite. It does come with a cup of au jus but it was a tad off, but still, it's Prime Rib! You read right. Prime Rib. In Chinatown. Tuesdays. Secrets out. Get it.
(4)
Erin S.
Salt, salt, salt...salt n pepa wings! These wings are GREAT. A little greasy, a lotta crunchy, very salty, not very peppery. In fact I think they may have forgotten the pepper on ours but they were still to die for. Also great...the string beans with ground pork. The waitress said "spicy" but she may just be saying that as a disclaimer to spice wimps. I didn't think they were spicy at all. But they were crunchy & flavorful & that's the most important part. A surprise winner...egg tofu with meat sauce. Sounds pretty gross, eh? It was so delicious! The egg tofu is lightly fried and inside is like custard. All topped with a tomato-y meat-y sauce. Yum! If the menu is overwhelming, just gaze around at all the pictures on the wall. Point & say "I want that". Easy. p.s. The bathroom is gross, as they are in most restaurants in Chinatown.
(4)
Joy M.
Home of the best China Town right? Well, I'm partial to my second hometown Monterey Park, but Capital is pretty good in terms of what they serve. My boyfriend and I have to agree on the chow mein. It is probably the best I have ever had in... my life. I can't believe I stated that, but it's true. The beef broccoli is also a winner. I always go for the staple items because they put them out the best. It just tastes so damn good, probably because of the MSG, but who cares? It's cheap AND delicious.
(5)
Nancy S.
Chicken wingssss! Ordered the Cha jeung mein and chicken wings - classic and must-have dishes! We also ordered a bowl of the beef stew noodle soup, which was pretty bland. Haven't been here in ages, but the noodles and wings taste just the same as how i remembered it! Cheap meal, delicious food, and good company!
(3)
Shanna C.
Best fried salt and pepper wings ever? I don't think so. I've been hearing great things about their wings so I was super excited to try this place out but I was pretty disappointed! I only wanted to try the wings so I ordered it as a take-out. It was around $8 for 10 or so wings. I consider that pretty pricey but nothing to the price of wings at San Tung. The outside of the wing- fried skin part- was delicious! It was crunchy, tasty, and everything you're looking for in the perfect wings. However, once I got though the skin and into the core of the wings. It was bland. It was not juicy, tender, and flavorful like how I imagined it to be. It was just a typical salt and pepper wing that I can probably find at a Chinese shop in Chinatown, if not better. I'd say the only good thing was the outside skin part. As a whole chicken wing, it was just okay. What a disappointment. I will probably just get my salt and pepper wings crave fixed at a Chinese shop in Chinatown.
(3)
Alison ..
A friend convinced me that these were the best chicken wings, so we went. to Chinatown to get the experience. They were good, but, not as good as the other items we ordered, like the scrambled eggs chow fun, walnut prawns, or the sizzling rice soup. I need to give them another chance. What I tasted on the chicken wings was plenty of salt in the batter. We are going to come back, but we will likely order a standard order, not the double order that we did on the Saturday visit.
(4)
Christopher A.
Wings are the best!!! The other menu items are excellent. The problem is the service. At lunch, the food took forever to come out. Buy another fryer capital wings!!!! Asked for a receipt and it took ten minutes!
(3)
Linus W.
wings - Unfortunately, there are a lot of places that do more flavorful fried chicken wings around the city. This variant is a light salt & pepper kind, and yeah the outside is tasty, but the meat is completely bland! Maybe they could brine it or something in advance - I haven't tasted chicken meat that bland from a wing before. clay pot - They did do a very tasty fish clay pot with tofu and mushrooms though. This dish could stand on its own, so I am hopeful about their other clay pots. However, you have to get over any fears of seeing bugs here; a little ant checked out the scene during our dinner, and near the end we saw a decent sized cockroach scurrying along the wall near the kitchen. It happily climbed up an empty chair next to the wall to get a closer look at us and the food...could be a long time if ever before I give their other dishes a try, oy.
(2)
Hen A.
$25 four-course dinner for 4 grown men......pork broth "greens" soup....light broth with hearty goods.....it's good....shrimp over bok choy....clear light sauce over tender shrimp and split bok choy....delicious.....peppered beef...a saucy black pepper treat...and finally....the "very famous" 'n' bestest fried chicken wings...crispy fried...slight sweetness...dash of salt....a wonderful meal on it's own....not bad for a $25 meal... curry chicken on the side wasn't as great as expected....curry in a chinese restaurant?...odd....and a mistake to order....
(5)
Jeff W.
twilight zone alert. i stepped back in time and in another dimension. full breakfast - 4 strips of bacon, perfectly pan fried over easy fresh eggs, crispy hash browns, two slices of white toast, bottomless cup of hot coffee for $4.50. it was raining like God sliced open the rain clouds today during the annual YMCA Chinese New Year 5/10km run. this place was like an oasis in the desert for me.
(3)
Nanana A.
This is more traditional Cantonese style cooking. The portions were large and everything we ordered was cooked with fresh ingredients and tasted yummy. The oxtail stew with tofu sheets was so good! I can't remember the other dishes ordered, bc it was several months ago. I only remember that it was all good and I've been back twice for take out after that. I did try the fried chicken wings and it was fresh and delicious and next time want to try the other appetizers. Only 1 item that was so so.............I ordered black bean beef chow fun, but it was a bit bland. I've had better at other restaurants. I look forward to a chance to go back again. I wish this place was in the east bay area. It is definitely a place to eat for good quality fresh food and good prices.
(5)
Elliott B.
This place is great. Cheap noodle dishes (#120 shanghai noodles especially) are super delicious. The portion is huge! Also they have beer which is a plus. The service is also good. I will definitely be coming back soon.
(4)
Audrey T.
Don't let the dirt deter! It's Chinese food. And if it's good, it comes no other way. So for you wise few that might reconsider this place despite the grime, here's what you order. Chicken wings to start - the best you'll have in the city hands down. And then a clay pot rice - if you're feeling freaky go for the frog. Ask what kinds of vegetables they have, and if pea shoots are in season, get that sauteed in garlic. While you might be thinking that you had one thing come in a clay pot already, it's still ok to order a claypot fish. They do braised fish wonderfully. Everything is savory and sizzling hot. Maybe it's because I'm Chinese and this reminds me of home, but it's the stuff that warms the soul. And one of very few places I will still eat at in Chinatown. And plus, I saw one of the waitresses spend a good half hour cleaning off one table at the end of the night. I think she saw her reflection on the formaica table top! It may look a little dumpy on the outside, but this place is actually pretty clean.
(4)
Alan P.
So NO ladies outside trying to hand you coupons, restaurant filled with Chinese people, typical brisk service and not located on Grant Street -- ALL my signs of a good authentic Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Stay away from all those touristy spots. If they have a coupon, forget it. Food here is good. If you are looking for real Chinese flavors, this is one of the few places to go in SF Chinatown. They have a house specialty Salt and Pepper Chicken wings which is amazing and super tasty -- I was skeptical at first but you can't miss it -- they are featured on the front cover of the menu. Other food just as tasty and everything seems fresh, prices are decent. Not too much of a wait most of the time I've been there.
(4)
Paula R.
This was our first visit to San Fran, and a short one, at that. Took the trolley from the water all the way to the end of the line. What to do now?? Walk, of course! We plotted our way, then found ourselves in China Town at lunch. Yelped to see where to go....Capital, it was! Great choice...very friendly staff, quick service, reasonable prices, and 3/4 of the folks eating there were locals. I had the chicken and vegetables and my hubby had Kung Pao chicken. Both were fresh and tasty. We really loved the "localness" of the place, topped with the fresh food. When the mailman, the painters, the truck drivers, the ladies lunching, and the businessmen...all Chinese...eat there, you know it's gonna be good! (Cash only...and no free refills on ice tea, we learned!)
(5)
Glen H.
I went to this place after I got my haircut. I came here since I was a part of the YMCA. It's a pretty typical Chinese restaurant. It's dirty, the tables are small, and it seems to be a place geared tourists or non-Asians now. The bathrooms are dirty. You have to walk through a kitchen. I saw a cockroach in there once. Why do I still come here? The chicken wings. Nothing else. Really. The chicken wings. Sure, they used to give much more for a lower price, but it's still awesome. Sure, I lack my daily vegetables, but it's worth it. Other than that, I got other dishes here multiple times. It's just average. Pop by here if you're in the area. It's definitely good for a quick snack.
(3)
Willis L.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Salt and pepper chicken wings It's been said time and again, but the salt and pepper chicken is really the killer item here. For seven bucks, you have an amazing snack that you have trouble putting down! Admittedly, the rest of the dishes here is about average compared to the other restaurants you could go to in the area, but nonetheless this is the place I always go when I visit friends working in SF. The restaurant itself has the typical "dirty Chinese restaurant" feel, though I often like to say that this is how you know the food will be good: dirty to where the tables are a little sticky, but not because of food particles; having a particular smell that only seems to go away after you've been sitting for five minutes; and there are tons of "special items" written in Chinese taped to the wall. I typically go with about four people, though they have two tables that may be able to squeeze 7 or 8 in. There's no TV so do not expect to stay by yourself too long, though they do have a bar-like seating in case you are by yourself. Taking to go seems to be common here. This place is CASH ONLY.
(4)
Audrey K.
I've been back several times recently to share the glory of the chicken wings with others. Everybody adores them. Because they are righteous wings. I even couldn't find parking one day, so we called ahead so my sweet angel could run in and get them while I double parked. When she asked how long, the lady said "12 minutes!". That's exactly how long the WAAANGS take. They put them fresh into the fryer every time, and they are always piping hot and fresh like they should be! Last time I was there, my friend and I got some chow mein and the spareribs in blackbean sauce. Everything else was ok, but I'll stick to the wings. They are truly the main event here. Capital. Capital goddamn WAAANGS.
(5)
Laurie c.
Pretty bustling place around lunch time with plenty of options. I ended up with the wonton noodle soup, which was alright, but not as good as the one I had at Noodletown in NYC. The soup was bland, the noodles were sparse, but the wontons were tasty. Service was fast and efficient.
(4)
Kelley N.
Been coming here since I was a baby for Sunday lunches....this place is so vintage. I feel like they should invest in some new menus. Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings - ughh yeah so perfect...definitely the best in this department!! Waffles - They were so good when I was little, but I never really order it now.....they're still good though but I think there is just some childhood emotional attachment goin on... By this review you would think this is a Chicken & Waffles place....those just happen to be the 2 random things this place serves. All the other food is pretty good, esp HK style pan fried noodles-house special (can add in ingredients that you want if you just ask for it, won ton noodle soup, fish and vegetables over rice (healthy choice-it's like one of the last items on the back page of the menu for lunch specials).... Yes it's Chinatown.....cleanliness is sometimes an issue. =\ I haven't personally had any bad experiences so if you're hungry in Chinatown....definitely consider this an option...
(3)
Loretta R.
If you care about your health, D.O. N.O.T. E.V.E.R. make the dreaded walk through the kitchen to the downstairs toilet closet. I'm surprised this restaurant has passed health inspections.
(1)
Thel D.
Capital has awesome crunch chicken wings... They don't quite compare to New Golden Daisy as far as flavor goes... bu tthey knock them out of the water with the light crisy texture. The rest of the meal was kind of blah... next time it's beer and chicken wings for me!
(4)
Diana T.
My boyfriend and I yelp a chinese food restaurant to eat at in chinatown. This came out and we decided to give it a try. We ordered the chicken wings, beef with black bean chow fun, salt and pepper fried ribs, and orange chicken. The chicken wings were on the appetizer menu, but we didn't get it at the table until after the orange chicken and chow fun arrived. The chow fun could have used a bit more flavor. The orange chicken, to me was okay, but my boyfriend loved it. The chicken wings were too salty, but still pretty tasty. and last but not least, the salt and pepper fried ribs, were pretty tasty, could have used a bit more salt and spicyness. All in all, I might try this place again, but I doubt it, there's too many other places to try.
(3)
Helen T.
we only come here to get the chicken wings to go. and i have nothing much to say about this place but MUST TRY THEIR FRIED CHICKEN WINGS! DELICIOUSLY FRIED, PERFECTLY SEASONED and MOIST WINGS.......MOUTH WATERING........ if you're ever in chinatown, just swing by for them and snack while you walk around! it's my favoriteeeeee in Chinatown... never dined in so I can't judge the experience dinning in the restaurant. aside from the chicken wings, i've had their fried rice and gravey beef chow fun....delish. :) but it still doesn't beat their wings :D must try.
(5)
Doeming j.
The salt/pepper crack laced chicken wings are good. But you have got to try the salt/pepper crack laced dungenous crab. Unbelievable. Probably loaded with msg but who cares. It's delicious. Well worth the $25. Wait staff is friendly and speak english or chinese, a big plus in c-town. Parking may be tough but definitely worth it. Ask to use the bathroom. They will lead you directly through the middle of the kitchen and down some stairs. Very interesting...you've got to see it.
(5)
Gigi T.
Salt n Pepper Fried Chicken WINGS - BEST FRIED CHICKEN WINGS in TOWNS! Huge-@ss plate of wings under $7! That's a must whenever Janie, Lily and I go to Capital for lunch. Morning Glooorrry (ong choy) with shrimp paste is also good (pretty standard chinese dish that not a lot of places can fook it up). Deep fried egg-tofu with pork sauce was also a hit, smoooth tofu with crusty skin :) Hmm I think i just named all my favorite dishes. There are lots of dishes I wanna try but a girl can only eat so much... and I can't forgo my favorites to try something new :)
(4)
Chie J.
I used to really like Capital... but now I have mixed feelings... I feel bad because I used to eat here all the time and the waitresses are very nice. But I found a better alternative which is only a few blocks from Capital called Young's Cafe yelp.com/biz/youngs-cafe… At Capital I liked: - Fried Chicken Wings with Salt and Hot Pepper - Sliced Fish with Greens - Wonton Soup - Egg Roll - Fried Prawns - Broccoli Chicken - Sweet and Sour Pork - House Special Fried Rice I really didn't like: - Seafood with Greens (It was very very fishy - uneatable) -Free Lunch Soup (Walter and no Flavor except gamy porky flavor) Menu Link menuism.com/links/show/d…
(3)
Aaron Y.
Great food, nice waitresses, the best part of SF....well, maybe not, but the food and service is always good! The fried chicken wings here are the best in the world and the cooks are consistent with their other dishes. They also serve American Breakfasts, which probably aren't great, but I've yet to try it. When you walk in, you see pictures of Will Smith from when he was filming Pursuit of Happyness in the Chinatown area. I guess he dropped in for some Chinese style fried chicken!
(5)
Han C.
Deeeeeelicious salt & pepper chicken wings, folks. You definitely have to try it. Cheap, quick, and very tasty. I tried a couple other dishes here and they're good, too. MUST try!
(4)
C P.
These wings are Fantastic with a capital F! Crispy, grease-free, tasty. with just the right balance of salt and pepper. Truly finger lickin' good. The only other place on par with Capital is downtown Oakland's Tam's Fish and Chips (see my review). Their variation is to dry sautee the wings after they are fried in a wok full of jalapeno peppers.
(5)
Rachel C.
Capital: chicken wings Clay Street: chicken wings cheap eats in C-town: chicken wings at Capital on Clay Street! Yay! I went with a bunch of co-workers for lunch and basked in the glory of their salt and pepper chicken wings. Mmmm, salt and pepper and jalapenos...tons of wings for under $7! I'm quite a fan of exploring Chinese restaurants for their salt and pepper fare and I'm a fan of Capital's wings! We were seated fairly quickly considering is was quite crowded. Pretty fast service and not too long of a wait for the food. Some of the other things we ordered: vinegar spareribs, beef stew with Chinese turnip clay pot, and spicy eggplant with bamboo shoots, woodear mushrooms and pork in garlic sauce. All were pretty good except for the beef stew which had so much gristle and lettuce (filler crap) that it wasn't too appetizing to be edible. Always good to mix the sauce with my bowl o' rice! Gotta love how the perimeter of the place was surrounded with menu items and a lot of pictures of the food. I will definitely be back to try more items!
(3)
Mark W.
The only thing I've eaten here is the wings that everybody raves about. One time, my friend who works in the area went to order some for lunch and since I was with him, I "freeloaded" some off of him. I don't visit my friend much but I just may have to once again at lunch when he has a craving for some Capital Chicken Wings!!!
(4)
Ty L.
i'll keep my review short and sweet... best chicken wings in chinatown!!! period.
(5)
Vareen O.
Had the short rib chow fun and the infamous salt and pepper chicken wings. The wings were very crispy, but a little on the salty side. The chow fun was pretty good though. We came in the midst of lunch rush and the food took a little long.
(2)
Stacey C.
Your typical Chinatown restaurant. Dirt cheap and dirty. But I've been going to this place for several years now, usually on Sunday mornings when you can get breakfast. They serve American style breakfast or else my favorite - chicken macaroni. The chicken macaroni is covered in gravy in the soup and it's pretty tasty. I think it used to only cost me about $3.50 but I can't remember the price now. For lunch I usually get some sort of noodle dish. You can't go wrong with that. They're piping hot and the portion sizes are reasonable. I've burned my tongue on a dish or two here. Be careful of some of the servers. They act like they speak English but then they have no idea what you're saying. This is after you point to the menu too. Once we tried ordering and she said okay and walked away. A minute later she came back and said, what did you want? We pointed to the menu and she said ok and went away again. She came back with another waitress to ask again. Pretty funny. Just ask the lady with the heavy eye shadow. She can help you.
(3)
Carlie C.
BEST salt and pepper chicken wings, hands down in SF. This place has been around forever and my dad has been taking me here forever. They have a great noodle selection and bean curd. They also serve you soup on the side. It's right near Portsmouth Square and it's the best place in Chinatown for authentic Chinese food. Great for takeout as well.
(4)
Ruby K.
I've always heard about their chicken wings being super good, and guess what? It sure is! The salt and pepper fried chicken wings were fully cooked with the right amount of crispiness and seasoning! The pieces of chicken were pretty big too, so I have to give props to how I didn't see any veins nor blood in the middle of the wings! They give a generous portion of about 10 pieces for around $7! I also had a cup of lemon iced tea. It was a little bit too sweet, but I can say it beats some places in Chinatown. Good enough for me! I wish this restaurant was open for late night. I would say the chicken wings will be the best drunk food! Oh yeah, they accept cash only.
(4)
May Y.
Best known for their salt & pepper chicken wings, you just can't stop at 1. They also make a very tasty fried flounder with eggplant. They're prime rib lunch specials offers a very generous pc of prime rib, mixed veggies & rice all for a reasonable price.
(4)
Joseph M.
Oh wow, wow, wow. Chicken wings! I would recommend coming here with at least another person if not two or three. If it's just you, sit at the bar. Everyone talks about their chicken wings and they're not lying. It's amazing to me how they're perfect and you can actually see the MSG crystal on each wing. Perfect late night, just for one, too much food dinner - the chicken wings and a big bowl of Hot & Sour soup.
(4)
Johnny P.
Take it from me, a real-life Chinese person (actually, a half-breed), The Cap is legit! If you want the the "Real Deal" Holyfield of Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, this place is it!! I hate to regurgitate the other reviewers' opinions but the salt and pepper chicken wings here are stupid good. And by that I mean that I will, on occasion, go into serious MSG withdrawals if I don't consume them at least once a month. And yes, I can feel my heart beat a bit slower after each serving. Service is obscenely fast, food is numbingly hot, and prices are dirt cheap. Just like Chinese food should be. Note to my friends of the Caucasian persuasion: If you roll into a Chinese joint and everyone else in there looks just like you, it's probably no good.
(4)
Alyssa A.
The crab and corn soup was good.
(3)
Dana S.
Solid service, food quality, flavor and freshness. Good menu selection. Clean restaurant. A-OK.
(3)
Nana R.
Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings are the best here. I had their weekday specials and love the Pot Roast w/ Rice. Worth every penny! I went here last night for beef stew (meat only) over rice. It was perfect. Very good flavor, no fat, chunky pieces of meat and tendon was cooked to where it melted in my mouth. Very good, no MSG, not salty and the right amount of rice. For only $6.05. I paid with $10 and had enough to go get myself some dessert down on Grant Ave. Perfect place to get food to go on your way home. I was there Monday night so expect lots of tourists or locals to pop in there. I never eat there but it is just another cheap place to eat. Better to have the food to go and enjoy a different atmosphere.
(4)
Eugene H.
They are great for fried rice and salt & pepper wings if that's what you're looking for. Not too oily not too much msg. Dining out there will be msg one way or the other.
(4)
Michael H.
I have to say the only thing I got here were their wings. But they are so freaking good. Just for that it's 4 stars. Typical down and dirty chinese restaurant, but if you're in chinatown definitely stop by and get an order of wings.
(4)
Rachelle Q.
Heard that this is a great Chinatown institution that's been around forever, and now we know why! Definitely a must stop for their Salt and Pepper chicken wings, and their deep fried tofu with pork and bitter melon. Bitter melon did not taste bitter AT ALL for some reason, and the deep fried tofu was so crispy to the point that it's so NOT good for you. Ordered for 2 people, with rice and tea bill came up for less than 15 bucks. And we still have boxes to go with 4 pieces of wings and a little bit of tofu. As it is with a lot of places in Chi-town, this is a cash only joint. Expect the lunch rush and expect a wide range of people eating here, from old Chinese folks to business people.
(4)
sam s.
Excellent finger licking good salt & pepper chicken wings. The wings used to be larger which is better 'cos it's meatier & juicier. This place is frequent by locals and it's all about comfort food. They always serve the best homemade hearty soup which is on the house. Other stuff that is great is their Clay Pot Rice...takes about 20 minutes 'cos it's prepared from scratch. When you're done with the rice, you can request the waitress to cook the "sticky bottom rice" with soup to make it into a congee. Yum-yum...all that flavor. Great personal service.
(4)
Montclair D.
I've only had the wings, but they are soooo good!
(4)
J B.
This restaurant rocks! I absolutely love love the fried chicken wings here. Crispy and a littlle bit spicy at the same time. Also on Tuesdays lunch special, they have the PRIME RIB!. MMMMmmmm. The only reason why I am giving it 4 stars is because sometimes(okay maybe more than sometimes) their ingredients are not that fresh. Example: Tuesdays special: Chicken with Mushroom over rice. It's good, but you can tell the mushrooms were old, i.e. gills were black & open, and the mushroom top was spottled. It still tasted good, but you're forewarned.
(4)
Daniel L.
The chicken is soooooooooooooooooo yummy!!!!!!!!!!! Nomnomnom.
(4)
Bruce L.
What the restaurant was once known for, salt and pepper chicken wings, no longer taste the same. This was one of my favorite restaurant in chinatown, but have now went down the drain. Price is okay, but food and service is eh...
(2)
Grace L.
I needed a quick place for lunch...this is a small/medium sit down place with a counter if u r dining alone. It seems clean. I ha the wonton soup and the salt and pepper chicken wings. The wings are fantastic, as everyone else has proclaimed, but the wonton soup was so so. The service was fast.
(3)
Ilya Y.
Bland food and poor service.
(1)
Bruce C.
I use to eat here two-three times a week when I worked in the Bay Area. Their shrimp fried rice is to die for! Can't wait to visit them again.
(4)
Rob C.
chinese fast food. large variety, ordered salt and pepper chicken wings and sparerib chow fun. chicken wings were too salty and not enough pepper. inconsistent pieces, but fried ok. chow fun was alright, this place is so so, like a lesser daimo's or new sun hong kong. walk past the kitchen to get to the bathroom.
(3)
Darren W.
Salt and Pepper chicken wings is all you need! They are AMAZING, even after eating all 16 (16 per order), i still crave for more. If you order more than 2-3 orders of the salt and pepper fried chicken, they usually just give you more. Prices are very reasonable and one time i even got a free chinese soup to go with it! Only problem is that parking is hard to find but they stay open pretty late and they even offer american style breakfast. All the other items on the menu are just ok, this place probably makes its money off the wings. it's like the chinese wing-stop.
(4)
Phil Y.
I've been eating here since I was a little kid. Well I guess if I had to give you an acurate description, a little "big" kid. You walk in and you are welcomed with a smile, the food is affordable, and the food has a "home cooked" taste to it. Breakfast and lunch menus offer an array of Chinese and American dishes. The thing that really makes this restaurant stand-out is the Salt-and-Pepper chicken wings. Deep fried to perfection, then dry fried briefly with jalapeno peppers, scallions, and seasoned lightly with salt. Most of the other dishes are great too. Must try if you've never been!
(5)
Caroline C.
By the time we finally found the restaurant, our friend and his friends had already ordered for us. They made a big deal about ordering veggies for me, since we came here while I was still traumatized over the bug insides. I'm giving it 4 stars, but it's mostly for the ambiance, the nice waitress, the endless supply of black tea, and the food I saw disappearing off my friends' plates. Now, don't get me wrong, the veggies were delicious (any time I see a full clove of roasted garlic on a plate in front of me, I can't complain), but I wasn't terribly hungry. The restaurant was very unassuming, filled with very Chinese people who didn't really speak English (or speak at all) and surprisingly bright lighting. The walls were papered with specials. Our waitress was really nice and kept telling us what to order and what not to order, and just kept bringing out food, over and over We got some free soup while we were waiting for the appetizers to come out, too-- it had like egg and tofu in it? Pretty tasty, nothing special. Best of all, we were never short on tea. We had a fresh pot of tea about every 5 minutes.
(4)
Liz L.
My family has been going here for lunch specials and economical dinners since I was in high school, so..at least 7 years now? Oh my, time flies. But! The food is still tasty, and the service continues to be fast and friendly. I'm supporting myself through a second round of college, so it's no wonder that money is always on my mind. I can eat here and rest assured that I won't wake up the next day regretting the $5.50 I spent on lunch. The black bean sauce prawns and string beans are excellent (they aren't stingy with the prawn portion either). I also enjoy the scrambled eggs and prawns over rice ($5.95), with a small dish of oyster sauce on the side. The salt and pepper chicken wings ($6.95) are pretty standard, but what isn't standard about them is the portion. Over 10 wings..that's a meal in itself. If you're feeling fancy, try the large surf clams over clear noodles, served in the shell (2 for $7.95). Note: this place is cash only. Note also: my dad read somewhere in the restaurant that if you spend $40+, you can get your Portsmouth garage parking ticket validated for the first 2 hours.
(5)
Vien N.
So not everybody gets the same VIP treatment that my friends and I get, but that's only cuz we used to go there once every two weeks, and we ALWAYS ordered like 5 dishes for just 3 people! ALWAYS they'd give us a huge-ass bowl of soup, and when we (obviously) couldn't finish everything and asked for boxes to go they would ALWAYS give us a box full of rice, as well as refill the soup before letting us take it home!!! ...one last thing: we order hot and spicy chicken wings - A.L.W.A.Y.S. (Infinitely better than any and all the different chicken wings from San Tung)
(5)
Melissa H.
I wasn't enthused. Fairly authentic Chinese food and ambiance compared to what I had in China two months ago. Not sure if that's a compliment...
(3)
Ava C.
I saw the rave reviews about the salt and pepper wings and needed to try them for myself. I went to Capital for lunch and since I was by myself, I just ordered the wings to go. The place was super busy and I waited almost 30 minutes for my order! That's way too long... The wings were good. Crispy, not too greasy. I got a little creeped out by the chicken hair still on the skin, but they were delicious enough that I got over it. It's a good bang for the buck--I didn't count, but I think they gave me 12 wings for less than $7. I couldn't finish them and ate the rest for dinner. Next time, I'll do a phone order before showing up to pick up my meal.
(3)
Wakako U.
Amazing hot spicy chicken wings!! Perfect thin crispy skin. 13 wings to a plate.
(5)
Bob A.
So lucky we stumbled upon this. The food was some of the best Chinese I've had. The service was friendly, and they were very nice to the kids. I just wish I'd had the chicken wings.
(5)
Jane S.
Thanks Yelp Friends, you steered us well. We came into SF late tonight and dialed up Yelp for a recommendation for chinese food. We had the "Vegetarian for 2" dinner at Capital, for $10.95 each. My husband also ordered the wings because he thought there just wouldn't be enough food for 2 people at that price. That was wrong wrong wrong. The portions are generous and delicious. I especially liked the smoky fried rice. The restaurant and food is not fancy, but the food is good-tasting and lots of it. None of the gloppy stuff in any of these dishes (unlike the yucky noodles I had at PF Chang's in Sacramento the night before.). The decor is somewhat tattered and fluorescent in a 1970's way and could use an update, so not 5 stars, but it's clean.
(4)
Ray L.
5 Stars for their Chicken Wings!!!!
(5)
Stella J.
i love their salt and pepper chicken wings! not only are they fresh, but fried to perfection. it has a crunchy exterior with plenty of salt and pepper seasoning that is just to damm tasty. as a group of 6, we devoured two plates of these yummy wings. we also had an order of garlic dao miu (idk what its called in english). that was filled with garlic, not filled with grease and cooked to perfection. i know where to go when i'm in chinatown and looking for some good food!
(4)
Merris W.
Yuck! This place was packed, so you'd figure it'd be good. NO. Food was very bland. I had the vegetables with pan fried chow mein noodles, friends had the Kung Pao Chicken lunch special. Mine was flavorless, found myself continuously reaching for the chili pot. My friends agreed the kung had no Pao. Took a stroll through the kitchen to use the bathroom-more YUCK. Big old pots of chicken pieces soaking in the sinks. Those wings might be good (according to other reviews) but not when you see them like that.
(1)
Brian P.
OMG THE CHICKEN WING GOD OF SAN FRANCISCO!!!! YOU OWN SO AND SAN TUNG! YOU OWN THEM!!!!!!!! Let me tell you... these Salt and Pepper chicken wings are cooked to a perfection,.. the taste is just perfect.. you'll never EVER get a dried out chicken wing like So or San Tung does every so often.. what is great about the chicken wings as well is that they put extra green onions and jalapeno peppers for you! OMG! DELIGHTFUL! what else is good you ask.... The Steam Pork cake with salty fish, damn that is good! This is probably place that sells Salty Flour Ball Soup (A chewy ball made of flour... texture of tapioca but a lot more chewier) ....it's a cantonese thing that you will never find anywhere else.. unless you cook it yourself in your kitchen which is a real tedious task. I've seen my mom cook it and it's not that easy. This is probably the best restaurant in china town... for chinese comfort food! OWNS YUET LEE!
(5)
Helen T.
3.5 stars. chicken wings are good as well as their tofu with meat sauce. solid, cheap, chinese fare you can find in the touristy chinatown.
(4)
Shizuka L.
AWUG, SO YUMMY. I love the chicken wings. LOVELOVELOVE. So crispy and oily, ahhhh. When you bite into it the oil and flavor explodes in your mouth. The other food is really good too. I've tried the flounder and baby bak choy, which tastes immensely good. The fried noodle/steamed noodles are also delicious. The basic stuff tastes wonderful too. Definitely a must eat place in CT.
(5)
Amanda S.
The wings are the best...fried, crispy with a sprinkle of salt. I usually don't go for Chinese food but everything we ordered was flavorful and not greasy. Service and cleanliness not bad, the decor is plain, prices are pretty good.
(4)
dan a.
so my review may or may not be helpful in a conventional way, but you be the judge. happy hour on friday got a little... drunk. so why not go to capital and have a nice hot bowl of beef noodle soup. two slurps into my AWESOME noodle soup, i notice that one of my friends starts to heave AT THE TABLE. we quickly rush her out of the restaurant but only make it just outside the front door before the chunks start flying. BUT, the staff there were soooo nice, they didn't get mad at all, and oh by the way, we got to the restaurant just as they were closing and they were nice enough to serve us anyway! so as much as i wanted to finish my amazing noodle soup, the capital crew was more than accommodating as we tended to our intoxicated friend. moral of the story: get the noodle soup, and in no way do i encourage going to capital drunk, but if you do, chances are that you'll be in good hands.
(4)
Hugh R.
New to Chinatown, I came to the Capital Restaurant on the recommendation of a store proprietor who I'd asked to suggest a restaurant. Sat at the counter and ordered the only combination plate for one, which included wanton soup, sweet & sour chicken, beef with broccoli, and egg roll and rice. I found the portions more than generous although the flavor seemed a little off to me. The sweet & sour chicken erred a little too far toward the "sweet," coming off like some sort of chicken-flavored candy. The beef lacked flavor altogether (and was a bit chewy). The wanton soup also lacked any real flavor, although it's possible the salty expectations set by my local Chinese takeout restaurant in Cambridge, Mass. influenced my opinion somewhat. And the egg roll looked like an overcooked appetizer from the frozen food section of the supermarket. Worst of all, the sauce from the chicken pooled around the plate with the water from the beef/broccoli making a big soupy mess on the place. There must be something about this place as it filled up quick and I see a lot of good reviews, but unfortunately I don't have nearly enough time in town to get back for another go and this particular experience just didn't do that much for me. Not horrible by any means, but not particularly memorable, either.
(3)
O'Shea J.
The salt and pepper chicken wings are what everyone raves about here. Personally I felt the salt and pepper deep fried pork chops were better. They weren't fried as much as I like but still very good. The Mongolian beef was decent too. The taro root soup that came with our meal made everything feel down home and reminded me of the restaurants my parents like to frequent.
(3)
Alejandro B.
Grrrreat affordable place. Very polite, friendly staff and tasty food.
(5)
Karen H.
yummy, right near my work...big portions and fast service... yes, the chicken wings are excellent, but i come here for the fried salty fish and pork....yummmmmmmmmmmmmmy!
(4)
D. R.
As winter trickles towards us that means soon I will be swinging by "The Cap" as those in the know call it for some hot ass soup. Top 3 in "The City". Thank me later.
(4)
Jennifer B.
Huge portions, friendly service, authentic Cantonese food. We ordered the famous salt and pepper wings, braised fish/tofu/shiitake clay pot, and Singapore rice noodles. The husband was in heaven, and I thought it was pretty good too. It was super-cheap as well, under $25 for 3 entrees. Can't go wrong!
(5)
laura f.
one word - YUM! bf and i had dinner here on tuesday night because he was craving chinese and i'm really glad he did! we did the menu A for two people. the only thing that i wasn't too keen on was the egg drop soup - but other than that everything was stellar. sweet and sour chicken and the beef with noodles were soooo good. place was pleasantly filled with other happy diners. glad to know that i have a GOOD chinese restaurant not too far from the apartment.
(4)
Oleg H.
really really good fried chicken wings.
(4)
Aaron B.
I'd likely go back if I was in town again and craving Chinese food. Due to all the rave reviews here I ordered the salt & pepper chicken wings, and was not disappointed. Good good good. The tofu and mushrooms and vegetables was not too bad (I'm not a big tofu fan but wanted to try something different) and the vegetable fried rice was good. At about 7:30 on a Tuesday there were a decent number of Chinese and Caucasian folks (families, couples) in the main dining area, and me, an Australian, and a Kiwi (traveling separately) at the bar. By the way, you get about 10 wings with an order, and the other portions are pretty generous as well, so don't over-order!
(3)
Angeli L.
Very good, authentic Chinese cooking - went there becuz my sister's family loves fried chicken wings - V. good if you like savory and crispy wings. Servers - attentive (there were 15 of us at a big table) and accomodating. All of the food was fresh. Pan fried assorted seafood noodles, grilled eggplant and (Szechuan) garlic sauce, chinese greens - all yummy! Small, V. casual - comfy family place!
(4)
Monica N.
Best salt n pepper chicken wing here in the whole wide city! It comes out fresh From the hot boiling oil, mmmm, you'll have to try. Also they have the salty "tong yuen". Other than that, they have specials on weekdays.
(4)
YaYa K.
Alright, this is a hole in a wall kind of place. And its popular outside of the Chinese community. How did I find out about it? A Japanese waiter from Umi told me. He was drooling just talking their famous chicken wings. So we go there and see what its all about. We walk in there with our Santa suits from Santacon. The owner had to take a picture of us. We got hella stares, especially from all the older Chinese ladies. Couldn't help but laugh the whole time, but other than that, let's get to the food and service. So I speak Cantonese and the waitress and I got chummy chummy already. Joke with her, calling her my sista, and she was on it. WAs super sweet, attentive, and even persuaded us to get two orders of wings and a round of beers. The wings came and they were hella hot. Salted just right, with jalapenos to spice it up a bit. Super cripsy, juicy and yay, pretty good. And its my favorite part of the wing too. How could they go wrong then. Then we ordered the pea pod leaves, tofu mushroom and beef chow fun. The food came out fast, even with a packed house. Beef chow fun was a bit bland, but nothing a little soy couldn't fix up. The others dishes were good. I enjoyed it, but honestly. . . Chinatown, trying to find parking just to have wings. Hmm, maybe just a once a year visit will do. Nothing I can't go thru a Popeye's tp get even more conveniently at. Any who, and the last bit. Have fun going to the restroom. Its way in the back. You have to walk thru the kitchen, pass all these short chefs, and then go down another level further into the pits to use the restroom. Its probably some place you don't want to see where your food is prepared, but hell, the food is awesome anyways and I didn't get sick. I think I won't complain about that tid bit. Just suck it up and go.
(4)
Yang N.
Have to agree on the salt and pepper chicken being awesomely appetizing. Place is pretty clean and cozy and it seems pretty popular.around lunch time. They have the lamb claypot with tofu, which is my fav.
(4)
Sue L.
Thank you Capital for staying open for us to get our grub on in Chinatown--even despite the fact that you were closing. Your salt & pepper fried chicken wings hit the spot and gave us enough energy to discover secret underground Chinatown dance clubs on a Sunday night!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : No Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
Michele D.
I'm basing this solely on the salt & pepper chicken wings. And the trip to the bathroom to the kitchen. Yikes. After having been spoiled by the food queen herself, Karman L. with these ridiculously delicious salt & pepper wings in Boston, I was hoping that Capital Restaurant would be able to deliver on my craving for wings. I scoured the reviews for about 30 minutes and decided Capital -had- to be the place. Meh. They were small and the flavor was just ok. I really didn't taste any pepper, to be honest, but I don't know if it was because I didn't want the jalepenos. Is that what constitutes the "pepper" in salt & pepper? It was a good sized portion and I alone could not finish it. My partner ordered the almond chicken. I didn't try it, but he said it was good. Now lets talk about the trip to the restroom. This was unusual because you have to go through the kitchen to get to them. I was glad I did so after my meal because seeing food in the open and exposed to things made me wince just a little. Right next to the doors of the restrooms is an industrial sink where a woman was washing vegetables. Call me a germ phobe or whatever you want, but I feel a little weird about bathrooms being in such close proximity to where produce is being cleaned. I'm sure there are plenty of wonderful food choices here, but for now, I'd have to say I would opt to try another Chinese place on my next visit to SFO.
(2)Chanel L.
"Fried chicken wings, chicken wings,. its so good!!" Heard this from my friends all month long and finally they took me here and I agree,. "their chicken wings are BOMB BOMB BOMB." The chicken wings were big in size, nice crispy skin and seasoned with salt and jalepeno. Decent price and our party of 8 had 3 orders of the chicken wings. Would recommend the EGG TOFU topped with ground meat? This was delicious! Also the three egg dish,. felt so healthy! Steamed egg with 1000year egg deep in the dish,. So healthy, I want to bring my parents here for dinner. I actually put the egg dish over white rice,. I NEVER eat rice! Everything else was eh,. filler dishes. Wouldn't recommend the peking duck,. def on the fatter side with little meat. Will be back for the chicken wings, egg tofu dish and the three egg dish! A bit pricey for chinese food, especially in chinatown. But this restaurant has extremely good ratings. So I'm assuming, this tailors to tourist and americans.
(4)Connie C.
I almost wanted to give this place two stars just because two stars is equivalent to "meh, i've had better". For a place in Chinatown, this diner sure is confident with the prices they charge:( I came here with my boyfriend after hearing about their famous salt & pepper chicken wings. It's been about 12 hours since I ate them and I'm still wondering why they're considered famous. They're mediocre at best. I've definitely had better wings in chinatown for way cheaper than the $7.90 they charged me for about 10 wings. I go to other places like New Moon or Sun Sang. There's plently of places! Capital didn't quite capture the salt and pepper taste for me and I wished the peppers settled in more so that I would have a nice spicy kick to it. The service was otherwise quick and attentive, but I probably won't be returning since there's other eateries that are cheaper in price and equal in taste.
(3)Cliff T.
very cheap Chinese restaurant.... nothing fancy. The salt and pepper chicken wings are okay but for wings... you should definitely go to San Tung..... chicken chicken........ yum...
(2)Bjørn R.
Not really any impressive dishes here. The menu is very large, with all just average dishes. Been there 5-6 times. Last time this place gave me diarrhea and vomiting. Needless to say, I'm not going back.
(2)Jennifer V.
The Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings are finger lickin goodness!
(5)E J.
I ordered the highly recommended fried chicken wings tonight. It's so salty, and I only took 3 wings. Now after an hour, I already suffered from Diarrhea :( apparently the wings are not fresh at all. Would never go to this place again
(1)Brendan S.
This was one of the best Chinese food restaurants I've ever been to. It's in the heart of Chinatown in San Francisco and serves excellent, authentic dishes to locals and tourists alike. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants great Chinese food for cheap in S.F.
(5)J T.
This is a solid 3 star place. Salt and pepper wings were aight. General chicken and asoaragus in oyster sauce were ok as well. Not in a hurry to go back. Anyone who gives this place more than 3 stars just lost all there street credit.
(3)Mike L.
After several mistakes in terms of eating in Chinatown I've finally found a place that gets pretty much everything right. Some say you can't go wrong in Chinatown when eating chinese food, but they would be very very wrong. You can do quite bad. This, fortunately, is none of that. This place is indeed low key as it should be, with an extensive menu including other things in Chinese as one would expect. The bathroom is located behind the kitchen, so you have to go through their workspace to urinate, which is quite intimidating at first, but they're used to it, and the kitchen is (surprisingly!) very clean (for Chinatown). The wait staff was also surprisingly good with English and very friendly, with a sense of humor. The food was quite good, with no bad dishes in our ~10 dish dinner (preset menu + some additional stuff). The spicy chickenwings were a surprise, they seem to be quite popular and they should be, perfectly fried, not too greasy/battered, and quite salty (but not too salty). We also had a whole flounder, which was cooked in a black bean sauce instead of fried, so it was probably fresher than we've been used to. The beef stew bean curd clay pot is outstanding, and everything else is cooked nigh perfectly with no complaint by anyone (all chinese and one anglo) at our table. Spareribs were sweet and crispy, the soup (NOT the hot/sour, but I'm not sure which it was) was great, whole chicken was good. They even have waffles/ice cream for dessert, and offer breakfast in the mornings ! Prices were standard for Chinatown, about $6-12 for dishes, averaging around $7.50. There's pretty much nothing not to like about this place, at least when I went there. It's a great blend of low key/traditional and western so that I think tourists and local Chinese alike should be pleased.
(4)Flydyl F.
For cheap Chinese, this place is great. We really enjoyed the roast duck, the wings, the hot pot... pretty much everything. The service was, for cheap Chinese, very friendly and attentive. The ambiance was well-lit, crowded, and cheerful. So glad we discovered this Chinatown gem.
(5)Mrs C.
If fine dining is what your seeking then look elsewhere but if good, inexpensive chinese food is what your craving then grab a seat! The salt and pepper wings are AWESOME seasoned perfectly and the oyster omlette is pretty tasty too! KudOs!
(4)Rider A.
Wings are crispy! It's great to be able to call ahead of time to order to go! Wow, they speak English in Chinatown! (not a knock but I've been to at least 30 restaurants there and most are English-challenged; but I still love the food.) Haven't eaten in the place but will try that out sometime; seemed clean when I went to pick up the wings!
(4)James O.
This place probably had the most Yelp reviews when deciding on which Chinese restaurant to pick in Chinatown. While this place isn't bad at all, it is very crowded consistently and I've honestly had better food at another restaurant on that same street at Chef Hung's on 823 Clay Street. Also, Capital is CASH ONLY. There is an ATM around the corner, but it'll save you the trip. I had the sweet & sour chicken, potstickers, and Sesame Chicken. I'd say they were pretty good. The chicken had that fried vegetable oil taste. I think it could've used a little bit of soy sauce to add a little bit and bring out more of the chicken flavor. The sauce was pretty good though i think it could've been sweeter. It was a mixture of pineapple and tomato flavor but not as sweet. Overall, though, not bad.
(3)Bill Z.
Been going here for the CHICKEN WINGS since I first found the place around 10 years ago! I still come back at least once a month. I know people will say there are plenty of better fried chicken out there, but this one is just the staple of Chinatown. These wings will taste better than any other restaurant in Chinatown for sure!
(5)James C.
I searched Yelp and found this restaurant near the top of the list, if not the top. The food was excellent! They have so many choices of plates, it was a little hard for me to commit. I did however, end up with a dinner platter for around $11. It included: tea, egg roll, won ton soup (which is outstanding!), white rice and a combination of beef/broccoli and spicy chicken. I also had to order the famous chicken wings. I wasn't disappointed in my choice. My friend had a noodle platter, beef and broccoli too. He ate all of it! Good place in Chinatown! I recommend Capital restaurant - and the won ton soup!
(4)Craig W.
My wife and I took the advice of many on Yelp and ordered the wings. Needless to say, there weren't any left after a few minutes! There were delicious!!! To top it off, the service was great and the restaurant was very clean. Oh, and one more thing... Cash only!
(5)Anne F.
How do I break this addiction to their salt and pepper chicken wings? They are SOOOOO good. But the beer could be colder. Also - try the new Egg Tofu - its a japanese import hybrid of silken tofu and egg that is steamed together, then fried. the texture is absolutely lovely.
(5)I Y.
I came here with my boyfriend, his mom, and his brother. We didn't know anything about the restaurants in SF Chinatown and didn't know where to look for recommendations. So we turned to Yelp. I should have known better than to trust Yelp for Chinese food. I am a snob when it comes to Chinese - mostly because I am Chinese and I enjoy authentic Chinese food. Sorry Yelpers, I'm sure this applies to other ethnic groups looking for their native dishes done right. We just have certain standards that we are looking for. Oh, this is a cash only restaurant by the way. So bring money... but not too much. The place is fairly inexpensive. We ordered the salt and pepper chicken wings, garlic chicken, stir-fried pea pod stems, fish and tofu claypot, and honey walnut prawns. We were served complimentary veggie and tofu soup before our dinner. This was a nice. Nothing special about the soup but it was still ok. We enjoyed the honey walnut prawns. That went quick. The salt and pepper wings were ok. I had better in Boston. The garlic chicken was totally not what I was expecting. I was expecting a half or whole roasted chicken with chopped garlic smothered over it. But, I guess, in the west coast, it's different. It came out to be sweet and sour deep fried chicken chunks. The fish and tofu claypot was meh. It lacked flavor and again wasn't what I was expecting. The stir-fried pea pod stems were ok. At the end of the meal, they brought us some sliced sweet navel oranges. We won't be back. There are too many other restaurants to try in SF Chinatown.
(2)Abel L.
As I progress through Chinatown, I realize not all places were made alike. Some serve certain purposes, and some are only good at one specific thing. This place is good at Wings. It's pretty competitive with what they have over at New Golden Daisy, but it's much more EXPENSIVE: $8. They know they do it well, so they will charge you for it. TAKE AWAYS: - Cash only! - Commentary about their famous wings: It's drier and "safer" than the Golden Daisy (they offer more spices/flavors), but it's definitely a "CANNOT FAIL" dish. You will always agree its solidity and consistency of AWESOME POSSUM. - However, it looked really slow, and mostly family were there. - Place is somewhat of a diner-ish experience, but Washington Bakery & Restaurant does a better job of that. Overall, it's just the wings, but at what price?
(3)Zachary H.
The Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings are EXTREMELY good, we actually just had a friend text us yesterday asking where he should eat in Chinatown and we suggested this restaurant and Hong Kong Clay Pot restaurant. We told him that if he went here, he should get the Chicken Wings. He did indeed decide to eat here, and he thought the chicken wings were delicious as well. We also ordered fish fillet with greens (bok choy), which was very good. We will probably go back there again soon!
(4)Jamie B.
With so many places to eat in SF and Chinatown it is nice to know a local that can point you in the right direction. So my buddy Hugh took me to Capital Restaurant while I was in town. They are famous for they salt and hot pepper wings. They defiantly lived up to expectations. They were so good I went back and had then for dinner the next night.
(5)Florence S.
Yumm! The chicken wings are really good. We always get the Salt and Pepper wings and the Thai style wings. I also love their Tofu with spicy meat sauce. The tofu is very moist and smooth. I wish the meat sauce was more spicy, though. Some family friends suggested we order the Tomato and Chicken pan fried noodles with curry. I believe it's not on the menu. You have to let them know you want to add curry. We're so glad we gave it a try! It was a very delicious (and surprising) combination. I would definitely recommend trying it. Prices are good for the portions. Cash only, though. Service is great. They're very prompt with getting us comfortable and taking our order. They were also good with refills. We didn't have to request it. There was a misunderstanding with the bill but they quickly cleared it up. Parking can be a difficult to find if you don't know where to look. An alternative would be to park in a nearby garage.
(4)Tammy C.
So I did not read any reviews before coming here because I was just cruising around looking for lunch in a very hungry mode... Shrimp with Bok Choy noodles was good. But next time I will come back and try the chicken wings that everyone talks about!
(3)Les W.
Inexpensive home style Chinese food. Their salt and pepper chicken wings are the best!
(4)BETTY L.
My family has been coming here forever, I'm ABC so this place is heaven for me and the wings are to DIE for... If you are a vistor in SF, this is the local joint with Coffee too!
(4)Charlie H.
Great chicken wings and good service. Ordering wings here is pretty much the standard and definitely in the top 5. Almost every table gets an order. The food is quite authentic and I recommend the fish fillet clay pot. The service is attentive and at least understands english. The prices are more than reasonable and the food comes out quite quickly.
(4)Allison L.
This is the first time Yelp has steered me wrong. Drawn by the 4 star review, my husband and I chose this place over the other joints in Chinatown. Not what we were looking for. Service was atrocious. Felt like we were a burden to the staff just by walking in, like "oh fine, I guess we have room for you." After about a minute, we got the "aren't you ready to order yet" look. Decor is non-existent. Food was not good. Don't remember the exact dishes we had but the chicken was mostly fatty dark meat, some pieces were just fat. My husband's dish was mostly mushrooms when the description said nothing about mushrooms. Seemed like a good place for fast authentic Chinese food, definitely not for American Chinese food. Cash only...seriously?
(1)Kristin P.
So far, our favorite Chinese restaurant in the city. Stand outs: -fried chicken wings (not as good as SO, but still pretty great) -egg tofu with ground pork -oyster omlette Four of us ate at least 6 dishes for $44. Yea, hi, that's awesome. Everything came out hot and super well seasoned and the ingredients were fresh. Nothing in terms of ambiance or service, but who needs that when the food's so tasty. Park around the block in the garage and get 2 hour validation. No excuse not to go now!
(4)Karla R.
We found nothing here not to like. No, it's not fancy, but it's GOOD and INEXPENSIVE & YUMMY!! Everyone is right.....the salt & pepper wings are fantastic. We also enjoyed the General Chicken, Shrimp Fried Rice, some kind of BBQ Egg Fu Yung, some beef dish & the ultimate highlight Honey Walnut Prawns (not 100% sure on the name of this - waitress recommended). Had I known how delicious the prawn dish was going to be we may have just each ordered that, but it was all good. A big kick for us (yes, we're easily entertained) was traipsing through the kitchen to use the restroom. Everything back there seemed very clean and they were using what appeared to be all fresh ingredients. We even saw a very "fresh" chicken hanging around....... We stuffed 6 people full, with food still on the plates, including drinks for $91 We loved the authenticity!!!
(5)Sue C.
This review is strictly based on their famous fried chicken wings w/ salt & pepper! The flavor and texture of the chicken is just perfect! Good for snack or with dinner.
(4)Johnny W.
The quality here tends to vary, but the one thing that doesn't change is their bombass fried chicken. This place deserves 4 stars for the chicken alone. The skin is uniquely light, yet supremely crispy. Just salty enough to be right on the verge of being too salty. Spicy enough to satisfy. An all-around winner.
(4)Becky H.
Salt and pepper chicken wings: Over hyped.
(3)Monster B.
This is an authentic Chinese restaurant for the locals. The food is probably a 3 star, but the whole experience added another star. The honest and brusque staff was refreshing and funny at times. My table mates were lazy and went with a dinner combo and left it up to them to bring what they wanted. Everything (hot sour soup, mongolian beef, shrimp noodles w lobster sauce...and something else I'm forgetting) was good. But I will return for the service.
(4)Caitlin F.
two words.... egg tofu. this is the only place in SF that i've been able to find it. love me some egg tofu
(5)stephanie l.
For Chinatown, this place is pretty good--but that's really not saying much. We went there on a Friday night at 9:30 and we were sort of rushed around--they were definitely cleaning up as we finished our meal, but hey. What got to me was that they decided not to bring us two of our dishes. They didn't charge us for them, didn't apologize for not bringing them, just didn't bring them and were like, "Well." I don't regret going there--not really sure of many other late-night Chinatown options that could have been better.
(3)Sonia C.
Great price and great food
(5)Hugo C.
The other half and I were looking for a restaurant to hit up while in Chinatown and Yelp led us to this little gem. There's nothing fancy here, just finger-licking deliciousness. I could tell I was in the right place when I noticed that we were the only tourists in the place. We opted for one of their dinner specials. While we picked the dinner for 2, we received three family-style plates with massive mounds of food. We were so sad to realize we wouldn't be able to finish it all. The complimentary tea sure helped to wash it down, but we still did leave tons of leftovers. Our server asked us if we wanted to take our food home with us (wait, we don't look like tourists? score!). We regrettably told her that we didn't want to take any of the food home with us. She said, "You ordered too much food!" We let her know that we only ordered off of the fixed-price menu. She seemed sort of surprised, I suppose everyone else just orders a la carte. I'll make sure to stop by and do that on my next trip to Chinatown.
(4)Charles L.
Victor L. and I seem to come here every Wednesday since we hit up Azul later in the night, and we haven't been complaining. We brought our friend Eric F. on the latest outing, and he wasn't disappointed either. There's a lot of restaurants in Chinatown that look exactlyyy the same. Capital.... is actually no different. You might actually miss it, but just remember - SAY UNCLEEEE. It's right next to a place called UNCLE'S RESTAURANT. Bwahahaha. We've gotten the chicken wings both times so far and have failed to finish them both times, even with Eric there. Don't get me wrong. They're good. There's just TOOMANYWINGS. Everything is pretty much solid. It's real Chinese food, and surprisingly not as greasy as I would expect. There is REAL Chinese food in SF Chinatown! I haven't had the chance to really try out anything else in Chinatown because I'm a skeptical of most of the places. Suggestions are welcome! Effin' WUN TUN House was closed when we tried to go. *SHAKES FIST IN ANGER*
(4)Fatty A.
The salt and pepper chicken wings are for fatties only. These are the best I've had in the area. The rest of the food is aite. I'd rather hit up Hing Lung.
(5)Winona R.
I totally forgot to order wings! I'll have to come back some day. I was worried once I got to chinatown that I wouldn't be able to find this place among the many, many other restaurants on the crowded streets. However, I remembered the pearls of widsom that were passed on to me through yelp--look for Uncle's! It's right next door, which makes it easier to find Capital. We ordered way too much food, but we were starving when we got there and everything sounded good to us. We had potstickers, shrip chow mein, almond chicken, and house fried rice. The fried rice was awesome--I'm not a fried rice fan in general but this was great. I ordered pan fried noodles by mistake for the chow mein and wasn't crazy about them, but it was my fault for blurting out the wrong thing. The hot tea was good, the place was tiny and reminded me of one of my favorite places in Seattle's chinatown, with various dishes that aren't on the menu printed in chinese and english on paper and displayed on the walls. We left completely stuffed and happy.
(4)Quinn S.
I live in an apartment above this restaurant. No joke. I just moved in and after a brutal day of carrying heavy things to my 4th floor walk-up, I needed some nourishment. I have heard good things and bad things about this place, but I was not that discerning. I just needed to be fed. The woman at the counter was sweet and obliging. Food came out fast and HOT. The chicken wings were good, but did not astound me. I will still go to So or San Tung when I want amazing chicken wings.The hot and sour soup was good, but i feel like hot and sour is such a subjective thing, and this was not exactly my style. This place gets a tentative 3 star with room to move in either direction based on what I am sure will be several more visits in the near future. Looking forward to a breakfast this weekend.
(3)Jennifer N.
Service terrible. Waitress never checked on us after our entrees were given and we could have reallllllly used a refill. And it's not like it was busy. We were the only occupied table and the waitress clearly ignored us. I even caught her looking at our empty glasses while she kept stocking the counter. The only way we could even get her to give us the check was to get up and head for the door (it was well over an hour before closing time too). My boyfriend and I left this place thirsty, angry, and feeling discriminated against. 2 stars for the food.
(1)Vicky L.
On a recent trip into SF, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this restaurant. I've always called Chinatown as a cesspool and a place that only caters to tourists. I'm even willing to claim that Chinatown in SF uses Chinese cooks in the back yet, the food tastes worse than when a non-Chinese cook is stirfrying and cooking his heart out elsewhere. This place was a very pleasant surprise. We were on a time crunch and had an appointment near Chinatown so unfortunately I couldn't go to a more desired restaurant that the city offers. A quick check on my iPhone yelp app and scanning a few reviews reminded me of Capital. I came here once years ago, slightly buzzed, very hungry and not really remembering what I ate except for these delicious wings. We hopped on in, sat down and ordered. It is your typical Chinatown "shady restaurant" and things can definitely use some windexing and tables and chairs can be a little sticky, but the food and service here was very pleasant. The waitress actually smiled... and stopped what she was doing to refill our water. We ended up with the sizzling rice soup - very yummy! The shrimp was completely deveined and they had little slices of calamari in there. (Very fresh...) Salt and Pepper chicken wings.... Totally divine!! S asked for a side of sweet and sour sauce. I loved how there was very very limited batter on these wings. Nothing but little wings seasoned with salt/pepper/jalepenos. We also got a salted fish/chicken tofu claypot. The claypot was on the salty side, the salted fish added a nice brine to the dish without being rancidly fishy. The tofu was silky and plump. The dish was a bit heavy on the ginger - probably to cut the fishyness. If we didn't have the chicken wings, the claypot would have been great. The chicken wings set a new bar and expectation... in comparison, the claypot was only mediocre. Highly recommended if you can get past the sticky shady Chinatown look. Oh yeah, bring cash. They don't take plastic.
(4)Janelle R.
hmmm pouring rain in the fidi best cure the best chicken wings ever made capital of course !!... I hate Chicken wings in general but these ones I'm addicted to !! Try these People comes with shallots and penos ! two things - quality of chicken could be better ( need free range ) & More penos and shallots
(4)Rich W.
I've heard lot's of hype about Capital's salt & pepper chicken wings. I picked up two orders for $14.70 ($6.75/order b4 tax) for a Christmas potluck. Two dozen was not nearly enough for the 6 of us. They were tasty (after a few minutes) in the toaster oven. We'll be back for more wings next time passing thru Chinatown.
(4)Ryan C.
I know people are raving about the chicken wings here (which I tried before and is pretty awesome), but I love to go here for their Tuesday prime rib special. Food: Never disappoints. As an appetizer, they serve their soup of the day I believe. This time was a bok choy soup, which made me feel like I was at home. It had great flavor and wasn't overwhelming, yet not extremely salty like how many other restaurants make their soups. Next was like heaven on a plate, a thick, juicy, slab of prime rib served with rice (you have the choice of either spaghetti or rice), a side of veggies, and a bowl of au jus. Their perfectly cooked, medium rare slice of prime rib was melt in your mouth delicious. They even gave me the bone with quite a bit of meat on the side (if requested). I absolutely loved every bite of it, especially dipping it in their lightly peppered au jus that absolutely takes it to another level. If you didn't think you had enough, they top it off with a small bowl of jello and ice cream at the end to have you, and especially young ones, leaving with a full stomach. Your meal also comes with a cup of coffee, which is bomb, because the refills are free :) Service: The waitresses are always both friendly and attentive. They remember me and my parents whenever we come back. And even though they may seem busy, they notice if you're done with your dish, or if you need something, and they come right over and are happy to help. Tips: Sadly, this special is only available Tuesdays, but if you want, they have other specials available the rest of the days of the week. Sometimes, they run out of their prime rib special in a couple hours, so I suggest you come at 11am when it opens, or not too late. I remember I went at 12 once, and they ran out. I learned my lesson after that.
(5)Brandon J.
Visited this place after hearing about the bomb @$$ chicken wings! They met and exceeded my expectations. They were simultaneously crispy and juicy, and were the right amount of salty. The portion was more than fair. (You know it's gonna be good when you can hear the sizzling oil sounds from the kitchen.) We also tried the Singapore Noodles (one of my personal favorites). They too met my expectations! Fair amount of pork, seafood, and veggies included. The curry flavor was just right. Decor/Service: standard decor, older style restaurant. Walls are covered in images of the dishes they offer. Service was adequate; staff were friendly and pretty much left us to enjoy our late lunch. I will be going back to try some of their other dishes, namely their claypots.
(5)Maria E.
Good, Chinese food in Chinatown! Yes, this night we were up for Chinese, and this restaurant was close to our hotel on Bush Street. After a short walk in Chinatown we arrived here and went in since it was buzzing inside and we got the feeling that it was good. We ordered 5 different dishes and they were all tasty and fresh. Maybe just a bit too non-spicy. I read in another review that the tea was free, but we had to pay 1 dollar for it. Recommend it!
(4)Jean S.
There are so many restaurants in Chinatown, so pulled out my handy Yelp app and looked for one closest to us. After reading the reviews, this place looked promising. Granted I didn't read every single one of them and with a hungry family, it was what we picked. We walk in and it's pretty empty, so with a group of six, we go in. It's cash only, no ATM available, but the lady, who I guess is the owner, tells you there's one around the corner and you can get cash from there. We sit and look over the menu. The waitress comes over, no greeting which I've already expected, and asks what we want to order. I start given out what we want and she walks away. I didn't even realize she was gone until I look up and find myself talking with no waitress around. She walks back a few minutes later and says she heard what I ordered, but I hadn't even gotten through half of what we wanted. There is a number associated with the dish and I start giving her the number and she tells me no number just say the dish, so I start naming off the dish and she has a hard time understanding me. I have no accent, grew up in the states, so I know it's not me. She's standing across from me next to my husband and instead of coming over so she can see what I'm ordering she just keeps asking me to repeat myself. No big deal, just did what she asked. You get a free order of lemonade for checking in, but only 1 glass no matter how many entrees you order. I wouldn't have ordered it, but my boy wanted lemonade. I saw her mixing the drink, which is powder and water, you can skip it, doesn't taste good. The hot tea that they serve is pretty much like other places. After all that, we are done ordering and can't wait to eat. We order a good amount of food and the food comes out pretty quickly. The food serving is enough for us and it tastes good, so we are happy. So, walking around San Francisco, it's best to use the restroom when you can. My little boy needed to go, so we ask if there was one and surprising, there is. It's through the working kitchen in the back. I really, really wish we hadn't needed to go. The bathroom is so gross. Dirty rags, dirty floors, just looks like it hadn't been cleaned in months. I understand Chinatown is older and most stores are like that. Bathroom is just a side note, I know we aren't there to rate the bathroom, but the kitchen was so gross! Bugs, roaches climbing everywhere. There were chicken wings soaking in the sink. Who know how long it's been there. The water wasn't clear, but milky looking. People eating there would come back and wash their hands in the sink where the chicken was soaking. There was an open trash can, like the ones you put your trash in to take out to the curb, with the lid on top of the counter. Omg!! If I had seen this before we ate I would have walked out. I've been to Asia and am Asian, so I know this is common there, but with health standards in the states, it was shocking to see. The food tastes good and no one was sick after eating the food. The waitress and staff doesn't even bother me, I'm use to it, but because of what I saw in the kitchen area, we wouldn't eat there again. So 3 stars for taste of food, 0 star for the kitchen, so I give the place a 1.
(1)Brian F.
Simple, clean Chinese food in Chinatown. What more are you looking for? Everything we had was cooked and seasoned just right, without being too oily. I love a place where I can get fried rice that is white, not yellow or brown. Light and fresh. Recommend: 1. The Pea shoots with garlic. They actually put fresh garlic buds in the dish! 2. Garlic chicken. Fried perfectly in a sweet and spicy sauce. Every waitress was nice, and some of them were quite funny. It was a nice balance of good service and that industrious pace you expect in authentic Chinese restaurants. Finally, reasonably priced. Three of us had two dishes each, and the total bill was under $60. Only thing lacking, as you can probably guess, is ambience. But I refuse to take away a star. Chinese restaurants in Chinatown cannot be evaluated on their ambience. Definitely plan to return...
(5)Patrick G.
This place is Awesome. They are very friendly. I ordered the Salmon Steak, it was great. I'll be coming here more often.
(5)Nancy D.
Ahh.. my FIRST REAL REVIEW for 2015 ! Located in the heart of Chinatown it was a bit hard for me to find since I am not from San Francisco but when I did get nearby I recognized the sign from afar! The place is a bit cramped but hey it is Chinatown. The owner greeted us and was extremely helpful! We ordered the crab, clams and their famous wings. Crab: It was OK. I couldn't say it was amazing but it wasn't awful. It could use more garlic , green onion and salt. Wings: They were perfectly salted on the outside but inside it was just really bland. Clams: MY FAVORITE DISH! The noodles were fragrant with the "wok hei" and the clams were stir fry in garlic. UGH. DELISH!! Overall my experience was good! I might not be back only because there is so many places to try in Chinatown so it might be a little while until I return. Thank you Capital Restaurant for being so kind and helpful!
(3)Karen C.
Review is for the wings, because why would you get anything else here? Jk, I had the regular food here and it was alright. Back to the wings: 12 (yes, I counted them) juicy, hot, crispy, slightly spicy wing thingies for ~$9. Sure, their prices went up, but it's still worth it. The wings are amply sized. Only complaint: the msg they sprinkle on the wings.
(4)chris b.
Found this restaurant on YELP - a good catch. They have very fresh and delicious lunch specials. Great classic (American style) Chinese food as well as traditional local Chinese. Prices are very reasonable for large delicious portions. I had the hot & sour soup (small is plenty for one) which was great. And the shrimp with vegetables and rice, very fresh and good. My gf had the grilled pork and string beans and she loved it. We sat at a communal table and set cue was fast. Here's a photo. A good find amongst a SEA of restaurants in Chinatown.
(4)Akemi H.
Went to try this place out Sunday night since my friend was given a flyer of it. Well it looked good in pictures. There was a wait to be seated. We waited maybe about five min for five of us. When we got inside it was SOOO hot! We order a total of seven dishes. We actually got six to begin with, but it wasn't enough for the five of us. The portion sizes are meant to be for two to three people to share. Between the five of us we seriously only got two to three pieces of each dish. We order: Chicken Cream Corn Soup, The Famous Chicken Wings, Vinegar Sauce Spareribs, Orange Chicken, Honey Walnut Prawns, Chinese Broccoli with garlic and white rice. I thought there was too much salt on the wings. The soup was good. The ribs weren't bad. The orang chicken was eh, I had better. The honey walnut prawns weren't prawns, but was good. Chinese broccoli was good and the white rice was good too. I checked in and unlocked the "lemonade drink" since you get that free for checking in. We'll...I put it in quotes cause all it is is some lemon juice, water, and a couple pieces of lemon. I couldn't believe it. And it's regular price is $2.95! Seriously!? It was gross. I took one sip and passed. Also getting to the service. Our server wasn't the nicest or friendly-est person there. I asked about that lemonade drink when we got there and she totally forgot about it, I had to ask another lady for it. Then we had to ask for water refills and when we asked they seem like they weren't too happy about that. Then since they wrote in Chinese on our check we can't read it, we aren't chinese so my friend asks the lady what it says and he goes "sorry we can't read this..." And she says back to him "YEAH, I know." Wow!!! Excuse us. So overall, I WON'T Be back! My friends and I didn't see what was so great about this place. I don't see how this place has three and a half stars, guess mine and my friends taste buds are just not into this. Oh and they ONLY take CASH!!
(2)Ariel T.
About a month ago I had the pleasure of visiting this restaurant with a few friends on vacation. We had another restaurant in mind, but on a whim we decided to try this place because it smelled delicious and we were starving. I ordered the specialty chicken wings, the chicken fried rice (not my idea, way too basic), and the honey walnut shrimp. Hunty.....let me tell you-the chicken wings were bomb. After the first bite I started calling them wangz because they were deserving of their own name. The honey walnut shrimp was on point too, however the chicken fried rice was lacking. Normally, I wouldn't have ordered that but it was a Sunday and I was trying to turn over a new leaf by humbling myself and not taking over my friends order. Lesson learned. The next time I return will try one of the barbeque pork rices, because they sounded and looked tasty on the restaurant menu picture. No complaints though, everything was fresh and tasted fantastic! Looking forward to my next visit!
(4)Ann L.
CASH ONLY. 2nd time to Capital Restaurant for dinner Sat 11/22/14. We beat the crowd by going there around 5:30pm. Got: FREE hot tea - fine FREE lemonade - with Yelp Check-In. Tasted ok, sweet and tangy. I think there was a dead bug in it noticed it way too late, so then I couldn't finish it. Bleh. B. got a beer - he drank it all Big pea shoots w/ garlic - tasty, favorite dish. Beef clay pot - not much meat, lots of tendons, and dried bean curd. I liked the brown sauce. I think it was Fried oysters w/ onions - B. liked it, I didn't eat it. Huge pot of white rice CASH ONLY. We paid $44.95 before tip. Bathroom through the kitchen - I didn't want to use it.
(2)Kiai K.
Not a fan of Chinese food, but this place made an impression. Greeted with a bowl of turnip soup. Not given dirty looks for not speaking Chinese even though I look like I should. A lot of choices on the menu. Specials on each day of the week like flounder with Chinese broccoli on Tuesdays. Staff is very nice saying hello and good-bye to everyone. Some have good manners too. I really wanted greens. And I love mustard greens. And there on the menu, mustard greens. I got the dish with two kinds of mushrooms. I think these veggie dishes are meant to be shared as sides because the server asked if I wanted a side of rice. I wish I asked for a side of wheat noodles. (Really don't like rice. Well, noodles come from China, don't they?) Argh. Now want noodles! The food reminded me of my Chinese-friend-from-growing-up's mom's food, except better tasting and without cheap corn oil. In spite of the ubiquitous brown sauciness of the dish, hints of crystallized ginger came through. The flavor of mustard got lost amidst the mushrooms but at least it wasn't repulsive. Dish would have been awesome over noodles with some hot sauce. Hmm. I wonder if their hot sauce has preservatives.
(4)Kristen C.
The chicken wings here are exceedingly superior to the ever-popular San Tung variety. Yeah, I said it. While San Tung douses their chicken in sticky, cloyingly sweet sauce, Capital preserves the integrity of the wings with simple, balanced flavors that just work. The exterior of each chicken wing is perfectly crispy and salty, with a hint of jalapeño spice, and the meat inside remains tender and juicy and sooooo gooooood. The egg tofu is also worth noting, and serves as a nice side dish. I will say that the restaurant may not be too aesthetically inviting, but don't let that deter you. True beauty lies deep within. I've always had a wonderful experience dining here. Capital's is one of the few Chinese restaurants I feel comfortable going to without bringing along someone who speaks Chinese. The waitstaff is always pleasant and efficient, and the wait time for food is never unreasonable. Capital's, I Love you (with a CAPITAL "L" heh heh heh, get it... because the name of their restaurant is "Capital" heh heh heh... I'll see myself out).
(4)Alice X.
Chicken wings!! Get the chicken wings!! Every table in the restaurant orders the chicken wings! Even the waitresses there will assume you'll order the chicken wings! $9.85 for 12 chicken wings! Order the Egg Tofu w/ Spicy Minced Meat and the dried scallops egg white fried rice! And also remember to get a free lemonade with Yelp Check-In and you'll be set to have a tasty meal! The waitresses are super nice too!
(5)Jayn J.
Capital's fried chicken wings are sort of neighborhood favorite. They are in truth just like much of the rest of the food, good food, cooked just right-to the local taste, and at a very reasonable price. This is really and old school diner serving locals. Both my parents and myself will often get "take out" here when we are too busy to cook. Just look in the window at lunch time and you will see it full of Chinatown residents. Then you know the food is a good and the price is right.
(5)Steve G.
I hang out at the Y a block away so I come here often. Food is usually very good, cheap and fast. All you could want from a Chinese restaurant. My favorite is the Hung Tao Yee Foo Won Ton, which is kinda hard to find. Capital makes it just right and sets the standard as far as I'm concerned. If you know of any better, let me know. Also like the famous salt and pepper fried chicken wings. If I come here with more than 4 peeps, we usually get 2 orders. Also have had the chow mein and chow fun and both are not bad. Service is not bad for a Chinatown restaurant. Wait staff don't speak much English but are friendlier than many Chinese restaurants. Not the top quality and some dishes are better than others, but overall a great value.
(4)Vicki S.
Service was depressing! Usually I expect mediocre service in Chinese restaurants since that seems to be the trend. Service is different between Chinese and non-Chinese customers. I was here without my Chinese family and with a half-Chinese friend instead, and they pegged us as being not Chinese, which was a pretty interesting experience. Some notable differences: we weren't immediately offered hot tea, and were given a fork instead of chopsticks (the ultimate disappointment- I was rendered in shock for minutes!). After I started speaking Chinese, my service changed to what I would normally expect. I was also offered chopsticks (yes!). Later, I ordered a beer, and had my ID checked by one of the waiters. A few minutes later, another woman barked at me in Chinese asking "are you even 21 years old?" (now this is the kind of authentic Chinese service I expect!) I bore through the emotional stress of having lost evidence of my ethnicity all the while believing that glorious, delicious food awaited. We had the seafood hotpot, roast pork chow mein, and potstickers. Potstickers were ok, no surprises there. Chow mein was lacking in pork- slices of bbq pork were cut into even smaller slices for the noodles, and they tasted like they were likely yesterday's pork. The seafood in the hotpot was good, but lacked good fresh tofu and more vegetables- there was only cabbage leaves at the bottom (have definitely had better elsewhere). I go to Chinese restaurants to get a taste and feel of home, but I felt very alienated here!
(2)Luis D.
I have been to China and every Chinatown in the big cities and this place is right up there with the best Chinese food I have ever had. Now, lets delve a little deeper. I am not talking about fake Chinese food like you get at the mall, I am talking some real Chinese food. This place has it and it has it done right. Real good and when I come back to SF I will come back. The wait staff is also real good here.
(5)MJ G.
Ordered pea shoots, yin yang fried rice, chicken wings, beef chow fun, tofu and shrimp. All dishes were great especially the pea shoots and chicken wings! Oh the crispy chicken wings! Crispy and flavorful but doesn't keep well overnight. First time having yin yang fried rice and I must say I will be ordering this from here on out. This place is great for chinese american home cooking. Gets busy at lunchtime, so order ahead if possible. Will be back!
(4)Der Maibaum L.
This place is very addicting! Not only their chicken wings are spot on, but even their beef and broccoli stir fry noodle is the bomb!
(5)Nellie J.
well capital was one of our favorite places the chicken wings are still good and the hung tao yee won ton .my husband likes the salted fish patty here.but most of the items has become somewhat tasteless. I think they have been cutting back on the flavor. we still get our to go here but are a little picker about what we order. take note 3pm is when most Chinese restaurants have their lunch . so your meal may not come as fast or your to go items may take longer .oh I hear there is 2 different cooks that may be why the lack of flavor on some dishes.oh the prices have gone up from about $7.50 to about close to $10 for most items quite a big jump .hung tao yee won ton not as good as before.
(2)Tim W.
Very mediocre Chinese food. Apparently their salt and pepper chicken wings are "famous". I thought they were done well with the perfect amount of spice and a nice crunch but not as good as the wings at San Tung. Every other dish we ordered was sadly sub-par. Egg flower soup, bland broth that tasted like straight water with no eggy flavour along with what looked like leftover vegetables scraps. Beef stew clay pot with turnips, was decent. The meat was a little tough and the flavors were somewhat satisfying. BBQ pork chow mein, again nothing really notable. My go-to dish for Chinese restaurants, dry sauteed string beans, was a huge disappointment here. Flavorless beans, some undercooked, accompanied by large amount of dry and bland ground pork. Overall, everything was just bland. It almost tasted like they didn't use any soy sauce or cooking wine.
(2)Darren S.
I have extremely high standards for Chinese, having lived in Beijing for over a year. This got close to what I expect. The chicken wings were the least impressive part to me, although everyone raves about them. The Bbq pork ribs were excellent as well as the garlic lotus root dish. The fried chicken is good, but it's just fried chicken. In China it would be covered in spices, here it's covered in batter. The bbq pork probably gave me the unique bathroom experience the next day. The lotus root was very traditional expect still somewhat lacking in spices. They are however very generous with the tree ear mushrooms, yum!
(4)Michael B.
Low prices, great Chinese food. Yumm
(5)Lin G.
So we were on the prawl for some good Chinese food and ended up at Capital Restaurant. The restroom does not exist. So pee before you come here. I tried to wash my hands and was directed to the back kitchen, where fishes were being decapitated and it smelled like much worse had happened earlier. And there were no soap. Despite all that, I was pleased with the food. We got fried chicken wings, an eggplant claypot (fresh eggplants and yummy pork), and the house wonton soup (so tasty). It was all sooooo good and at very reasonable prices. I actually paid for dinner for the first time in ever since I could remember and it came to $31 for everything. The portion sizes were enormous! So large that after shocking my friend by how much I ate, we still had enough to take home for another meal for me the next day!!! Happy MEOW BIRD!!!
(5)Dee B.
My mom and I were walking around Chinatown looking for somewhere to eat. We were walking down the street and about to look at the menu posted on the windows of this restaurant, when this old lady suddenly appears and says "Are you hungry? Come in! Come in!" Mother decided to follow the old lady because "she was convincing and reminds me of grandma." *_* We ordered the house special fried rice, 1/2 roasted duck and honey walnut shrimp. There was only one server and almost a full house, so service was slower than usual. She honey walnut shrimp first, then after a few minutes the roasted duck. The rice was served around 5 minutes later. The food was pretty average. It was not bad but not good enough to stand out.
(2)Steven C.
Found this place thanks to Yelp! Was looking for a good place to eat. Ended up sitting with a local, and three tourists from Utah. What a great experience, family style. If you eat here, opt to sit with strangers and spark a conversation. You never know who you're going to meet! :-D Ordered wonton noodle soup, bitter melon with pork on white rice, and salt pepper chicken wings. Come prepared: parking is tough, 25cents gets only 5 minutes on the meter. We parked at the meter two blocks away for an hour and made it back with 10 minutes to spare. The other option is a parking garage $10 flat rate; get this if you plan on walking around the area. Lots of shops to check out. These streets/markets are jam packed with folks. Also the restaurant only accepts Cash.
(4)Matt G.
The start of 2010, New Years Day, my day-off and my birthday too. Nobody wants to spend my birthday with me. Not even my family who abandoned me. And not even some of you yelpers too. Shame on you, but I still love you all! The only person to wish me a "Happy Birthday" is my lovable niece. So we walked around Union Square and build up an enormous appetite and landed here for dinner. New Years Day was busy for this restaurant, which is good. So we sat at the counter table. Being here for the first time and reading many reviews from the restaurant for their Salt and Pepper Wings, I wanted to try that item. Niece, who I influenced with everything related to "big", ordered the Yang Chow Fried Rice. The wings and the rice plate were both $6.95 each The wings were spicy and crunchy and indeed the "real deal". But the fried rice was a bit bland and could've add a kick to make the rice plate better. We each also got a bowl of house soup and hot tea. The friendly waitresses were indeed friendly and helpful, despite dissing my niece's credit card because the restaurant only accept cash.. So guess who paid? The "birthday man" did.
(3)Angelique V.
Our gang's go-to for terrific Chinese food. Of course, order the best chicken wings you'll ever have. Other faves: dried scallop & egg white fried rice, pea shoots, bitter melon, tofu with meat sauce, egg foo young, tofu with shrimp. And, no corkage fee for your wine! Not fancy (fluorescent lights), but fab food, fun times and an amazing bargain as well.
(5)M W.
The fried chicken wings here are fried not differently than any other chinese take out joints across the country with one exception. They add salt and pepper to them afterward. "Wow these wings are great!!!" Really?
(3)Ben T.
Great wings. I can only imagine the rest is just as good. Mostly locals, not a tourist trap.
(5)Vici K.
Staff a bit short, but we came right at closing. In fact the cooking staff came out to eat while we finished. Started with won ton soup really tasty, then an order of put stickers really good also. Then salt & pepper wing. These were yummy but no drummettes. The rest of the meal was so-so. Beef with double mushrooms-mushrooms tasty but beef bland, sauce had no flavor. BBQ chow mein, I've had better at Panda.
(2)J T.
I will preface this by saying I eat Chinese food at least twice a week and a close friends have owned very successful Chinese restaurants. That being said, I can't believe the rating of this place! 4 stars? Are you kidding? In the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles, there are many dozens of places that out do this place on their worse day! The fried chicken wings were the best of the bunch. They were crispy but a bit salty and tough. The tofu with meat sauce was good also but was under seasoned and the onions were not cooked out enough. The crispy chicken chow mien is a staple at all Chinese restaurants and an easy one to make. Unfortunately this popular dish gets a failing grade at this place. The noodles were under fried & soggy, sauce was under seasoned, and the chicken was full of cartilage. The Chinese greens with garlic was underwhelming also. The problem here is that they used a really cheap main ingredient and majority of stems instead of ends. This is similar to eating a plate of broccoli stems! The last dish was a plate of fried rice which is best described as lifeless - flat in flavor, color, and appeal. Skimpy on ingredients, but full of rice. This place is cash only, so be prepared. Parking and traffic is hell so bring your patience. Disappointing to say the least. Pass and try another.
(2)Carly T.
Ok so we ordered the "famous wings" and yes they were pretty amazing. My boyfriend demolished them and said they were the best wings he's had in awhile and they don't even have sauce on them. But they are still awesome. We ordered the egg rolls and those came out super hot and fresh. The Mongolian beef was amazing. And the chicken chow mein was very fresh and tasty! The price is also good too! Worth trying!
(4)Ed U.
Deck the harrs with boughs of horry, fa-ra-ra-ra-ra, ra-ra-ra-ra T'is the season to be jarry, fa-ra-ra-ra-ra, ra-ra-ra-ra... Jingre bers, jingre bers, jingre arr the way. Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sreigh! That's my favorite scene in the 24-hour showing of "A Christmas Story" on TBS. It happens near the end when Ralphie and his family go out to the Chop Suey Palace on Christmas after the neighbor's dogs rampaged their kitchen and took the turkey. Well, Jamie W. and I performed our annual Christmas tradition today...went to a movie and ate at a Chinese restaurant. We saw "Nine" since we figured everyone else was seeing "Avatar", and hey, I like singing and dancing. Be Italian. So we knew pickins would be slim for eats afterward...except in Chinatown. Jamie remembered a recommendation from an aspiring city supervisor that Capital has the best fried chicken wings in town. A nice surprise. The $6.95 Fried Chicken Wings are really good, flavored up with a heavy shake of salt and pepper (see photo). There are a dozen to nibble, and the jalapenos and chopped scallions provide a nice kick. We also had the $9.95 Sauteed Pea Shoots with Garlic, which was slick and savory with the garlic cloves just the right consistency to eat whole (see photo). In a bold move for a Christian holiday, I asked the waitress if we could have a chow fun version of the $6.50 Sam See Chow Mein, and they obliged willingly (see photo). There was plenty of squid, pork and chicken in the dish. It just needed a bit more kick. Jamie and I both liked the place and thought the service was really top-notch when I think of the passive abuse I've received at Sam Wo's. I'd put Capital up there with Hunan Homes as the best that Chinatown has to offer to the layman diner. It's enough to make me sing... Deck the harrs with boughs of horry, fa-ra-ra-ra-ra, ra-ra-ra-ra T'is the season to be jarry, fa-ra-ra-ra-ra, ra-ra-ra-ra... FOOD - 4 stars...those wings really hit the spot, a nice treat on a cold day AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...cleaner than the usual eatery in the 'hood...it's quite a trek through the prep area to that restroom though SERVICE - 4 stars...attentive and fast, even as the swarms started to come in TOTAL - 4 stars...a "Capital" idea when you're schlepping through Chinatown
(4)Anthony R.
These wings be crispy. Almost like the meat and skin is fused together as one. Don't really know how they sell a dozen for $7.95.... ...don't wanna know.
(4)Javier A.
At first, I was a little concerned. Small hole in the wall place. Once the food came, it was all good. Had broccoli beef, lemon chicken, sweet and sour pork, chow mien, and pork fried rice. My mother in law is very picky about eating out, she had 3 plates.
(5)Sukari H.
To say I love this place is an understatement. This is my favorite restaurant in San Francisco. Whenever I come home from school I always end up eating here. There Wonton soup with noodles and without noodles is delicious. I had it once and then had it again for my birthday when I went with a group of friends for my birthday. My all time favorite thing there is their chicken wings. Coming from an African American I have eaten plenty of chicken wings and they have the best I have ever had so far! I would recommend this place to everyone!
(5)Brad L.
Maybe I just had a bad experience but I really do not get why this place is so well loved. Yes the place is cheap for the city. Yes it feels very authentic. Yes the chicken wings are great. However, everything else was bland or salty. We were a large group and ordered a wide variety of dishes and besides the chicken wings I thought the food was mediocre to poor. The vegetables varied between over and under cooked. The place was packed and the servers were definitely running around. I know some people think that the very brusk service is part of the charm. I do not find it charming to have to ask multiple times and wait twenty minutes to get water, plates, napkins, or any of the other things that help with actually eating the food. With the variety of great places to eat in the city I do not understand why anyone would waste a meal here.
(2)Wendy L.
Clean restaurant that I'd liken to a Chinese diner. Chinatown residents seem to be regulars. The food is not bad. My dad and I ordered the Chinese lunch special, which came with a soup of the day (tofu w/ seaweed). I had the chicken w/ Chinese broccoli; my dad had the spareribs with green beans. Both were just fine. For $6.00 pp, the meal was a good value, nothing to write home about, but good enough to fill a hungry stomach at lunchtime.
(3)Chad B.
This is what cheap Chinese food was meant to be. The menu is the standard fare found at Chinese restaurants across America. But the preparation lacks the excess oil and salt so common to this fare. In other words, the food taste great. The egg foo young is creamy; the vegetables are crisp tender; the shrimp is plump; the squid is not rubbery. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
(5)Andrea G.
Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings...thats all i have to say! I only have one warning. This place is loaded with MSG! So those of you who are sensitive to it like I am avoid it!
(4)Claire B.
Chinatown's best kept secret. Although it may not have the snazziest decor, the food is amazing. Don't forget that it's CASH ONLY! Personally, I'd recommend the fried chicken wings, but truly anything you order will exceed your expectations.
(5)Dexter D.
Chicken Wings! Chicken Wings! Chicken Wings! No wingtips. No drummettes. Just the mid-joint wing with the two bones. Fried to crispy perfection with just the right amount of salt and jalapeno peppers!! I was leading some friends on a "foodie tour" of my own design. We also had some deep fried oysters (okay) and potstickers (good). Service, as always was disjointed and we had to share a large round table with some other folks but that's the way it is in Chinatown. lol.
(4)Davidson H.
It was a cold New Years Eve night and the troops were hungry for some real food. Stumbling into Capital was the best choice, and this place ranks up with some of the best Chinese food in the world and that is no joke. If you have followed my reviews you will know that I have eaten Chinese food all over the world and have great experience in these matters. First allow me to say that the customer service at Capital is excellent, and the wonton is exceptional. Lets just say a few things about the food and leave it at that. First and foremost the Wonton soup is the best I have ever had in my entire life, just incredible. The chow mein was just average with very slender noodles. The fried rice was average as well, and the egg rolls a little over cooked on the exterior. Cashew chicken was a plate I could not keep my hands off of, it was like Lucy Liu wearing Victoria Secret caressing herself before your very eyes. I had to have more of the cashew. Capitol will be one of my go to Chinese restaurants in San Francisco, but there is so many restaurants in the city I will probably explore some new venues. If you want to fill up on good food and good service this is the place.
(4)Sylvia C.
Not Authentic Chinese Food! This place is suppose to be known for their fried chicken wings, but it has gone downhill. The chicken wings are crispy, but you could barely taste the spice. Cleanliness: 1 star Found rice on my spoon for soup. Bowls had grease stains. Taste: 1 Star Food comes out quickly, but not what is ordered. Oyster Sauce Beef, no oyster sauce. Mongolian Beef, taste like red pepper beef. Egg minced beef, no egg and a whole lot of peas Service: 2 If you are looking for service, this is not the place to go
(2)Rebecca H.
As a native San Franciscan/Chinese-American, I always feel that it is my duty... I mean that I get the lucky honor/privilege of introducing non-San Franciscans to all that is wonderful and amazing about SF as I know it. One of those to-do's is getting the salt and pepper chicken wings from Capital's! Light, with just the perfect batter and that yummy hot fried smell wafting through the air...it's like a dream come true...except that you can repeat this dream on multiple occasions when you want to and it's real. However, one night, one of my friends was craving Asian food and my first thought was do you like salt and pepper chicken wings. With that rhetorical question (as if you could say no), I immediately thought of Kirin and Capital's. However, my family was planning on going to Kirin's the next day and 2 nights in a row is a little overkill for me. So, on to Capital's, we went. I don't know if the cook had an off night or if they hired a new cook between now and July, but the salt and pepper chicken wings were salty, and just not amazing. They weren't hot from the fryer. They were tiny chicken wings that bordered on mediocrity. The batter didn't float on the wings. What the fudge?!?! I have never felt so disappointed in myself as a Chinese American raised in SF. It also didn't help that the waitress switched my order from fu ken fried rice to chicken fried rice. I might just stick to ordering fried chicken wings to go. I always seem to get the right cook when I do take-out.
(3)William C.
Would I go back? Maybe. The food was average and the service was not so great. I walked in and no one greeted me or indicated that I was to wait to be seated. I wondered through the restaurant before being told that I would need to at one of the smaller tables at the front. It took several minutes for a menu to be produced and then several more minutes for me to place my food and drink order. The wait from order to food was okay but I could not help but notice that others in the restaurant (possibly regulars?) were receiving much more attentive and prompt service. I ordered General's Chicken, my favorite dish when eating Chinese. It was only okay and on par with other places I have tried. It was not that spicy and the taste was dominated by salt rather than the full flavor of the onions and peppers that usually dominate the flavor. The rice was basic white and steamed. No different than what I can fix at home.
(2)Linda H.
This is a cash only, greasy spoon spot with a plethora of menu choices and pictures on the wall of their meals to help you with your choices. I had a horrible customer service experience here but, shoot, it's Chinatown and since that whole region is NOT known for their customer service, I didn't knock any stars off for that. If you are in a group, get the Salt & Pepper Chicken wings to share. There are normally 10 to a plate. I usually don't care for chicken wings but these are light and crispy and one of the best in Chnatown (although I've heard that Sun Sang is better & cheaper too!) Surprisingly, the Egg Tofu with Spicy Pork (ask for a side of rice with the meal if eating solo) is really good! I like tofu but not enough to order it at a restaurant but here, it's my favorite dish. The tofu is soft and fresh and the minced meat and vegetables are tasty. I've tried a LOT of their other dishes before I banned the place but will have to say the egg tofu with spicy pork is what kept me coming back. They serve really cheap lunches ($4.50 - $7 range) and the food is good (not spectacular, just good) so I gave this place 3 stars. Hong Kong Clay Pot is similar to Capital Restaurant in style but tastes better and is just as cheap so I would recommend that restaurant above this one based on taste and price and DEFINITELY customer service. Although I won't knock stars off for their service, I will highly recommend that if you order food to go to refuse to pay until the food is ready. They are interested in closing a food order (getting the cash from those who haven't yet paid) over service so you might find yourself labeled as their bottom priority once your money is in their hands. I was unapolegetically placed as a bottom priority after paying cash upfront for a to go order. I sat and watched patrons come, order, eat, and go and still wasn't served. When I asked about my order, I was told that they would go check but was never updated afterward. They even asked me to move seats so that I can make room for other customers. It was ridiculous so, since this place is a dime a dozen in Chinatown and I have a pet peeve against unfair treatement, I won't be going back but won't discourage others from trying it either.
(3)Robert O.
Maybe I should have tried the chicken wings. Instead, on a rainy day when i was hungry and stopped in for some Won Ton soup and spring rolls. Unfortunately, the waitress brought some pot stickers instead and charged me extra for them. Both the soup and the pot stickers were about the most tasteless I've ever had. Poor quality ingredients, too. Super bland. If they can't get these basics right, then I have to wonder about their other dishes.
(2)Rachel E.
After several appetite inducing hour of shopping in union square (is it just me or is trying on clothes exhausting?!) the boyfriend and I decided to take a stroll through chinatown and find something tasty to eat. I have a theory that the places even half a block up or down the hill from Grant are 10x better and cheaper than any tourist trap, so when we saw capital restaurant and realized we were the only white people in a 20 foot radius, we went right in. We stood around at the entrance waiting to be seated. Several parties walked right in, made gestures at one of the waitresses, and then just went to go sit down. (Rookie mistake #1 to avoid if you go). Once we decided what we wanted, mushu pork, we waited for someone to come take our order. Again, other tables were just waving their arms and/or grabbing someone as they went by (rookie mistake #2 to avoid). We gave them our order and they brought out some tea which was nice. The mushu itself was really good. I thought the pancakes were oddly textured though, much thiner and tougher than I've had at other places where the tortillas resemble, well...tortillas. 4 stars for the food. The bathroom is literally through the kitchen which was interesting. Typically I don't like to see the remains of the animal they cut up to put in my food, but I guess a good sign for freshness? That was a huge turnoff. The main reason I subtracted a star was because the restaurant was so noisy, there was a ton of banging around, and lots of yelling. Service was also pretty non existent.
(3)Vera W.
While I don't think SF Chinatown has a lot of good Chinese restaurants (I've been spoiled from living in SoCal), I do believe that it's one of the better ones. I guess Will Smith was lucky and stumbled upon a "good" Chinese restaurant (see pictures of him in the restaurant). We ordered the hot & sour soup (it was pretty pepper-y, and I thought it was good, typical), glazed walnut and shrimp (good, but also typical), some fish with eggplant (the eggplant was good but the fish was just alright), some fried rice (typical)... And now for the salt & pepper chicken wings. I was skeptical about how amazing it would be... And, I was right to be. It wasn't that amazing. It was average. As I bit into the wing, the oil splurted in my mouth. It was kind of gross, in that sense. The chicken was still tender, but it was too much oil for me. I wish there was more flavor, well more than the oil. Anyway, it is one of the better restaurants in Chinatown, so it would be a place to take somebody if you wanted to show them Chinatown's better food. I didn't like the way the space looked though... It had the cafeteria-type of feel.
(3)Mary M.
The Salt & Pepper Chicken wings are delicious! I've had similar at sam woo (cerritos, ca and irvine, ca) this is much more delicious. Skin is crispy and perfectly salty and spicy with the jalapeno. Came out piping out. We were on a food mission and my boyfriend and I ordered this dish alone. Wing and hot tea. =) Thanks to my foodie friend for recommending this place! YUM! Worth it!
(5)Seung Hyun Y.
After not coming to Chinatown (CT) for awhile, the SALT & PEPPER CHICKEN WINGS are still the best! I think this is the only eatery I frequent in SF Chinatown for the deep fried chicken wings. The noodle soups and beef chow fun are also good options too if you're trying to reduce the pounds. I always take my food to go, so the to go service is friendly and quick.
(5)Tess T.
Chicken wings. That's all you need to know. But pass on the complimentary soup they try to give you after you order. Don't risk burning your taste buds before the wings come. And it might make you want to go to the bathroom and you don't want to do that here, or anywhere in Chinatown for that matter. Why? Because their bathroom is...just don't drink too much so you don't end up having to go. It's all about the chicken wings!
(4)Mike L.
After a few missed attempts to grab a bite to eat, Vicky L. and I finally got a chance to meet-up for dinner recently. On the menu? Some budget-friendly food in Chinatown. After all, when on the hunt for some good, cheap Chinese food, I can't think of anyone better for some recommendations than CCG! Well, in addition to my utter uselessness for choosing restaurants in Chinatown (sorry Vicky!) - no joke, most of the places I know of have closed down or changed. Given the semi-rain that was coming down, we took a short walk and eventually found ourselves at Capital. Now, I have to admit...despite having lived in the city for years and years, I had never even heard of Capital and their famous Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings before we went. When it comes to "famous wings", two generally come to mind - San Tung and Hooters. And really, the latter isn't all that impressive (but the former is...and so good). After grabbing a table and debating what to get, I ended up going with the Eggplant and Meat Sauce to go with the aforementioned chicken wings. Served hot out of the kitchen, there certainly is something about Capital's wings that puts the ones I've had at other Chinese restaurants to shame. Whether it's the crispy skin, the moist and juicy meat, or the perfect seasoning (or all of the above really), it's no wonder people keep going back for more. While most other places will be decent in one regard or another, Capital's is good all the way around. Though they may not top San Tung's wings for me, they are definitely the best Salt and Pepper Wings I've had. The only drawback I could possibly think of is that it's served literally "hot out of the kitchen". Should you decide not to wait for it to cool, don't be surprised if that oil scalds your tongue a bit. Sure, it might be worth it at first, but then how are you going to taste the rest of the delicious wings after that? As for the Eggplant with "Meat Sauce" (essentially ground pork and sauce), it was pretty good, mostly because the eggplants still had bite to them. It's always nice to see when a place doesn't turn the eggplants to mush by the time the dish reaches the table. The flavor of the "meat sauce" that came with it was good, and I really appreciated that they slather on a whole mess of it either. In this case though, I did wish there was a bit more on the plate. The funny thing about all of this is that at the restaurant, I thought the food was pretty good and that I would end up rounding up to a four star rating. The wings are a definite must have on any trip here, while my rice plate was solid, though not spectacular. However, by the time I got home and had a chance to snack on my leftovers, everything tasted even better. I don't know if it's because sitting in that box gave it a chance to soak in more flavors, but I nearly polished off the box. Obviously when you're drunk or hungover, that's usually the case, but this was different. It's somewhat rare to have that happen when you're sober and aware, so for that alone, they earned that last half star. Definitely would come back for some cheap eats (parking permitting). After reading the reviews, and meeting the legend, I've now seen how the real CCG eats, and I can now say that it truly is good. And cheap.
(4)Teri C.
Capital Restaurant is a standard place for your staple quick and easy Chinese food. They can easily serve it up individual style where your entree comes with rice, or family style if you have a group with you. The counter in the front can throw you off, especially when you see old Chinese people snacking on American-style breakfasts. My parents always start off with the Fried Chicken Wings with Salt and Hot Pepper ($6.75) because that's just the thing to get here. I mean, everyone knows it and all the reviews mention it, so just get it already. They have pretty decent lunch specials Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm that range from $4.95 to $6.25. We also ordered the Ox Tail with Dried Bean Cake Over Rice ($6.25) on one of our last visits. Another time we ordered House Special Chow Mein ($6.75 - for pan fried noodles, add $.75) and Wonton Noodles Soup ($4.50). Sometimes we get complimentary soup with our lunch as well. Overall, the place is pretty busy. It's filled with locals and tourists alike, so you may have to wait every now and then. It's authentic Chinese food without all the frills! They do offer parking validation for Portsmouth Square Parking Garage, with a minimum order of $20 or something like that. Cash only. 3.5 stars Mondays through Fridays: 11 am to 9:30 pm Saturdays and Sundays: 8 am to 9:30 pm (Pics posted!)
(4)Charlie K.
Wonton was flavorless and the everything else we ordered was just eh. If you're drunk and it's late, I guess it'll work.
(2)Stone C.
Three words, honey walnut shrimp! I have never in all my time of eating chinese food had honey walnut shrimp quite like theirs'! It is to die for honestly! I would recommend it to anyone!!
(5)Jennifer W.
For Chinatown, this place is pretty decent, although I wouldn't mind paying a few more dollars (per dish) and eat at R&G Lounge. Everything is tasty and it's a little less greasy than other Chinese places, but I think people overestimate just how cheap this place is, given its location and the number of competitors. We also found a piece of black rubber in our pea sprouts dish. Not sure where it came from (spatula perhaps?) but we didn't really want to know so we didn't ask. We got green onion ginger crab for $26 (2 pounds), and I was disappointed with the amount of meat. Given that it's crab season, I expected crab with much more meat in it. Next time I'm craving crab, go to R&G for their salt and pepper crab. At $12 more when it's crab season, you're still getting more bang for your buck because their crabs are bigger and meatier. My friends also loved the chicken wings, string bean chicken, and seafood claypot.
(3)Stephanie Y.
There are sooo many little restaurants in chinatown and I'm pretty determined to try most of them to compare to each other. This place gave me a feeling of Hong Kong, where all the older looking places have the better food. We looked at the menu and decided here for the special wonton noodle soup. The broth was clear and it was filled with shrimp, scallop, and shimp/pork wontons. The wontons themselves were not good. Out of the 5, I only ate 2 and the second one was to make sure I wasn't imagining things The meat gave off an ammonia type taste, yea, not good. I'm guessing the pork they used already had that smell. The meat was tender and the wonton skin was thin, but it wasn't good. I might try their crispy chicken wings next time for take out.
(2)Neko N.
Food is delicious here. I love their Moo Shu Vegetable! I shouldn't talk about Bathroom.....but it is quite interesting that it is located in the kitchen. If you like a kitchen tour, you may want to come here and check it out. :)
(4)Erin G.
What I ate: Eggplant in spicy meat sauce with rice (to go) Visit date: October 22, 2011 First time? Yes. Perfect hangover / late night cravings food. Enough said.
(3)Leslie Y.
This place has been around for ages .....we have eaten here many times before our meetings in Chinatown.... The one thing we always order is their pepper fried chicken wings....it is a hit....you can always see people coming in just to order their wings...nice light crispy batter and salted perfectly... They have daily weekday specials but have yet to try them...I have been wanting to try their prime rib rice plates.....soon, soon......
(4)Sam T.
Salt and Pepper Wings are famous? Really? I can make it better than this...I mean it's not bad but it's not good enough to be "Famous" Food: Order chicken wings, egg rolls, pan fried noodles, and fried tofu in a pork sauce. Chicken wings and egg rolls were pretty decent. Pan fried noodles had a horrible flour stench to it. The scallop in it was pretty bad. I liked the round fried tofu dish. Food overall was pretty good. No particular complaints aside from the pan fried noodles. Service: This place is pretty danky and one would assume crappy service but it was pretty good. Environment: Hole in the wall like many SF Chinatown joints like this. Love the feel to it! Makes it feel authentic. Price: Pretty price considering I can find 10 places easily around Chinatown that has the same food for 20% less. Overeall not a bad experience, but I don't think I'd come back again since there's like tons of places to choose from serving the same food. Food: 3 Service: 4 Environment: 4 Price: 2
(3)Cynthia L.
As a vegetarian, I missed out on the famous wings. Had the eggplant dish instead and it was good, not great, just ok.
(3)Connie M.
I came here for lunch and ate the beef chow fun. The noodles were a bit oily as in all Chinese style noodles. Big pieces of beef and lots of bean sprouts and onions. I will come back for the chicken wings :)
(4)Jobu B.
Decor: Felt like a time machine back into 1980's Big Trouble in Little China. Four Words: Mongolian Beef Chow Mein The End.
(4)Fiona W.
Wow I reviewed the wrong restaurant, so here it goes again. This place is good but I suspect either a lot of MSG or a lot of salt. My grandma needed so much water, I didn't really notice it but you know older ladies have much more of a reaction to the unhealthy things =P Anyways I thought this place was pretty good! I forgot what we ordered, but I thought the people who worked here was nice and the food was good, but obviously not anything that I could go on and on about because nothing really stuck out to me as something I MUST EAT AGAIN OR FOREVER.
(3)Chris N.
This is my go-to Chinese food restaurant in Chinatown. The chicken wings are amazing! Also, the clay pots and pan fried noodles are very good. I think much of the food is authentic, and the service (or lack thereof) is what is expected from a Chinese restaurant.
(4)Lem C.
GOOD CHOICE --my son Bryan wants a break from my habitual SF comfort-zone hole-in-the-wall --& explores off Grant's tourist-beaten path for a hole-in-the-wall-with-a-vibe He shows patience as he surveys bright windows on Washington, then Clay St. --& gravitates to a joint dominated by Cantonese patrons --that even features a counter for single diners TOFU & FISH CLAY POT --surprisingly more ample than many hot pots I've been served --wonderfully rich textures, color, & flavors BEEF CHOW MEIN --tasty meat & just enough noodle-crunchiness SHRIMP --delicious PARKING --unfortunately no validation for Portsmouth Garage if under $45
(4)Jenna L.
I ate here w/ my friends for lunch when I was in the city for work. It's not too far of a walk from my office. WHICH IS NICE. But I was wearing boots and it was uphill. FAIL ! : ( hahahahha I am a mcFatty. We ordered pea sprouts yum! and the famous CHICKEN WINGS.. finger linkin good! i even brought my leftovers to the Giants game. GG!! We ordered noodles as well. I forget what they're called : ( Overall.. very tasty and affordable! I think we spent $10 each !
(4)Mark C.
Solid Chinese food. Authentic. Legit. Hole in the wall. Fried chicken wings were a little salty, but perfectly fried. Tastes exactly as it looks in the pictures. All our dishes were served hot and fresh! Good sized portions too!
(4)Tony L.
Went here first time with sister after a friend recommended it. The place is very tidy and clean, unlike many other restaurants I've been to in Chinatown with pixs of the menu items with description in english and chinese, hung in a straight horizontal line at top-of-mirror height in the dining area. Sis right off didn't like their tea so the server took it back and just refilled it. she was then told it's pre-made and comes out of a big POT. same thing just hotter. If you're fussy about your tea like my sister, then bring your own tea bag. I ordered a #80 which is shrimp with broccoli - remember that unless described in the menu as coming with other items, everything is otherwise priced separately. Say you order the shrimp with broccoli as I did. It doesn't come with rice or noodles; if you ask for rice or noodles it'll be priced individually and added to your total bill as a separate plate. The restaurant had about 10 persons eating, some asian and the rest visitors. The food was served quickly and it was piping HOT with good flavor which is a good sign ;) I did notice on the menu that they DO serve fried oysters which is something I've had before elsewhere but it was years ago, so the next time will try that. To get to the single unisex restroom you must go thru the kitchen, down a step and to the left. No parking on street unless you're extremely lucky. NOTE: Returned various days during June 2012 and ordered the fried Oysters (6) and O M G. They are HUGE oysters that are the size of mussel shells!!! they are BIG and batter-fried. Very tasty!!!! They were so huge that along with my food order I couldn't eat it all!!! Am told that actual size(s) of the oysters will vary but so far after many orders on different days (even to take out), in general the size has been pleasantly BIG ;)
(3)Stephanie N.
Salt and pepper wings may look like nothing special, but lordy lorday those thangs be pack'n flavor. Perfect after a night of drinking, or after a long run as you will not be short of electrolytes after sucking a few of these bones dry. Warning: After consumption you will feel as parched as if you've just walked 10 miles through the Sahara wearing an all black velour tracksuit.
(4)Christina G.
I was just under-whelmed. For a place that got high yelp ratings and was recommended to me by some locals in San Francisco, I expected some awesome Chinese food. I did like the egg roll. It was way crispier and had a much thinner crust, for lack of a better word, than I have ever had before, so I will give them that. But then the chicken dish came, and it was just OK. Nothing special, nothing out of this world, nothing that made me think it as any better than the Chinese restaurant down the street from my house. Oh, and we never got any tea with our meal. We didn't notice it until we were paying our bill and realized everyone else had some. Maybe it was just our waitress. I wouldn't go out of my way to get to this place, especially because it's Chinatown and there's a restaurant every 20 feet.
(3)Kirsten L.
Not bad. A local told us to go here. We had their famous chicken wings. Petty good. Crispy and salty just what I wanted. We ordered salty chicken fried rice, seafood dish, and tofu with mushrooms. Also ordered hot and sour soap. All good. Service was good. Price was perfect.
(4)Da Wei S.
My previous 2-star review was for take-out. We've been back a couple of times to eat at the restaurant. The eat-in food has been outstanding. Thumbs up on the wings. The frog with bitter melon was great, as was tofu with pickled vegetable and pork. I won't order take out here, but I'll definitely be back.
(4)Victor G.
Capital has chinese and american food menus. there's a regular menu with chow mein and the standard chinese americanitems. would skip this. daily chinese rice plates specials (4.25+)i.e. tomato and beef over rice, pork and veggie over rice, egg and pork over rice. didn't see the american food specials till later. it's on the right side wall as you enter, (7.95-11.95) ex. ox tail stew, 7.95?, salmon steak, rib eye steak.... sampling: tomato beef chow mein (6.95 + .75 panfried noodles) -"gravy: mostly corn starch -noodle fried too mush, had stale grease taste -very large portion-noodles -not all ladies are waitresses, the older one may be owner's mom or... i gave order to her when she asked if i was ready and order took awhile while she looked for aaitress -full but disappointed. -place is busy leftovers: -almost exclusively cantonese clientele. -would skip chinese american fare, go for the home cooked chinese stuff. get the free "house soup". or go for lamb or oxtail stew.... -service haphazard. many single diners here. communal table.. -free tea, refills. -metered parking is $3.00/hour in s.f. chinatown.
(3)Amy D.
The only good thing about this place is their wings (and a little salty for my liking). Maybe I've become a picky Chinese Food eater but... I went for dinner with about 9-10 dishes, and the only thing I remember were the wings. There were so many dishes that I skipped after taking a bite. The menu was mostly Chinese food that my momma and pops can cook better at home. Also, this was one of the more traumatizing bathroom experiences I've had. (I know, I know... we're in San Francisco China Town) The bathroom is located IN THE KITCHEN, which was freaky. While waiting in line to relieve myself, I saw an enormous pile of uncooked wings sitting 3 feet away from the restroom door. Will I ever come back here? Probably not, there are many Chinese joints to try around the corner.
(2)Katherine C.
the besttt salt and pepper fried chicken wings!
(5)Adam E.
Waiting to be seated and we have a party of five. The restaurant was full we were next to be seated by they decided to seat the next party that just walked thru the door because they had more people and that = more money. Kinda disloyal to customers who have been waiting their turn.
(1)Connie J.
It was my first time at this restaurant and the food was good. The wings were great (must admit). But at the very end, there was a cockroach walking on our table. Most of the time, you know this happens at whole in the wall type restaurants, but you don't ever see it (especially your first visit). I don't know if I will be back here.
(3)A. Z.
Typical Chinese restaurant service but who cares when food is so yummmmmmy Follow the crowd and order the salt and pepper chicken wings. Every table usually orders a plate. You will not be disappointed... My mouth always tingle afterwards I also love the fu king fried rice. FU KING delicious!! Could do with less chopped up green veggies but the frog with the sauce and scallops is nom nom nom One of my fav spots in Chinatown!
(4)Steph Q.
Chicken pepper wings are a must! Its such a good deal for the price and its so scrumptious! Every bite into the chicken wings produce this delectable crunch that you can only get here! Try it and you won't be let down! Also their beef brisket is also very good!
(5)Jonas T.
Three things to order, in this order: 1) salt and pepper chicken wings - they're the best! 2) meat sauce over tofu 3) dried scallops egg white fried rice But I'm sure they have other good stuff too.
(4)Jane N.
As stated by pretty much every reviewer here, Capitol is known for their EXTREMELY addicting chicken wings. I could eat them all day, everyday! Their other dishes are made to order and also pretty delicious. They have SO MUCH VARIETY with a bunch of off-menu stuff that you can see in pictures on the walls. I seriously get so lost in all the choices that it always takes awhile to order. I've tried other similar Chinese restaurants around the area and for some reason, their food is just not good even though it's in c-town. One con is that it's cash only but I'd probably come here everyday if I lived close by. MSG galore...YUM
(4)Alison A.
Well lets just say I ate cockroach for the first time. After ordering about 5 different dishes myself, husband and 3 kids ate. When packing up our left overs low and behold a cockroach was fried up with our noodles. I was speechless did not know what to say or do. I told the waitress and she said we have a pest issue but I will not charge you for the noodles. So be aware if you like pest in your food eat here.
(1)Lisa L.
Authentic Chinese food comparable to your Chinese grandmother's cooking. - Fried chicken - Salted cod (insert way of preparation) - Rice - Vegetable dish of choice - Tea A grand total of less than $30. AMAZING. The tables are sticky, the bathroom typical of a Chinese restaurant... and I think your food comes out extra fast if you speak in Chinese... but it's legit. Why you might ask? I don't feel sick after I eat here and that's saying a lot because I typically don't feel well at all after going out for Chinese. Chinese Grandmother Approved!
(4)Sam T.
Surprisingly, I've never actually set foot in this Restaurant. Always phoned in the order, drove with a wingman/wingwoman (pun intended), and had them pick up the order. Parking in this area sucks donkey nuts. As other reviewers have noted, amazing salt and pepper wangs.
(5)Ryan D.
I was very happy with the chow mein I ordered here. It was extremely delicious. The place was packed and it took a while to get my check but the food arrived promptly. I will definitely be visiting this restaurant upon my return to San Francisco....
(4)Jo H.
Large group, crowded streets of Union Square on Black Friday. We decided on dinner within walking distance. Of course we ordered the famous fried chicken wings. I've been craving them ever since. Light, perfectly crisped skin, a sprinkle of salt with a little spice. We also ordered the honey walnut shrimp, green beans with pork, szechuan eggplant, white rice for a few and fried rice for others. All of these dishes were very good. Service was quick and accommodating. We called ahead and the they put together two large tables for our party in less than an hour. We feasted for $8 a person (7 adults and 1 child at our table), I spent more on parking in Union Square. So anybody down for a chicken wing run?
(5)Sylvia W.
Was just here for the first time on May 5th and I ordered the Hong Kong style chow mein with seafood and it was the BOMB! I'm picky about my chow mein but this did not disappoint at all. My sister ordered the sizzling rice soup, it's not the greatest. We did order the fried chicken wings and that definitely is a must have at this place! They were piping hot and so crispy when you bit into them. They're just a tad bit salty. I think they just use flour, salt and pepper and deep fry. It's not like fried chicken like you get a KFC or Popeye's that has a batter coating around the meat. Next time I'm in the city, I'm definitely hitting this place up! They have pictures of their dishes on the wall in case you're visual and you want to see what the dish looks like before you order it.
(4)Daniel L.
With food this good, I really wanted to give this Chinatown restaurant a higher rating so I decided to return with David N to give them another shot. The ambiance was festive, filled with families spending time together over the weekend. We ordered the medium seaweed tofu soup ($4.95), signature fried chicken wings ($5.50), and oysters omelet ($8 plus change) to share. The seaweed tofu soup was filled with silky tofu, egg flower, mushrooms, split peas, and plenty of seaweed with generous pieces of slippery pork deliciously marinated with starch. The soup base was light and easy with a tinge of salt as the perfect gateway to the rest of the meal. Next, our 10+ pieces of fried chicken wings came with a dash of salt, jalapeno and pepper. This simple concept was perfectly executed with a scrumptious mind blowing crunchy texture on the outside and juicy piping hot chicken meat within. The wings were well seasoned and the amount of peppers and jalapenos added a nice accent without compromising the essence of a good fried chicken. Lastly, our fried oyster omelet came with eggs well done with scallion and generous portions of oysters embedded at the center. It was a dish that reminded me of childhood and met my expectations. Service was brief but disappointing. The last time I was insulted when our table was treated differently from the rest with their offering of fortune cookies instead of fruits at the end of the meal. This time, we were skipped over on both items so we were left hanging without either sweets or treats. Oh no you didn't--so unfair and jaw dropping sadness! Three stars for the badass chicken wings. Since I don't know how many more rounds of poor service I can handle at this place, can someone please tell me where to find better chicken wings that come with some decent service?
(3)Nancy L.
Famous fried chicken wings were fresh and hot but Salt and Peppery, they were not. I know people that love them so maybe the regular chef was off that day. On the good note, whatever grease they use is good because it doesn't stay on the chicken so it may be a little healthier than most. Will be back to check them out one more time. No complaint on the prices. More than fair for how much they give you which is plenty!!
(3)Andrew C.
I've only ordered the chicken wings and they've got a really nice crisp to them and are nice and hot from the fryer. I also have ordered the Thai wings that are on the wall. Not as good as the regular wings.
(4)Heather L.
Capital has the best salt and pepper chicken wings! I was starving after a long day at work and had to face having dinner with my inlaws. Luckily they let me do all the ordering so I was quite happy. Besides the delicious salt and pepper chicken wings, we had peking spareribs, chicken with string beans, beef with chinese broccoli, stuffed peppers, vermicelli noodles with mushrooms and snow pea shoots. My father in law brought in the snow pea shoots from the farmers market. They sauteed them with garlic. We also had the chicken and corn soup which was still good even though itw as watered down. So everything was decent. I'm only giving them 3 stars because every time we wanted something it was really tough to flag down the server. And also this restaurant is quite dirty. Lots of tourists like to come here. I don't know how much the bill came out to but I think it's pretty inexpensive to eat here.
(3)Yan L.
How do they make these delicious chicken wings? Ancient Chinese secret! But if you are heading here I assume you've seen they have been recommended by many folks. What no one told me, is that a soup exists, here, that has fried pork and shrimp wonton in a thick egg drop soup filled with seafood and mushrooms. I'm sure this isn't the only place to get it but it rocks.
(4)Karen T.
My first time here and it was ok. The famous fried chicken was good but nothing exciting. I mean I can make it it taste like cornstarch salt and pepper then double fried. My family ordered bitter melon with frog and that was disgusting! I guess you need to have an acquired taste for bitter melon and I don't eat frog. We also got a chicken chinese sausage clay pot, that was flavorful. Spareribs and salty fish Clay pot was just ok. Fish in black bean sauce with bellpeppers and onion was good. Best thing was the oyster omelet, I only wish it was less brown on the outside. Place is a ok I would go back to try other things but won't be running.
(3)Dawn D.
There are SOOOOO many restaurants in Chinatown and I really wouldn't know which ones to eat at. In fact, I probably would be lured into eating at one of those restaurants that pass out flyers to the tourists. Anyways, my df and I were in Chinatown to shop for a cheong sam for my wedding day and we met his parents at this restaurants for an early lunch. My first impression is that it's a pretty clean looking restaurant, not only is it clean, but the food was good too! We had two types of noodles, beef chow fun and house special hong kong style noodles (I think) and their famous wings. Prices were very very reasonable. Oh yeah, those chicken wings were good!! I'd go back! I heard their waffles and breakfast is good and I saw some customers eating their waffles. I'll have to go back next time I'm in Chinatown.
(4)David B.
very with excellent fried chicken wings and a special chicken dish for new years. They skin the chicken and then stuff the skin with cooked chicken and sticky rice. This is a special order and worth trying at new years.. The rest of the food is OK but not worth the visit.
(3)Robert S.
Great experience! Everyone else is right about the chicken wings....AMAZING! Other yummy things to try: Roast duck and the eggplant dish. Very clean restaurant. I will be back!
(4)Eric L.
I was roaming Chinatown and wanted authentic Chinese food while on a recent trip to SF. That's when I put my trust into my fellow yelpers to lead me in the right direction. It seems that everyone loves Captial's "famous" chicken wings, and the Lord knows I absolutely love wings - I even once entered in an all-you-can-eat wings contest. So it was a no-brainer to try their "famous" chicken wings. This place seems catered toward the American crowd although there were some Chinese in there. Decided to go with the Mongolian Beef and of course, the "famous" chicken wings. I was excited. The Mongolian Beef came out first and was your typical dish ordered at most Chinese restaurants. Nothing stood out about this dish but who cared at that point because I was just there for the "famous" chicken wings. And that's when I was disappointed. The wings are just that, wings. Nothing special about them. In fact, no special batter and/or seasoning. Just salt and pepper and deep fried. Not to mention WAY too over-salted. It was pretty bad. I believe a single order is 13 wings, which was a great portion amount for the price. But I honestly had to force myself to finish them off because I don't like to leave food behind. I just don't understand how people can rate these "famous" wings so highly. I'm a wing lover for sure and these were far from great. Good? Hmm...more like okay and that's about it. Service was pretty good though and the staff was friendly even though there was an obvious language barrier.
(3)Chelsea L.
Ordered: fried chicken wings, tomato beef noodles, steamed tofu with shrimp Comments: The chicken wings are pretty impressive. Very crispy outside and the meat stays juicy on the inside. The tomato beef noodles were also very good and flavorful. Overall, the quality is pretty good and the prices are very reasonable.
(4)beatrice c.
Never again. Came here for lunch on a Sunday. The place was not packed. It took over 15 min and a reminder to get the first dish on the table. After 39 min my husband's lunch still was not there. They bring you a beer but no glass. Since you are not Asian, they don't even offer chopsticks. no one comes over to check if all is OK, got to call the server twice for water refills. And to add insult to injury, the people who arrived after us...got their food way before! .. And of course not a single smile from anyone on the staff.
(1)Lily W.
Capital's is HELLA good Chinese food. I always seem to come with a huge group of people, but it means more variety of food to go around. Weirdly enough, I've never had to wait long for the food here. This past time, I came with a group of about 10 people. When we sat down, we immediately ordered 3 plates of the chicken wings. ITS A MUST!!! Its hard to describe, but its almost salt-and-pepper type that's juicy and deep fried. SO good. The other food is pretty decent. I haven't had poor service or food here yet. The servers are friendly and quick. Since we had a huge amount of food and many people, the table was actually a little small. But the servers were able to work around that and keep basically all the food on the table...sans the rice. Our rice was placed on a side table. For about 12 dishes (I count all three chicken wings), the total came out to about $130...and that's including a nice tip. Please note - I think it says something about them accepting credit cards here...I don't think they do. I asked the servers once and they said no...
(4)alex c.
The lunch specials are awesome. I think like over 15+ dishes ranging from 6-8 dollars. I got the scrambled eggs with beef over rice. It was delicious. The eggs were done right and not overcooked. The beef is nicely seasoned. The rice was a bit hard,. perhaps not enough water. But come on, for like 8 bucks after tax And tips, I will come back many times for sure. The service is typical of most Chinese restaurants. I'm not complaining here. And don't even bother with "decor". ;)
(4)Rachelle T.
This is my new Chinatown spot. The bestest things about Capital: * Salt and pepper chicken wings (at least 12 in 1 order) * Pea sprouts * Photo menu on the walls (always a convincing feature) * Waiter/waitresses can speak and understand English * Reasonable prices and good portions * Counter space for parties of 1 or 2 * Decently clean for Chinatown
(4)William B.
Like every other Chinese Restaurants in San Francisco... I always like to order my favorite which is the Mince Beef W/ Scramble Egg Over Steam Rice you may think that this place gives you to little to eat... I dont think so after I finished eating I was soooo full not only did I eat that it also came with soup as well...Overall Capitol Restaurant is not to bad of a place to eat at, I came here on a saturday for lunch which had alot of hungry eating people on a beautiful sunny day!!! The only weird thing about Capitol Restaurant is that if you needed to go to the restroom you would have to go through the kitchen and turn to your left which is just a one restroom for Men & Women... Of all the Chinese Restaurants that I have eaten at in San Francisco not too many Chinese Restaurants has restrooms that you would have to go through the kitchen and use it...
(4)Mary Ann B.
Crappy service + crappy food = me no happy camper
(1)Phyllis M.
While shopping in Chinatown, I asked one of the store employees where she went for lunch/dinner. She directed us to Capital. We were not dissapointed! The Salt & Pepper Chicken wings are as delicious as everyone else has expressed. I loved the pictures on the menu. They helped a lot in what we wanted to order. Although I never ventured back to the bathrooms, my dining companions both said it was very interesting to walk through the kitchen. We will difinately be back on our next trip to San Fran!
(4)Snoflaker L.
This is my aunt's favorite restaurant in Chinatown. Their quality is always consistently good and they have the BEST FRIED CHICKEN WINGS! Mmm. My mouth salivates a bit from the thought of it.
(5)Misha T.
the wings are good but i would still say don't believe the hype. When I went there was no wait and they came out quick so I can't complain about that but I'm still going to try Z and Y to really see if i can get my fix cause i'm a wing fiend.
(3)Alexander L.
I went here for lunch. This place has great salt and pepper fried chicken wings. The wings have good flavor. The beef chow fun is also good here. The on the house corn soup that day was kind of odd. There was actually chunks of corncob in the soup.
(4)Robert B.
Really, other people gave this place 4 stars? Wow... The building and inside of the place was run-down. They don't take credit or debit cards and the food was blah, barely any better than Panda Express. I had the Scallops in Oyster Sauce and the # 1 combination dinner, with wonton soup. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. Where I live in a predominantly Hispanic area, there are several Chinese food restaurants that are much better. I chose this place, out of many other hole in the wall places nearby in China Town, due to its rating. What a disappointment. The service was okay, also nothing special.
(2)Ed Y.
Come and order the platter of Fried Chicken Wings...PERIOD! Be careful, the delicious wings come out piping hot so easy on that first bite! You have been warned. Oh, it is acceptable to order a bowl of rice to go with the wings. But that's it...and maybe a coke too. Enjoy!
(4)Nancie T.
You'd think a hole in the wall small restaurant tucked away in Chinatown would be cheap, dirty and oily. But Capital Restaurant surprisingly is clean (by Chinatown standards), decently managed (no barking orders here), delicious (egg tofu, anyone?) and not cheap! If you order a la carte, it comes with the house soup of the day. The fiance and I ordered 2 dishes (silken tofu and shrimp vermicelli clay pot) and our bill ran over some $20 odd dollars because you also need to pay for individual servings of rice. However that doesn't deter us from returning. I didn't realize my love for tofu until I had their egg tofu with minced meat dish. It's heavenly..
(4)Vicky L.
Cheap Chine$e Girl's Friday lunch craving: Fried chicken. A journey up the street to Capital ended with four coworkers being in a complete and utter food coma. Hot, salty, crispy, crunchy fried wings. There's not much pepper, but I loved it. 6 stars. Too bad the chow fun ($6.25) kind of sucked. It mostly was grease and zero seasoning. It tasted mildly better when I dripped some soy sauce on it, but it's something that I will not be ordering again. 1 star. PLUS, surprise surprise, cash only. But the chicken was so good that I had to give this place 4 stars. You can feel the salt on your grubby little fingers as you pick up the chicken and crunch your jaws into it. Epic delicious. Another cheap, delicious lunch. Working in Chinatown may be hazardous to my health, but it's okay. As long as I can have chicken wings post-death.
(4)Gloria H.
The salt & pepper wings are laced with crack! That's the only reason to explain why it's so freaking tasty and addicting. We had no clue about the wings - we were in the area and wanted to try a new place. We looked at the menu and it looked promising. Actually, the dishes on colored paper strips throughout the restaurant are the real winners. I was reading and exclaiming to hubby "wow, they have this" and "wow, they have that". I only wish I had my family with me so we can order everything I wanted to try. But my rational hubby suggested we only try a few things, just in case it's not good and we can always come back. Makes sense but so hard to decide what to order. While debating, we noticed almost 50% of the customers had the salt & pepper chicken wings and were chomping away. This turns out to be the highlight of the meal. Spare me just a minute to explain. The dish had ~14 wings - just the middle section and they were big, plump and juicy. The best yet though is the crispy skin - it was so light, crispy, finger licking tasty and not oily. The flavor is more than just salt & pepper, there was a hint of the five spice. Hubby said it tasted like the ones we get in Vancouver - a very popular joint that often has a long line of die hard fans. It also reminded me of the wings we had in NY Chinatown from a street vendor - where we braved pouring rain but laughed and enjoyed every bite while soaking wet. We also had the "tong yuen" - flour ball - I was really looking forward to this dish. To think I can eat this at a restaurant and not have to spend hours making it at home or begging my bro-in-law to make it. While it used all the right ingredients - it just didn't cut it. Back to begging or bite the bullet and make it myself. The last item we tried was the oxtail stew w/ bean curd over rice. I have to give it to hubby on this one because he nailed it - they used too much vinegar and we believe they did that to tenderize the meat quicker. Yes, another pass. Yeah, 2 dishes were passes BUT the wings can redeem them and then some. Even if you only come here for the wings alone, it's worth it. CASH only.
(4)Maya S.
I'm sad to say I was quite disappointed here. As yelpers recommended, I ordered the chicken wings. The first one I bit into was undercooked! The rest of the wings were very good but that first wing was really a turn off. Sadly, I felt that the servers completely forget about another dish I ordered and I had to ask about it before it was brought to the table. The wings were gone by the time the second dish came. I saw many people who came in after me, get their dishes before my table did. There was a lack of attention towards the food as well as the customers.
(2)Eve C.
The prices were decent, not overly cheap for Chinatown. We tried the chicken wings and they were good. The wings are salty but just have a glass of water nearby. There is definitely MSG on the wings but still yummy. There's nothing that special of them. The combination pan fried noodles satisfy someone that likes seafood and land animal carnivores.
(3)Jamie N.
Excellent Chinese food for great prices. Also very close to cable car line.
(5)Karen W.
It's the old standby that I've eaten occasionally over the years and never reviewed it. We decided that since we were in the city, we'd stop by and have a meal there. It was busy at 7:30 PM on a Saturday night and we sat at the counter and ordered the $28 family meal which included the house soup (lotus root), shrimp with bok choy, beef with American broccoli which they said we could substitute the bok choy, fried tofu with sliced pork and preserved vegetables & fried chicken wings (YUM) All were very delish especially the tofu with pork and preserved veggies and fried chicken wings, light and crispy plus the shrimp dish had so many shrimp. Dessert included was a sweet and delicious sliced orange.
(4)Amy V.
The chicken wings were so good! Hot and crispy, I could eat a whole plate by myself
(4)Analyst C.
Good Chinese Food and reasonably priced.
(4)Michael N.
What are you out of towners doing is this joint? Maybe you did not get the note that this is a greasy, dirty, cheap Chinese restaurant for those who are use to greasy, dirty, cheap Chinese restaurants. Take the test and take a trip to the bathroom is this place. Where is it? Through the kitchen and in the back. Beware of the cook, waitress, mop bucket, hanging food stuffs, MSG container holding soaking mushrooms. Also, it is crowded on Sunday lunch since there are three churches within a block radius ( First Chinese Baptist, Presby Church in CT, and Chinese Congo ). It use to be crowded for breakfast on Sundays, but FCBC has their own breakfast. No more waffles. With all this said, good spicy chicken wings. Decent chow mein and chow fun. Probably one of the only Cantonese restaurants left in Chinatown that have Cantonese people cooking and running the place. So expect careless customer service if none at all, blank looks, and suspect dinnerware. And above all, order Cantonese food. For those not in the know, Southern China food from the region of Canton. No eggrolls, no potstickers, no General Tao anything ( that's Mandarin ), and fried rice at your own peril. If you don't know what to get, order the specials on the wall. There are pictures with it.
(3)Kevin R.
Love the food!! Get the wings!! A must! And chow mein and fried wontons!! Service was great!!
(5)Helen L.
I'm a fan of the salt and pepper fried chicken wings. They know their wings. They only give you the wings, minus the drumettes. The skin is crispy and slightly spicy with the fried chili pepper and fried green onions. There's about 15 in each order (yes, I counted the bones afterwards!). When I first got there, I couldn't find the wings under poultry. It was hiding under appetizers! It could be a meal in itself! Lots of happy eating customers in there, especially the kids, boy, they took over the restaurants with their exuberance. There are waittress, no waiters. That's interesting! And they were very nice, no attitudes. On the walls, they've got pictures of themselves with Will Smith. They've got good old fashion Cantonese food.
(4)Richard C.
The first time I've heard about this place was from a friend, and he said they were famous for their fried chicken. When I took a bite of their chicken for the first time, I realized he was not lying. I've fallen in LOVE with their fried chicken and I would order myself a plate every time I visit. I tasted their rice plates once or twice and it was alright, but what you need to try at least once is their fried chicken. Some people may not like it because it could be too salty, but I find it perfect. I have yet to find a place that can out do these guys in terms of fried chicken.
(4)Anita L.
Came here with my girlfriends one night and it was one of the most hilarious experiences ever. One of my girlfriends is Chinese but doesn't speak Chinese and we were the only 3 people in the entire restaurant speaking English with one another. None of my girlfriends read Chinese so it was up to me to tell them what was on the 'all Chinese menu'. After much discussion we decided upon a few homestyle dishes to share.... a stir friend veggie with garlic, some pork dish (I don't remember what it was exactly) and a steamed chicken dish. Steamed rice and complimentary soup were given to us probably as part of the meal since we didn't order any. The food was just so-so. I mean it's edible, nothing exciting and it wasn't bad. My girlfriend was getting pissed off at the bad service but I mean c'mon, we're in Chinatown...... not Beverly Hills! We ate and we sat and chatted without them getting too pissed off with us. Best part was, when we left, we only paid about $7 each. HAHA!! That was THE best part of the meal.
(3)My-Hang P.
What can I say about Capital?!!! UHHH, they have the best freaken chicken wings i've ever had. Those salt and pepper chicken wings jus makes my mouth drool and they're so good I can finish a whole serving to myself. That's how good they are, no lie! !!! I always ask for extra jalapenos, makes the chicken wings taste even better when they're combine. If it was ever possible to leave a camera in their kitchen to get the recipe, I'd do some little asian man trick from Ocean's 11 and put one in there lol! I've eaten here so many times, usually to go though. All i do is call in ahead and it takes about 10-15 minutes to cook and just pick it up when it's ready. Cost is about $7-$8 for one serving of wings and it's cash only so don't forget your money otherwise you might cry cuz your not getting them mucho delicious wings! The restaurant itself is little but clean and the servers are pretty nice. Special thanks to Angie for introducing me to my all time favorite chicken wings! :)
(5)Dyl H.
good, not sure what the point was. id go again.; it would have to be 2 am and the only restaurant within half a mile. I didn't have the wings though.
(3)John F.
We happened by and decided on this place for they were friendly when we entered and the place was clean. The food was good with our entire party enjoying what each ordered and we even found ourselves sharing so we could try the different items. We'll eat here again. Please be advised they accept cash only.
(3)ji K.
Salt and Pepper Chicken wings. They are so good. I'm pretty sure they are really bad for you, but hey! We all have our cravings of awesome chicken. From appetizers to meals, there are 190 types you can pick from. The other items on the menu are pretty fantastic as well. Few of my Favs are: #171 BBQ pork fried rice #136 Mixed Vegetables Chow Mein #44 Mongolian Beef It is in the middle of china town, so don't drive over to come to this place. If you are working near by (FIDI), then I recommend calling ahead of time and placing your order. The lady that takes the order speaks pretty fast. So i used to get a little confused. If you ask nicely, she will repeat it for you. It takes about 15 mins for the chicken wings to be ready. They are made when ordered so be careful not to burn your tongue. This is a cash only place.
(4)Emily H.
Came here with co-workers, and we were devouring our wings, mongolian beef, and kung-pou shrimp when my co-worker slams down her fork. She found a baby roach in our mongolian beef. It ruined the rest of lunch. Don't play though, them wings are still off the hook and I'll still be back solely for the wings.
(2)Jackie H.
LOVE the Capital Short Ribs! Basically fried short ribs tossed in a tangy sweet&sour-like sauce. My boyfriend and I devoured a plate of them. We also tried the Garlic Eggplant and the Tofu w/ Chicken Claypot. Somehow between the two of us, we managed to finish off most of the 3 entrees and with some steamed rice and soup too! The food was THAT good. Or maybe we were just super hungry. Their menu was pretty extensive so it was hard choosing what to get but I think we made some good choices. I definitely want to come back again and see what other yummy dishes they have to offer!
(4)Stacy A.
Very good salt and pepper chicken wings tea and chicken broccoli with white rice!! Very casual environment filled with locals. Great price for a TON of wings only 6.95!!!
(5)Randy S.
Stopped in with Classy Mike - and special guest star Mr. Matt-boto - for dinner during our road trip from New York to Los Angeles. One of my favorite things about going to Asian restaurants is that the staffs tend to have absolutely no idea how a meal is supposed to flow, and what order to bring out the dishes, despite the fact that they're, you know, in the restaurant business. What can I say, I've got a special place in my heart for people who manage to avoid social reinforcement learning. So, we ordered drinks (some waters and a diet coke), two appetizers (the wings and the Chinese broccoli) and one entree each. Here's the order that the dishes came out. First, the wings. Then, a few minutes later, my entree. Then, a few minutes later, everyone else's entree. Then, soon after, the Chinese broccoli. Then, many minutes later, finally, the drinks. That's pretty genius right there. I found that the food was fairly standard-issue Chinese, and nothing was particularly special about the wings. The food alone should get two stars, but the genius of the order wrings another star out of me. Food: 12/25 stars Ambiance: 15/25 stars Service: 25+/25 stars Bathroom: You have to talk through the kitchen to get there. Don't bother, trust me. Probability of going back: 17%
(3)Susan Z.
Hands down best salt and pepper chicken wings in the bay. I'm also fond of the asparagus and chicken chow fun. They do it dry fried with black beans. I'm salivating just thinking about it. Always a go to place when i'm in chinatown and i love the old school charm. My parents still come here for breakfast to get the waffles from the old waffle iron and my dad LOVES the jello for dessert.
(5)Chanel T.
They have the best salt and pepper chicken wings! Its over priced but its so worth it! Every time I go down to Chinatown I would have to grab this!!
(4)Kathy A.
CASH ONLY I don't even like Chinese food, but the three people I was with wanted Chinese so I went along. I loved it! Their wings are to die for. The beef and asparagus had an amazing flavor and asparagus was tender. We have put Capital on our list of "Next time in San Francisco we MUST go back!"
(5)Diana Y.
GOOD chinese food. Everything here was delicious. Tried the supposedly famous fried chicken? That was good too. I like that it's quick and easy Chinese food. The only downside is that it's slightly pricier than most other Chinese joints in the area but I think it's still pretty darn tasty.
(4)Carol L.
I came here to compare chicken wings. I've had San Tung and SO wings...I thought I had to try the wings here to. But beware. there can not be such a comparison! The wings are completely different, as they aren't "dry fried" wings...they're regular fried chicken wings, but with salt n pepper and jalapeno peppers. I mean, much better than normal fried chicken, but can't compare with San Tung and SO. Service was great - the lady running the joint was really nice. Big portions as well, great flavor. The bathroom is through the kitchen...you get to see the chef's cook. Awesome! I walked by a chef hacking away at dead chicken. :)
(4)Tina C.
A good home style cooking, and very reasonably priced.
(4)Ezekiel D.
Good food with a great taste. It didn't feel like there was any MSG or loaded with fish sauce like some other joints. Brightly lit and utilitarian decor do not make it a romantic escape, but for us and the two rugrats it could not have been better.
(4)Jason W.
Came in with a large group, and it felt immediately like home (of course, your version of home is likely different from mine). We had clay pot chicken, fried rice, seafood tofu soup, noodles, etc. etc. etc. If you like high-quality, Cantonese-style Chinese food, this is a great place to go. Decor and service like any other Chinese restaurant. Generally acceptable, nothing spectacular. But you don't go to a hole-in-the-wall Chinese place for the pretty dragons! You go to chow down on what is, at least for me, comfort food. A big helping of food and friends - can't ask for more!
(4)Jenn T.
This place is a gem! My husband and I stumbled upon it randomly while walking around Chinatown. We were a little nervous, as we are not familiar with the "reputable" restaurants in the area and didn't really know who (or how) to ask. It is just off Grant St. and we picked this place by the number of locals dining here on a Sunday night . . . My husband and I shared the shrimp soup - it was more than enough for 2 people and was colorful with clean flavors. For our entrees, we had the honey glazed shrimp with walnuts and the sliced pork and vegetables. Both dishes were freshly prepared and straight from the kitchen. The shrimp was perfectly prepared and the walnuts were candied and crunchy - yum! The pork dish was not memorable but it must have good, as there were not any leftovers . . . One of the best things about this place is that I didn't have that yucky bloated and lethargic feeling that one usually gets after eating Chinese food at one of the large chain restaurants. Next time I'm in San Francisco, Capital Restaurant is at the top of my list for dining - I'll just have to bring lots of cash (no credit cards accepted) . . .
(4)Jenn H.
Good quality. Great quantity. Cheap. Fast. Exactly what you would expect, if you want gushy service go somewhere else.
(4)Brad Y.
I hate giving 1-star reviews.. but I have to for Capital Restaurant. Maybe it's just me, but I either got food poisoning here or am allergic to MSG in that quantity. We had the Mongolian Beef, Pea Shoots, and the ever-famous Salt & Pepper Wings. Taste-wise, it was pretty good! And I enjoyed it. But by the end of the meal I felt really weird.. Got an instant headache and nausea, which finally subsided in about an hour or so. Then the next day? Sick. Throwing up all day. Couldn't keep anything down until late that night.
(1)Ingrid K.
Had the salt & pepper chicken per the recommendations I found on Yelp. It was decent, though a little on the greasy side. The staff was very efficient and fast with my order, so I was pleased with the service.
(3)Betsey L.
This was my Dad's fave and easiest place to dine for dinner. Over the years he became frail and couldn't walk far even with his walker so it became the family's spot in Chinatown as well. The salt and pepper chicken wings are my fave is SF, my hometown!! Fresh veggies and amazing steamed fish as well. I am going to stop for wings to go in a minte even if they lose their crisp :D My Dad passed away a few months ago, but the Liu, Low and McHugh family thank you for your delicious food, generousity and hospitality of friendliness over the years!! Thanks for taking care of Dad.
(4)Ed L.
Capital is not the cheapest restaurant in Chinatown but it is much cleaner and professional than the cheapest restaurants. I think of this place as the poor man's R&G. You get very similar Cantonese/Hong Kong dishes, maybe less seafood selection and not as glamorous but solid quality and taste nonetheless. I love there 3 treasures dish and salt&pepper fried offerings. Check out there walls which list tons of special dishes, would help if you can read Chinese.
(4)Mob B.
Fu king yummy. Order the duck and the flounder. Tsingtao beer is great with the meal.
(4)Vien C.
Ahhhh... chinese comfort food. I'm pretty sure my ancestors were laborers or farmers since everytime i eat some Clay Pot Rice...i feel at home and with a nice contentment that lasts until the next urgent meeting and firedrill pops up at the office. Every so often i'd rally up some other souls who crave the flavors of rice that is enhanced by the clay pot as it is by the dried cured meats and a light soy mix. It's an ancient art and done so right here since the translucent rice absorbs all the flavors and oils from the dried meet giving off a strong, yet somehow pleasant aroma. I always ordered the cured duck with sausage and cured pork... i have to use my broken chinese...but it works here and they don't laugh too much. My other comrades just sit back since they're all ABC but appreciate this earthly homely cuisine. Good thing they serve it big as we have a party of 5 dudes.. (also note the Claypot Rice is not on the menu...it's posted in the side in pure Chinese) When the huge clay pot of rice comes, you open it up and smell that homely goodness that's at one time greasy and warm...yet oh so delicious and refreshing... food for the chinese farmer soul. The rice is perfection and so good this way...they've already scouped out the meats to a dish for you. chinese antipasta?...but again... strong tasting but soooo good. We have to fight for the pieces of duck and cured pork...but oh so worth it. They also give a dish of bok choy with huge fried garlic on the side to help digest this heavy food. The best is yet to come... they offer to pour broth of soup to the bottom of the pot when your done..but that's a chinese no no for me... the best part is the slightly burnt, crispy rice stuck to the bottom and edge of the pot. Not only is it crispy, but it's enhanced by the duck and pork fats from the cooking..it's like finding another treasured dish within a dish. Their other dishes are standard chinese dishes you get anywhere but done a little above average...although their salt and pepper fried chicken here is a must and stand out. Comes straight out from the fryer, it's salted just right, with garlic and I try to bite it with the jalepeno's as often as I can. One of these days i'm going to pull a happy hour here with some tsing tao beer and these wings by themselves...probably the best executed salt and pepper wings in the bay area. Bursting with juices and moist...they've probably brined these tasty wings but who cares... it taste friggen good. Overall, highly recommend their clay pot and chicken wings. Just make sure you get a lot of people as the clay pots are huge...and they told me comes in 3 sizes...with the smallest the size of a 9 quart kettle. (if you want a smaller size clay pot rice for 2..i'd recommend utopia that's down the alley block).
(4)Dylan C.
Big fan of the chicken wings, if you go in you'll see every table with it. heck i even come across town for it. has your basic chinese food, its all good
(4)Christina L.
egggg tofuuu forr dayyyyzz! that dish is soo soo goood! tried capital restaurant last night based on a gf's recommendation, and was pleased! we ordered - the wings (obvi), egg tofu (SO YUMM), roasted duck, west lake beef soup, and curry beef clay pot. they give you a bunch o' rice to wash everything down with. i thought the duck was really well done! warm and just fatty enough, and the juices were good for flavor. clay pot and soup were a bit bland, but it is cantonese food! expect it to be a bit bland! hahah :) $27 per person for the above, and we got beers. not a bad deal, since we had leftovers... place was packed with a variety of customers. the service was all right - it's a chinese restaurant, not gary danko :P
(3)Ralph N.
Chicken Wings are my weakness. Especially when they're fresh out of the fryer. Oh man...I think I'm related to Paula Deen somehow. I found out about Capital's Fried Chicken Wings after seeing them on so many blogs. People claim that these are one of the best chicken wings they ever had. And to be honest...now I know why. They serve you around 10 pieces for $7.95. Surprisingly, the pieces are pretty big in size. But bottom line...I love how crispy they are! Literally like biting into a bag of potato chips. And I like the green onions and jalapenos that come along with every plate. So addicting! Service is kinda slow. Took a good 20 mins for my food to arrive. But hey at least they serve good food! I tried their soup bowls too. Comforting for the cold night but nothing too special. If you come here...order the wings!!!!!!
(4)Bailey L.
Love their salt and pepper wings!!! Constantly crave it. I haven't experienced a wait here yet. A lot of people get their wings to-go. It comes out pretty fast too, probably because they have it prepared since like every table orders it. It comes out really hot and fresh too! We also ordered the salty fish fried rice and that was pretty good too! Great portions and great prices! Really good customer service for Chinatown too! Very attentive and friendly. Definitely recommend!
(4)Elizabeth Y.
Capital restaurant has really good Kung Pao shrimp and very friendly service. I will definitely be going back next time I find myself in China Town!
(5)Jack W.
We visited here after the Chinese New Year parade, needless to say it was absolutely crammed packed, but I've never had a problem with sharing a big table with another group. The food was good overall, I had the spicy tofu to start (which was literally one of the tastiest things I've ever eaten) and followed with a Szechuan beef and Chow Mein. The beef was a little chewy to my taste, but the sauce was lovely and the chow mein was great. At 30$ a head we thought it was pretty good, it was a shame that all of us had similar issues with the meat because all the vegetable, tofu and side dishes were absolutely fantastic. I would go back, I'd just likely go veggie if I did.
(4)Jane M.
Time travel back to Chinatown of the early 1960's. It's not upscale, fancy pants Chinese. In beef with bitter melon the beef was a bit too chewy and the bitter melon a bit overcooked. Singapore rice noodles are too bland. Lots of older Chinese men ordering the prime rib which looks pretty darn good. The chicken wings are sub-par . . . don't know why other reviewers like them. If you want a rice plate or chow fun it's perfect. Capital should be a film location.
(4)SofÃa A.
I actually really liked this place. Came here after seeinf the rating and checking out the menu. Staff was really friendly and let my friends join me despite the fact they had outside drinks. The menu had a lot of great vegetarian options. We tried the fried rice and my friend said it was deliciois and tasted like the real thing. I had the tofu with black mushrooms and veggies. DELICIOUS. Both dishes about 9 bucks. i wasnt a great fan of the veggie egg rolls. They were alright but tasted a little on the burnt side. 3 rolls for like 4 bucks. A little pricey. Overall a delicious meal. Cash only unfortunately.
(4)Henry L.
Surprisingly great Chinese food place in Chinatown Chinese food is everywhere in Chinatown, and whenever I walked by this place I had always avoided it because the decor seemed sub-par. This all changed when I went in for the first time--the food quality is really awesome! The fried tofu I had was perfectly cooked, with a crispy exterior and a tofu interior that is semi-solid--enough to hold itself together when you pick it up with chopsticks, but soft enough to crumble when you bite into it. The spiciness is also just right. The food quality of the place is especially surprising, given that this little modest shop one of the better restaurants I've eaten at in c-town. Talk about exceeding expectations! The washroom is the one thing that is non-ideal (you have to walk in the kitchen, and past the entire kitchen crew), but the folks who work there seem to be doing the best they can with what they have (trying to keep it clean, by c-town standards). A lot of other c-town restaurants degrade to unimaginable levels (I'm looking at you, Sam Woo), which just goes to show how much effort the Capital Restaurant folks put into running the place with the sub-par equipment they were given. Plus, you can get free lemonade for a Yelp check-in. That almost never happens in c-town! w00t Keep up the good work!
(4)Matt Y.
Yes, it's packed with tourists, and yes, it's very popular in Chinatown. But it's also legit Chinese food. Don't ask me why, but I usually avoid Chinese food in Chinatown. It's either very clean but inauthentic or it's very filthy but with okay food. Capital is an exception, and I'm very glad to have discovered it. *Yang Chow Fried Rice ($7.50) is exactly how it should be prepared as in Hong Kong. Wok-fried rice, NO soy sauce, with minced BBQ pork, finely diced green onion, scrambled eggs and shrimps. It's one of the best I have had in town. Not greasy at all. *Fried Rice Noodle with Chicken ($7.50) is also well done, not loaded with gravy. You can either have it "dry"---wok-fried or "wet" with gravy like chow fun. I had the wet rice noodle with lots of greens and bak choy. I noticed that almost every table ordered the Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings. They also have daily Western-style special including prime rib, but I won't recommend because this is a Chinese restaurant. Don't forget to bring your money. Cash only.
(4)Maria C.
Cash only!!! Specifically came for the salt and pepper chicken wings... THAT IS ALL!!! We ordered other items, but didn't compare. S&P WINGS!!!
(2)Catney A.
This place gets 5 stars for their Salt & Pepper chicken wings! They are super crunchy, and very yummy.
(5)Chris L.
CASH ONLY. The service is spotty as expected at a Chinese place. We only get one lemonade (water with lemon) per table with the yelp check-in but they do give free house soup (seaweed/pork soup). The wings were good. The seafood clay pot had mostly tofu. The tomato beef noodles were good. The beef mushroom was ok. Solid place for quick Chinese food if you are craving it in SF.
(4)Johnny W.
Came here with two friends last night, on the recommendation of Veasna H to try their chicken wings. The three of us ended up getting their: * Chicken Wings - Unlike other wings in the city, these are of the dry fried, unsauced variety, seasoned primarily with salt and peppers. Tasty, albeit a bit dry from being fried too long. * Egg Tofu w/ Special Meat Sauce - Not entirely sure why this was under the vegetarian section, but, basically, lightly fried egg-covered silken tofu discs, topped with meat sauce. Not bad, but a bit on the bland side, and not as spicy as the waitress hinted at. * Oxtail Clay Pot - First off, this was served in a metal bowl, not a clay pot. Secondly, the meat was surprisingly fatty. Aside from that though, this dish was pretty tasty. All in all, about what one would expect of Chinese food, in a fairly clean and spacious restaurant. Service was also much better than you normally find in this part of town. Cash only, so come prepared. ***Accessibility Info*** Venue - A medium sized restaurant that opens up towards the back, but is a little more narrow up front due to the counter seating. When full, people will likely have to scoot or get out of their seats for you to pass. Bathroom - Didn't check them out.
(3)Alex W.
authentic, good food, and very quick service the crispy rice soup was very good and gyozas were big and they served a lot of people. the shrimp dishes were good but we're mostly vegetables so there wasn't a lot of shrimp. all the chicken dishes I tried including black bean and orange were really tasty. the free lemonade was very light and watered down so if that's what you like then get the lemonade.
(4)Nicole S.
We happened upon this place and enjoyed it! We got two chicken dishes and rice and all were delicious and came out very quickly. The lemonade was also very good- fresh and not too sweet. This was a great spot for a quick bite in Chinatown
(5)Earl B.
Just went to Capital last night and had some spicy Tofu. I like their vegetarian dishes because they have a lot of meat in them. And being a casual vegetarian I found it really funny. Since most people think you need meat in every meal. I had some heated Sake that tasted awesome as well.
(5)Viola K.
I do not usually write bad review. This place is horrible, people definitely overrated this place. The worst meal I had in Chinatown SF. If I can give them zero star, I will. I ordered spicy wings and oxtail clay pot. The wings were over cooked, they were hard. They tasted like sweet and sour sauce, not authentic Chinese dish for sure. Oxtail clay pot is really blend, the oxtail is chewy, not tender at all. Food is horrible, service was okay.
(1)Meredith K.
I hadn't been here in awhile and the last time was for lunch. We decided to come here with 2 other couples for dinner since our friend works nearby and it was convenient. Our friend comes here frequently so he pre ordered 2 things - crab and this delicious clam with glass noodles dish. Both were really good especially the clams. We ordered 2 crabs and one was fried w/ salt & pepper, other stir fried in ginger. We also shared the pea sprouts, pork hash w/ salted fish, and blk bean spareribs w/ salted fish rice clay pot. Everything was awesome and very fresh! The prices were reasonable price and service was good. I have to say there aren't too many good Chinese restaurants in Chinatown anymore so it's nice to see this one still exists. p.s. You don't come for the ambiance and let's just say it's better then others.
(5)Amanda K.
No! Don't come here. I'm confused on the reviews and why this places was crowded when we showed up for a bite. Is it a tourist trap? Was it because Chinese New Year weekend was happening in Chinatown? My husband and i were told before heading out to San Francisco we would have some of the best Chinese food in America . I took out my mighty yelp app and let the force guide my way. The darkness fell over yelp that day as we walked into Capital Restaurant. We were ushered to a two person table top and given menus near the door. The table and chairs were very retro by that I mean they were probably here when the place first opened. The menu had a huge selection to choose from. The outside and the inside of the building had pictures of the food so it could help in making an easier decision. After waiting about 10 minutes after putting in our drink order of water and tea I was getting frustrated. There seemed to be only one waitress for the whole place! WTF?!!? We finally put our food orders in and the wait began. This place is fairly cheap food and shouldn't take forever to cook. I ordered the fried tofu seafood hot pot. The fried tofu was soggy (even the pieces not in the broth). The seafood was good but overall this lacked flavor. My husband meal is where it went downhill in a bad way. He ordered what I called the "tourist trap combo meal". It contained: soup, sweet and sour chicken, white rice, egg roll, and fortune cookie. The soup he decided to get was wonton and it was very Delicious and then the rest of the meal came out. I swear LaChoy family meal in a can taste better than what was served. The beef and broccoli was similar to some MRE meal I had eaten out of desperate while I served time in the Middle East while in the Army. The egg roll was overcooked and burnt. Also it didn't look like your traditional egg roll as it wasn't deep fried. If this wasn't bad enough after the meals we didn't finish our meals. :( We decided we both wanted to use the restroom before heading out back into Chinatown. I went first in search of the restroom to be told it was located in the kitchen area. WTF?!? I went thur the kitchen to discover the cooks preparing food and see a makeshift bathroom/cleaning closet that serves as a unisex bathroom. I came back and told my husband where to go. Apparently he went farther down into the kitchen and ended up seeing 2-3 sinks full of meat with water pouring of it. I assume for defrosting?? Side note: I am alive and well today
(1)Matthew M.
Came here on a sales trip with my company. So we did the touristy thing and asked around and ultimately ended up here based on an Uber driver tip. Overall it was pretty good...not great but decent Chinese food. We ordered so much stuff but let me highlight the good stuff. Chicken Wings is a must have here...you can't miss it because it's on the front page of the menu...haha...seriously. Picture and all! Egg Tofu with spicy ground pork is good but eat it fast cause it goes downhill fast as it cools. Oxtail bean curd hot pot is also a good dish...oxtail kinda scarce but it's a nice tasty dish. Peking style pork chop is a great dish but beware of bones...i think they meat clever it so you can end up with a small sharp bone you can't see! If you're close by come here...if not, find something close by.
(3)Dub C.
Come here for one item and one item only .... Get the salt and pepper chicken wings. Eat in or take out with ice cold ones of your preference. Enjoy!
(3)J W.
Not bad. The chicken and salted fish fried rice was good but not enough for the price. Lamb stew was yummy. Overall food was good. You have to go through the kitchen to get to a single restroom and I heard it was disgusting. Typical Chinese service and ambiance. No air conditioning so feel lucky that you are seated at a location where the breeze from the fans blows. Cash only.
(3)Vy B.
My sister swears by this place when it comes to their chicken wings. I'd agree that they are pretty tasty and fresh--you can tell they don't par fry them because they are nice and juicy yet crispy on the outside. I'd say the hidden gem if this place is their Fukien Tofu-a really unique blend if chopped seafood, mushrooms, and asparagus. It's a nice balance to the wings, which run on the saltier side. I'd say don't bother eating the free soup that comes out before the meal, it's pretty much hot vegetable water...very bland.
(4)Christopher C.
The only thing I was really impressed with here was their fried chicken wings. The wings are absolutely to die for, making the trek to Chinatown worth it. I cannot even compare it to San tung or any other Chinese chicken wing that I have ever tasted. Everything else that I tasted was above mediocre but their entrees are nothing to write home about. Standard prices for Chinese food; I am moderately surprised that prices for subpar Asian cuisine in SF are a bit more pricier than choices out in the East Bay area. I would go back but merely just for the wings.
(3)Bobby L.
Great chicken wings. I also like their pork spare ribs, tofu and fish, clams with black bean sauce, steamed chicken, and beef chow fun. Overall the service is what you would expect at a Chinese restaurant but the food definitely makes up for it. Definitely fresh veggies and the food comes out pretty quickly. My go to spot in Chinatown! Just remember, it's cash only!
(5)Steve S.
When Uncle's Restaurant was sold, I walked down the street to Capital. The food is consistently good and the place is well managed. It is a worthy substitute of Uncle's. Uncle's was cheaper and there was more food - but Capital is better run and the food is just as good as the old Uncle's. This is the place where people go for lunch who work in the area. It's also where the elderly go for a meal. You will see lots of elderly Chinese gentlemen at the counter wolfing down prime rib on "prime rib day" - and flirting with the attractive waitresses who smile and tease the men in a genial way. They speak in Chinese so I'm not exactly sure what they say. The men always leave a generous gratuity. When I was working, I came here by myself and sat at the counter to eat. They have a special menu for different lunches every day of the week. The special menu has two sides: Chinese and American. I liked the corn beef on the American side - corned beef, cabbage and rice. On the Chinese side I liked the minced pork with salted fish. Usually I ate Chinese food there - and it was always good. With your meal is delivered a soup and at the end is jello or ice cream. The soups were always creative and delicious. There is a memorable soup that has bits of corn cob in it. I never fail to be impressed with the skills of Chinese cooks! I never considered that there was a delicate and unique flavor to boiled corn cobs! I know it seems kind of dumb to go into a Chinese restaurant and order American food - but it may surprise you to know that the Chinese cook American food better than Americans - or Mexicans for that matter! I once asked for Chili beans (something that most Chinese don't really enjoy is Mexican food) from a Chinese cook. I expected something close but not that tasty. I was surprised to find that what she produced was better than what I got from a Mexican resturant. She did this cooking Indian food also. She carefully watched my Indian friend cook the food - and then served it to me the following week better than what the Indian made. You may likely be as astonished as I to eat the American special of the day at Capital and discover it to be better than what you could find at your own American restaurant. Tip: Their fried wings are the best I have ever eaten. One of the best lunches I have ever had was to buy a growler of beer from The Thirsty Bear, two boxes of those wings and consume the lot in Yerba Buena Gardens (near Thirsty Bear). You need to coordinate with a friend because it's Capital is about a mile from Yerba Buena Gardens - but it's worth the effort!
(5)Jonh S.
What else can I say. I think my pictures will say it for me... This is why I don't like buying food from Chinatown, you can never know what it's in your food. Specially when food safety, sanitation, is not their priority. I don't think these owners will spend a penny on training their workers and also inspecting their establishments for this type of issues.
(1)Sam Y.
Crispy chicken wings and beer. If only they were open until 2am, I would be here all the time!
(4)Soo W.
My friend took me here for lunch. We ordered their famous chicken wings. The salt and pepper wings were one of the best I ever had. Juicy and crunchy at the same time. Their egg tofu with ground pork was good too. Definitely will come and try out their other dishes if I am around this area.
(4)Camery V.
I come here just for the salt and pepper chicken wings! They are addicting, every time I'm in the city I always ask my bf to come here for the chicken wings. It comes out piping hot and there's a slight crunch when you first bite into it! Love it! I'm sure he gets tired of coming here. We've explored getting the beef chow fun and Fukien fried rice but they weren't memorable for me. The hot & sour soup comes out fast and is simple so I like it. The chicken wings are pretty filling so soup to accompany it is perfect.
(4)Jenny T.
Service was pretty crappy, order was wrong, and the beef with broccoli was slimy, no sauce, and came out 15 minutes before my boyfriend's food. The broccoli was cooked well. Flies flying around our plates. Definitely will not be back.
(2)Nari C.
It's all about the Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings! Finally, a dish that lives up to its hype! I got the wangs and a side of rice, and WOW. They must've laced it with crack (just kidding, it's probably MSG) because it's so addictingly good! The dish comes with japaleno slices. It's deep fried to perfection, so it's crispy on the outside and juicy and moist on the inside. There's flavor on the outside (salt and pepper) and flavor on the inside (chicken juices). YUM. One portion ($10) will feed two semi-hungry people or one starving person. Apparently the famous Will Smith came here and proclaimed that it's the best wings in the western hemisphere. I agree 100%.
(5)Crisy G.
I love this restaurant !! Don't know why I haven't done a review for this place..?? Use to come here with my Dad for lunch.. He been coming here n lunch for passed 20 years.. My favorite dish is the salt n pepper fried chicken wings.. A must must order.. Mince meat over tofu omg another must order..!! And don't forget there are daily lunch specials which is fast n great value..!!! Comes with soup n dessert..!!!
(4)Jessica P.
This place is what I would call authentic Chinese food. This isn't Panda Express or even your average Chinese food spot. The food is what I would think is closest to the way they cook in their homeland. We ordered Kung Pow and Curry Chicken. Curry chicken is high in flavor, however the Kung pow is a little on the bland side and I don't mean that in a bad way. Americans tend to over salt everything so we livened it up with some chili sauce and it was good. CASH ONLY.
(3)Craig M.
We tried the black bean beef, king pai chicken, famous wings, sweet and sour chicken, shrimp and broc. All very good. Decor is date but service was great. A great time.
(4)Jennea R.
As much as I absolutely love the chicken wings here (that's the only reason I keep coming back), -2 stars for the customer service. HORRIBLE service. Every time I come here it takes about 30-45min to receive food. The ladies that work here are snippy too. Gosh too bad I love these chicken wings so much. Keeps me coming back over and over again.
(3)Kurt C.
Typical Chinese restaurant in Chinatown with a very tasty menu to say the least . Don't expect your five star restaurant in this place because its not for the germafob to eat here. First off, don't let the small grungy environment fool you and the nasty bathroom next to the kitchen discourage you because their tasty hot food is very delicious. If you want white table cloths with shiny silverware go down a half a mile towards the financial district. This place is roughly "homestyle' type of food, served hot and plentiful with a fair price with no frills. Your not going to be broke forking out the funds to finance this traditional meal like some other places in the area. As for the ambience, its original with all its noise, smell, and decor. If you dare to come here, try the chicken wings, along with the spare ribs and tofu. The service is nothing to write home about, but it comes with the territory when you visit any chinese restaurant. Enjoy and pay with cash...
(4)C J.
Killer chicken wings, but everything else is forgettable. Slow service and often under-staffed.
(3)Larry Z.
I from LA & went to SF last week for a vacay. Went to Chinatown & did not know where to go for early dinner. I utilized YELP to show me some nearby restaurant & decided to dine in at this Restaurant. I was with my friend & I ordered Singaporean noodles & their famous chicken wings. The noodles was not good & not impressive-no quality taste and the texture of the noodles is so so bad!!!! The chicken wing? Well nothing special at all, fried, served with jalapeño slices & that's it!!! Worst thing about this place is their kitchen!!! Ewww you have to see what I meant! It' s freaking dirty. I happen to see it when I went to use their bathroom. While I waiting for my turn to use the bathroom I had the chance to observe & look around. After I saw how their kitchen was, i wanted to throw up. So regretful I ate at this restaurant. When we left I asked if they validate my parking, the Chinese Lady Screamed at me & said "did you pay $40 if not no validation" outch!!! I am will never go back to this place ever again. Calling the attention of Health Department please care for the people who dine at this restaurant.....
(1)tracey h.
The food here was awesome. I have elementary aged children who really enjoyed the food as well. My daughter, who is a super picky eater, was licking the plate. I enjoyed the hot and sour soup. The pepper chicken wings and tomato beef were a big hit with my husband. I found the food to be fresh, not greasy or overly sauced. I also enjoyed the texture of the tofu. It is so easy to overcook tofu until it is the texture of an eraser. That was not the case here. Will visit again.
(5)Wanugee N.
Old school Chinatown restaurant, known for their fried chickens wings for decades! Curt, Cantonese service, but good grub!
(4)J C.
Tourist and local hangout. String beans with ground pork 4 yelp Deep fried flounder 3.5 yelp large fish Beef stew with bean curd clay pot 3 yelp beef was not tender. Chicken wings 4 yelp Clams black bean sauce 5 yelp If I was close by I would eat there again.
(3)David T.
Their fried chicken wings are very good. The flounder fillet with black bean sauce is very good I did not like their Won Ton's, the texture was great but the taste was odd.
(4)LunchaMunch A.
I came to Capital Restaurant on the Chinese New Year Day and unfortunately I can't say much about the food since I just kept watching my back, just outside the restaurant there was a group of young asian guys dressed up with a dragon costume, I saw them earlier going into businesses as its their custom while lighting up firecrackers, but now they're blocking the entrance to the restaurant while they chat away and smoke right at the entrance, I still want to try it so I get thru not without some dirty looks, as I get my food, an Afroamerican man goes in and I'm not sure what ensues but next thing I see is those guys screaming at him to get out and when he asks why they push him out of the establishment, I could not focus on my food, maybe I'll give them another shot, not on a Chinese New Year for sure.
(2)Ada W.
I ordered the chicken cream corn soup and the Singapore rice noodles. The soup tasted like a bland mixture of oil and MSG, with barely any corn or even chicken broth flavor. I'm not sure what that concoction was, but I threw it out. The Singapore rice noodles were passable but nothing to write home about. However, given the prices they charge (which are significantly higher than the prices listed in this Yelp page as of 7/6/14), I found the quality per dollar ratio to be extremely low. I would not return.
(1)Brian Y.
Bomb chicken wings! The other dishes were good too, it's another typical Chinese restaurant but with awesome chicken wangs ;)
(4)H Q.
+My Uncle's Go To place to eat and meet up with his 90 year old buddies. It's like a gathering of the Yodas. +The food, like most places in Chinatown, was cheap, good and served quickly. +Typical no frills Chinatown decor.
(4)Stefanie G.
We split 2 orange chicken entrees, chicken fried rice and veggie noodles 5 ways... 7 bucks each for more than enough food. I recommend doing that, get a few and share :) not the prettiest, (or the cleanest, but respectable,) but worth the trip for broke college kids. Maybe spend a few extra dollars if you can.
(3)Raquel Y.
Idk why I bookmarked this place....It was just ok. Cheap food, but - hot and sour soup was too spicy - "famous" salt and pepper wings were too salty - chicken fried rice had no flavor - food came out SO SLOW. c'mon now, this is a dirty cheap chinese place. I expect it to come out the minute after we order!!! Only thing good was the house special chow mein. I'm just happy it was cheap.
(2)C L.
Just tried their prime rib special on Tuesdays--buttery, a-ok!
(3)Rob F.
Two words: chicken wings. They ain't buffalo wings, they're better. The best fried chicken you have ever had. The rest of the menu seems terrific. I'm no expert, but I enjoyed the pea shoots and fried rice as well. Bitter melon too.
(4)Genaro R.
I took the fam for a quick bite and it was horrible.we order veggie chow mein and shrimp fried rice,sour soup we will never comeback here
(1)Lauren F.
The boyfriend and I just went here tonight to celebrate Chinese New Year's Eve. First, they gave us a complimentary soup. To me the broth tasted like dirty dish water, so I didn't finish it. We came here for the infamous chicken wings people talk about, and they didn't have any plus they didn't have any chow fun either! We ended up ordering a few dishes still. Initially they tasted good, but then afterwards I felt weird. My boyfriend said it's probably the MSG and I should drink water. Another thing they did was they ripped us off - they overcharged us. When they brought back our change they didn't give us a receipt or any form of bill in order for us to be sure we got the correct change back. We then found out about them ripping us off when we got home and calculated our meal and it's tax and everything. NEVER GOING BACK AGAIN.
(1)Krystal T.
Small Chinese diner... had the noodles... they were ok. Service was quick. Not fancy. Just relatively cheap and quick. I've heard about the wings... I'll be back to try them and update my review... but this is it for now... Oh and their lunch specials looked good with descent portions. ..
(3)Eric L.
The food is good, it comes out fast, and it doesn't cost much. What else do you need in life? As everyone suggests, order the chicken wings. One order is a dozen, but you should probably order another to go. Spicy salt is the essence of life.
(4)Koren Y.
Eh. Nothing special about this place. Ambiance is terrible. All of the fluorescent lights and the tables are laid out fast-good style. The food wasn't cheap at all. My Kung Pao Chicken and white rice was over $10. The food wasn't that great either. When I showed the server the Yelp deal for a free lemonade, he told me that they don't do that anymore. That's pretty disappointing. When somebody tells you that they're a Yelp user, there is a good chance they're going to review your business.
(3)Bobby K.
I really enjoyed this place. Good portions. Great find if you are looking for authentic chinese food. Me and my sister ordered the string beans and pork, fried egg tofu, sweet pork chops, and beef fried rice. My favorite was the fried egg tofu!! Everything was delicious except the fried rice (very plain). I would personally hold off on that and get regular white rice for the price. We got out of there for around 40 bucks. So I guess reasonable for dinner. I would definitely go here again.
(4)John G.
The only thing worse than the food was the service. The rice tasted as if it were three days old. My meal was bland, yet it was supposed to be spicy. The oyster appetizer was inedible. My son was promised a bowl of rice with his meal, but didn't receive it until the end of the meal. At which point, we were ready to go.
(1)Bernard M.
Food was good tasty and fast, waitress was funny. Found this place by asking a couple of shop keeper in the area and they point me here would have gotten a 5 but the appetizers came with dinner
(4)Helena H.
You must order the salt and pepper fried wings!! They are delicious. We tried fried rice with gravy on it- fu kein fried rice? It had scallops and shrimp with a gravy sauce- different but tasty. A trip to the bathroom will take you through the kitchen where all the cooks will smile and give you a pleasant hello! I will return for the wings! Cash only
(4)Mel T.
Funny! As I left this restaurant I was admiring the "cleanliness" of this place. But when I got home, I had the runs. LOL... tmi??? This place, like any other in Chinatown, is cheap and affordable. The food was alright, it wasn't anything special. The food was kind of dry, ordered the chicken wings and it was covered in batter. The sweet & sour ribs were mostly bone and fat. They did give us a complimentary soup, which I appreciated, but didn't taste that great. We also ordered the shrimp & walnut prawns which were ok-dokie, not much to say about that. Wasn't terrible, it looked pretty clean on the surface.......butttt it wasn't. LOL :( Overall, I wouldn't come back again.
(2)Arlene C.
Can't believe I haven't reviewed my favorite Chinese restaurant! Gather here often with friends. If you come here for a banquet style meal be sure to order the Naw Mai Gai (boneless chicken stuffed with sticky rice) a day ahead. Okay, so it looks like road kill, kinda smashed and flat....tastes mighty good! My favorites? Dry Scallop fried rice, Fried tofu medallions with spicy pork, Steamed shrimp with tofu, stuffed bittermelon to name a few, and of course the chicken wings. Good news is that you can memorize and point to the pictures that line the walls to select. Volume is loud when there are lots of people, oh, that may just be our group that's loud lol! Please don't order the tourist menu here, and be sure to advise the tourists that manage to find this hole in the wall gem :)
(5)Kelly O.
Lunch specials are cheap, but not as cheap as the Chinatown mean. The quality maxes out at 3 stars, even after factoring in their famous salt & pepper chicken wings (which are bomb both at point of entry and, unfortunately for some folks, upon exit as well). It's worth trying once -- how else will you find out for yourself? Those wings DO seem to harbor an addictive flavor quality that keep 'em coming back for more so if you've got a thing for wings by all means see what the fuss is about.
(3)Britain T.
the prices are amazing. Don't go here just for chinese food because it's sub-par but edible. Go here for the wings. They are advertising the right item on the covers of their menus. The wings are addicting and delicious and the chinese food is only a side thing.
(4)William M.
The food was okay. My General's Chicken was bland and about as spicy as your standard Heinz ketchup. My wife liked her cashew chicken. The restaurant was acceptably clean. You have to go through the kitchen to get to the bathroom. That allowed us to check out the food prep area. It wasn't clean but it wasn't nasty either. It was okay for a small kitchen. The staff were rely nice and polite. They have our kids complementary jello and ice cream. The only take cash so I had to run to the bank when it came time to pay the tab. To be fair they have "cash only" in two spots but I missed the signs among the dozens of others. The prices were decent.
(3)Jocelyn L.
Quintessential Chinese diner in the middle of Chinatown. What this means is: don't expect great service; heck, don't even expect good service. What you will get is delicious Chinese fast food at reasonable prices. - they're famous for their salt and pepper wings. A tad salty but the dish came out piping hot and the wings lived up to the hype. - Fukien fried rice: sleeper surprise of the night. Delicious. The stirfry poured over the lightly seasoned fried rice was great. Highly recommend. Even tastier than the version at yanksing - shrimp dumpling soup: ok. A little underwhelming given the dumplings I had at Cooking papa just the night before. -seafood over crispy noodles: wish I didn't order this at all. Massive disappointment. Skip
(3)Violet H.
This restaurant had a high rating and nice photos so we tried it, but it did not meet our expectations. Forks and bowls were sent back because they were dirty with dried up food. Servers were busy and non attentive. The hot & sour soup was tasty but the lemon chicken and Kung pau chicken were nothing special. Not recommended.
(1)Darryl M.
I came here with a bunch of coworkers mainly for the salt and pepper wings. They were served hot (temperature) and seemed to have a bit more salt than pepper, which I didn't mind at all. I'd say this is a nice dish for the price - $8 for 12 pieces. It takes 15 minutes to prepare. We were a party of 5 and ended up ordering 2 dishes of the wings, 2 of the beef chow fun, fried rice, bok choy and vegetable chow mein. I think it totalled to ~$50. 4 stars because each dish was worth its price, but I have yet to try more. If anyone is expecting spectacular service, don't come here. However, I'll surely be back.
(4)Tommy L.
Yes this place can be a little cleaner but so what? What do you expect? You're in Chinatown. The food here is so good I want some right now and its only 8am. They are known for their fried chicken. It's almost a hidden secret because when most people think of fried chicken, they think of their wetter counterpart over at San Tung. If you've had butcher shop fried chicken, capital's version is somewhat similar. Their noodles are also super super yummy. The workers here are funny. They may seem impolite but they're just busy.
(4)Cherylynn N.
I'm Chinese (well 75%) so by stereotypical definition I should BE cheap. At a young age, my mom instilled in me the value of a penny, not a dollar, ONE STINKIN' PENNY. Every week, I would go to the Sanrio store with 2 sandwich bags full of pennies I would find around the house and random places to buy one hello kitty lollipop. SADNESS. Talk about first world problems... Knowing the value of money, I should be haggling at the open markets, "Two foi three dolla? NO...two foi one dolla and we deal!" like my mom would. Instead I find myself, throwing down a hundred dollars on a weekly basis for one meal, the same amount my mom would use for a month's worth of groceries. Hey, I'm scarred penny pincher. :X Contrary to my guy friends' belief that I'm a high maintenance food snob, I love my hole-in-the-wall restaurants too. When Albert L. told me about the $13 Prime Rib Tuesday Special at Capital, I couldn't wait to go as it would also give me a chance to try their infamous Salt & Pepper Wings. Capital Restaurant serves home-style Chinese cuisine in the heart of Chinatown. CASH ONLY. Most of the customers are locals and poh pohs and gong gongs so you know it's legit. It was a lot cleaner and larger than I expected it to be with good lighting and clean tables to accommodate about 70 people. F O O D *PRIME RIB TUESDAY SPECIAL ($13) - 3 STARS yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… Served during lunchtime, we got the last slice of the day during dinnertime which we were warned ahead of time would be a medium doneness and a little cold. The prime rib was a bit tough, dry, and bland (I assume being the last slice and all). We really had to utilize the au jus which was oddly sweet. I believe in you pay for you get and this was a prime example. Please don't expect anything like House of Prime Rib quality because you will not find it in Chinatown and certainly not at this price. *THE INFAMOUS SALT & PEPPER CHICKEN WINGS ($7.95) - 3 STARS yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… After hearing all the rants and raves about these crack-like wings, we were disappointed that they weren't very moist and the meat was incredibly bland. We must have received an old batch because the wings weren't piping hot either. I prefer the Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings at D&A Café hands down. *STEAMED PRINCESS CLAMS ($10.95) - 4 STARS yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… Though I'm on a "seefood" diet where I eat everything in sight (*sigh*), I'm not a seafood person. However, this dish was one of the highlights of the night. The tender clams ntermingled with al-dente vermicelli noodles and seasoned with a mouth-watering savory sweet soy sauce. *EGG TOFU w/ Spicy Minced Meat ($8.95) - 4 STARS yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… A must order along with the steamed princess clams; the tofu was incredibly silky soft like Japanese agedashi tofu with a nice crisp exterior. The ground beef with peppers gave it a nice spicy bite. S E R V I C E Expecting HELLA Chinesey service (aka rude and inattentive), I was pleasantly surprised to find the staff to be friendly and warm which boosts them up to 4 stars. Like a food paparazzi, one of the ladies saw me taking food pictures and she joked in Cantonese "you better be taking nice pictures". After taking 6 snaps for each dish and getting the silent "hurry the f*ck up, you Yelp whore" look from my friend, I better have taken decent pictures. Our "cheap" dinner ended up costing $60 for two people....for Chinese food. I can just feel the death stare from Suze Ormon from thousands of miles away. EEECK.
(4)Dan M.
So I have not had a chance to check out Chinatown all that much after moving to SF because I try to avoid all the tourists running around the city clogging up the streets. With that said, this past weekend I had a craving for some solid Chinese food so decided to check out Capital after reading all the hype. After weaving through the streets of Chinatown I get to this joint at around 6 PM which seemed like a solid time to go as the "dinner rush" gets in at around 7 and boy does it get busy. This restaurant is busy with tons of activity and the folks running it were actually very friendly oddly enough. We were seated pretty quickly at the counter which is not the best spot as there are plenty of people walking in and out. The servers were quick about bringing utensils and menus and took our order. Decided to order the Salt and Pepper wings, the string beans, and of course the egg tofu topped with meat. For whatever reason, the food took a bit of time to come out that day but the lady was sweet and brought out free soup and consistently asked other people to check on our order in the back which I found thoughtful. The wings are pretty solid but I would still say San Tung is my favorite but they are totally different. The wings were cooked well and the skin is great with the light salt and pepper flavor. The chicken itself was okay but the skin is what really makes these wings. The string beans were solid as the sauce seemed a bit sweet which surprised me because I thought it was a spicy dish. Nevertheless a solid dish and no complaints. The winner for this dinner was the egg tofu. This thing has great consistency and is just a solid plate of food. I thoroughly enjoyed this tofu dish and was actually sad that it came out last as I was already starting to get full. The entire bill for the meal came out to like $29 which is way cheap so props there. All in all, a pleasant dining experience and a joint I will definitely be back to since I have found my favorite dish there.
(4)Nicha K.
Chicken wings!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really. It's just all about the chicken wings.
(3)Tony E.
Pretty darn good for the money. Old Chinatown power brokers rub elbows with the common folk in this busy restaurant. They are famous for their chicken wings of all things, but it's all delicious and inexpensive.
(3)Mindy C.
Let's talk about the chicken wings. HMM... disappointed! It's okay. Can't compare to Sang Tung because it's cooked differently. The salt and pepper chicken wings here is bland....It lacks some seasoning. I thought it might just be this one time, but no, every time I come here it's the same problem - so i gave up. D&A cafe has the same salt and pepper wings, they are just so much better! So much more flavorful, juicier, crispier and more appetizing! D&A cafe, i will never cheat on you again! Bottom line is, if I don't crave for it, it ain't that good. Solly!(Chinese accent, i can do it because I am Chinese yo!) ;)
(3)Keven W.
My dad wanted to try this restaurant. The place does advertise from February 14 I believe till April 30th, if you like them on Facebook you will get 15% off. Here is the catch you must wait for the coupon and post something on the wall to receive it. Sort of confusion right there on how the coupon works and the owner would not accept that we liked their place and did it in front of my phone. The food was okay, we ordered the famous chicken wings, eggplant, beef and corn soup with pork. I did like the pork in the eggplant, but the eggplant needed more spicy to it, but my mom could not handle the spicy. The beef was okay and the chicken wings were good and would order them again. I like Jollibee fried chicken better, but it is all a matter of taste. The rice was okay. Overall the prices were not bad we spend $40.85 include tax and that annoying health surcharge of $1.25 per person. The service was just okay and if they honored the coupon I would give them a higher star rating. Oh yes one tip do not go to the bathroom before eating the meal. The bathroom is in back of the kitchen and you can see the kitchen is very dirty and the floors had a ton of grease. The bathroom is dirty too god knows what they did there. I am not so sure if I would come back or not, but they did have some dishes I am willing to try.
(3)Kathy N.
We ordered the dinner special C for 2 people and we noticed almost every table had a plate of fried chicken wings so we decided to try that. All of this food was plenty for the 3 of us. The hot and sour soup was super sour, I think they used too much vinegar? There were 4 fried prawns served with sweet and sour sauce. The pan fried noodles with BBQ pork strips was yum. The fried rice had a lot of chicken bits in it, not too flavorful but perfect if you have some salty protein dish to eat it with. The beef dish had way too many green onion strips in it. The fried wings were a bit too salty but were pretty yummy, it had slices of jalapeños. If you get the skinny waitress with short hair she has a soft spot for little ones (she has a 2 year old daughter) she was very nice.
(3)Shad M.
Great food for a great price. Visiting San Francisco for vacation while shopping in Chinatown checked out Yelp to see where would be a good spot to eat found great reviews so tried it out. Very small but most restaurants there are. For was great, prices were great and lots of locals seemed to be eating there too which is always a good sign. 4 of us ate had chicken wings, Capitol short ribs, lemon chicken and Singapore noodles. It was all delicious. 1 in the group doesn't even like Chinese food but loved the chicken wings. Great place to eat and the price was excellent! Only down side was it is cash only.
(4)James C.
Very good walnut prawns. I wonder about some of these places in china town? This place is good. Just off the beaten path!! Super good!!! Check it out!! Famous Chicken wings!!
(4)Saimée F.
This is a small restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. Their spring rolls are tiny and golden fried (more than expected), service is slow but ok. I will not personally go back but have to say that it was full of Chinese people.
(1)Allison W.
If you are craving chicken wings, this is the place to go! Our cable car drivers recommended and it's not a tourist spot so we wouldn't have known otherwise. He had some big statements and he was right...they were fabulous! It's in china town so be sure to stop in.
(4)Mohan K.
Poor customer service and food
(2)Amanda C.
Everything in here is pretty typical Chinese food but not the best in Chinatown. BUT, their salt and spicy chicken wings have been my favorite since I was young. The chicken wings are so flavorful on the outside and crispy. It is flavored with salt and jalapeños. The restaurant is a bit small, but I usually do take-outs just for the wings so it is never an issue. But 3 stars for their wings, otherwise I'd eat Chinese food elsewhere. The customer service is super friendly and attentive too!
(3)Peter Y.
This is the definition of Chinese food. Cheap (like really, really cheap. Like $9 for dinner cheap) Greasy (like really, really greasy, Like your meal surrounded in a puddle of grease greasy) Crowded (like really, really crowded. Like eating on a table usually reserved for waiting guests crowded) Satisfying (like really, really satisfying, Like huge, flavorful portions that will fill you up for hours) Remorseful (like really, really remorseful, Like feeling terrible about yourself after just having had some exorbitant amount of unhealthy food)
(4)Stacy T.
Really delicious salt and pepper chicken wings that will make your football weekend a real hit! For a quick and semi healthy meal I throw in an order of the dry fried string beans and you are all set! The wings are like crack....
(4)Veasna H.
I come here for one thing....the Capital Chicken Wings! It's a dried fried chicken with with salt, pepper, green onion, and jalapeno (probably a lot of msg too) that is made when ordered so it comes out extra crispy. The are so juicy and flavorful I ended up eating a whole order on my own the other day. I felt bad for a bit, but then realized I didn't have to share anyways. Also, while waiting for the wings, I noticed that the staff here was relatively friendly and attentive for a Chinese restaurant. Sure you might still need to wave your arms or yell a bit, but they seem to notice right away and seem eager to assist. I tried the chow fun with gravy once, i think it was good....but then I had more chicken wings!
(4)Lisa M.
I liked it here. I got the egg tofu with minced pork. I will definitely go back and try other stuff. My eyes are always bigger then my stomach and I always want to order a lot. The service was cool.
(4)James R.
Loved the salt and pepper chicken wings with the peppers. Service was good although it took awhile for the wings because that was what everyone was wanting apparently.
(4)meshell c.
I almost never venture to Chinatown for Chinese food. First off, it's out of my way. Second, the food is usually pretty greasy and MSG-filled. However, I must say, the prices are always right and you kinda know what to expect and you can get more of the "authentic" dishes. Having said that, the atmosphere is pretty shabby. I don't know if it's word of mouth or they are published in some local tourist guide, but for a Sunday dinner, 90% were tourists and we were pretty much one of the few tables that were Chinese. Atmosphere: The place is a total hole in the wall. In order to get to the bathroom, you have to walk through the kitchen which is actually kinda cool. Saw a big bucket of shrimp in the sink right next to the bathroom wasn't quite appealing though. The bathroom is typical of all Chinatown establishments. There is also counter seating for the solo-travelers looking for some cheap eats. Food: Order from the pictures on the wall. They have everything you want from veggies, seafood, meat, and all your chow mein and fried rice, and clay pots. It's a good selection. We had a variety of food. I like the vermicelli clay pot and the tofu and the fried chicken. Our friend brought their own fish for the chef to cook up (now thats the homey hook-ups). After eating the food that night though, I was super thirsty (a sure sign of the MSG). The food can be on the greasy and saucy side depending on what you order. Overall: Its cheap Chinese food in Chinatown. It has all the bases covered. It's no food-porn, but it passes.
(3)Naomi L.
You get what you order here. Just like the tag on their business card says, Capital serves both Chinese and American food. If you want Chinese food, stay away from anything that sounds like it came off a Panda Express menu (although hey, if you're a tourist and you like that kind of thing, then that's your jam), and go for hotpot or a noodle dish (preferably Shanghai or chow fun style). If you want American, they're famous for their wings, which I'll probably try next time I go. The place was fairly crowded on Saturday night, about evenly distributed with Caucasians and Chinese (and a couple of mixed tables, too). The owner and waitresses were pretty prompt, considering the locale, and the food came quickly enough considering a steady stream of take-out customers waiting at the door, too. The beef chow fun with sprouts was standard, bit greasy and not the nicest cut of beef, but a good gravy and fresh sprouts. We also ordered the jajiang mien, which surprisingly was not the black gravy noodle that I expected, but a mildly spicy pork and bell pepper mince over the same kind of noodles - it was good, but definitely not traditional. Don't go here if you're on a diet, and don't go if you're expecting to be wined and dined - the list is red, white, and Sapporo, and you're going to be competing with tourists for half the seats in the restaurant - but go if you need a quick comfort food fix and you need a restaurant open past 7p.
(4)Adam Z.
Favorite Chinese restaurant in SF's Chinatown. Solely for their salt and pepper fried chicken wings. The service is okay- you always have to ask for water and forks and it can be hard to communicate at times, but I've been coming here for years and I am so glad that nothing has changed. The bathroom is located in the back of the kitchen, so you can literally walk in the kitchen and see everything being made right before you have your bathroom break. Every time I visit SF, I have to make a stop before I go back to LA to get these darn wings no matter how out of the way it is. I call in at least 20 minutes in advance because it gets super busy and get three, yes three dozen, orders to bring home to the family. It comes with jalapeños that add a wonderful kick, and I love seeing the pictures of their menu items all around the wall- makes ordering so much easier! Need. The. Recipe.
(4)Alex N.
Ok, so first off I normally don't jump to write a review, immediately after visiting a restaurant. My grandma, may she rest in peace, used to make bomb chicken. But, not like the chicken wings at this place. I mean it's impossible to describe in words how juicy, tender, and delicious these chicken wings were. I demolished 10 of the 12 that came in the serving, and left two for later consumption, because I just wanted to have that taste later in the evening. I've been to plenty of places that served wings. In most of these places, the sauces in which the wings were coated stood in place of the chicken. In this place, the amaze-balls chicken was the main taste, and the light salt, onion, and chile flavoring was a nice addition. It's a must for anyone serious about their chicken wings :) The rest of the restaurant should be closed, and the owners should just open chicken wing stops all over the place. That would be my wish.
(5)Matthew M.
The food here is ridiculously good!!!! The cups and plates might not be and the toilet is pretty gnarly, but it's good!
(4)Petra S.
A friend of mine called me out of the blue for a last minute lunch on Friday and since we were near the area, he decided to we should go eat in Chinatown. He requested that I find a cheap hole in the wall place so I immediately decided to search yelp for what was highly recommended in that price range. The service here was a bit slow when we walked, although they had a lunch menu with dishes under $6 bucks so we decided to split two from there. He got some sort of ginger chicken and I tried the Mongolian beef. Both dishes to me were nothing special and I've actually had better in other similar priced restuarants, however, it wasn't horrible and it didn't look unsanitary. Parking of course is hopeless in this area so you're better off coughing up the 3 bucks to park in the Union St. garage to save on time and peace of mind.
(3)Tina L.
I had the corn beef and it was good. It's a Friday special, so don't expect to see it on the menu on other days. They have American and Chinese menus on the weekdays. Too bad that they don't offer the American menu on the weekends. I took one star out because of their service. Service is a bit better when they are not as busy.
(4)Eli Y.
A hole in the wall, but not in your wallet! Thank you yelp for helping me find this place. Came here with the rents one day when we were out in China Town just doing our thing. When we walked in we definitely stuck out as the only non-Asian people, but I knew that had to be a great sign in such a touristy area. We ordered: Mongolian beef: I'm the hold out non-pescatarian among my parents. They both went that way a few years ago, but I can't do it. This Mongolian beef was awesome! The slices of meat were super tender and juicy. Great flavor! Scrambled egg and Prawns: very odd combo, but probably my favorite dish. The eggs were perfectly cooked and flavored just right. Seafood chow mein: awesome assortment of scallops, shrimp, fish, squid and I don't know what else. Super tasty. Shrimp fried rice: one word: bomb. Sweet and sour prawns: perfectly crispy shell. Sauce was to die for. The service was pretty good. We're used to dishes coming out all at once, but here they came out as they were ready which lead to a bit of a time lag between the first and the last dish. I was ok with it, my parents less so. Prices were very reasonable. I certainly suggest a visit if you're in the area and looking to get away from the super tourist congested restaurants.
(5)John D.
The chicken wings here are way overrated. The restaurant has other solid food like the egg tofu, ribs, prawns, etc. The prices are fair for SF Chinatown.
(3)Alicia O.
Capital is a must every time we are in SF. We'd love to try other Chinatown spots but Capital is way too good to pass up! On the table each visit: FRIED CHICKEN WINGS!!! Orange chicken & beef and broccoli chow mein Don't forget to use the restroom before leaving, the trip to the bathroom is an attraction in itself.
(5)Lauren E.
We live in the city and have never really eaten Chinese food in China Town. We went here last night with friends from out of town who wanted to eat in China Town! This was definitely the place to go! Great food! Staff was awesome and very patient with our big group! Prices were good. Everyone got a dish they wanted and we pretty much all tasted each other's food! Chicken wings that they claim are the best in the city are definitely THE BEST IN THE CITY! Egg rolls were good, not great. All the noodle dishes we got were wonderful. The fried rice and wonton soup were amazing! Definitely will be going back!
(5)Mindy Y.
Dude, there's no lie, nooo lieeeee, that Capital Restaurant SALT AND PEPPER CHICKEN WINS are the maddest and greatest thing everrrrr!!! 5 stars, 5 stars! For the chicken wings! Got two boxes of the chicken wings and it was $16... and, yo, cash only! Home-lady, was cool, but took forever to figure out our order. Other than that, chickkkkennnn winngggss! A must, must get when you're around the area! Chinatown... don't lie... salt and pepperchicken wingssss don't lie toooo ! 4 stars overall!!
(4)Jioyung K.
One of my friend brought chicken wings one night and it was the best crispy delicious wings I ever had. So I went to this place and ordered couple of items. I bought the chicken wings and pea shoots! This pea shoots cost $13 little bit pricy but huge dish and delicious too! I fell in love with this place!
(4)Jenni L.
13 hour car ride down the 101. 3 exhausted and hungry girls. We were all too tired and haggard-looking to go out to dinner our first night in SF so we opted for takeout a few blocks from our hotel and ate in the room while we watched some super classy episodes of Storage Wars. No judgies. The place had great reviews and we were a ton of people in the restaurant when we arrived so I had high hopes. The best thing I can say is that it got the job done. At the end of the meal we were no longer hungry, and everything was edible; nothing was great. The salt and pepper wings were severely over-salted, the only other flavor coming from the jalapenos that were tossed in the box. The sweet and sour chicken was overcooked and the pork fried rice had absolutely no flavor. Based on the other reviews I'm going to chalk it up to an off night, though I probably won't bother the next time I'm in town. On a positive note, the staff was super friendly. *** Also, this place is CASH ONLY. We didn't know that before going but thankfully had enough cash on us.
(2)Joyce P.
I came home today hungry. Even my big appetite said no to the chow fun and chicken wings. I didnt think I could have bland food in the middle of Chinatown.
(2)Justin S.
This joint is excellant. It's the, "All Locals All The Time" restaurant. The vegetables are always cooked perfectly. Anything with vegetables is worth a try. I need to mention the salt and pepper chicken wings because they really are wonderful. I don't think the previous 70 people were enough to convince you. Even if you don't think they are the best you really need to give them a try. There really is nothing magical about this spot to warent five stars but the food is great. This is by far one of the best Chinese restaurants in San Francisco.
(4)Andrea V.
I had their house special chow mien- it was a large, heaping portion and included pork, shrimp and vegetables. Noodles tasted buttery. Yum! This restaurant has many authentic Chinese dishes, sure beats Panda Express if you're looking for the real deal. Cash only
(4)Vivian H.
Best Chinese style fried chicken wings, EVER. $6.95 for 12 big wings -- you can't go wrong. The flavor is perfect and the wings are so amazingly crispy.. yum. Although I can get wings for a lot cheaper where I also won't have to circle around forever for parking, sometimes my chicken wing cravings are specifically for Capital's wings. I also like the egg white and dried scallop fried rice. A little pricey (about $10?) since it's mostly rice and not a lot of anything else, but I still always order this. It gets pretty busy and sometimes you might even have to wait.
(4)Russ S.
We love, love , love this place. It is a staple for any visit to SF for us, it's what we plan our visits around. Awesome hard-working family that owns and works there has the place scrubbed like a surgical suite. Authentic, tasty, quality, and reasonably priced food from start to finish. Green tea is fresh and tastes great. CASH ONLY though! rs
(5)Christine A.
Hot day. Pride was raging in the civic center area and all up and down Market Street. We broke from the crowds to head up toward Grant Avenue for some wandering and grub. My friend starts going on about wanting to find this place we'd hit up years ago and so we went in search of Capital. There's nothing particularly endearing about the place, but I guess when you hit a certain age you just want to re-visit the sites of pleasant memories with friends. We get to Capital and it's crowded with locals, which is always a pretty good sign. It's a 20 minute wait for a table, which was a bit of a tight squeeze and hard to pull the chairs out with all the people hanging back in their seats on either side of our table. I think I changed my mind a good five or six times before the waitress came by to take our order since there were so many delectable choices. When put on the spot, I quickly said I'd have the barbecue pork wonton soup ($5.25, photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… ). Hot day and I order soup. Add to that a heaping helping of shrimp fried rice. They say people shouldn't go food shopping while hungry. I apparently shouldn't order Chinese food. Soup was great. Very filling with lots of meat slices, wontons, and noodles. I was also quite happy with the fried rice, which was thankfully much more savory than dry. Great... it's coming up on 1 in the morning as I write this and now I'm drooling like Homer Simpson, wanting fried rice right now. Mmmmm sodium... aauughhh. Only thing was it felt so wrong eating my food with a fork. I'd asked for chopsticks a couple times and didn't get them. Oh well. Food was good enough for a one-star upgrade. Capital has your fairly standard Chinese fare (chow mein, General Tso's chicken, etc), as well as some items for the more adventurous out there (photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… ).
(4)Kat R.
I ducked inside this little Chinese restaurant for some simple wonton soup at lunchtime on a Tuesday in June. I was also looking for some peace and quiet. I sat at the counter where the staff quickly made room for me. Unfortunately, they sat me next to two AMERICAN TOURISTS, who without introducing themselves asked loudly where I was from. This took me a little by surprise, so I answered, "I live here." I could tell they wanted me to play the "aw, shucks, isn't this city neat" game, and I was really hungry, having run errands all morning. After answering their blunt question, I looked back at my menu so I could give my order to the patient waitress. The woman tourist said under her breath, "she doesn't want to talk to us." Really, lady? I'm 5 inches from you. I heard that. And no, I don't want to talk to you, but I was going to be as polite as I could be, but now I'm going to be exactly the kind of person you think I am. It's a cash only restaurant, which is written all over the entrance, but they failed to see that, and they only had two dollars, which they loudly lamented to everyone. The man was rude to the waitress, who was tenaciously kind back. They went to an ATM together and left her purse because she didn't want to be "left alone with me". Seriously. My wonton soup was good.
(4)J H.
Yummy! Nothing was greasy, everything was well-prepared, and the portions while on the small side were just right for our family to try a variety of foods from the wor wonton soup to walnut prawns to their salt & pepper chicken wings. Parking is a hassle but getting some exercise before hitting this place is probably a good idea.
(4)Emily U.
This place had the YUMMIEST fried chicken wings My husband and I have EVER tasted!!Yum!!
(5)Andrew C.
This place has some seriously authentic cantonese food at some great prices. Ended up getting the following: String beans with braised pork: Pretty standard dish, but necessary to have a veggie Seafood clay pot: This dish was delicious! It's a standard clay pot with tofu, squid, fish, etc. (random assortments of seafood) and came in a nice sauce (albeit, a little salty) Chicken Wings: My friend suggested coming here because she loved the chicken wing appetizer plate. Huge plate of wings that are salted, fried, and have some spice to them. Sounds unhealthy you say? Don't worry about it. Definitely get this dish! Ambiance/atmosphere is reminiscent of any of your chinatown whole in the wall places. I definitely wouldn't mind coming here again!
(4)Albert L.
Can you keep a secret? Yes, Will Smith probably ate here when he was shooting The Pursuit of Happyness back in 2006, but I'm not going to talk about that. And their famous Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings are no kept secret. yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… Those hot, crispy, plump wings with just the right jalapeno spicy kick. Yup, it's undeniable. But, did you know Capital Restaurant has daily weekday specials? More importantly.. Tuesdays. Two words. PRIME RIB. yelp.com/biz_photos/WWZt… For about $13, you get a fat slab of tender, succulent, juicy cut of fine Prime Rib to your liking (med-rare is my preference). The meat is so tender that I easily cut through it with a plastic knife and, even after murdering it by putting it in the microwave because it got cold, it still kept that succulent juiciness with each and every bite. It does come with a cup of au jus but it was a tad off, but still, it's Prime Rib! You read right. Prime Rib. In Chinatown. Tuesdays. Secrets out. Get it.
(4)Erin S.
Salt, salt, salt...salt n pepa wings! These wings are GREAT. A little greasy, a lotta crunchy, very salty, not very peppery. In fact I think they may have forgotten the pepper on ours but they were still to die for. Also great...the string beans with ground pork. The waitress said "spicy" but she may just be saying that as a disclaimer to spice wimps. I didn't think they were spicy at all. But they were crunchy & flavorful & that's the most important part. A surprise winner...egg tofu with meat sauce. Sounds pretty gross, eh? It was so delicious! The egg tofu is lightly fried and inside is like custard. All topped with a tomato-y meat-y sauce. Yum! If the menu is overwhelming, just gaze around at all the pictures on the wall. Point & say "I want that". Easy. p.s. The bathroom is gross, as they are in most restaurants in Chinatown.
(4)Joy M.
Home of the best China Town right? Well, I'm partial to my second hometown Monterey Park, but Capital is pretty good in terms of what they serve. My boyfriend and I have to agree on the chow mein. It is probably the best I have ever had in... my life. I can't believe I stated that, but it's true. The beef broccoli is also a winner. I always go for the staple items because they put them out the best. It just tastes so damn good, probably because of the MSG, but who cares? It's cheap AND delicious.
(5)Nancy S.
Chicken wingssss! Ordered the Cha jeung mein and chicken wings - classic and must-have dishes! We also ordered a bowl of the beef stew noodle soup, which was pretty bland. Haven't been here in ages, but the noodles and wings taste just the same as how i remembered it! Cheap meal, delicious food, and good company!
(3)Shanna C.
Best fried salt and pepper wings ever? I don't think so. I've been hearing great things about their wings so I was super excited to try this place out but I was pretty disappointed! I only wanted to try the wings so I ordered it as a take-out. It was around $8 for 10 or so wings. I consider that pretty pricey but nothing to the price of wings at San Tung. The outside of the wing- fried skin part- was delicious! It was crunchy, tasty, and everything you're looking for in the perfect wings. However, once I got though the skin and into the core of the wings. It was bland. It was not juicy, tender, and flavorful like how I imagined it to be. It was just a typical salt and pepper wing that I can probably find at a Chinese shop in Chinatown, if not better. I'd say the only good thing was the outside skin part. As a whole chicken wing, it was just okay. What a disappointment. I will probably just get my salt and pepper wings crave fixed at a Chinese shop in Chinatown.
(3)Alison ..
A friend convinced me that these were the best chicken wings, so we went. to Chinatown to get the experience. They were good, but, not as good as the other items we ordered, like the scrambled eggs chow fun, walnut prawns, or the sizzling rice soup. I need to give them another chance. What I tasted on the chicken wings was plenty of salt in the batter. We are going to come back, but we will likely order a standard order, not the double order that we did on the Saturday visit.
(4)Christopher A.
Wings are the best!!! The other menu items are excellent. The problem is the service. At lunch, the food took forever to come out. Buy another fryer capital wings!!!! Asked for a receipt and it took ten minutes!
(3)Linus W.
wings - Unfortunately, there are a lot of places that do more flavorful fried chicken wings around the city. This variant is a light salt & pepper kind, and yeah the outside is tasty, but the meat is completely bland! Maybe they could brine it or something in advance - I haven't tasted chicken meat that bland from a wing before. clay pot - They did do a very tasty fish clay pot with tofu and mushrooms though. This dish could stand on its own, so I am hopeful about their other clay pots. However, you have to get over any fears of seeing bugs here; a little ant checked out the scene during our dinner, and near the end we saw a decent sized cockroach scurrying along the wall near the kitchen. It happily climbed up an empty chair next to the wall to get a closer look at us and the food...could be a long time if ever before I give their other dishes a try, oy.
(2)Hen A.
$25 four-course dinner for 4 grown men......pork broth "greens" soup....light broth with hearty goods.....it's good....shrimp over bok choy....clear light sauce over tender shrimp and split bok choy....delicious.....peppered beef...a saucy black pepper treat...and finally....the "very famous" 'n' bestest fried chicken wings...crispy fried...slight sweetness...dash of salt....a wonderful meal on it's own....not bad for a $25 meal... curry chicken on the side wasn't as great as expected....curry in a chinese restaurant?...odd....and a mistake to order....
(5)Jeff W.
twilight zone alert. i stepped back in time and in another dimension. full breakfast - 4 strips of bacon, perfectly pan fried over easy fresh eggs, crispy hash browns, two slices of white toast, bottomless cup of hot coffee for $4.50. it was raining like God sliced open the rain clouds today during the annual YMCA Chinese New Year 5/10km run. this place was like an oasis in the desert for me.
(3)Nanana A.
This is more traditional Cantonese style cooking. The portions were large and everything we ordered was cooked with fresh ingredients and tasted yummy. The oxtail stew with tofu sheets was so good! I can't remember the other dishes ordered, bc it was several months ago. I only remember that it was all good and I've been back twice for take out after that. I did try the fried chicken wings and it was fresh and delicious and next time want to try the other appetizers. Only 1 item that was so so.............I ordered black bean beef chow fun, but it was a bit bland. I've had better at other restaurants. I look forward to a chance to go back again. I wish this place was in the east bay area. It is definitely a place to eat for good quality fresh food and good prices.
(5)Elliott B.
This place is great. Cheap noodle dishes (#120 shanghai noodles especially) are super delicious. The portion is huge! Also they have beer which is a plus. The service is also good. I will definitely be coming back soon.
(4)Audrey T.
Don't let the dirt deter! It's Chinese food. And if it's good, it comes no other way. So for you wise few that might reconsider this place despite the grime, here's what you order. Chicken wings to start - the best you'll have in the city hands down. And then a clay pot rice - if you're feeling freaky go for the frog. Ask what kinds of vegetables they have, and if pea shoots are in season, get that sauteed in garlic. While you might be thinking that you had one thing come in a clay pot already, it's still ok to order a claypot fish. They do braised fish wonderfully. Everything is savory and sizzling hot. Maybe it's because I'm Chinese and this reminds me of home, but it's the stuff that warms the soul. And one of very few places I will still eat at in Chinatown. And plus, I saw one of the waitresses spend a good half hour cleaning off one table at the end of the night. I think she saw her reflection on the formaica table top! It may look a little dumpy on the outside, but this place is actually pretty clean.
(4)Alan P.
So NO ladies outside trying to hand you coupons, restaurant filled with Chinese people, typical brisk service and not located on Grant Street -- ALL my signs of a good authentic Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Stay away from all those touristy spots. If they have a coupon, forget it. Food here is good. If you are looking for real Chinese flavors, this is one of the few places to go in SF Chinatown. They have a house specialty Salt and Pepper Chicken wings which is amazing and super tasty -- I was skeptical at first but you can't miss it -- they are featured on the front cover of the menu. Other food just as tasty and everything seems fresh, prices are decent. Not too much of a wait most of the time I've been there.
(4)Paula R.
This was our first visit to San Fran, and a short one, at that. Took the trolley from the water all the way to the end of the line. What to do now?? Walk, of course! We plotted our way, then found ourselves in China Town at lunch. Yelped to see where to go....Capital, it was! Great choice...very friendly staff, quick service, reasonable prices, and 3/4 of the folks eating there were locals. I had the chicken and vegetables and my hubby had Kung Pao chicken. Both were fresh and tasty. We really loved the "localness" of the place, topped with the fresh food. When the mailman, the painters, the truck drivers, the ladies lunching, and the businessmen...all Chinese...eat there, you know it's gonna be good! (Cash only...and no free refills on ice tea, we learned!)
(5)Glen H.
I went to this place after I got my haircut. I came here since I was a part of the YMCA. It's a pretty typical Chinese restaurant. It's dirty, the tables are small, and it seems to be a place geared tourists or non-Asians now. The bathrooms are dirty. You have to walk through a kitchen. I saw a cockroach in there once. Why do I still come here? The chicken wings. Nothing else. Really. The chicken wings. Sure, they used to give much more for a lower price, but it's still awesome. Sure, I lack my daily vegetables, but it's worth it. Other than that, I got other dishes here multiple times. It's just average. Pop by here if you're in the area. It's definitely good for a quick snack.
(3)Willis L.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Salt and pepper chicken wings It's been said time and again, but the salt and pepper chicken is really the killer item here. For seven bucks, you have an amazing snack that you have trouble putting down! Admittedly, the rest of the dishes here is about average compared to the other restaurants you could go to in the area, but nonetheless this is the place I always go when I visit friends working in SF. The restaurant itself has the typical "dirty Chinese restaurant" feel, though I often like to say that this is how you know the food will be good: dirty to where the tables are a little sticky, but not because of food particles; having a particular smell that only seems to go away after you've been sitting for five minutes; and there are tons of "special items" written in Chinese taped to the wall. I typically go with about four people, though they have two tables that may be able to squeeze 7 or 8 in. There's no TV so do not expect to stay by yourself too long, though they do have a bar-like seating in case you are by yourself. Taking to go seems to be common here. This place is CASH ONLY.
(4)Audrey K.
I've been back several times recently to share the glory of the chicken wings with others. Everybody adores them. Because they are righteous wings. I even couldn't find parking one day, so we called ahead so my sweet angel could run in and get them while I double parked. When she asked how long, the lady said "12 minutes!". That's exactly how long the WAAANGS take. They put them fresh into the fryer every time, and they are always piping hot and fresh like they should be! Last time I was there, my friend and I got some chow mein and the spareribs in blackbean sauce. Everything else was ok, but I'll stick to the wings. They are truly the main event here. Capital. Capital goddamn WAAANGS.
(5)Laurie c.
Pretty bustling place around lunch time with plenty of options. I ended up with the wonton noodle soup, which was alright, but not as good as the one I had at Noodletown in NYC. The soup was bland, the noodles were sparse, but the wontons were tasty. Service was fast and efficient.
(4)Kelley N.
Been coming here since I was a baby for Sunday lunches....this place is so vintage. I feel like they should invest in some new menus. Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings - ughh yeah so perfect...definitely the best in this department!! Waffles - They were so good when I was little, but I never really order it now.....they're still good though but I think there is just some childhood emotional attachment goin on... By this review you would think this is a Chicken & Waffles place....those just happen to be the 2 random things this place serves. All the other food is pretty good, esp HK style pan fried noodles-house special (can add in ingredients that you want if you just ask for it, won ton noodle soup, fish and vegetables over rice (healthy choice-it's like one of the last items on the back page of the menu for lunch specials).... Yes it's Chinatown.....cleanliness is sometimes an issue. =\ I haven't personally had any bad experiences so if you're hungry in Chinatown....definitely consider this an option...
(3)Loretta R.
If you care about your health, D.O. N.O.T. E.V.E.R. make the dreaded walk through the kitchen to the downstairs toilet closet. I'm surprised this restaurant has passed health inspections.
(1)Thel D.
Capital has awesome crunch chicken wings... They don't quite compare to New Golden Daisy as far as flavor goes... bu tthey knock them out of the water with the light crisy texture. The rest of the meal was kind of blah... next time it's beer and chicken wings for me!
(4)Diana T.
My boyfriend and I yelp a chinese food restaurant to eat at in chinatown. This came out and we decided to give it a try. We ordered the chicken wings, beef with black bean chow fun, salt and pepper fried ribs, and orange chicken. The chicken wings were on the appetizer menu, but we didn't get it at the table until after the orange chicken and chow fun arrived. The chow fun could have used a bit more flavor. The orange chicken, to me was okay, but my boyfriend loved it. The chicken wings were too salty, but still pretty tasty. and last but not least, the salt and pepper fried ribs, were pretty tasty, could have used a bit more salt and spicyness. All in all, I might try this place again, but I doubt it, there's too many other places to try.
(3)Helen T.
we only come here to get the chicken wings to go. and i have nothing much to say about this place but MUST TRY THEIR FRIED CHICKEN WINGS! DELICIOUSLY FRIED, PERFECTLY SEASONED and MOIST WINGS.......MOUTH WATERING........ if you're ever in chinatown, just swing by for them and snack while you walk around! it's my favoriteeeeee in Chinatown... never dined in so I can't judge the experience dinning in the restaurant. aside from the chicken wings, i've had their fried rice and gravey beef chow fun....delish. :) but it still doesn't beat their wings :D must try.
(5)Doeming j.
The salt/pepper crack laced chicken wings are good. But you have got to try the salt/pepper crack laced dungenous crab. Unbelievable. Probably loaded with msg but who cares. It's delicious. Well worth the $25. Wait staff is friendly and speak english or chinese, a big plus in c-town. Parking may be tough but definitely worth it. Ask to use the bathroom. They will lead you directly through the middle of the kitchen and down some stairs. Very interesting...you've got to see it.
(5)Gigi T.
Salt n Pepper Fried Chicken WINGS - BEST FRIED CHICKEN WINGS in TOWNS! Huge-@ss plate of wings under $7! That's a must whenever Janie, Lily and I go to Capital for lunch. Morning Glooorrry (ong choy) with shrimp paste is also good (pretty standard chinese dish that not a lot of places can fook it up). Deep fried egg-tofu with pork sauce was also a hit, smoooth tofu with crusty skin :) Hmm I think i just named all my favorite dishes. There are lots of dishes I wanna try but a girl can only eat so much... and I can't forgo my favorites to try something new :)
(4)Chie J.
I used to really like Capital... but now I have mixed feelings... I feel bad because I used to eat here all the time and the waitresses are very nice. But I found a better alternative which is only a few blocks from Capital called Young's Cafe yelp.com/biz/youngs-cafe… At Capital I liked: - Fried Chicken Wings with Salt and Hot Pepper - Sliced Fish with Greens - Wonton Soup - Egg Roll - Fried Prawns - Broccoli Chicken - Sweet and Sour Pork - House Special Fried Rice I really didn't like: - Seafood with Greens (It was very very fishy - uneatable) -Free Lunch Soup (Walter and no Flavor except gamy porky flavor) Menu Link menuism.com/links/show/d…
(3)Aaron Y.
Great food, nice waitresses, the best part of SF....well, maybe not, but the food and service is always good! The fried chicken wings here are the best in the world and the cooks are consistent with their other dishes. They also serve American Breakfasts, which probably aren't great, but I've yet to try it. When you walk in, you see pictures of Will Smith from when he was filming Pursuit of Happyness in the Chinatown area. I guess he dropped in for some Chinese style fried chicken!
(5)Han C.
Deeeeeelicious salt & pepper chicken wings, folks. You definitely have to try it. Cheap, quick, and very tasty. I tried a couple other dishes here and they're good, too. MUST try!
(4)C P.
These wings are Fantastic with a capital F! Crispy, grease-free, tasty. with just the right balance of salt and pepper. Truly finger lickin' good. The only other place on par with Capital is downtown Oakland's Tam's Fish and Chips (see my review). Their variation is to dry sautee the wings after they are fried in a wok full of jalapeno peppers.
(5)Rachel C.
Capital: chicken wings Clay Street: chicken wings cheap eats in C-town: chicken wings at Capital on Clay Street! Yay! I went with a bunch of co-workers for lunch and basked in the glory of their salt and pepper chicken wings. Mmmm, salt and pepper and jalapenos...tons of wings for under $7! I'm quite a fan of exploring Chinese restaurants for their salt and pepper fare and I'm a fan of Capital's wings! We were seated fairly quickly considering is was quite crowded. Pretty fast service and not too long of a wait for the food. Some of the other things we ordered: vinegar spareribs, beef stew with Chinese turnip clay pot, and spicy eggplant with bamboo shoots, woodear mushrooms and pork in garlic sauce. All were pretty good except for the beef stew which had so much gristle and lettuce (filler crap) that it wasn't too appetizing to be edible. Always good to mix the sauce with my bowl o' rice! Gotta love how the perimeter of the place was surrounded with menu items and a lot of pictures of the food. I will definitely be back to try more items!
(3)Mark W.
The only thing I've eaten here is the wings that everybody raves about. One time, my friend who works in the area went to order some for lunch and since I was with him, I "freeloaded" some off of him. I don't visit my friend much but I just may have to once again at lunch when he has a craving for some Capital Chicken Wings!!!
(4)Ty L.
i'll keep my review short and sweet... best chicken wings in chinatown!!! period.
(5)Vareen O.
Had the short rib chow fun and the infamous salt and pepper chicken wings. The wings were very crispy, but a little on the salty side. The chow fun was pretty good though. We came in the midst of lunch rush and the food took a little long.
(2)Stacey C.
Your typical Chinatown restaurant. Dirt cheap and dirty. But I've been going to this place for several years now, usually on Sunday mornings when you can get breakfast. They serve American style breakfast or else my favorite - chicken macaroni. The chicken macaroni is covered in gravy in the soup and it's pretty tasty. I think it used to only cost me about $3.50 but I can't remember the price now. For lunch I usually get some sort of noodle dish. You can't go wrong with that. They're piping hot and the portion sizes are reasonable. I've burned my tongue on a dish or two here. Be careful of some of the servers. They act like they speak English but then they have no idea what you're saying. This is after you point to the menu too. Once we tried ordering and she said okay and walked away. A minute later she came back and said, what did you want? We pointed to the menu and she said ok and went away again. She came back with another waitress to ask again. Pretty funny. Just ask the lady with the heavy eye shadow. She can help you.
(3)Carlie C.
BEST salt and pepper chicken wings, hands down in SF. This place has been around forever and my dad has been taking me here forever. They have a great noodle selection and bean curd. They also serve you soup on the side. It's right near Portsmouth Square and it's the best place in Chinatown for authentic Chinese food. Great for takeout as well.
(4)Ruby K.
I've always heard about their chicken wings being super good, and guess what? It sure is! The salt and pepper fried chicken wings were fully cooked with the right amount of crispiness and seasoning! The pieces of chicken were pretty big too, so I have to give props to how I didn't see any veins nor blood in the middle of the wings! They give a generous portion of about 10 pieces for around $7! I also had a cup of lemon iced tea. It was a little bit too sweet, but I can say it beats some places in Chinatown. Good enough for me! I wish this restaurant was open for late night. I would say the chicken wings will be the best drunk food! Oh yeah, they accept cash only.
(4)May Y.
Best known for their salt & pepper chicken wings, you just can't stop at 1. They also make a very tasty fried flounder with eggplant. They're prime rib lunch specials offers a very generous pc of prime rib, mixed veggies & rice all for a reasonable price.
(4)Joseph M.
Oh wow, wow, wow. Chicken wings! I would recommend coming here with at least another person if not two or three. If it's just you, sit at the bar. Everyone talks about their chicken wings and they're not lying. It's amazing to me how they're perfect and you can actually see the MSG crystal on each wing. Perfect late night, just for one, too much food dinner - the chicken wings and a big bowl of Hot & Sour soup.
(4)Johnny P.
Take it from me, a real-life Chinese person (actually, a half-breed), The Cap is legit! If you want the the "Real Deal" Holyfield of Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, this place is it!! I hate to regurgitate the other reviewers' opinions but the salt and pepper chicken wings here are stupid good. And by that I mean that I will, on occasion, go into serious MSG withdrawals if I don't consume them at least once a month. And yes, I can feel my heart beat a bit slower after each serving. Service is obscenely fast, food is numbingly hot, and prices are dirt cheap. Just like Chinese food should be. Note to my friends of the Caucasian persuasion: If you roll into a Chinese joint and everyone else in there looks just like you, it's probably no good.
(4)Alyssa A.
The crab and corn soup was good.
(3)Dana S.
Solid service, food quality, flavor and freshness. Good menu selection. Clean restaurant. A-OK.
(3)Nana R.
Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings are the best here. I had their weekday specials and love the Pot Roast w/ Rice. Worth every penny! I went here last night for beef stew (meat only) over rice. It was perfect. Very good flavor, no fat, chunky pieces of meat and tendon was cooked to where it melted in my mouth. Very good, no MSG, not salty and the right amount of rice. For only $6.05. I paid with $10 and had enough to go get myself some dessert down on Grant Ave. Perfect place to get food to go on your way home. I was there Monday night so expect lots of tourists or locals to pop in there. I never eat there but it is just another cheap place to eat. Better to have the food to go and enjoy a different atmosphere.
(4)Eugene H.
They are great for fried rice and salt & pepper wings if that's what you're looking for. Not too oily not too much msg. Dining out there will be msg one way or the other.
(4)Michael H.
I have to say the only thing I got here were their wings. But they are so freaking good. Just for that it's 4 stars. Typical down and dirty chinese restaurant, but if you're in chinatown definitely stop by and get an order of wings.
(4)Rachelle Q.
Heard that this is a great Chinatown institution that's been around forever, and now we know why! Definitely a must stop for their Salt and Pepper chicken wings, and their deep fried tofu with pork and bitter melon. Bitter melon did not taste bitter AT ALL for some reason, and the deep fried tofu was so crispy to the point that it's so NOT good for you. Ordered for 2 people, with rice and tea bill came up for less than 15 bucks. And we still have boxes to go with 4 pieces of wings and a little bit of tofu. As it is with a lot of places in Chi-town, this is a cash only joint. Expect the lunch rush and expect a wide range of people eating here, from old Chinese folks to business people.
(4)sam s.
Excellent finger licking good salt & pepper chicken wings. The wings used to be larger which is better 'cos it's meatier & juicier. This place is frequent by locals and it's all about comfort food. They always serve the best homemade hearty soup which is on the house. Other stuff that is great is their Clay Pot Rice...takes about 20 minutes 'cos it's prepared from scratch. When you're done with the rice, you can request the waitress to cook the "sticky bottom rice" with soup to make it into a congee. Yum-yum...all that flavor. Great personal service.
(4)Montclair D.
I've only had the wings, but they are soooo good!
(4)J B.
This restaurant rocks! I absolutely love love the fried chicken wings here. Crispy and a littlle bit spicy at the same time. Also on Tuesdays lunch special, they have the PRIME RIB!. MMMMmmmm. The only reason why I am giving it 4 stars is because sometimes(okay maybe more than sometimes) their ingredients are not that fresh. Example: Tuesdays special: Chicken with Mushroom over rice. It's good, but you can tell the mushrooms were old, i.e. gills were black & open, and the mushroom top was spottled. It still tasted good, but you're forewarned.
(4)Daniel L.
The chicken is soooooooooooooooooo yummy!!!!!!!!!!! Nomnomnom.
(4)Bruce L.
What the restaurant was once known for, salt and pepper chicken wings, no longer taste the same. This was one of my favorite restaurant in chinatown, but have now went down the drain. Price is okay, but food and service is eh...
(2)Grace L.
I needed a quick place for lunch...this is a small/medium sit down place with a counter if u r dining alone. It seems clean. I ha the wonton soup and the salt and pepper chicken wings. The wings are fantastic, as everyone else has proclaimed, but the wonton soup was so so. The service was fast.
(3)Ilya Y.
Bland food and poor service.
(1)Bruce C.
I use to eat here two-three times a week when I worked in the Bay Area. Their shrimp fried rice is to die for! Can't wait to visit them again.
(4)Rob C.
chinese fast food. large variety, ordered salt and pepper chicken wings and sparerib chow fun. chicken wings were too salty and not enough pepper. inconsistent pieces, but fried ok. chow fun was alright, this place is so so, like a lesser daimo's or new sun hong kong. walk past the kitchen to get to the bathroom.
(3)Darren W.
Salt and Pepper chicken wings is all you need! They are AMAZING, even after eating all 16 (16 per order), i still crave for more. If you order more than 2-3 orders of the salt and pepper fried chicken, they usually just give you more. Prices are very reasonable and one time i even got a free chinese soup to go with it! Only problem is that parking is hard to find but they stay open pretty late and they even offer american style breakfast. All the other items on the menu are just ok, this place probably makes its money off the wings. it's like the chinese wing-stop.
(4)Phil Y.
I've been eating here since I was a little kid. Well I guess if I had to give you an acurate description, a little "big" kid. You walk in and you are welcomed with a smile, the food is affordable, and the food has a "home cooked" taste to it. Breakfast and lunch menus offer an array of Chinese and American dishes. The thing that really makes this restaurant stand-out is the Salt-and-Pepper chicken wings. Deep fried to perfection, then dry fried briefly with jalapeno peppers, scallions, and seasoned lightly with salt. Most of the other dishes are great too. Must try if you've never been!
(5)Caroline C.
By the time we finally found the restaurant, our friend and his friends had already ordered for us. They made a big deal about ordering veggies for me, since we came here while I was still traumatized over the bug insides. I'm giving it 4 stars, but it's mostly for the ambiance, the nice waitress, the endless supply of black tea, and the food I saw disappearing off my friends' plates. Now, don't get me wrong, the veggies were delicious (any time I see a full clove of roasted garlic on a plate in front of me, I can't complain), but I wasn't terribly hungry. The restaurant was very unassuming, filled with very Chinese people who didn't really speak English (or speak at all) and surprisingly bright lighting. The walls were papered with specials. Our waitress was really nice and kept telling us what to order and what not to order, and just kept bringing out food, over and over We got some free soup while we were waiting for the appetizers to come out, too-- it had like egg and tofu in it? Pretty tasty, nothing special. Best of all, we were never short on tea. We had a fresh pot of tea about every 5 minutes.
(4)Liz L.
My family has been going here for lunch specials and economical dinners since I was in high school, so..at least 7 years now? Oh my, time flies. But! The food is still tasty, and the service continues to be fast and friendly. I'm supporting myself through a second round of college, so it's no wonder that money is always on my mind. I can eat here and rest assured that I won't wake up the next day regretting the $5.50 I spent on lunch. The black bean sauce prawns and string beans are excellent (they aren't stingy with the prawn portion either). I also enjoy the scrambled eggs and prawns over rice ($5.95), with a small dish of oyster sauce on the side. The salt and pepper chicken wings ($6.95) are pretty standard, but what isn't standard about them is the portion. Over 10 wings..that's a meal in itself. If you're feeling fancy, try the large surf clams over clear noodles, served in the shell (2 for $7.95). Note: this place is cash only. Note also: my dad read somewhere in the restaurant that if you spend $40+, you can get your Portsmouth garage parking ticket validated for the first 2 hours.
(5)Vien N.
So not everybody gets the same VIP treatment that my friends and I get, but that's only cuz we used to go there once every two weeks, and we ALWAYS ordered like 5 dishes for just 3 people! ALWAYS they'd give us a huge-ass bowl of soup, and when we (obviously) couldn't finish everything and asked for boxes to go they would ALWAYS give us a box full of rice, as well as refill the soup before letting us take it home!!! ...one last thing: we order hot and spicy chicken wings - A.L.W.A.Y.S. (Infinitely better than any and all the different chicken wings from San Tung)
(5)Melissa H.
I wasn't enthused. Fairly authentic Chinese food and ambiance compared to what I had in China two months ago. Not sure if that's a compliment...
(3)Ava C.
I saw the rave reviews about the salt and pepper wings and needed to try them for myself. I went to Capital for lunch and since I was by myself, I just ordered the wings to go. The place was super busy and I waited almost 30 minutes for my order! That's way too long... The wings were good. Crispy, not too greasy. I got a little creeped out by the chicken hair still on the skin, but they were delicious enough that I got over it. It's a good bang for the buck--I didn't count, but I think they gave me 12 wings for less than $7. I couldn't finish them and ate the rest for dinner. Next time, I'll do a phone order before showing up to pick up my meal.
(3)Wakako U.
Amazing hot spicy chicken wings!! Perfect thin crispy skin. 13 wings to a plate.
(5)Bob A.
So lucky we stumbled upon this. The food was some of the best Chinese I've had. The service was friendly, and they were very nice to the kids. I just wish I'd had the chicken wings.
(5)Jane S.
Thanks Yelp Friends, you steered us well. We came into SF late tonight and dialed up Yelp for a recommendation for chinese food. We had the "Vegetarian for 2" dinner at Capital, for $10.95 each. My husband also ordered the wings because he thought there just wouldn't be enough food for 2 people at that price. That was wrong wrong wrong. The portions are generous and delicious. I especially liked the smoky fried rice. The restaurant and food is not fancy, but the food is good-tasting and lots of it. None of the gloppy stuff in any of these dishes (unlike the yucky noodles I had at PF Chang's in Sacramento the night before.). The decor is somewhat tattered and fluorescent in a 1970's way and could use an update, so not 5 stars, but it's clean.
(4)Ray L.
5 Stars for their Chicken Wings!!!!
(5)Stella J.
i love their salt and pepper chicken wings! not only are they fresh, but fried to perfection. it has a crunchy exterior with plenty of salt and pepper seasoning that is just to damm tasty. as a group of 6, we devoured two plates of these yummy wings. we also had an order of garlic dao miu (idk what its called in english). that was filled with garlic, not filled with grease and cooked to perfection. i know where to go when i'm in chinatown and looking for some good food!
(4)Merris W.
Yuck! This place was packed, so you'd figure it'd be good. NO. Food was very bland. I had the vegetables with pan fried chow mein noodles, friends had the Kung Pao Chicken lunch special. Mine was flavorless, found myself continuously reaching for the chili pot. My friends agreed the kung had no Pao. Took a stroll through the kitchen to use the bathroom-more YUCK. Big old pots of chicken pieces soaking in the sinks. Those wings might be good (according to other reviews) but not when you see them like that.
(1)Brian P.
OMG THE CHICKEN WING GOD OF SAN FRANCISCO!!!! YOU OWN SO AND SAN TUNG! YOU OWN THEM!!!!!!!! Let me tell you... these Salt and Pepper chicken wings are cooked to a perfection,.. the taste is just perfect.. you'll never EVER get a dried out chicken wing like So or San Tung does every so often.. what is great about the chicken wings as well is that they put extra green onions and jalapeno peppers for you! OMG! DELIGHTFUL! what else is good you ask.... The Steam Pork cake with salty fish, damn that is good! This is probably place that sells Salty Flour Ball Soup (A chewy ball made of flour... texture of tapioca but a lot more chewier) ....it's a cantonese thing that you will never find anywhere else.. unless you cook it yourself in your kitchen which is a real tedious task. I've seen my mom cook it and it's not that easy. This is probably the best restaurant in china town... for chinese comfort food! OWNS YUET LEE!
(5)Helen T.
3.5 stars. chicken wings are good as well as their tofu with meat sauce. solid, cheap, chinese fare you can find in the touristy chinatown.
(4)Shizuka L.
AWUG, SO YUMMY. I love the chicken wings. LOVELOVELOVE. So crispy and oily, ahhhh. When you bite into it the oil and flavor explodes in your mouth. The other food is really good too. I've tried the flounder and baby bak choy, which tastes immensely good. The fried noodle/steamed noodles are also delicious. The basic stuff tastes wonderful too. Definitely a must eat place in CT.
(5)Amanda S.
The wings are the best...fried, crispy with a sprinkle of salt. I usually don't go for Chinese food but everything we ordered was flavorful and not greasy. Service and cleanliness not bad, the decor is plain, prices are pretty good.
(4)dan a.
so my review may or may not be helpful in a conventional way, but you be the judge. happy hour on friday got a little... drunk. so why not go to capital and have a nice hot bowl of beef noodle soup. two slurps into my AWESOME noodle soup, i notice that one of my friends starts to heave AT THE TABLE. we quickly rush her out of the restaurant but only make it just outside the front door before the chunks start flying. BUT, the staff there were soooo nice, they didn't get mad at all, and oh by the way, we got to the restaurant just as they were closing and they were nice enough to serve us anyway! so as much as i wanted to finish my amazing noodle soup, the capital crew was more than accommodating as we tended to our intoxicated friend. moral of the story: get the noodle soup, and in no way do i encourage going to capital drunk, but if you do, chances are that you'll be in good hands.
(4)Hugh R.
New to Chinatown, I came to the Capital Restaurant on the recommendation of a store proprietor who I'd asked to suggest a restaurant. Sat at the counter and ordered the only combination plate for one, which included wanton soup, sweet & sour chicken, beef with broccoli, and egg roll and rice. I found the portions more than generous although the flavor seemed a little off to me. The sweet & sour chicken erred a little too far toward the "sweet," coming off like some sort of chicken-flavored candy. The beef lacked flavor altogether (and was a bit chewy). The wanton soup also lacked any real flavor, although it's possible the salty expectations set by my local Chinese takeout restaurant in Cambridge, Mass. influenced my opinion somewhat. And the egg roll looked like an overcooked appetizer from the frozen food section of the supermarket. Worst of all, the sauce from the chicken pooled around the plate with the water from the beef/broccoli making a big soupy mess on the place. There must be something about this place as it filled up quick and I see a lot of good reviews, but unfortunately I don't have nearly enough time in town to get back for another go and this particular experience just didn't do that much for me. Not horrible by any means, but not particularly memorable, either.
(3)O'Shea J.
The salt and pepper chicken wings are what everyone raves about here. Personally I felt the salt and pepper deep fried pork chops were better. They weren't fried as much as I like but still very good. The Mongolian beef was decent too. The taro root soup that came with our meal made everything feel down home and reminded me of the restaurants my parents like to frequent.
(3)Alejandro B.
Grrrreat affordable place. Very polite, friendly staff and tasty food.
(5)Karen H.
yummy, right near my work...big portions and fast service... yes, the chicken wings are excellent, but i come here for the fried salty fish and pork....yummmmmmmmmmmmmmy!
(4)D. R.
As winter trickles towards us that means soon I will be swinging by "The Cap" as those in the know call it for some hot ass soup. Top 3 in "The City". Thank me later.
(4)Jennifer B.
Huge portions, friendly service, authentic Cantonese food. We ordered the famous salt and pepper wings, braised fish/tofu/shiitake clay pot, and Singapore rice noodles. The husband was in heaven, and I thought it was pretty good too. It was super-cheap as well, under $25 for 3 entrees. Can't go wrong!
(5)laura f.
one word - YUM! bf and i had dinner here on tuesday night because he was craving chinese and i'm really glad he did! we did the menu A for two people. the only thing that i wasn't too keen on was the egg drop soup - but other than that everything was stellar. sweet and sour chicken and the beef with noodles were soooo good. place was pleasantly filled with other happy diners. glad to know that i have a GOOD chinese restaurant not too far from the apartment.
(4)Oleg H.
really really good fried chicken wings.
(4)Aaron B.
I'd likely go back if I was in town again and craving Chinese food. Due to all the rave reviews here I ordered the salt & pepper chicken wings, and was not disappointed. Good good good. The tofu and mushrooms and vegetables was not too bad (I'm not a big tofu fan but wanted to try something different) and the vegetable fried rice was good. At about 7:30 on a Tuesday there were a decent number of Chinese and Caucasian folks (families, couples) in the main dining area, and me, an Australian, and a Kiwi (traveling separately) at the bar. By the way, you get about 10 wings with an order, and the other portions are pretty generous as well, so don't over-order!
(3)Angeli L.
Very good, authentic Chinese cooking - went there becuz my sister's family loves fried chicken wings - V. good if you like savory and crispy wings. Servers - attentive (there were 15 of us at a big table) and accomodating. All of the food was fresh. Pan fried assorted seafood noodles, grilled eggplant and (Szechuan) garlic sauce, chinese greens - all yummy! Small, V. casual - comfy family place!
(4)Monica N.
Best salt n pepper chicken wing here in the whole wide city! It comes out fresh From the hot boiling oil, mmmm, you'll have to try. Also they have the salty "tong yuen". Other than that, they have specials on weekdays.
(4)YaYa K.
Alright, this is a hole in a wall kind of place. And its popular outside of the Chinese community. How did I find out about it? A Japanese waiter from Umi told me. He was drooling just talking their famous chicken wings. So we go there and see what its all about. We walk in there with our Santa suits from Santacon. The owner had to take a picture of us. We got hella stares, especially from all the older Chinese ladies. Couldn't help but laugh the whole time, but other than that, let's get to the food and service. So I speak Cantonese and the waitress and I got chummy chummy already. Joke with her, calling her my sista, and she was on it. WAs super sweet, attentive, and even persuaded us to get two orders of wings and a round of beers. The wings came and they were hella hot. Salted just right, with jalapenos to spice it up a bit. Super cripsy, juicy and yay, pretty good. And its my favorite part of the wing too. How could they go wrong then. Then we ordered the pea pod leaves, tofu mushroom and beef chow fun. The food came out fast, even with a packed house. Beef chow fun was a bit bland, but nothing a little soy couldn't fix up. The others dishes were good. I enjoyed it, but honestly. . . Chinatown, trying to find parking just to have wings. Hmm, maybe just a once a year visit will do. Nothing I can't go thru a Popeye's tp get even more conveniently at. Any who, and the last bit. Have fun going to the restroom. Its way in the back. You have to walk thru the kitchen, pass all these short chefs, and then go down another level further into the pits to use the restroom. Its probably some place you don't want to see where your food is prepared, but hell, the food is awesome anyways and I didn't get sick. I think I won't complain about that tid bit. Just suck it up and go.
(4)Yang N.
Have to agree on the salt and pepper chicken being awesomely appetizing. Place is pretty clean and cozy and it seems pretty popular.around lunch time. They have the lamb claypot with tofu, which is my fav.
(4)Sue L.
Thank you Capital for staying open for us to get our grub on in Chinatown--even despite the fact that you were closing. Your salt & pepper fried chicken wings hit the spot and gave us enough energy to discover secret underground Chinatown dance clubs on a Sunday night!
(4)