R & G Lounge
San Francisco
In breve
Recensioni
Party of 3 immediately sat on Thursday 8/27 for lunch time For the most part, enjoyed everything and service was decent! I really appreciated the complimentary hot tea upon being seated. Between the 3 of us, I think we all had just 1-2 notes about each dish but overall, good visit.
Passed in front of this place so many times, never really giving it any credit. But it’s actually a pretty big spot! It also gets very busy during lunchtime, so get here before 11:30 if you want to skip the line! The menu is robust, they have a lot of dishes to choose from. It’s definitely a bit heavy on the salt side, but might appeal to most people (I avoid salty foods). It’s definitely well seasoned and you can taste it. Everything I ate was good, although nothing blew me away, it is a solid option. I also saw a lot of people eating their crab noodles, which definitely stands out when looking around. Maybe I’ll give it a try next time.
R&G Lounge definitely lived up to its reputation. When I first walked up, there was a huge crowd gathered outside, and I almost left because I assumed the wait would be an hour or more. Thankfully, I went inside anyway and put my name on the waitlist. Since I was dining solo, I was seated in less than 3 minutes. Most of the people waiting outside were larger groups, so if you're by yourself, don't let the crowd discourage you. Walk-ins are available daily. The restaurant was busy and full of families, so it was definitely lively and a little noisy, but the service was fast and attentive throughout my meal. I ordered the Half Peking Duck, Honey Walnut Prawns, and a Guava Juice. The Peking Duck was excellent. The skin was beautifully crisp, the meat was tender and juicy, and the steamed buns with hoisin sauce and scallions brought everything together perfectly. The Honey Walnut Prawns were another standout. Large shrimp, perfectly cooked, with a rich creamy sauce balanced by the sweetness and crunch of the candied walnuts. The guava juice was refreshing and paired well with the meal. After a disappointing experience at another restaurant earlier in the evening, R&G Lounge completely turned my night around. Great food, quick service, and a restaurant I'd gladly return to the next time I'm craving authentic Cantonese cuisine in San Francisco.
Excellent lobster with sticky fried rice and salt & pepper crab. Only complaints are: server did not give a good estimate of what the costs would be so the bill was a surprise, and when I asked if 4 dishes was too much for 3 people he encouraged me to order everything (and it ended up being way too much food), which tells me he was more interested in making money than serving the best interest of the customer and being honest. The food was great so I have no complaints there, but the service needs training
The salt-and-pepper Dungeness crab is a must-order! The crab is super fresh and sweet, the shell comes out perfectly crispy, and the seasoning is savory and fragrant without being overdone. The golden garlic really adds to it. They give you tools to crack the crab too, so it’s easy to enjoy without the mess. Other preparations are on the menu (ginger scallion, typhoon shelter, salted egg yolk…), but the salt-and-pepper is their signature for a reason. We also got the sautéed pea shoots in broth, which was light and clean and exactly what you want next to something rich. The seafood fried noodles were good too though we were too stuffed from the crab to eat them on the spot. Packed them up and they were still delicious heated up the next day, chewy noodles and all. Service was attentive. Staff checked in for last call, helped us pack up without any hassle, and the hostess got us set up with a nice table downstairs. Overall a really smooth experience. Best Cantonese food in the Bay Area? Probably true. That crab was honestly better than some versions I’ve had back in China. Just go in knowing the wait can be long.
