Five Happiness Restaurant Review, San Francisco

Five Happiness Restaurant is a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco’s inner Richmond district. It has been there for decades and focuses on Northern Chinese Mandarin cuisine. The best items are in the small specialty menu.

Decor, Vibe – Five Happiness has nice Chinese decor with big paintings on the wall. The chairs even have the restaurant’s name carved in. Not many people in there for dinner, mostly nearby locals and a family or two.

Five Happiness Menu Pictures

Menu with 2 specials on cover

Five Happiness Picks:

Pork Dumplings or Xiao Long Bao ($4.50) were six pieces of deliciousness. Not a lot of juice but the meat inside was very flavorful. Wrapper was just right. A pretty good version that is one of the tops in the SF Bay Area. These are far larger than the real deal in Shanghai or at Din Tai Fung.

Shanghai Pork Buns ($4.50) were six deep fried buns with nice crispy bottoms. Good flavor inside and dough that is not too thick. Also one of the best in the Bay Area.

Green Onion Pan Cake ($5.75) was pretty big and not too greasy. Good chive flavor and just the right crispiness.

Tea Smoked Duck ($10.75 for half) is the best version we have tasted. Very tender and juicy duck. Crispy skin, decent quantities. Excellent.

Deluxe Shangxi Noodle Soup ($7.95) was a good sized portion of noodles. Broth was not too flavorful, but the ingredients including the noodles, and a couple of shrimp were good.

Pan Fried Chive Turnover ($3.50) was filled with egg and greens. Hot out of the pan, just the right amount of chive and egg inside, and cooked perfectly.

Free Almond Jello Dessert.

OK:
None

Pans:
None

Five Happiness Restaurant had decent and friendly service, better than most Chinese restaurants. The food was surprisingly very good and the prices reasonable, making this an easy recommendation. It is one of the best Mandarin Chinese restaurants in San Francisco, for dim sum dishes at least. We need to call ahead someday and order the Peking duck and try some of their other dishes.
Be sure to mention the special deals listed on the to go menu when you eat at Five Happiness.

Five Happiness Restaurant Overall Rating: (Very Good 2.5)

Come Back?

Food Rating:	(Very Good)
Service Rating:	(Good)
Atmosphere Rating:	(Good)
Value Rating:	(Very Good)

Guide: 0 = poor, 1 = Below/Average, 2 = Good, 2.5 = Very Good, 3 = Excellent , 4 = Extraordinary

Alcohol:	Beer, Wine
Attire:	Casual
Hours:	Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm, 430-10pm, Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am - 930pm
Parking:	Street
Reservations:	Yes
Prices:	$5.75 - $38