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Modern Chinese, Rooted Flavors. Welcome to The Happy Crane, where authentic Chinese flavors meet thoughtful technique and a spirit of creativity. Rooted in tradition yet expressed through a modern Chinese lens, our dishes celebrate heritage while embracing fresh ideas — served in a warm, joyful setting.
Hours
| Friday | 5–9 PM |
| Saturday | 5–9 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 5–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 5–9 PM |
| Thursday | 5–9 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 451 Gough St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 610-1823
Website: https://thehappycranesf.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.com
Related Web Results
The Happy Crane • Modern Chinese Restaurant, San Francisco
The Happy Crane is a modern Chinese restaurant in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco.
The Happy Crane Restaurant – San Francisco, CA | OpenTable
Modern Chinese, Rooted Flavors. Welcome to The Happy Crane, where authentic Chinese flavors meet thoughtful technique and a spirit of creativity.
The Happy Crane (@thehappycranesf) – Instagram
We are thrilled to share a slice of this exciting new restaurant to a San Francisco audience. Reservations available on OpenTable portrait: @foodasart food: @ …
Reviews
Joanne Yuen
Finally got to try The Happy Crane, and was fortunate enough to snag a seating for their highly anticipated CNY collab with Sun Moon Studio.
Amazing menu, featuring the house specials of each restaurant. Loved their creative takes on traditional Chinese dishes. Favorite bites included their collab lobster dumpling, the crab butter lo mein, and Buddha jumps over the wall soup. So many courses with high quality ingredients that made the meal worth every penny.
Cannot wait to come back next month to try the rest of their regular Ala carte menu!
… moreAmazing menu, featuring the house specials of each restaurant. Loved their creative takes on traditional Chinese dishes. Favorite bites included their collab lobster dumpling, the crab butter lo mein, and Buddha jumps over the wall soup. So many courses with high quality ingredients that made the meal worth every penny.
Cannot wait to come back next month to try the rest of their regular Ala carte menu!
jkaw
Modern versions of mostly Cantonese food, with some other regional flavors sprinkled in.
Some dishes are good, some are very good. None that I tried had a “wow” factor, especially for the price and portion sizing. At these prices execution needs to be flawless and it wasn’t.
Vibe feels more like a clubby Vegas restaurant, loud, dim lighting. Detracted from the experience with the food and felt a bit tacky.
Service was friendly but had some serious missteps in pacing and attentiveness.
The above would have probably been worthy of a 3-4 star review. However, I was overcharged on my credit card by almost $60 after the fact. Totally unacceptable.
… moreSome dishes are good, some are very good. None that I tried had a “wow” factor, especially for the price and portion sizing. At these prices execution needs to be flawless and it wasn’t.
Vibe feels more like a clubby Vegas restaurant, loud, dim lighting. Detracted from the experience with the food and felt a bit tacky.
Service was friendly but had some serious missteps in pacing and attentiveness.
The above would have probably been worthy of a 3-4 star review. However, I was overcharged on my credit card by almost $60 after the fact. Totally unacceptable.
Adrienne Lin
Best Peking duck I’ve had in the Bay Area. Skin is thick and crispy, and I enjoyed the addition of sliced pluots.
As for the rest of the menu, I’ve had most of it, and some standouts are the firecracker shrimp, the golden coin, the chasiu Iberico pork jowl, and their house pulled biang biang noodles. I was also a big dessert fan, especially the mango sago sorbet with passionfruit.
Cocktails are excellent as well, East meets West flavors blend effortlessly.
… moreAs for the rest of the menu, I’ve had most of it, and some standouts are the firecracker shrimp, the golden coin, the chasiu Iberico pork jowl, and their house pulled biang biang noodles. I was also a big dessert fan, especially the mango sago sorbet with passionfruit.
Cocktails are excellent as well, East meets West flavors blend effortlessly.
Lu See Kwik
12.11.25:
The Happy Crane isn’t just a food destination, it’s a journey!
This is my third visit. I was convinced something was amazingly different with almost every dish. Jackie and Justin validated my observation. Chef made tweaks to take these dishes to the next level. The robust flavors were pouring out differently. The Doupi Tofu Salad was a bit more spicy, but not scaring away my preference for mild. The nori and the mala glaze was standing out in terms of texture and flavor on the Firecracker Shrimp. I believe they added more char to the pork jowl, which makes you savor the way it’s done with the same sweetness I enjoyed before. The Fragrant fish is always fine, but mild. This time my mouth was bursting with fireworks now with the black cod. The crisp skin can just make you want more. Desserts were also enhanced! Luckily, they left the golden coin untouched as you shouldn’t mess with perfection!
This friendly team are very punctual with the orders. You never have to wonder when you will receive your next plate. They still like to time the arrival soon after you’re completing your last dish. They added the Albariño by the glass, which is a nice compliment to their dishes. It’s not categorized as a sparkling wine, but there’s a nice fizz that pairs well. Justin and his the founding team have done a great job being “one” team. They treat their guests with a sense of pride and ownership. I so appreciated how Jackie remembered me and how Melody still insisted I enjoy a splash of Albariño with my desserts because she knew how much I was enjoying the journey.
Original review Sept ‘25- The most anticipated restaurant opening is worth all the hype and more. The service is fantastic and the ambiance was an inclusive mix of casual to well-heeled guests.
Jackie guided us through the menu options and recommendations. He did explain how the Happy Crane chef’s choice menu are specific options from the menu. Given our group size we went on a food journey beyond that menu. The adventure was worth it!
The four of us order majority of the a la carte dim sum, all of the medium and large plates.
They were very intentional about timing the servings so we weren’t overwhelmed with more than a few plates at a time. We were blown away by each dish, which was very separate and apart from the other.
In addition to the service was the ambiance. No pretentiousness and no ego sensed despite the positive reviews by the critics and the chef’s stellar background working at Michelin star-backed restaurants. Everyone is professional and works in cohesion not like some places where the servers can be territorial. You’ll notice Chef James is blending in with all the other chefs in the kitchen, which sets the tone the entire restaurant is one team.
The attention to detail from the quality ingredients and flavors to these dishes is inescapable. The memorable flavors, especially the five spice and lime accompanying the whole Wolf Ranch quail are what make these dishes standout. Other must haves include the golden coin, firecracker shrimp, smacked cucumber and smoked figs, crab rice roll, oyster pancake, squash, pork jowl and biang biang. They served the XO little fry king last, which we found worked well because of all the dishes, this was most representative of a typical Chinese dish.
Also, it’s necessary to highlight how Jackie poured the wine by the glass by showcasing the wine and provided me an opportunity to try it before continuing with the pour. Most establishments pour from the bar, which doesn’t provide the patron the knowledge you are receiving exactly what you ordered nor the opportunity to change your mind after the initial taste.
They also remembered to help celebrate a friend’s milestone birthday with an amazing tart with fig varieties.
I predict they will make every top restaurant list in 2025 – new and overall, and perhaps #1. Chef James and the crew are humble and I think that is perhaps the most impressive part of this whole entire experience and hope it remains that way.
… moreThe Happy Crane isn’t just a food destination, it’s a journey!
This is my third visit. I was convinced something was amazingly different with almost every dish. Jackie and Justin validated my observation. Chef made tweaks to take these dishes to the next level. The robust flavors were pouring out differently. The Doupi Tofu Salad was a bit more spicy, but not scaring away my preference for mild. The nori and the mala glaze was standing out in terms of texture and flavor on the Firecracker Shrimp. I believe they added more char to the pork jowl, which makes you savor the way it’s done with the same sweetness I enjoyed before. The Fragrant fish is always fine, but mild. This time my mouth was bursting with fireworks now with the black cod. The crisp skin can just make you want more. Desserts were also enhanced! Luckily, they left the golden coin untouched as you shouldn’t mess with perfection!
This friendly team are very punctual with the orders. You never have to wonder when you will receive your next plate. They still like to time the arrival soon after you’re completing your last dish. They added the Albariño by the glass, which is a nice compliment to their dishes. It’s not categorized as a sparkling wine, but there’s a nice fizz that pairs well. Justin and his the founding team have done a great job being “one” team. They treat their guests with a sense of pride and ownership. I so appreciated how Jackie remembered me and how Melody still insisted I enjoy a splash of Albariño with my desserts because she knew how much I was enjoying the journey.
Original review Sept ‘25- The most anticipated restaurant opening is worth all the hype and more. The service is fantastic and the ambiance was an inclusive mix of casual to well-heeled guests.
Jackie guided us through the menu options and recommendations. He did explain how the Happy Crane chef’s choice menu are specific options from the menu. Given our group size we went on a food journey beyond that menu. The adventure was worth it!
The four of us order majority of the a la carte dim sum, all of the medium and large plates.
They were very intentional about timing the servings so we weren’t overwhelmed with more than a few plates at a time. We were blown away by each dish, which was very separate and apart from the other.
In addition to the service was the ambiance. No pretentiousness and no ego sensed despite the positive reviews by the critics and the chef’s stellar background working at Michelin star-backed restaurants. Everyone is professional and works in cohesion not like some places where the servers can be territorial. You’ll notice Chef James is blending in with all the other chefs in the kitchen, which sets the tone the entire restaurant is one team.
The attention to detail from the quality ingredients and flavors to these dishes is inescapable. The memorable flavors, especially the five spice and lime accompanying the whole Wolf Ranch quail are what make these dishes standout. Other must haves include the golden coin, firecracker shrimp, smacked cucumber and smoked figs, crab rice roll, oyster pancake, squash, pork jowl and biang biang. They served the XO little fry king last, which we found worked well because of all the dishes, this was most representative of a typical Chinese dish.
Also, it’s necessary to highlight how Jackie poured the wine by the glass by showcasing the wine and provided me an opportunity to try it before continuing with the pour. Most establishments pour from the bar, which doesn’t provide the patron the knowledge you are receiving exactly what you ordered nor the opportunity to change your mind after the initial taste.
They also remembered to help celebrate a friend’s milestone birthday with an amazing tart with fig varieties.
I predict they will make every top restaurant list in 2025 – new and overall, and perhaps #1. Chef James and the crew are humble and I think that is perhaps the most impressive part of this whole entire experience and hope it remains that way.
Anderson Angkeyile (Flying Sailor)
Lucky Crane is a lovely dinner spot serving elevated Chinese–Western fusion dishes. The chefs take classic Chinese cuisine and cleverly reimagine it into something unique, flavorful, and tasteful. Presentation is spot-on—like the shrimp, which was plated so well we didn’t even need to use our hands. The service is equally impressive, with friendly and attentive waiters who make you feel well taken care of. Definitely worth checking out!
… moreRaymond Luong
Delicious modern Cantonese cuisine. Definitely recommend.
We came as a group of four and opted to order a la carte instead of the tasting menu to try more dishes. Ended up ordering 75% of the menu. Our highlights were the pork jowl, quail, golden coins, doupi, beef shin, and biang biang noodles. Cocktails were also tasty and creatively incorporated nostalgic Chinese flavors.
Ambience felt refined. Noise wasn’t too bad compared to other similar restaurants. Service was also very friendly. Overall a fantastic experience.
… moreWe came as a group of four and opted to order a la carte instead of the tasting menu to try more dishes. Ended up ordering 75% of the menu. Our highlights were the pork jowl, quail, golden coins, doupi, beef shin, and biang biang noodles. Cocktails were also tasty and creatively incorporated nostalgic Chinese flavors.
Ambience felt refined. Noise wasn’t too bad compared to other similar restaurants. Service was also very friendly. Overall a fantastic experience.
Jonathan Moy
Definitely make the duck reservation! Way better than the duck at Z&Y. It took 90 minutes from getting seated to the duck arriving at the table. The waiter had quoted 60-75 minutes.
Our waiter treated my table with free desserts to compensate for the less than ideal experience (otherwise I think this review would’ve been 4 instead of 5 stars).
Highlights:
– Tiger shrimp
– Tofu skin salad (not pictured)
– Golden baos
– Duck
– sorbet
I would skip the ginger scallion scallop. It was good but not standout.
… moreOur waiter treated my table with free desserts to compensate for the less than ideal experience (otherwise I think this review would’ve been 4 instead of 5 stars).
Highlights:
– Tiger shrimp
– Tofu skin salad (not pictured)
– Golden baos
– Duck
– sorbet
I would skip the ginger scallion scallop. It was good but not standout.
Rachel Neiman
I cannot rave about this restaurant enough. Was lucky enough to snag a resy early on a Wednesday night. The whole experience was lovely, from check in until we took our last bite. Golden purse, the pork jowl and hand pulled noodles with mushrooms are absolute must orders.
… moreRoark
Had a grand time gabbing with my friend and Antonio at the bar.
I’m sober but she looked through the cocktail menu, and I wish I had more time with it for the lore. She got the Serpent’s Kiss and enjoyed it but wanted more of a kick so we suggested rimming the glass with the Sichuan spiced salt that came with our quail.
Favorite dish was the oyster pancake which she analyzed as “pan East Asian.” The shrimp took me back to when noma served me a live prawn, and I was too embarrassed to opt out. Quail was a solid dupe for the duck that I forgot I didn’t pre-reserve and the skin was crackling greatness. Didn’t love the biang biang noodles, personally prefer thicker and uneven, and didn’t do dessert but I hope Ferraro doesn’t go after their mochi rocher
… moreI’m sober but she looked through the cocktail menu, and I wish I had more time with it for the lore. She got the Serpent’s Kiss and enjoyed it but wanted more of a kick so we suggested rimming the glass with the Sichuan spiced salt that came with our quail.
Favorite dish was the oyster pancake which she analyzed as “pan East Asian.” The shrimp took me back to when noma served me a live prawn, and I was too embarrassed to opt out. Quail was a solid dupe for the duck that I forgot I didn’t pre-reserve and the skin was crackling greatness. Didn’t love the biang biang noodles, personally prefer thicker and uneven, and didn’t do dessert but I hope Ferraro doesn’t go after their mochi rocher
James Tobyne
A nice new (8/2025) modern Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. Really excellent flavors. They nailed a little bit of fusion, but making it taste like dishes in China.
Great service. Cool somm.
Amazing by the glass wines (Sylvain Pataille and Krug?!). Pretty fun Taiwanese beers, where they added plum powder to the glass as suggested on the bottle.
Excellent dessert.
Subtle and nice oolong tea and fig tart. The mango sago had real passion fruit and zested lime on it, so it was more sophisticated than what you might expect.
… moreGreat service. Cool somm.
Amazing by the glass wines (Sylvain Pataille and Krug?!). Pretty fun Taiwanese beers, where they added plum powder to the glass as suggested on the bottle.
Excellent dessert.
Subtle and nice oolong tea and fig tart. The mango sago had real passion fruit and zested lime on it, so it was more sophisticated than what you might expect.