| Rating |
Date Attended [v] |
Reviewer |
Gender |
Age |
Where From? |
Group Type? |
 |
looking inside Chinatown |
| |
Tue, Mar 4 10:00 AM |
orthoroda |
Male |
50-59 |
International Tourist(s) |
Individual |
| |
a lot of information about Chinese living, shopping, thinking and last not least dining. |
|
A most interesting tour!! |
| |
Sun, Feb 24 10:00 AM |
jeth25 |
Female |
50-59 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Couple on a Date |
| |
The tour director had grown up in Chinatown, which really add a lot of authenticity to the tour, and she included many interesting stories about what it was like to grow up there and the habits of the local residents. Wonderful tour, and we highly recommend it. |
|
Very interesting and enjoyable |
| |
Sat, Feb 23 10:00 AM |
wcs5822 |
Female |
20-29 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Couple on a Date |
| |
Lola was great- she was very sweet and knowledgeable. Her personality and rapport with the vendors we met made me feel very comfortable in such a different environment. |
 |
Fun, but not for everyone |
| |
Sat, Feb 23 10:00 AM |
grumbledog |
Male |
40-49 |
Local |
Group of Friends |
| |
I had family in from out of town, and we did our tour on the Saturday of the Chinese New Year Festival. Our guide, Alberta, was lively and very friendly. Having grown up in the area, she knew it well and was able to show us Chinatown from the perspective of a local. There were perhaps a few too many personal stories, which were fun to hear but not particularly relevant to understanding Chinatown's history. As far as the tour, it covers a fairly predictable routine. You're taken to a tea shop, a Taoist temple, a fish market, and several shops featuring jade, traditional Chinese medicines, produce used in Chinese cooking, and other goods. The concluding lunch was good, providing a sampling of dim sum staples, but nothing remarkable.
I think whether you enjoy the tour or not depends on what you want from a tour. My family, who had never seen anything like Chinatown, enjoyed it very much. I would have preferred fewer shops and more history. Also, despite repeated assurances that we were under no obligation to buy anything at the shops we visited, or to make a donation at the temple, there was definitely a sense that the shopkeepers expected us to purchase something. A sample of what we would find in the next shop to be visited was handed out by the guide before we got there, business cards for each establishment were given out, and we were encouraged to come back following the tour. While photos were allowed, if not encouraged, in most of the establishments (including the temple), the manager of the fish market asked that we not take photos, most likely due to the fact that he had huge tubs of live bullfrogs and red-eared slider turtles out front which, while currently legal, has been a subject of enormous controversy in San Francisco and the subject of repeated attempts to ban the practice due to the endangered status of some of the animals.
All in all, the tour is well-run and enjoyable if you want an overview of life in Chinatown. But it isn't ideal for everyone. As Chinatown is relatively small and easy to navigate, depending on what you're primary interest is (restaurants, photography, just looking around) you might be better off exploring on your own with the help of a guidebook and some adventurous friends. |
 |
We really enjoyed the tour. |
| |
Wed, Feb 20 10:00 AM |
plpabst |
Female |
60-69 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Group of Friends |
| |
We enjoyed all of it, the shops, the food, the tea, the cookies, and the lunch. I think the favorite part was the tea shop with the young woman telling about the tea and their business. She was so cute and smart and business-wise.
Thank you so much. |
|
First time visit to Chinatown |
| |
Wed, Feb 20 10:00 AM |
DELLARIODJ |
Male |
40-49 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Individual |
| |
This was my first visit to Chinatown in San Francisco. I really enjoyed the walking tour, it was fun to visit some local stores, a temple, and eat authentic chinese food. |
|
Wonderful Tour!! |
| |
Wed, Feb 20 10:00 AM |
shenlitan |
Female |
30-39 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Group of Friends |
| |
Our tour guide was Alberta. We visited San Francisco during the rainy season in February, but luckily the day was sunny, although it had threatened rain. The group was fairly large according to Alberta (there were 16 of us), but at no time did we feel ignored. She was very attentive throughout the tour, and made sure nobody got lost! She brought us to see many shops, where we could do a quick look around, and come back later if we wanted to buy stuff. Amongst other places we went to a fortune cookie factory, a kite shop, a traditional chinese medicinal shop( where she showed us various strange objects in packages), a temple and also stopped for a tea making demonstration, where the different types of chinese teas, and brewing techniques were well discussed. We finally finished up in a dimsum joint which was packed with local residents enjoying lunch, a sure sign that the food was authentic, and not overpriced.
Overall, a great introduction to Chinatown, which we went back and explored later by ourselves. I highly recommend this tour, it gives a good introduction to Chinatown, and the rest is up to you! |
|
An informative and entertaining tour. |
| |
Tue, Feb 19 10:00 AM |
Robyn47 |
Female |
60-69 |
Combination |
Other |
| |
Our tour leader was Dorothy, an amazing woman who was born in Chinatown 70 years ago. Her knowledge of the area was informative and entertaining in its presentation. We meandered through lanes in the rain and cold but no-one on the tour was bothered; we were all enthralled with Dorothy's recount of the area and its citizens past and present. Lunch was an enjoyable culmination for a mixed tour group. Amazingly Dorothy remembered everyone's name and where they came from.
Thank you Wok Wiz and especially "Golden Apricot". |
|
fun, but overpriced |
| |
Mon, Feb 18 10:00 AM |
jasonlg |
Female |
20-29 |
International Tourist(s) |
Family Without Children |
| |
interesting tour; especially the lesson and tasting at the tea shop. but at $30/pp without lunch (basically just a walking tour), it was definitely overpriced. |
|
Just the right length |
| |
Mon, Feb 18 10:00 AM |
traveljunkie |
Female |
40-49 |
Combination |
Family Without Children |
| |
Our expectations were set up front; Alberta, our tour guide, was friendly and informative. I thought we were able to get a quick overview of Chinatown with a history lesson thrown in for good measure. |
