Chinatown Gate

Loved walking through the streets in Chinatown. SF in general is filled with so much history and so many places to see, things to do. Really enjoyed sightseeing. Chinatown is definitely where you would like to go to pick up some souvenirs to bring back home. Everyone was pleasantly friendly.

This was beautiful to walk through & see the extended cultural shops, definitely felt like the famous China Town stroll! :)

The gate is amazing. We have a gate in Portland but this is a gateway to a great neighborhood. Located on Grant which is designed to attract tourists with its expected looks, and shops filled with all sorts of stuff to appeal to the tourists. (Locals shop on Stockton).
This is about the gate though. It just says I am in San Francisco to me, it tells me I am entering Chinatown. It’s a great photo op. I love the view down into Chinatown with its lamps, architecture…
There are often lots of people around looking to recruit you for something.

For some reason, the GPS directions are incorrect. It took me 3 tries to find this Landmark. (Once, I was by myself, walking in the rain!) Somehow, we always ended up at the other end of Chinatown. Finally, I broke out a map instead of listening to the GPS voice and EUREKA! We found it! (Old school style!)
Along with the challenge of finding The Dragon Gate, comes the challenge of finding parking. Luck was with us again and we happened upon a broken street meter! The parking monitor said he’d give us 2 FREE hours! Yippee!
This Gate is so beautiful compared with the one in Honolulu. I loved the colors, tiles and decorative details! The 2 cement lions at both sides added grandeur and ambiance. The 2 dragons on the roof looked so happy together!
Thanks to my Travel Buddy, Yuri, for her tolerance and patience with my persistence in finding this treasure! When I have something in my head, I usually have to make it happen!

The Chinatown Gate is a gem. It’s sculptures are so beautiful and make you feel like you’re entering an actual Chinese town. Lots of tourists taking pictures, so you have to wait a bit to get the perfect shot, but it’s worth it. The area is so huge you should take a whole day to explore all the amazing eateries, shops, and culture Chinatown has to offer. Probably my favorite part about visiting San Francisco.

Such a cool area in San Francisco!
Very fun place to visit, great photo ops, you instantly feel like you are in a different county.
Tons of people, this is the busiest area in town and finding parking can be tough though they do have a few lots that charge about $ 10 a day.
Very unique shops, tons of places to get souveniers, prices are great and you can haggle to get the best deal.
One of my favorite places during our visit, a must see while in the area!

Be prepared to hold a camera for 10+ tourists! Apparently I’m that person that looks super approachable enough to hand over the newest techy gadget! Lots of people watching here on any given day. Love coming here during Chinese New Year, the culture is amazing!

I’ve seen many great Chinatown gates and while this one is good, it doesn’t compare to some of the others. Having said that, what makes this different and neat is that it gives the appearance of a hidden Indian Jones entrance to a magical park of the city. Go beyond it, and enter into one of the largest Chinatown outside of China. This iconic gate is a symbol of the area behind it.

Very busy place. I cannot imagine trying to drive through Chinatown with tourists (such as myself) taking pictures and not paying attention to cars here. The gate is iconic and has a nice feel to it and it is an interesting entrance to the little island of Chinatown in San Francisco.

How many of us wish we could travel to any particular part of the world in an instant?
Now, we may do that vicariously through television, magazines, or even simply through daydream and imagination.
Usually there’s some point of entry when arriving at a new location, a new destination, or crossing borders. We see it all the time when being welcomed into a new city or country.
Well in this case… you have just teleported.
Welcome to CHINATOWN SF
Once you walk through these gates, also known as Dragon Gates, you have entered a whole new world.
It’s like stepping into a portal straight into China!
The entrance itself is guarded by two dragons, hence the name, Dragon Gate. Heavily revered back in China, the dragons are mystical creatures that are respected and worshiped.
Through these gates you are able to experience a glimpse of Chinese culture at its’ fullest.
In San Francisco anyway.
But this review isn’t to discuss the actual Chinatown.
The welcoming gate, itself, is Just iconic as anything else in San Francisco.
The gate has two stone dragons signifying good luck and bestowing wisdom on those who pass through. Deep green colored shingles and four pillars that line the sidewalk, strewn with Chinese red lanterns, make this entrance an extraordinary sight to see.
I, for one, love being welcomed into a new place, and I certainly will never tire of walking through this magnificent arch.
Who needs television, magazines, or a tour guide, when you can enter a whole new world on your own?
Located on the corner of Grant and Bush Street, this unique gate cannot be missed.

The Iconic Chinatown Gate, visually known worldwide. The gate has a stone base, green tiled roof. It also has sculptures of fish and dragons on it and on both ends huge lions. When you see it you know you have reached Chinatown. Stop by and grab yourself a picture of the famous Chinatown Gate!

Nothing to see here. Nothing to report. Went. Got a pic. Um idk what the fuss is about but ok. Thanks? You’re welcome! Take care, have fun, be safe and stay thirsty

i love this China town gate!
LOCATION
its amazing view and entrance to the china town. It is right by Starbucks so when i am thirsty or need to use the bathroom i always stop by this starbucks which is like across the street from this China town gate.
sometimes i like coming for coffee and just sit outside and gaze at the beautiful gate. i always get a good chuckle when the tourists stop for a pic and using it as a background. Quite a few times i have had helped a few take pictures and using it as a background.
also nearby there are lots of tourist shops in the china town for you to find some cool souvenirs to bring back. a lot of the stores sells lots of knickknacks and 3 for 10 t shirts with logos saying i love sf. Also they do have a few camera shops for you to buy lenses and camera accessories.
COLORS AND VIBE
The gate really has an asian traditional culture vibe to it. The colors are usually red and green with a touch of gold for the details. i think a good color option for clothing would be white or black or even in gold or red using the green to splash it off the clothes.
BACKGROUND
Its a great background for the tourists or even locals to snap a picture. i would definitely use this as a background for Chinese wedding photos in a Chinese dress or traditional clothing.
Overall in my opinion i would come here to take a picture. its like if you come to SF China town and don’t take a picture of it before leaving your trip its like you haven’t been here lol. I always tell myself that. Hope you find this review helpful and thanks for reading.

Grand gate to the opening of San Francisco’s bustling Chinatown is good to come for a photo opp then move on to explore the culturally rich neighborhood. Note that it’s crowded with tourists all trying to take pictures of it so be patient.

Un lugar increíble para pasear y perderse.
Totalmente recomendable entrar a las tiendas de té, donde además te hacen gratis.
Un imperdible es entrar a las tiendas de comida donde atienden ancianos que no hablan inglés y que llaman a sus nietos para que les preguntes a ellos.

I’m a sucker for pretty, historic monuments. and, well … here we are.
It’s a beautiful gate! I love that it’s just in the middle of everything, and it leads to this beautiful street adorned with red lanterns. And you know what’s cool about it? The street is slightly off-​center, so if you stand on the opposite corner, you can take a fairly decent head-​on photo of the gate (instead of standing in traffic — safety first, Unilocalers!). It is the perfect entrance to San Fran’s Chinatown.
It’s gorgeous in the daytime, and it is striking at night. A must-​see tourist stop on your stroll through the city!

門門門
It’s a gate. It’s ornamental. It’s been seen in movies and TV shows. I saw it. I passed it. I am better for the experience. My life is complete. It is the gate to Chinatown.

Chinatown Gate: A great photo op that welcomes visitors to Chinatown.
The Chinatown Gate, also known as Dragon Gate, is a must see sight in San Francisco and a great place for a few pictures. Here is some other information about the gate that you mind find helpful:
— The gate is located at the corner of Grant Street and Bush Street on the southern edge of Chinatown.
— For photos of the gate without strangers in it, come here in the early morning before the streets come alive. Weekend nights seem to be the busiest time.
— If you’ve booked a walking tour, you’ll likely mean your guide and group here.
— To learn more about lies inside the Dragon Gate, check out the Unilocal reviews under «San Francisco’s Chinatown»
Now, for a little gate history:
— The gate was designed by Chinese-​American architect Clayton Lee. Evidently, he won a design contest so it was his design that was built and then dedicated in 1970.
— There are some reports that the gate was gifted from China, but it may have been the materials that were gifted and then the gate was assembled in SF. This would be a great clarification to get from a tour guide! I wish I could remember exactly what was said on my walking tour. I believe the materials for the gate came from Taiwan.
— The gate has three passage ways. Traditionally, the two small passageways were for common people while the large passageway was for dignitaries. However, if you think you are a dignitary and decide to enter through the large passage way, you better look out for cars! In SF, the small passageways are for pedestrians and the large passageway is for cars.
— The gate is said to be the only authentic Chinese gate in North America because it confirms to the Chinese gateway standards.
— The large lions keep away evil spirits. Roar! And you thought Katy Perry at the Super Bowl 49 Half-​Time Show was scary?!?

This is a really cool and fun place to visit. The gate itself could be missed if you aren’t paying attention. That said, it’s absolutely beautiful and well worth visiting. The detail is fantastic and it’s a memorable place to grab a picture. Also, the neighborhood, Chinatown, is fantastic and loaded with local shops blossoming with really cool stuff from swords to china (dishes) to those beautiful silks robes that my wife talked me into purchasing.
If you are visiting San Francisco then personally I think it’s an absolute must to venture through Chinatown and see the gate.

This entrance is China town in San Fran is merely a gate an nothing more and if you have been visiting China town in many cities and countries, it might not make much of a Wowing effect.
China town is China town as always… many many shops to bargain. It just interesting to walk around and observe the area. If you go from the main gate its a slight walk upwards, so have comfortable shoes.

San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in the United States. The Chinatown Gate or Dragon Gate is located at the southern entrance to Chinatown at the intersection of Grant Avenue and Bush Street.
This beautiful gate is the only authentic Chinatown Gate in North America. Similar structures are usually made with wooden pillars unlike this iconic symbol which conforms to Chinese gateway standards. Stone is used from base to top of the gate and jade green tiles adorn the roof. Grant Avenue is written in Chinese as «Dupont Gai». The Gateway was designed in 1970 by Clayton Lee, Melvin Lee, and Joe Yee.
Chinatown Gate receives more visits than the Golden Gate Bridge each year. Stop by the Chinatown Gate for some fantastic Chinese food and shopping.