Dragon's Gate
Dragon's Gate
3.5
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Top ways to experience Dragon's Gate
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Downtown San Francisco
How to get there
- Powell St • 8 min walk
- Powell St • 8 min walk
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Best nearby
Restaurants
4 164 within 5 kms
Attractions
1 110 within 10 kms
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.5
160 reviews
Excellent
33
Very good
59
Average
62
Poor
5
Terrible
1
Joan H
San Bernardino, CA1 020 contributions
Oct 2021
Stop and take a photo here. Our taxi driver told us that Dragon's Gate was the center of Chinatown. It is located at the intersection of Grant Avenue and Bush Street. We were the only tourists in the area. Chinatown which was once a busy tourist destination is now like a ghost town. Check out the Chinese lions on either side of Dragon's gate.
Written 6 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas V
Oakland, CA18 505 contributions
Dec 2019
Very elegant gate at the entrance to Chinatown, the old part of the city. Everyone likes to take a photo here. I love this part of town as it is unique and full of life. Lots of good places to eat and very pedestrian-friendly.
Written 1 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Satinder_Panesar
Pune, India348 contributions
Jul 2018 • Solo
Dragon’s gate or China town gate, has three portals, each covered with green tiles, is inspired by Chinese village architecture. The west and east portal features a stone guardian lion. By tradition, the lion pair consists of one male and one female. The male lion stands with his right fore paw atop a pearl or stone, symbolically guarding the structure or empire. The female lion stands with her left fore paw atop a juvenile lion, symbolically guarding the occupants within.
Written 17 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The_Loup_Garou
Phoenix, AZ165 246 contributions
Aug 2019
A Small, But Impressive Structure
The primary entrance to San Francisco’s Chinatown, or at least the one, which most visitors seek out, is Dragon’s Gate at Bush St and Grant Ave. Dedicated in 1970, it has become the iconic symbol of San Francisco’s Chinatown, and draws tourists from around the world.
In August, while staying near-by, I did a stroll to, and through Chinatown, and paused several times at Dragon’s Gate - mostly to photograph it, at different times of the day. I had seen it before, and several times, but actually took the time to study it, in some detail. As the “official entrance to Chinatown,” it is fairly impressive, if for its architecture, and detail, if not for its size.
I recommend that one spend some time, to study the details, as there is a great deal of symbolism involved, and a bit of a story to be told, if that story only appears in Chinese.
The structure incorporates three portals, one for vehicular traffic, up Grant Ave, and then two flanking pedestrian archways, for the sidewalks. Each of the pedestrian portals features a Chinese Lion - one male, and one female.
While one can enter Chinatown from numerous streets, this one is the entrance, that most think of, when San Francisco’s Chinatown is mentioned. All of the rest are just streets, and other than the near-by architecture, could be almost anywhere - anywhere with hills.
I would recommend a good half-hour, just to study this structure, and to take it all in.
The primary entrance to San Francisco’s Chinatown, or at least the one, which most visitors seek out, is Dragon’s Gate at Bush St and Grant Ave. Dedicated in 1970, it has become the iconic symbol of San Francisco’s Chinatown, and draws tourists from around the world.
In August, while staying near-by, I did a stroll to, and through Chinatown, and paused several times at Dragon’s Gate - mostly to photograph it, at different times of the day. I had seen it before, and several times, but actually took the time to study it, in some detail. As the “official entrance to Chinatown,” it is fairly impressive, if for its architecture, and detail, if not for its size.
I recommend that one spend some time, to study the details, as there is a great deal of symbolism involved, and a bit of a story to be told, if that story only appears in Chinese.
The structure incorporates three portals, one for vehicular traffic, up Grant Ave, and then two flanking pedestrian archways, for the sidewalks. Each of the pedestrian portals features a Chinese Lion - one male, and one female.
While one can enter Chinatown from numerous streets, this one is the entrance, that most think of, when San Francisco’s Chinatown is mentioned. All of the rest are just streets, and other than the near-by architecture, could be almost anywhere - anywhere with hills.
I would recommend a good half-hour, just to study this structure, and to take it all in.
Written 28 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rschagrin
Delray Beach, FL15 575 contributions
Aug 2019
Chinatown gateway Arch also known as the Dragon's Gate. The lion statures on either side are to guard against evil spirits.
The gate has 3 openings, the largest in the middle is meant for dignitaries and the other 2 are for commoners.
The gate has 3 openings, the largest in the middle is meant for dignitaries and the other 2 are for commoners.
Written 3 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Asset B
Europe145 contributions
Mar 2019 • Friends
Even if I think that this chinatown isn't as beautiful as other chinatowns in the world, this entrance is an eye-catcher.
Written 10 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matthew D
132 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
Worth it for getting a pretty signature photo for your visit to Chinatown...and It'll only take a minute or two. Dragon's Gate in on Grant Ave., the official main street of Chinatown but, and this is important, make sure you walk on Stockton St too...parallel to Grant. 1 block up. Grant is mostly a tourist street, Stockton is the living, breathing heart of this neighborhood. Btw, don't forget to wander some of the alleys between Grant and Stockton too...lots of interesting "only in Chinatown" stuff.
I've been coming here for 60 years...you can trust me on this!
I've been coming here for 60 years...you can trust me on this!
Written 26 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dfarm357
Houston17 contributions
Feb 2018
My hotel was directly across the street from the Dragons gate so I wandered China Town every day while in San Fransisco. Fun shopping, great food, interesting people. Enjoy block after block of interesting stores, restaurants and sweet little pocket parks. You can find everything from an inexpensive souvenir T shirt to beautiful Asian carvings and art and if you keep walking long enough you will walk right into Little Italy and where you can sit and enjoy a nice cannoli and a cappuccino.
Written 6 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David
Dunfermline, UK173 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
The gate itself is worth a view, but the shops beyond this gate sell the biggest amount of toot I've ever seen. Almost every one of them has a sign in the window that states there are huge reductions because its closing down... Yeah, right.
Written 28 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Boutip
Gatineau, Canada734 contributions
Aug 2019
...and that's it. Not much to see and not as impressive as you might expect. Keep walking into Chinatown where more interesting stuff waits for you.
Written 6 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, Gail. What would you like to know about this attraction?
Written 1 February 2018
Ghiradelli Square and Dragon's Gate is quite a distance from each other - you could possibly walk it, but it's a 30-40min walk with a lot of steep inclines along the way (depending which route you take), so probably not the best option.
Having said that though, walking will allow you to fit in a visit to Lombard St along the way and will take you through the back of Chinatown and you will end up at the Dragon's Gate entrance (eventually).
San Francisco being the birthplace of Uber, I would probably suggest utilizing this option as it's only a 10min ride and will only set you back $5-$15 depending on what ride option you select.
Failing that, you could always just catch a cab if you don't know how to (or want to) use Uber.
The other option would be to catch the trolley car from Ghiradelli Square and get off somewhere on Washington St and walk the rest of the way to Chinatown.
Written 3 February 2018
It is the Bush Street and Grant Street
Written 12 July 2017
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