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Sam Wo (simplified Chinese: 三和粥粉面; traditional Chinese: 三和粥粉麵; pinyin: Sānhé zhōu fěnmiàn; Jyutping: Saam1wo4 zuk1 fan2min6, literally "Three Harmonies Porridge and Noodles") is a Chinese restaurant located in San Francisco, California. The restaurant's first location on 813 Washington Street was famous for being a venerable mainstay in the local Chinatown area, having been in the same location since 1912. Sam Wo gained notoriety in the 1980s for being the employer of Edsel Ford Fung, who was known locally as the "world's rudest waiter". The restaurant was closed in 2012 due to safety concerns, and reopened in 2015 on nearby Clay Street.
History
There is no documented history on Sam Wo Restaurant and its early beginnings from its founding in 1912. Sam Wo was primarily well-known by San Francisco locals for its "famous ... no-frills, late-night food and its you-get-what-you-get service" and 3 AM closing time. In the 1950s Sam Wo was a Beat Generation hangout.
The Sam Wo Restaurant was probably best known as the workplace of Edsel Ford Fung, often called the "world's rudest, worst, most insulting waiter". Fung would refuse to serve customers whose appearance he disliked and that he would harass patrons that complained about mistaken orders. After his passing in 1984, he left a lasting impression for a generation of San Franciscans. Some of his signs on the Washington street eatery remain such as those stating somewhat paradoxically for a Chinese restaurant, including "No Booze ... No Jive, No Coffee, Milk, Soft Drinks, Fortune Cookies."
In 2012, the San Francisco Health Department ordered the restaurant closed for "rodent activity" (rat feces on kitchen floor) and other violations such as poor employee hand washing standards and improper food storage, as well as several fire department violations. Nevertheless the owners have promised to develop a remediation plan and then reopen. A spokeswoman for the health department expressed hope stating, "...people are so very loyal to that restaurant, and San Francisco is a city where nothing goes down easy. I'm hoping for the best..." Generally the main problem cited by all the parties involved has been that the facilities are too old and that expensive modernization is needed. In spite of the financial difficulties in revamping the century-old restaurant, the restaurant's landlord has expressed support for keeping the restaurant open . In 2014, the management announced that Sam Wo would reopen, the restaurant finally reopened at a new location at 713 Clay Street on October 21, 2015.
Sam Wo was "immortalized" in the media throughout the years, some notable examples include author Armistead Maupin, journalist Herb Caen, and late night talk show host Conan O'Brien in their various reports of the experiences with the eatery.