Portsmouth Square

This is the spot for me whenever I come to Chinatown.
I’m good with paying a bit more just to avoid driving around for free parking.
Sure this pLace is very outdated and the eLevators seem Like they’re gonna faLL apart– but it serves it’s purpose.
Come in, grab a ticket, and park.
Don’t forget to bring the ticket with you in case you are abLe to get vaLidation.
FYI– once you’re ready to grab your car and Leave Chinatown, don’t forget to head to the 2^nd fLoor and pay for your parking tab.
They give you two options of payment: either by card through a machine or manuaLLy paying a teLLer @ the window.

I went to Portsmouth Square to eat my TO-​GO Dim sum with friends.
The first time I came here, the old chinese grandparents gambling put me in awe because I remember my grandpa used to gamble with his friends back where I live. However, now it just seems like there’s a lot of crazy people at this center. I heard a little 5 year old boy cussing at another little boy while their parents weren’t watching. Some guy spit a giant ass nougie near my feet as he was walking. It’s a pretty small park but so much is going on! It’s nice to stop and observe what is going on around you. This place is the perfect place to do that.

We came to the Square as it was the meeting spot for our City Guide tour. It’s nice there’s some green space in a busy Chinatown. There are many seniors who come here to chat with friends, gamble by playing cards, and enjoy a space to sit and enjoy the outdoors. There’s a playground and washrooms here too. We saw people filming that day so that’s cool too.
There’s a mix of people hanging out and walking through including seniors, families, tourists and a few homeless.

I went on a day with valet parking only. The problem with this is that we had to rush to figure out what to take out of the car so the driver can drive the car into a designated parking area but there were a few issues and we forgot some stuff in the car and it was a bit of a hassle to ask again. I use don’t expect valet parking cause they usually aren’t a valet parking type of garage. They charge $ 3 every hour (on the weekdays). I’m not sure if prices are different during the weekend. Also, they have a new system where you need to slide the valet card in order to use their restroom. It seems like this place for an upgrade since I was a kid. Haha.

Witnessed a bum pull his pants down and stick his bare ass on the water fountain at night to either 1. Wash his butt 2. Poop or 3. Both.
Stay away for the love of all things holy.

Where do locals sit with to-​go dim sum in Chinatown? Wherever they go, I doubt they go to Portsmouth Square.
About the space itself, it roughly takes up a small square block. There’s a small building where community members congregate, a large bathroom, and playground. Plenty of seating exists — both on the benches and ledges — and the old Chinese dude doing pull ups and various gymnastic moves on the monkey bar is impressive; however, it’s not the best place to eat dim sum or anything for that matter. Why?
There’s a strong stench of urine and various drops of fecal matter from folks on benches and in the playground area. Yes, I know that folks need somewhere to go, but there’s a bathroom close by. With all these things being said, it isn’t the most sanitary park/​square.
Feel free to check it our yourself, but I’m in no rush to return.

A park filled with the inhabitants of Chinatown. People can be seen playing tiles, gambling or just enjoying the park. Most speak Cantonese. It’s a beautiful park which feels more like China than San Francisco.

Oh yes my review of this place is long overdue as well. I am not an SF resident but I do come here during my work break. It is pretty interesting to see Chinese people of all types come here and play card games. One thing that got to me was the Chinsse band that shows up here, I try my luck at Chinese opera with these guys. This place has been around since the 50s or something and it has been a major point for the people that live in Chinatown to play, rest and just take a break. Back to my work place example, when I have a break also take the 8x bus here to walk around and kill some time. There is a parking garage here which is also nice because once you leave your car with these guys you are good to go. If you are lucky, there will also be some special events here. You sure can’t get this in Dallas
Drawbacks: it can get really noisy here. The park can also be a bit polluted due to the low volume of park staff to clean the place. Even worse it can smell here.

Avoid the sand pit, fecal matter in multiple spots. I noticed the smell in several corners of the sand pit. The flies gave away their positions. Disgusting. The local kids play in the upstairs playground, which is cleaner.

Portsmouth Square is a popular place here in downtown San Francisco, specifically near Chinatown.
During the day, you’ll see many Asian’s at the park and little kids running around playing at the playgrounds here. There is 2 playgrounds here one on top, and one on the bottom. You’ll see various different groups of older elderly men playing chess, and various other games.
To my surprise, there were actually 2 park employees walking around the park cleaning it up, picking up trash and making it look clean. I was actually surprised that I saw not only 1 employee cleaning the park, but 2 people, wow what a surprise!
There are both men and women restrooms here at the park, which are open 7 AM — 10 PM daily.
This is a nice little park to chill or hangout, if you are Asian… if not you might feel a little out of place. :)

Where all the old Asian folks be hanging out at. Whether they’re bird watching, practicing tai chi or playing chess, this is the place to be for those OG’s. I used to come to the park a lot as a kid, but now as I’ve grown older and have a better understand about the importance of sanitation, I wouldn’t even dare to walk to and play in that park. Though walking by it always brings back wonderful memories of my childhood days when times were much more simpler. Theres a mens and womens restrooms here, but I would SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY discourage you from using them. They are dirty as POO and from what I remember, they never have paper towels or soap. Hold it in, or walk all the way to Union Square or somewhere else to do your business. Hell, you can even try going across the street to the Hilton and act like you a guest and use the lobby restroom.

Portsmouth Square is considered the heart of Chinatown, a one block park that is not only an open air community center for the Chinese community, but also a place of historical significance. It is an official California Historical Landmark for three reasons:
1) First raising of the American flag on what was called Yerba Buena (later changed to San Francisco) near the Mexican Custom House, and placed there by Captain Montgomery (who Montgomery Street is named after) of the U.S.S. Portsmouth in 1846.
2) The eastern Terminus for the Clay Street Hill Railroad, where the first street cars in the world operated by cable operated from1873 to 1942
3) Site of the first public school in California, erected in 1847 and opened in 1848 for school education, meetings and religious gatherings
All of these commemorations have plaques in the park, as well as a monument to Robert Louis Stevenson, and the Goddess of Democracy statue. There is a tot lot playground in the park too. Underneath is a 4 story parking lot that is the only large garage in the Chinatown area.
The scene is usually full of morning Tai Chi and evening group dance excersize by the local Chinese. During the day, the space is dominated by groups of elder Chinese men and women playing Xiang Qi chess or cards, sitting on boxes, milk crates and other make shift tables and chairs. This is a way for the elder Chinese community to meet with friends regularly while getting out of their cramped Chinatown quarters and getting some fresh air, even if many of the men are smoking. Kids play on the monkey bars as their parents or Pa Pa and Gun Gun watch.
However, besides the loud community of mostly country Chinese speaking Cantonese Sei Yup or Toy San, there is always a contingent of the homeless. Most are Caucasian with make shift cardboard and bedding under the covered area. The public bathrooms here takes someone with a desperate need to use them in spite of the less than clean conditions. And there is still a line often for the ladies. You are better off going to a restaurant and buying some food first.
On the weekends there is usually a contingent of the Falong group meditating looking for converts, while a Chinese instrumental band playing music and often Chinese singers amplified to rise above the players cacophony of incessant chatter.
Parking below is $ 3 per hour and you must pay on the 2^nd floor before leaving.
But to many born and raised Chinese in San Francisco, this is the heart of Chinatown, the center where the elders gather to commune, regardless of the noise, filth and riff raff. It is one of the few parks in Chinatown, and the heart of a community ghetto that evolved so an immigrant group could take care of their own in the face of legalized discrimination through the decades. Sadly, despite the many historical events at this site, none commemorate the Chinese community it serves.

Id not been here in a long time. Recently a friend organized an event in Chinatown so we all met up here. Mmmm urine soaked stairwells, cigarette smoke filling the air. Hot gambling action of cards and Chinese chess. A weird way to spend a morning. Old men kicking shuttlecocks, tourists abound, almost chaos. Alas it is an example of a Living Chinatown, and it’s uniquely SF

So we are covering China this month with our kids. With the weather being so nice this weekend I thought why not take the kids to China Town. Since I was a little boy my family has been parking underneath at the garage and then coming up the elevator to the square.
I found the square a slight bit dirty but what else do you expect from a public park in San Francisco. What is was full of was plenty of culture. From political views, to song and dance to card games from the locals. It was a good place to absorb a lot from China Town.

There were a lot of old Chinese men smoking cigarettes and playing checkers. There was beautiful music playing. I watched the Falun Gong followers practicing their graceful meditations and movements that completely removed themselves from the urban chaos. Portsmouth Square is a great place to stop and rest your feet and mind.

Quite the experience so I would recommend and once visited each to their own. This is San Francisco Chinatown every day life people and to further that I witnessed a grocery store employee bring and donate a large box of fruits and veggies which he simply placed on the floor after which a hoard of mostly elder folks came over to scrumage and forage what they could. Quite a site and was humbling to experience and see how the other half live.

I’m gonna roll the dice on this review…
An odd mixure of local Asians, homeless, gasping tourists, and passers-​by awaits you at Portsmouth Square.
You can watch local Asians gambling, the homeless enjoying a suntan on the benches, cute Asian kids playing on the schoolground gym-​apparatus’ with their grandmas yelling at them to not fall, and scores and scores of PIGEONS hovering or cooing on the ground, trees, benches (essentially everywhere).
In terms of potential environmental biohazards: there are billows of cigarette smoke, and the remnants of spitting. I would watch where you step.
The underground parking lot is especially adventurous with line-​cutting at the point of Kearny and Clay. Always entertaining to watch one in action. The parking lot has a valet option which I find very helpful in this denizen of parking.
There is a walkway that leads to a major hotel, but it appears that the gates are always locked. I remember seeing scores of skateboarders utilizing the curvaceous path leading to the hotel gates. Perhaps that is the reason for said closures?
Enjoy :D

Portsmouth Square is a one-​block park in Chinatown. Depending on your point of view, one could call this place Chinatown’s Living Room (and SRO respite) or a Homeless magnet. When my Son and I were here recently around midday, there was a nice Food Truck selection and several folks practicing their Tai Chi moves. I’ve also been here as the starting point for a Chinatown Alleyways Walking Tour and where the elevator from the Portsmouth Square Parking Garage lets out. If all this Community «Action» is too much for you, a short visit to the nearby Old St. Mary’s Cathedral is good for the soul.
Portsmouth Square is located on the site of the first public square established in the early 19^th century in the Spanish/​Mexican community of Yerba Buena, whose name was changed to San Francisco in 1847. During the Mexican-​American War, when the Americans were bent on acquiring Alta California, Captain John Berrien Montgomery of the USS Portsmouth was ordered to seize Yerba Buena. On July 9, 1846, the first American flag was raised near the Mexican adobe custom house in the plaza that would eventually be named Portsmouth Square in honor of the ship.

Do not use the diseased bathrooms here. The best time to visit this little park is just before sunrise when all the Chinese people are doing there morning exercises. Any time after 7AM and it starts to get really crowded with old smoking Chinese men huddled and playing Xiangqi or Chinese chess. There is a children’s play area but it’s not for children, its for Xiangqi.
Refer to Joshua K.‘s review on 1÷31÷2011. Its all true and more.

When I got off the steamer as a stowaway from Shanghai…
I immediately came to Portsmouth Square with my flower drum…
«A hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happ’ning ev’ry day,
And those who say they don’t agree
Are those who do not hear or see.
A hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happ’ning ev’ry day»
Yes, wasn’t I adorable with my silk top and black capri pants? So Portsmouth Square hasn’t changed all that much since «Flower Drum Song» came out nearly fifty years ago. I think the same senior citizens park themselves on the same benches… gambling, gabbing and eating chow fun. You can catch the Chinatown Night Market Fair on Saturday evenings from mid-​summer to late fall, but it can be a complete zoo with low-​grade trinkets and DVDs.
I tend to forget it’s here — it’s just one square block elevated from eye-​level view from Kearny — but I walked through it this past week to get to the dreaded Sam Wo’s, Conan O’Brien’s favorite eatery in SF… not! Still says Chinatown like no other place in the ‘hood. By the way, that’s not me in the video. That’s Miyoshi Umeki, a sis-​tuh who played Chinese for the movie (sadly, she just died last year). Even though she’s pert and innocent, she actually sang American jazz standards in a voice an octave lower than what you hear in the clip. I guess we all do our part to keep the ethnic stereotypes alive.