Guide to the California Chinese Restaurant Menu Collection M2776
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
2022
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: California Chinese restaurant menu collection
Identifier/Call Number: M2776
Physical Description:
1 Linear Feet
(1 flat box)
Date (inclusive): circa 1924- 2010
Abstract: Collection of menus from California restaurants and nightclubs serving Chinese food.
Scope and Contents
Collection of approximately 60 menus from California restaurants and nightclubs serving Chinese food, dating from about the
1930s to the 2000s. Also includes some matchbooks and a nightclub program.
Many restaurants specialized in Chinese and American dishes, and one even Chinese, American and Spanish cuisine, however about
half also contain menu items in Chinese. Some are annotated either by the restaurant or by patrons. Most menus are from San
Francisco and Los Angeles Chinatowns.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchase; 2019. Accession 2019-433; 2021. Accession 2022-049. Majority of menus acquired as groups from dealers, and some
were donated or transferred from other collections; many came as part of the Philip Choy papers (M2521: https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13311530)
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], California Chinese restaurant menu collection (M2776). Dept. of Special Collections and University
Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, California.
Related Materials
See also the following:
M2543 Bay Area Asian restaurant menus (https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13491214)
M2125 California menu collection, 1866-1980s (https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/11408128)
MISC 2723 Carleton Watkins - Smoking Divan Chinese Restaurant : Boudoir Card B3760 (https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13840823)
MISC 2737 I.W. Taber - Chinese Grand Restaurant, S.F. California : photograph (https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13869993)
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.
Conditions Governing Use
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not
an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission
or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.
box 1, folder 1
Cathay House (Grant Ave. & California St., San Francisco) [yellow]
box 1, folder 1
Cathay House (Grant Ave. & California St., San Francisco) [red]
box 1, folder 1
Dong Bei Mama (4737 Geary Bvd., San Francisco)
box 1, folder 1
Eastern Bakery (720 Grant Ave., San Francisco)
box 1, folder 1
Driftwood Cafe (2237 Powell St., San Francisco)
box 1, folder 1
Kuo Wah Restaurant (950 Grant Ave., San Francisco) [red]
1965
box 1, folder 1
Kuo Wah Restaurant (950 Grant Ave., San Francisco) [textured green mailable souvenir]
box 1, folder 1
Kuo Wah Restaurant (950 Grant Ave., San Francisco) [smooth green mailable souvenir]
box 1, folder 1
Lotus Bowl (626 Grant Ave., San Francisco) [matchbook cover]
box 1, folder 1
Lung Shan Chinese Restaurant [2234 Mission St., San Francisco)
circa 2010
box 1, folder 1
Madrid Restaurant (165 O'Farrell St., San Francisco)
1946
box 1, folder 1
Mee Hong Cafe (731 Washington St., San Francisco)
box 1, folder 1
Ming House (673 Geary St., San Francisco)
1947
box 1, folder 1
Port Arthur Chinese Cafe (933 Market St., San Francisco)
box 1, folder 1
Uncle H Bakery Coffee Shop (65 Waverly Pl., San Francisco)
box 1, folder 1
Universal Cafe (824-826 Washington St., San Francisco) [smaller, with insert in Chinese]
box 1, folder 1
Universal Cafe (826 Washington St., San Francisco) [annotated "Dinner...1963, Again 1966"]
1960s
box 1, folder 1
Universal Cafe (826 Washington St., San Francisco)
box 1, folder 1
Yee Hung Cafe (57 Waverly Pl., San Francisco)
box 1, folder 1
Yee's Chinese Food (140 Columbus Ave., San Francisco)
box 1, folder 2
Ace Chop Suey (7001 E. 14th St., Oakland) [mailable souvenir]
1950
box 1, folder 2
The China Inn (462 12th St., Oakland]
box 1, folder 2
Confucius (3277 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland) [yellow]
box 1, folder 2
Confucius (3241 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland) [green]
1966
box 1, folder 2
New Canton Cafe (418 13th St., Oakland)
box 1, folder 2
New Orient Tea Garden (420 13th St., Oakland)
box 1, folder 2
T'ien T'an (6533 Telegraph Ave., Oakland)
box 1, folder 3
House of Lee (no address, probably SFBA)
box 1, folder 3
Pekin Grill (139 Black Diamon St., Pittsburg)
box 1, folder 3
Mandarin Grill (544 Emerson St., Palo Alto)
box 1, folder 3
Ming's (1700 Embarcadero rd., Palo Alto)
box 1, folder 3
Yuen Tong Restaurant (130 Main St., Watsonville)
box 1, folder 3
Twin Dragons (690 3rd St., Santa Rosa)
1956
box 1, folder 3
Peking Cafe (917 6th St.,Sacramento)
1924
box 1, folder 3
China Palace (3022 L St., Sacramento)
box 1, folder 3
China Cafe And Cabaret (39 N. Hunter St., Stockton)
box 1, folder 4
Dew Ying Low Chop Suey Cafe (136 1/2 N. San Pedo Rd., Los Angeles)
box 1, folder 4
Forbidden Palace (451 Gin Ling Way, Los Angeles)
box 1, folder 4
Golden Pagoda (950 Mei Ling Way, Los Angeles)
box 1, folder 4
Joy Luen Low (425 Gin Ling Way, Los Angeles)
box 1, folder 4
Kowloon Cantonese Cuisine (6124 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles)
circa 1955
box 1, folder 4
General Lee's Man Jen Low (475 Gin Ling Way, Los Angeles)
1954
box 1, folder 4
Bruce Wong's Ming Room (358 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles)
box 1, folder 4
Miriwa Restaurant [Los Angeles]
box 1, folder 4
Quan Mon (502 Chungking Court, Los Angeles)
box 1, folder 4
Rice Bowl (949 Sun Mun Way, Los Angeles)
box 1, folder 4
Rice Bowl (949 Sun Mun Way, Los Angeles) [matchbook cover]
box 1, folder 4
San Kwo Low (228 1st St., Los Angeles)
box 1, folder 4
Sun Wah Chinese American Restaurant (1454 5th St., Santa Monica)
box 1, folder 4
Tsoy Far Low (300 Marchessult St., Los Angeles)
box 1, folder 5
Fong Wan's Club Shanghai (453 Grant Ave., San Francisco)
box 1, folder 5
Fong Wan's Club Shanghai (453 Grant Ave., San Francisco) [with image of Fong Wan's Oakland office]
box 1, folder 5
Kubla Khan (Bush St. & Grant Ave., San Francisco) [program]
box 1, folder 5
Kubla Khan (Bush St. & Grant Ave., San Francisco) [menu]
box 1, folder 5
Shanghai Low (532 Grant Ave.) [small menu insert]
box 1, folder 5
Shanghai Low (532 Grant Ave.)
