Sam Wo's revival (2012-2015)
Sam Wo, a San Francisco Chinatown restaurant open since 1912 and famous for late-night wonton soup and brusque service, closed in 2012 after health code violations. New owners reopened it in 2015 in a nearby space, keeping the name and menu.
The reopened Sam Wo drew crowds of old regulars and new diners.
The case became a model for bringing a beloved Chinese restaurant back with a new chapter.
It shows how a longtime Chinese restaurant can move through city approval processes and return to service.
