SAN FRANCISCO - US President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to a  restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown to pick up his lunch take-out on Thursday during a fundraising trip to the city, according to the White House Press Pool report.

Obama stopped by the Great Eastern Restaurant for dim sum, greeting the crowd as he waited for his Chinese food, the report said.

US President Barack Obama greets diners during a stop at the Great Eastern Chinese restaurant in San Francisco Feb 16, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

Obama shook hands with people before paying cash for his dim-sum and left the restaurant with two bags of food.

The president arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday from Los Angeles and is expected to attend a series of fundraising events in the area.

According to schedules released by the White House, Obama will attend a campaign event at San Francisco Intercontinental Hotel Thursday afternoon and deliver remarks at another event held at a private residence in the city, before heading for Washington state Friday morning.