diff --git a/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_simulator.py b/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_simulator.py
index 0c39bbf3e54..70d54e445b8 100644
--- a/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_simulator.py
+++ b/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_simulator.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 from cirq.sim import simulator
 from cirq.sim.clifford import clifford_tableau, stabilizer_state_ch_form
 from cirq.ops import raw_types
+from cirq.ops.dense_pauli_string import DensePauliString
 from cirq import circuits, study, ops, protocols
 
 
@@ -252,9 +253,12 @@ def __str__(self):
     def to_numpy(self):
         return self.ch_form.to_state_vector()
 
-    def stabilizers(self):
+    def stabilizers(self) -> List[DensePauliString]:
         return self.tableau.stabilizers()
 
+    def destabilizers(self) -> List[DensePauliString]:
+        return self.tableau.destabilizers()
+
     def wave_function(self):
         return self.ch_form.wave_function()
 
diff --git a/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_simulator_test.py b/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_simulator_test.py
index 012e0135dd0..3b8846ef35a 100644
--- a/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_simulator_test.py
+++ b/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_simulator_test.py
@@ -211,7 +211,9 @@ def test_clifford_state_stabilizers():
     state.apply_unitary(cirq.H(q1))
     state.apply_unitary(cirq.S(q1))
 
-    assert (state.stabilizers() == ['X0', 'Y1', 'Z2'])
+    f = cirq.DensePauliString
+    assert (state.stabilizers() == [f('XII'), f('IYI'), f('IIZ')])
+    assert (state.destabilizers() == [f('ZII'), f('IZI'), f('IIX')])
 
 
 def test_clifford_state_wave_function():
@@ -235,8 +237,9 @@ def test_clifford_tableau_str():
 def test_clifford_tableau_repr():
     (q0, q1) = (cirq.LineQubit(0), cirq.LineQubit(1))
     state = cirq.CliffordState(qubit_map={q0: 0, q1: 1})
-
-    assert (repr(state.tableau) == "stabilizers: [Z0, Z1]")
+    f = cirq.DensePauliString
+    assert (repr(state.tableau) == "stabilizers: [{!r}, {!r}]".format(
+        f("ZI"), f("IZ")))
 
 
 def test_clifford_tableau_str_full():
diff --git a/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_tableau.py b/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_tableau.py
index f96a50bca05..d77c83cea80 100644
--- a/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_tableau.py
+++ b/cirq/sim/clifford/clifford_tableau.py
@@ -12,8 +12,12 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+from typing import List
 import numpy as np
 
+import cirq
+from cirq.ops.dense_pauli_string import DensePauliString
+
 
 class CliffordTableau():
     """ Tableau representation of a stabilizer state
@@ -55,7 +59,8 @@ def copy(self):
         return state
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return "stabilizers: [{}]".format(", ".join(self.stabilizers()))
+        return "stabilizers: [{}]".format(", ".join(
+            [repr(stab) for stab in self.stabilizers()]))
 
     def __str__(self):
         string = ""
@@ -163,25 +168,31 @@ def g(x1, z1, x2, z2):
         self.xs[q1, :] ^= self.xs[q2, :]
         self.zs[q1, :] ^= self.zs[q2, :]
 
-    def stabilizers(self):
-        """Returns the stabilizer generators of the state. These
-        are n operators {S_1,S_2,...,S_n} such thate S_i |psi> = |psi> """
-        stabilizers = []
-
-        for i in range(self.n, 2 * self.n):
-            stabilizer = "-" if self.rs[i] else ""
-
-            for k in range(self.n):
-                if self.xs[i, k] & (not self.zs[i, k]):
-                    stabilizer += "X%d" % k
-                elif (not self.xs[i, k]) & self.zs[i, k]:
-                    stabilizer += "Z%d" % k
-                elif self.xs[i, k] & self.zs[i, k]:
-                    stabilizer += "Y%d" % k
-
-            stabilizers.append(stabilizer)
+    def _row_to_dense_pauli(self, i: int) -> DensePauliString:
+        coefficient = -1 if self.rs[i] else 1
+        pauli_mask = ""
+
+        for k in range(self.n):
+            if self.xs[i, k] & (not self.zs[i, k]):
+                pauli_mask += "X"
+            elif (not self.xs[i, k]) & self.zs[i, k]:
+                pauli_mask += "Z"
+            elif self.xs[i, k] & self.zs[i, k]:
+                pauli_mask += "Y"
+            else:
+                pauli_mask += "I"
+        return cirq.DensePauliString(pauli_mask, coefficient=coefficient)
 
-        return stabilizers
+    def stabilizers(self) -> List[DensePauliString]:
+        """Returns the stabilizer generators of the state. These
+        are n operators {S_1,S_2,...,S_n} such that S_i |psi> = |psi> """
+        return [self._row_to_dense_pauli(i) for i in range(self.n, 2 * self.n)]
+
+    def destabilizers(self) -> List[DensePauliString]:
+        """Returns the destabilizer generators of the state. These
+        are n operators {S_1,S_2,...,S_n} such that along with the stabilizer
+        generators above generate the full Pauli group on n qubits."""
+        return [self._row_to_dense_pauli(i) for i in range(0, self.n)]
 
     def _measure(self, q):
         """ Performs a projective measurement on the q'th qubit.