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    Chef Chen Chinese Restaurant

    3.6 (305 reviews)
    InexpensiveSeafood, Szechuan
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Chef Chen Chinese Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Chef Chen Chinese Restaurant Photos

    CHEF CHEN CHINESE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Egg, flower soup, and fry prawns
    Dear A.

    We were immediately agreed upon entry with a very friendly smile, hello and seated within minutes . Our food arrived piping hot, and inviting . The restaurant is a quaint family owned restaurant, very clean and tidy, it shines of family pride. The food was excellent, Mandarin, Szechuan, hunan, and Cantonese, we tested a little of everything . The egg flower soup was on point, and the General would be proud, generous portions sizes. We took two orders of the wonton soup with us to warm us this evening. Excellent! Ample parking opportunities, located in the Vista Crossing mini mall in Vacaville, California, , 751 -E. Monte Vista, , adjacent to Wells Fargo bank., the service was friendly, open and sincere. Owned by the JIEN Family and well represented by the staff members. I highly recommend this restaurant., I gave it five stars; deservingly. Treat yourself. .

    Gases and chicken & egg fried rice
    Jaz L.

    This is my second time ordering from this place and it's pretty good!! I like their broccoli beef & also their sesame chicken. Very tasty and nice flavor. I think I found my new Chinese restaurant. Thank you chef Chen!

    Mango Chicken lunch,  Szechuan chicken lunch
    Averee P.

    Went to check out Chen's as we hadn't been there since it went under new ownership. They used to have a lunch buffet so my son and I decided to go see if it was still being offered. Not available, but we decided to still give it a shot. Mango chicken is delicious and the spicy chicken was very flavorful as well. Only complaint on this was that they put so much vegetables and only a few pieces of chicken. Still not bad for lunch specials.

    Mongolian beef
    Matthew C.

    Fresh food, large servings and friendly staff. They even have $1.99 beer in a bottle. If you like a casual place with good food, give it a try.

    Lemon Chicken and Sweet and Sour Pork
    Veronica M.

    First time trying this place since the new ownership. Tried it years ago when it was a different owner and didn't like the food too much. My husband and I decided to give this place another shot and we are so happy we did! We ordered takeout. We ordered Lemon Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork (perfectly breaded) (perfect ratio of breading and sauce) and Wor Wonton Soup. We loved everything! We are so happy and satisfied. We no longer have to drive all the way to Fairfield to get good Chinese food. Glad there's finally great Chinese food in Vacaville! The pictures I took of food, there was more food then what's shown, I took pictures of food after we ate. They give a good amount, and prices are fair. The restaurant looks clean and the person working was very friendly. This definitely will be our new Go-To when craving Chinese food!

    Wonton Soup
    Erin C.

    Okay- this was my favorite Chinese place when I lived here 20 years ago. Driving through today we decided to stop and it's as yummy as ever!! Fast and friendly service. Quiet ambiance. Amazing food!!

    Menu page as of 7/24/25
    Walter S.

    My broccoli and shrimp dinner special was excellent and plentiful. I couldn't finish the large plate of food. The service was prompt and the cost was reasonable.

    Jalapeno Chicken no sugar

    Food is always good and fresh and great service been coming along before new ownership. New owners have really stepped up the service and quality of the food at this place. They always make an effort to accommodate my diet, keto, friendly dishes upon request

    Kung Pao Chicken and veggie chow mein. Made me want to get up and dance with the chef! Yummy

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    4 months ago

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    6 days ago

    The foods bomb got rice pork chow main an orange chicken the employees are awesome very kind an helpful definitely coming back again !!!!

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    29 days ago

    Very Best Hot & Sour Soup in all of California! Delicious Beef with Brocolli too! Five Stars for Chef Chen in Vacaville!

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    11 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Great service! Delicious food, and lots of it for the price! Highly recommended! Quiet and comfortable atmosphere. Thank you!

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    7 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    Zhipeng J.

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    11 months ago

    A hidden gem in Vacaville. Food is great and service is good. Our go to spot for Chinese food.

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    Page 1 of 8

    Chef Chen Chinese Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Chef Chen Chinese Restaurant

    Is there still an All-U-Can Eat Lunch Buffet? If so, what days and times?

    Norma, Thanks for the question! Yelp unfortunately would not let me edit my previous answer,… Read more

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    Tasty Szechuan - Chili Fried Chicken, Dry Fried Green Beans, vegetable chowmein

    Tasty Szechuan

    4.5(88 reviews)
    26.4 mi
    $$

    Authentic Chinese Szechuan food at the most unlikely place. This restaurant located in a little…read morestrip mall in Pacheco and I passed by it so many times and didn't even notice it there. The food is excellent. Highly recommend the hotpot for $20, you get your pick up three meat and three veggies and it's good enough for two. Steam soup dumplings and mapo tofu were awesome as well. Service was great, the ladies who worked there kept checking up on us to make sure we have everything we need. Served us tea, water, a little plate of peanuts without even asking. I think it's safe to say you can order anything on the menu and be happy with it. The only downside/tip I have is to not sit by the door. Their door slams super hard every time someone comes in and it's very distracting, other than that fantastic place to come back

    This corner restaurant always has not so good luck... but this Szechuan restaurant that is here now…read moreis actually really good! Satisfies my Chinese takeout cravings. I haven't sat inside. I typically order out but if you eat in, the ambience is cute and bright. The food is always cooked very well and packaged well for takeout. The workers are also very kind and I hope more people find out about this restaurant. I love ordering the hot and sour soup because they give you this huge container for only $10. The soup dumplings (xi long bao) are better than ones I have found in San Francisco. The main classics are all done well like honey walnut shrimp and salt and pepper fish and wontons in chili oil, green beans and mapo tofu are some favorites. It's nice not to have to drive further into Concord for good Szechuan food!

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    Tasty Szechuan - Inside

    Inside

    Tasty Szechuan
    Tasty Szechuan - Lamb with Cumin

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    Lamb with Cumin

    Dumpling King Asian Cuisine

    Dumpling King Asian Cuisine

    4.1(148 reviews)
    30.8 miDowntown
    $$

    Very big space for big flavors. Came here twice and received great service and food each time…read more First was laaate night. One of the few places open late past midnight on the weekend. Ate some mapo tofu and westlake soup the first time. Yo, the mapo tofu is suuuupper numbing. Perfect. Coulda taken more heat but it was late so it was good for no heartburn. I think it was on the saltier side but couldn't tell because I was so numb westlake soup was very clean flavor. Savory and perfect when it was cold out. Our server I believe was Cece and she was nice and attentive. Second time I came I learned they had a 5 dumpling for 6$ special. I wasn't sure if it's a weekly or daily special but I was there on a Monday evening. The soup dumplings were yummy!! Good bite to the wrapper and enough filling and soup. They ran out of olives for my dirty martini but that's okay, I still got good briney flavor from the drink. Then we got the cumin lamb (cece recommended for the next time I arrive). Shrimp fried rice and scallion pancake. I loooved the cumin lamb! Soo savory. And the fried rice balanced it out, good light flavor and not oily. Scallion pancake was standard, nothing too extravagant. Our server this time was K and she was so much fun!!! Attentive to us and other guests and added to the experience. Thanks and I look for to bringing more friends to try more menu items!

    The bacon fried rice was chefs kiss!…read more The food over all was good. You do get a lot so it can feed like 4 people. In addition to everything being good the service was amazing also!

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    Dumpling King Asian Cuisine
    Dumpling King Asian Cuisine
    Dumpling King Asian Cuisine - Enjoy my weekend

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    Enjoy my weekend

    Tai Er Sichuan Cuisine

    Tai Er Sichuan Cuisine

    4.2(240 reviews)
    58.0 mi

    Came to Tai Er today luckily we came at a great time when it wasn't busy. Usually when we pass by…read moreit's pretty busy. We had to try their signature Sauerkraut Fish, and it was much better than expected. Definitely our favorite dish of the evening, if you order it make sure you come with enough people because the portions are very generous! The staff was very nice we were helped by a young girl named pond. When we first entered the host also greeted us in a very friendly manner. And we loved the energy from the restaurant, it gave a very clean and luxurious feeling. If anyone was considering giving this restaurant a try, we definitely recommend!

    This is a late review, as my friend and I came here a few months ago. We heard a lot about this…read moreplace and we were set on getting a reservation. Their reservation system wasn't easy ad timeslots get booked up quickly for the weekends. Although we had a reservation, we still had to wait for a while. After we got seated , the waitress introduced us to their menu as it was our first time there. We already knew what we wanted before we arrived as we seriously studied their menu. Here is what we ordered: Signature sauerkraut fish- we ordered their spiciest option and this dish was huge. The fish was silky smooth but the dish itself wasn't even that spicy. I wanted to question them if they gave us the rught one. Although there was a lot of chilis and peppercorn in the soup, it want that spicy. You definitely need white rice to go with this as it was stol pretty salty. Cumin Lamb - this was tender and wasn't too spicy. The portion was small though. If you like lamb you should try this dish Salted egg with tofu - skip this dish. I felt that the salted egg was lacking and I was only able to taste the tofu. Fried mochi cube with ice cream- this was good , I felt like I was eating fried milk. I would probably come back to this place as I saw that they had a set lunch menu where you get an appetizer, one main course, one veggie , one bowl of rice and a drink for a pretty good deal.

    Photos
    Tai Er Sichuan Cuisine - Interior

    Interior

    Tai Er Sichuan Cuisine - Cold sesame noodles. Photo by @martiwantsmore

    Cold sesame noodles. Photo by @martiwantsmore

    Tai Er Sichuan Cuisine - Mochi ice cream

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    Mochi ice cream

    Sichuan House - The spicy lamb was really good too, def has a kick at mild

    Sichuan House

    4.0(508 reviews)
    29.8 mi
    $$

    Service was super friendly- they also speak Cantonese~ cute little space in a shopping center edge…read morefurthest from Safeway. Lot of flavor, not too spicy for the dishes we got! - spicy sichuan fish was cooked soooo well, super tender pieces - beef wrap pancake was fun for me- hoisin sauce, scallion, spiced beef in pancake. Great texture - beef with tripe pieces- I really like the cilantro and chili oil- super tasty Plenty of parking in the shared parking lot.

    If you're looking for authentic Sichuan cuisine in Walnut Creek--not Americanized, not watered…read moredown, not "suggestion of spice"--Sichuan House is the real deal. This is a restaurant where the menu doesn't just list dishes...it teaches you something. The moment you open the menu, you know you're in the right place. The Cold Plate (冷盤) section alone reads like a passport stamp to Chengdu: BEEF TRIPE & BEEF FLAKE (夫妻肺片) - tender, numbing, and electric with Sichuan peppercorns. If you know, you know. Sliced Pork with Spicy Garlic (蒜泥白肉) - silky, rich, and packed with real chili heat. North Sichuan Green Pea Jelly (川北冷粉) - hot, sour, spicy, and addictive. Spicy Pig Ear (紅油豬耳) - crunchy, aromatic, and perfectly done. Jellyfish Salad (葱油海蜇) - refreshing, light, and authentically seasoned. These aren't "safe choices for the American palate." These are dishes straight from the Sichuan playbook, and they are done properly. And then the entrées -- highlights worth calling out: Sichuan Tea-Smoked Duck (香辣樟茶鴨) - smoky, spicy, fragrant; a dish you don't see done right very often. They nail it. Boiled Fish Fillet in Chili Oil (水煮魚片) - a must-order for anyone who really understands Sichuan cuisine. Beautiful heat and numbing balance. Cumin Beef or Lamb (孜然牛/羊肉) - bold, aromatic, and cooked with confidence. Dry-Fried Green Beans (干扁四季豆) - textbook execution. The menu is huge, but instead of feeling generic, it feels like a curated journey through Sichuan: hot pots, clay pots, seafood, offal, noodles, cold appetizers, and delicacies you rarely see outside China. This is one of the few restaurants in the East Bay where I'd confidently send someone who says, "I want real Sichuan." Service is warm, portions are generous, spice levels are honest, and the prices are more than fair for the quality and effort in these dishes. If you love authentic food--actual Sichuan food--this is a must-visit. --Elliott L., Walnut Creek "Here for the peppercorns, stayed for the joy."

    Photos
    Sichuan House
    Sichuan House - Some sort of fish dish that was extremely good, I think it was cod

    Some sort of fish dish that was extremely good, I think it was cod

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    Tasty Szechuan

    Tasty Szechuan

    4.5(333 reviews)
    47.8 mi
    $$

    To whom it may concern,…read more a soul who delights in rich umami flavors, tasty Szechuan has found a place in my heart. As you make your way to your seat the hostess brings you a small bowl of fried peanuts with hot tea, which is super generous. The menu offers traditional yet caters to the native Hayward resident who doesn't know much about the Szechuan region, I'm that resident . The booths and tables remind me of my childhood traditional Chinese restaurant back in Fresno, ca yet with a modern twist, in my opinion portions are generous as well which is inviting for a family feast...well done tasty Szechuan.

    So when ppl here say the portions are HUGE, they're really not joking. We ordered the chili fried…read morechicken, fish in hot chili oil, and the eggplant with garlic sauce and took home a full ass meal after we'd finished (over) eating. All dishes came out as we hoped/expected with both the chicken and fish providing the nummy sensation that is unique to Szechuan cuisine. We threw in the eggplant order because we wanted some veggies and something that didn't overtly threaten to numb our palettes and were very happy with that as well. Chicken was fried well and not dry at all which was a lovely experience. Fish was also flavorful and enjoyable to eat, although perhaps the least memorable of the dishes. I wouldn't NOT get any of the dishes again and might elevate the chicken as a must get if you're there for the a Szechuan experience. Well probably come back the next time we get a craving for that nummy feeling.

    Photos
    Tasty Szechuan - Toothpick Lamb with Cumin Special, Dry Hot Pork Intestine Skillet, Beef & Tendon Chili Sauce, Eggplant with Garlic Sauce, Szechuan Beef

    Toothpick Lamb with Cumin Special, Dry Hot Pork Intestine Skillet, Beef & Tendon Chili Sauce, Eggplant with Garlic Sauce, Szechuan Beef

    Tasty Szechuan - Orange chicken lunch special

    Orange chicken lunch special

    Tasty Szechuan - 23. Cilantro Beef / 野山椒青菜牛肉絲Cilantro

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    23. Cilantro Beef / 野山椒青菜牛肉絲Cilantro

    Wah Shine - Shrimp chow mein, oyster sauce beef and sweet and sour chicken lunch special.

    Wah Shine

    4.0(646 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    This was our first time at Wah Shine, we were a party of 8. We ordered the Egg drop soup, the Won…read moreton soup, a pork and a shrimp fried rice, a kung pao chicken and a kung pao shrimp. The servings were generous. The food was fresh and delicious. The Egg drop soup felt like a warm hug. I especially enjoyed the pork fried rice, I am used to seeing it with the bbq pork, which this one was not that did not take away from how good it was. The Kung Pao chicken could have had the veggies chopped smaller, but it's no big deal, it had plenty of peanuts which was a nice surprise. The service was great our water cups were never empty and empty plates were collected at an appropriate time. The staff was kind and very inviting. The place itself is a little outdated but the service and food make up for it. We will most definitely be coming back to Wah Shine. Sorry no pics.

    Very good food and service! Came for lunch with my mom and toddler! Food came out quickly and hot…read more The sautéed green beans were by far my favorite! So good! And the egg drop soup was delicious! I personally was not a big fan of the broccoli beef (the sauce tasted off to me hard to explain), their fried rice is very good and so are their spring rolls! They didn't have Togo cups for my drink so they made me one and I absolutely LOVE the creativity and dedication to helping me get my drink Togo! :) very sweet staff! Highly recommend!

    Photos
    Wah Shine - Interior

    Interior

    Wah Shine - Mooshi shrimp

    Mooshi shrimp

    Wah Shine - Hot-and-Sour soup, extra spicy, with chicken, prawns, tofu and bamboo.  Tasty, and about a 3/5 on heat.

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    Hot-and-Sour soup, extra spicy, with chicken, prawns, tofu and bamboo. Tasty, and about a 3/5 on heat.

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