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    China Garden

    4.0 (401 reviews)
    ModerateChinese
    Open 3:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    China Garden Photos

    Business Info

    CHINA GARDEN ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - China Garden

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    Reviews With Photos

    Sautéed chicken livers
    Marian G.

    We came in for an early dinner. The restaurant was pretty quiet. There were only a couple of other tables when we arrived but it did start to fill up. Even with people coming in, it stayed fairly quiet. Our server was fantastic and helped us choose. We had sauté chicken livers for an appy and they were spicy and delicious. Hubby had a combination foo yung and I had shredded cabbage with pork. Both were extremely tasty and enough for leftovers. We are definitely coming back.

    Hunan Beef
    Rey G.

    Stayed at a nearby hotel for a conference and decided to drop in here for dinner take-out. Looks like a local favorite and the staff was warm and welcoming. I looked over the menu and ordered the Hunan beef. While waiting for my order noticed a few customers coming it for parking and it looks like their parking is doing brisk business when there is an event happening in downtown. Witnessed warm interactions between staff and local regulars which reminded me of my favorite local Chinese restaurant that has since shuttered. Got my to-go order and everything looked and smelled great. Arrived back to the hotel room to chow down. This is good ol' American-Chinese food. Comfort food, and it hit the spot. The Hunan beef was fried and coated with sauce, the plate came with fried rice and an egg roll. It wasn't as spicy as I was anticipating but the flavor was good. I'll stop back by if I'm ever in town again at that same hotel.

    Eggroll is amazing!
    Johnny G.

    They treated me like family. I literally walked in and told the staff I have 20-25 minutes before I work and they got me in and out for lunch. I've heard Houston has some of the best Asian food and this delivered. I had the lunch special the fire shrimp covered in brown sauce, house fried rice and an eggroll. This probably one of the best eggrolls i ever had. Perfect fried and not like other places where its over fried. The side sauces were a great complement. Highly recommend going for lunch.

    Spicy Chicken Dinner Plate
    Justin T.

    Talk about nostalgic! Stepping into this restaurant is like being transported into the past. China Garden is one of Houston's oldest Chinese restaurants and has been around for over 50 years. The old yellow building with the green tile roof and their big red name on the side of the restaurant has been on that same corner in downtown for most of those years. I remember when I first started driving, my friends and I ventured into downtown and decided to eat at one of the only Chinese restaurants we knew. This was over 20 years ago, and the place still looks the same inside and out. Since then, the Asian food scene has blown up in Houston and China Garden for me was forgotten until recently when I saw them featured on Eat Like a Local. Recently, I was going to attend a Rockets game and we wanted to grab a bite beforehand. This was my chance to reconnect with an old favorite. We were seated right away in their smaller dining area by the bar. Soon after, people flooded in, all wearing Rockets gear. This is a pregame spot, and I love to see it. My dining companion was fangirling when the owner Carol came and talked to us and took pictures with us. The staff also come around with a professional camera and take pics and print them out, frame it and offer it as a purchase for a keepsake. Kinda random and quirky, but fun, nonetheless. Customer service was awesome. The staff was mostly older, and you can tell they have been around for a while. It looked as if there was a lot of regulars coming in because there were lots of hugging and handshakes going on between the staff and dining patrons. On to the food. What this place isn't lacking is options. You have plenty of those here. They have a lunch menu that has some of their best sellers at a very reasonable price. Their dinner menu has about 5 pages of all kinds of different dishes. Just like their lunch menu, they also have a dinner menu section that comes with fried rice and an eggroll with bigger portions and of course a little more expensive. They also have a la cart options. There's something for everyone. We decided to get some of the foods we saw on the show which were some of their heavy hitters. We ordered the fried chicken wings to start. These were so delicious. They were smaller in size but packed so much flavor. It had this nice, crisp exterior that was seasoned to perfection. It did not even need any sauce. For our entrees, we went their dinner plate option so we could get an eggroll and rice with It. Their eggrolls are one of the things they are known for. They are huge and filled with a delicious filling of perfectly cooked cabbage. It is served with house made sweet and sour and hot mustard. My first bite I went with the hot mustard and let me tell you, that stuff is potent. It was like taking a big bite of wasabi. My head had feelings it's never had before. After that initial burn, the flavor hits and it was pleasing. Just be warned, a little goes a long way. The eggroll was so good, we had ordered more. For my entrée, I went with the Spicy Chicken. It is their take on General Tso chicken with a kick. It was good, but next time I will venture into something a little more unique. I also had bites of their popular Lemon Chicken dish. This was like an Italian chicken piccata but with a little Asian twist. It was different but very tasty. Overall, this was most definitely a blast from the past and a great meal. It has been put back in my game day rotation. I will be back.

    Mongolian beef lunch plate with hush puppies
    John T.

    I arrive for lunch to try for the first time to see if the reviews matched its top rating. Service was good at the beginning and I got a kick out of the loud voices in the back and the crashing dishes--I thought I was in a movie. They gave me fried hush puppies that were sweet and delicious like donuts--which turned out to be the best part of the meal. Unfortunately, the expensive Mongolian Beef lunch was not very good. Fatty meat that I quit eating after a while. The rice and egg roll were fine, but the beef was a huge disappointment. I really was looking forward to eating here after all these years. Bottom line, too expensive and not good for what I ordered.

    The freshest pork chow mein you'll ever try in your life! Always fresh, flavorful, and flat out delicious!
    Amanda M.

    Where to begin... I've been going to China Garden for over fifty years! My parents started taking my brother's and I as small children. Now, we take our families. That initself should tell you everything! The service you receive is always spot on. Warm and friendly. They know almost all their regular customers by name, and if they don't know your name when you first arrive, they will by the time you leave!! You'll always see the restaurant full of families celebrating a special occasion. It's just that kind of place! Carol, Richard, Debbie and Mindy are THE BEST! I'll forever miss seeing Mary Ann's beautiful sweet face. Always a smile, a shoulder rub or hug. Food is ALWAYS fresh and delicious!! The BEST egg rolls are at China Garden!!! The fried wonton are just yummy and you can't eat just one. The warm sweet sauce takes them to another level! The Pork Chow Mein is my ultimate favorite!! The Fried Hot Shrimp is also a favorite. There has never been anything that I've tried that I didn't just love. Oh, the hushpuppies are delicious!! I just love everything! Don't let a few negative reviews make you believe this place isn't THE BEST...because it is!! You won't be disappointed.

    Truc L.

    I got everything people recommend here. Lemon chicken, egg roll, and wonton soup. The cornbread and egg roll are good. My lemon chicken was fine, it was warm while it is only 5 mins back to the hotel. The wonton soup broth is good , the wonton itself is fine, there was only 2 pieces. Total is around $24 for all the food I got. Owners seem nice and know a lot of regulate customers. Nothing fancy, just a casual Chinese (Americanized) restaurant in downtown Houston.

    Lemon Chicken
    Dee D.

    Read the yelp reviews and wanted to check this place out. I decided to visit one night please note if there is an event occurring at the arena parking can get a little crazy. They use the lot for arena parking. I did let them know. I was going inside to dine which I was and I ordered the lemon chicken. I was underwhelmed. The bartender was decent. Drink was OK. I'm not sure if I would go back.

    Green Pepper Steak

    The food is good but ridiculously over priced. This plate was $21 and it looks like a lunch sized portions.

    Pork Eggrolls
    Deana R.

    Wow! I am ashamed to admit this was my very first visit to China Garden. Unbelievable eggrolls. I had no idea THIS is what an eggrolls should taste like. The crunch, the freshness of the cabbage and onion. I am absolutely ruined for life. We have to make sure that Carole, Mindy and team will be protected at all costs. The Sizzling Rice Soup is an amazing offering that is rich, flavorful and rewarding as a meal in itself. I was almost disappointed more food was coming to the table because I wanted to have it all! The Lemon Chicken is absolutely fantastic. Elevated, delicate, super flavors built in from the pan sear and the sauce. Exceptional! Dumplings are a work of art and pleasing in every way. You cannot eat anything bad here. Put a smile on, meet the servers and Carole and have a pleasant time. Please stop whatever you are doing and set time on your schedule to go visit China Garden ASAP.

    Hush Puppies & Pork Dumplings

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    1 year ago

    Very good old school Chinese food, like stepping back in time. The sweet and pork is my favorite.

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    3 years ago

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    Carol J.

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    9 months ago

    Excellent Chinese food! The best lemon chicken on the planet! A well located very clean restaurant with excellent service!

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    Page 1 of 11

    China Garden Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - China Garden

    Does anybody deliver from there?

    Favor

    Egg rolls - are they the 1970s and 1980s style, fat, crispy and filled with cabbage, pork, shrimp and hopefully fried in peanut oil? Or, are they the ubiquitous thin, greasy spring rolls now served at every restaurant in town? Thanks!

    They are fat eggrolls made with egg wonton skin, not the thin spring roll skin. Lots of cabbage and pork. Fried in soybean oil because of common peanut allergies. We are known for our homemade eggrolls so try them.!!

    View All 3 Questions

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    Hu's Cooking

    Hu's Cooking

    4.5(1.1k reviews)
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    $20-30 We ordered the 3 shrimp egg rolls, beef and broccoli,…read moreand the walnut shrimp. Everything we had was delicious. We highly recommend giving it a try. Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5 Noise level Quiet, easy to talk Parking space Somewhat difficult to find parking Parking options Free parking lot

    I've been a happy patron of Hu's Cooking ever since they opened the year before the pandemic, but…read morebecause of their instant success and local renown from their excellent eats, speedy service, busy-but-not-crowded vibes (see: their 1000+ Yelp reviews) I've never felt the need to drop a review of my own - until just this week. On my most recent visit we ordered mapo tofu with pork intestines off the specials menu - a hybrid of two of my favorite Sichuan-style dishes. The blend of bouncy, savory morsels amidst tender, saucy tofu was at once revolutionary and so obvious; why hadn't I yet seen this at any other restaurant? And sure, innards may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's important for you to know that none of my past orders from the 50+ item menu have ever failed me, whether enjoyed in the restaurant or at home. Maybe you'd prefer the aromatic, classic, perfectly balanced three-cup chicken? Or the sweet-skinned duck, glazed so delicately that specks of sugar crystal threaten to jump off onto the plate as you pick up a juicy slice with your chopsticks? And if you're vegetarian, might you consider the punchy garlic eggplant or the wok-kissed string beans? I could go on. Do yourself a favor and come see for yourself, though I'd recommend parallel parking on the neighborhood streets behind the restaurant rather than the rocky parking lot, to save you some trouble. Bring friends and chow down family style - you'll need help covering as much of the menu as you can, but you'll definitely have to come back to try everything.

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    Bamboo House - Twice Cooked Pork Belly

    Bamboo House

    4.4(732 reviews)
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    I have heard great feedback about Bambok House and and their authentic Chinese Cuisine. The first…read moretime I visited I planned it to the T and when I visited their bar was not operational any longer, and that was apart of my planning. So I left. The second time I visited, I had the Hong Shao Rou with mushrooms (Braised Pork Belly) to-go, not a huge fan of takeout and this didn't disappoint and it was good. The takeout team member was pleasant enough. They feature an open kitchen with two tops closer to the wall/glass and larger tables more toward the middle of the restaurant. From the outside it features the traditional Chinese architecture with western building base. I look forward to yaksying the rest of the menu this year.

    I've eaten at Bamboo House enough times to know that the food can be a hit or miss depending on the…read morenight. When it's done right, the flavors are bold and satisfying. But the inconsistency has been an issue for me, and the flavors aren't as good as they once were. Dishes I regularly ordered like Kung Pao Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Japanese Egg Tofu, and Honey Walnut Shrimp haven't stood out as much as of lately. Dishes like Szechuan Spicy Chicken is still one of my favorite, and Garlic Snow Pea Leaves are delicious when in season. Bamboo House still holds its place as great spot for group dining. The portion is generous, prices are fair, and overall a solid restaurant that's still worth recommending.

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    Outside

    The Rice Box - Sesame Tofu, really good!

    The Rice Box

    3.8(1k reviews)
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    Box of rice Haven't…read morebeen here in almost 8 years. 1st experience was great, second was terrible so I didn't go back. My friend Aurora wanted to meet Donna early dinner and gossip session and she really liked this place. (We tried having a team lunch at the Rice Village location during the cold front last Oct but they had no heat so we opted for a warmer place but she grabbed a to go on the way home) Here we are for a late lunch 3:45 pm on a Friday. Parking was none had to drive around the block and saw some movement and bam, someone was leaving. We ordered at the bar, staff was super nice and opted to sit outside. Did not realize they deliver to the table. Order: Mongolian beef combo with fried rice and egg roll $14.99 The food comes in takeaway style containers. Win. Mongolian beef (2.5/5) - slightly over sauced for me; beef was pretty tender and there were carrots and edamame which is not the standard so maybe that's what makes it fusion? Fried rice (3/5) - standard style fried with small pieces of bean sprouts which I love so that was a nice surprise Egg roll (3/5) - I assume it was chicken because I didn't realize there was a choice) - it was crunchy and soft on the inside which I like, and pairs well with sriracha (did not eat till I got home) They seem to do a whole lot of take away. The staff were nice and hard working. I was excited when they first opened bc they had chow fun on the menu and being HK Cantonese, I love that dish but when I ordered it the 1st and 2nd time eight years ago instead of bean sprouts they had cabbage and that alters rhe flavor tremendously. I see why it's popular among the people but just don't think it is for my taste.

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    Hi Trendy Dumpling - General Tso's Chicken

    Hi Trendy Dumpling

    4.4(429 reviews)
    2.7 miThe Heights
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    Wow! I went for the first time tonight and my wife and I had a struggle not ordering everything on…read morethe appetizer menu. Our server was as so kind and had the absolute flow down, checked on us at the most opportune moments (we couldn't help but order more). It was truly hard to close out my tab, which was incredibly affordable. This might seem like a sponsorship but I'm just truly in wow. 10/10 no notes. 7 apps, 2 entrees and 1 drink for $97.53, an absolute steal..

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