Walked in for lunch. Beautiful views of the water, quiet classical music for ambiance, friendly staff and quick service. I love the ornate furniture and decor, too! The food selection is wonderful and the dishes come out delicious and well balanced! Love the sizzling pepper beef platter! read more

China Villa Restaurant - Black Pepper Beef Sizzling Platter - Chinese Near Me - Alameda, California

Very disappointed in this experience. The 1st time I ever experienced China Villa it was a year ago and there was a single strain of long hair in my food. That was a year ago....so I informed them and waited a year until today... I re-ordered the same meal: 1 shrimp and 1 pork egg foo young w/ 2 orders of fried rice... Almost an $80 online order through Grub Hub.. The food was suppose to arrive at 6:08pm PST..mind you, I live maybe 10 to 15 mins from the actual location...depending on tourism or beach goers... After 4 conversations with the restaurant informing them that my food had not yet arrived by 6:35pm - I wanted a refund. The excuse was they couldn't reach the driver and when he did show up...they had forgotten an order of rice. NOT ONLY DID THEY NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THE ONE ORDER OF RICE...They had the audacity to want me to DRIVE to their location after I PAID FOR DELIVERY...and PICK IT UP and thought 2 orders would make me feel better... Are you flipping kidding me??? Their food is decent but not worth that sort of service. Horrible service today. Disappointing read more

China Villa is a unique Chinese restaurant in the City of Alameda (at Bay Farm Island). It offers lunch and dinner with a waterfront view. I found it very relaxing to eat while watching the rippling water. Recently, I was here on a weekend. I ordered Hot & Sour soup (sm) and Tomato Beef Chow Mein-Hong Kong Style. It's really nice that they offer a smaller bowl of soup for dinner. The taste of the soup was perfect. Years ago I was told hot & sour soup is good for your circulation. The Tomato Beef Chow Mein was good, but I thought the portion size was a bit small. Was this chow mein for one or two people? I was expecting a large platter. Instead it was enough for 1 person. Maybe you're supposed to share it and order other dishes. Hong Kong Style chow mein costs more, but it's good if you like crispy noodles. Of course I will return and try other dishes! Not too many places have such a calm and relaxing atmosphere. --------------------------------------------- Located at 891 Island Drive, on Bay Farm Island, in the Harbor Bay Landing. Look for bldg 891. It will say "La Vals." Walk down the side. The last restaurant is China Villa, nearest the water. Free parking. read more

See all

Haven't come here in a while so we came for my birthday a few weeks back. I liked the food but we had about 10 folks and the portions are small. The staff weren't very attentive to our needs, but were nice in general. Honestly, I would not come here for a large party. There isn't a table large enough. The food was good though. I liked the eggplant a lot. I would come back with a smaller party and see if it is good. read more

See all

We ordered China Villa for delivery. We've eaten here before, the food is consistently good. This time we had orange chicken, chicken fried rice, an order of vegetable egg rolls and fried wontons. We were satisfied with all of our food, except the fried wontons. The wontons were a lot of crispy shell and almost no filling. It was odd, I won't order that again. However, based on the rest of our order, I will try them again for other items. Enjoy! read more

China Villa Restaurant - Wonton - Chinese Near Me - Alameda, California

China Villa is a hidden Gem with Estuary Views and Flavorful Chow Mein! China Villa on Bay Farm Island in Alameda has been on my radar for a while, partly because it's so close to home, and partly because the reviews (and my friends) have been mixed. But when I found myself at the Bay Farm 50th Anniversary celebration right outside the restaurant, and none of the food vendors had what I was craving, I figured it was finally time to give China Villa a try. Apparently, I wasn't the only one with that idea because the place was packed. The crowd did slow down service a bit, but the staff handled it with grace, and the food made the wait worthwhile. I ordered one of their lunch specials, which came with soup, salad, and two generous entrées at a very reasonable price. The chow mein was absolutely delicious. It was savory, satisfying, and perfectly cooked. My mom loved her meal too. My dad, however, wasn't a fan of the Mongolian beef. But to be fair, Chinese cuisine isn't really his thing, so I'm not holding that against the restaurant. The ambiance is charming, with traditional Chinese decor and a serene view overlooking the Bay Farm estuary. It's tucked right next to the well-known La Penca Azul and offers outdoor seating, making it a lovely spot for a casual lunch or dinner with a view. I'm already planning to return when it's less crowded to explore more of the menu. China Villa may not be flashy, but it delivers on flavor, value, and atmosphere and that's enough to earn a spot in my local rotation. read more

See all

Chow fun is the most indulgent of Cantonese dishes, don't you think? After all, I've had infrequent cravings for chow fun because whenever I've had chow mein or related dishes, my one lingering desire was eating a bigger and thicker noodle, carbs be damned. However, common sense would more often rule out and I would bypass chow fun for something marginally healthier like sautéed green beans. But not this time. In the midst of a long walk on the Bay Farm Island Loop Trail, I decided I could use some carbs. I took a detour into the Harbor Bay Landing shopping center because I knew there was either La Penca Azul for workaday Mexican or this semi-hidden Chinese spot on the water. I walked into a quiet traditional-looking space where I was led to a large table. I decided to order the $13 House Special Chow Fun and wasn't altogether surprised to find it rather on the greasy side (Photo 7). The beef and cabbage were plentiful though and yes, there were thick noodles. Not the best chow fun ever but who's complaining? FOOD - 3 stars...chow fun to open a belt loop or two AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...old-school with atmosphere SERVICE - 3 stars...efficient enough TOTAL - 3 stars...well, if you're in Harbor Bay... RELATED - Exploring Alameda? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: https://bit.ly/21k8mky read more

See all

Overall it's a fine place--I like getting Wor wonton here. However lately they have been putting less wontons,shrimp, meat and more bok Choy which is annoying after paying almost $20. I wish the food was more consistent, sometimes it's a hit and sometimes a miss. read more

Good environment with beautiful water view but food taste is mediocre... Really hope they can find a better chef... read more

China Villa is a traditional and long established Chinese Restaurant on Bay Farm Island in Alameda. It has great variety of dishes to please any palate. As a vegetarian , I love the Sesame Yams, Basil Eggplant and the Spicy String Beans. Their Wor Won Ton soup is the best in Alameda My meat eating friends like the Broccoli Beef and the Salt and Pepper Chicken. Everyone likes the Mu Shu. They have great Lunch Specials that include Soup, Salad, Rice/Fried Rice/ Chow Mein with an entree. The cost is reasonable and there is plenty of free parking, too. read more

Dont do it ! Food was mid ! And expensive ! 27$ per person, so 64$ for small ass portions ! I am appalled. This place used to be so much better under the old management... read more

Delicious food. Best on the island. Great interior ambiance and on the water. Everything we've had has been great! It seems there are mixed reviews, but everytime we've gone, over the course of many years ,the food has consistently been excellent. read more

Overlooking the lagoon gives ambience. Been to this restaurant twice and found the food good. Hot and sour soup was warm. Asked to warm it up and it was delicious. The Moo Shu Pork was excellent. read more

Just terrible! Food lacks flavor and freshness. Sadly this is the last time we order from here.

This place is very lucky they even got 1 Star & that was just for trying! You did not pass the test on Chinese Cuisine! Your dishes are nothing like they should be...This place lacks flavor, flavor, flavor! You charge a lot for a lunch special that doesn't meet up to standards! I've had gross Chinese food, but this takes the cake! Who chops up bell peppers & onions as though they are mad? The veggies were not right for your Mongolian Beef that didn't have any spice to it & your meat was so thin I could barely taste it. Your sauce was watery with no flavor or coloring! Your chow mein noodles were thick & flavorless as well. Your chicken wings were not crispy & seemed like they were from last night..They were horrible as well! You suck big time & need to close down this establishment! Where did you get your cooking skills from? This is not Authentic Chinese Food! I threw that whole lunch plate that cost me $15 in the garbage where it belonged! read more

It's definitely taken us way too long to try this place out as we live really close by. One of the main reasons is we hardly see any frequent. We had a craving for Chinese so we gave it a go on a Sunday evening. We called in the order (try to avoid third parties so businesses get all the funds), food was ready in 20 minutes as said, and we were able to use a credit card. The seamless experience is important nowadays! We ordered a ton of food and know we will have leftovers for days. Huge portions. Stands outs were combination mushu and shrimp and lobster sauce. Both items that you don't always see on the menu. We liked the orange chicken too. I would skip the fried squid (thick pieces and chewy and not crispy) and the mixed vegetables. Not too flavorful. Hot and sour soup was just okay too. Average food but reliable and convenient. read more

See all

The worst Chinese food ever. We attended to have lunch at this restaurant and the following was noted; Fried Rice was white rice and soy sauce mixed in it. There wasn't any type of vegetables in the so-called fried rice. Green Beans were limp and soggy not fresh at all. Chow Mein very, very oily. Chicken in the Kung Pao, was not cooked thoroughly. Will never attend this restaurant again. read more

Very good Chinese food. We came in for a late lunch on Christmas Day. The service was incredible as was the timing and quickness of service. We had fried rice, salt and pepper chicken, and some appetizers. Great quality and pleasant service from our waiter. I really recommend this restaurant because it's amazing . read more

Ambiance at this spot is fantastic. The restaurant is wedged into a corner right along one of the estuaries on Bay Farm Island in Alameda. We've been there many times and never had a problem getting a table by the water, even during lunch. This place is easy to get a seat at. And the service is quick - so if you are on a 1 hour lunch from work, no problemo. I usually get the Szechuan Chicken. Its a breaded chicken that's deep fried and then coated with a spicy sauce. I typically ask for the sauce to be not spicy, and they always oblige. It comes with rice, a small salad, and tea (upon request) at no extra charge. Parking is easy. Just park right in front of the Safeway, then walk along the water through the office complex to find it. Its right behind La Vals. The portions are a little small, but the quality is good. A- overall. read more

China Villa Restaurant - szechuan chicken - Chinese Near Me - Alameda, California

*Open for outdoor dining and takeout* Service and Staff: The staff here were kind and efficient. They all wore masks. Came here on a Friday around 12:30pm for lunch and the service and wait were quick. The outdoor seating is nice as the deck sits on the water. The deck is also shared with the neighboring restaurants. Food: We ordered two lunch specials (lunch specials come with soup and salad). One was a fish and vegetable dish and one was a sweet and sour chicken dish. It wasn't the best Chinese food ever, but both dishes were good. The fish had a nice pepper seasoning and came with plenty of vegetables, while the chicken had the full sweet and sour taste and came with plenty of pineapple chunks. Miscellaneous: As this restaurant is tucked in a mini shopping area, there is plenty of parking. read more

See all

Sadly didn't meet expectations. Pretty location. Decent service but the food was missing flavor. read more

See all

I was in the mood for Chinese. To Be more specific, I was craving Kung pao chicken. This place gets 4 stars because or the GORGEOUS views. The server was fast & the food came out super fast as well.. but it's that kinda of place where they serve your food and then let you be. The server or waitress never came to check on me while I was having my meal the food was OK not exceptional. But if you are looking for a beautiful scenery, this place has gorgeous views for sure. read more

China Villa Restaurant - Kung pao chicken lunch special with chow mein - Chinese Near Me - Alameda, California

See all

The beef chow fun is my go to order here, but expect to be searching for beef. Also if you order more than one order, expect a burnt flavor in the second same order, as the wok will be burned and impart a burnt flavor in the second order because ,my guess is, they will use the same uncleaned wok from the original cook. I also order mu shu pork wraps, this is an acceptable dish that they can consistently make well, and is good if you are looking for very little meat. It should be titled mushu vegetables with pork. Please, please don't order anything fried here, you will just be eating batter and no meat. And if you do order fried pork , be careful of the meat spoilage, ours was rancid. read more

We ride on the waterfront in Alameda mostly during the summers and have passed this Chinese Restaurant many times in the past. It was a beautiful day recently and they have outdoor seating. We decided to park the bikes and enjoy the nice day outside on the patio. The view is very nice with the ducks and the water surrounding the location. We ordered two lunch specials which include a salad (I would skip the salad) and soup when eating in: - Honey Walnut Prawns with Brown Rice - Very well done prawns not to sweet and still a bit crunchy. - Mongolian Beef with fried rice - Excellent flavor and fried rice was good as well. Even though we were sitting outside, the service was excellent and the views were very good. Would highly recommend if you would like a peaceful serene outdoor lunchtime restarant! read more

China Villa Restaurant - Walnut Prawns with brown rice - Sauce was not too sweet - excellent! - Chinese Near Me - Alameda, California

See all

Great food, reasonable cost, attentive, staff, beautiful view of the Lagoon. What more could you want?

First, the ambiance is amazing. China Villa has a chic and authentic Chinese decor vibe from its vases to chairs to carvings along the walls. And the view is wonderful. It's on the water front. Almost every table in this place has an great view of the water. Next, the food was excellent. We ordered the garlic chicken and orange chicken. The orange chicken was hand battered and was not over soaked in oil. The garlic chicken and vegetable dish had a great sear on the onions and zucchini. The sauce was roasted with fresh garlic. I will personally be ordering garlic chicken again when I go back. Finally, the service was high quality. Our waitress was able to make dish recommendations and the food was served in a timely manner. All around I would give every aspect of this Chinese food restaurant 5 stars. We had a great experience. read more

China Villa Restaurant - Garlic Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Alameda, California

FAMILY OWNED AND RUN BUSINESS. That alone is worth recommending. My family has been going to this restaurant for over 9 years. Love the atmosphere; relaxed and family. We enjoy the food. Every blue moon we hit a miss which I think is standard for any real restaurant. But all in all, satisfied, delighted, always leave content. we introduced family when they come to town to this restaurant. read more

Food was ok, poor, fatty quality pork was added to the hot and sour soup. I'd only return as a matter of convenience. The ambiance was nice as it was over the water. read more

Let's set some context. I'm Chinese. I've had a lot of great Chinese food. I've also had Panda Express and enjoy that from time to time too. I came for lunch and ordered the lamb with green beans with chow mein. The green beans were cooked just like I like them - flash fried for that slightly crunchy texture. It was served with some chunks (why?) of minced garlic and a little sauce. There wasn't much lamb, but the pieces that were there were fine. I hate when people generalize Chinese food and say it's greasy, because it's not that way when it's done well, but there was a little pool of oil at the bottom of my takeout box. The chow mein was good, in the sense that it was a standard chow-mein with thick egg noodles, bean sprouts and cabbage. My friend got the Szechuan chicken and she wasn't impressed. It was more batter than chicken and the chicken was kind of mushy. She thought the chow mein was fine as well. Overall, come here expecting Panda Express quality (not necessarily a bad thing) and be pleasantly surprised if it's better. I don't blame them. The demographic here is.. primarily not Asian, so they have to cater to their audience. This review is written with that in mind. If I was expecting true, authentic Chinese food, they would've earned 1-2 stars from me. Food aside, you'll be treated to a beautiful view whether you're inside or outside. The interior is ornately decorated, and the area is surrounded by lagoons, ducks, and beautiful walking paths. read more

China Villa Restaurant - Szechuan Chicken with Chow Mein + String Beans with Lamb and Chow Mein - Chinese Near Me - Alameda, California

I'm always a little bit sus of Chinese restaurants I walk into with super "oriental" (I'm using that ironically) looking decor but all white people dining inside (does anyone feel me on this?) But the waiters and service people were Asian so I was like okay this restaurant could be a toss-up. And it wasn't bad at all! I did laugh at how the name of the restaurant is imprinted on all of the plates and bowls. Came here with a party of 4 on a Sunday afternoon around 1pm (Mother's Day), there were probably 15 other people in the restaurant. Our order (total bill about $40): - mapo tofu - beef and bean curd soup (the one with water chestnuts and egg in it) - mu shu pork Pros: - food was ok! Ma po tofu is one of my fave dishes that I usually love bc it's flavorful - this place didn't make it too spicy (which my mom actually preferred, some places do it real spicy which I like but I know some people don't). The mushu pork was good - comes with 4 tortillas, eat it while they're hot or else they get crunchy! - Every seat gives you a cute little view of the water - Easy parking in this BayFarm plaza - decent service - food comes out pretty quick - Bathroom is decently clean - Menu catered to a Western crowd, written in both English and Chinese "Cons": - I'm biased - I think the menu is catered towards the western crowd, but I can't blame the restaurant for being smart and trying to survive in this world. - You really need to know what to order - the food here is good but I bet that some of the random stuff on the menu isn't good (I would say my recommendations are pretty solid if you're looking for something semi-authentic but not too crazy for your white friends to try) read more

See all

Love coming here beautiful setting and beautiful restaurant! Quick and friendly service. The lunch specials are the best! I also love the egg rolls here! You must try! Family owned mom and pops!!! Are the best! read more

Great food , the only reason not 5 stars is they close to early as do all the restaurants in Alameda , but I line the walnut fish, And the eggplant is so good in the Mongolian beef delicious read more

I found this place after yelping around. I really wanted to sit down with my family and have a flavorful dish. We arrived around 2pm and were still on time for lunch. They sat us down and took our order as soon as we got there. We ordered the lunch special Sweet and sour chicken with chow main, Szechwan beef with white rice and orange chicken with fried rice. Before we got our meal of course we for our soup and salad. The service was fast and friendly very attentive to us. Ambiance was quiet and relaxing. I will definitely return for dinner. read more

Pretty good Chinese and pot stickers! Usually get to go but actually restaurant is nice.

Quick tasty. I wonder if the chef changed because it's definitely a lot better than 2 years ago.

I like this place because it has quick and decent Chinese food. I started coming here more often for lunch. Its not the best chinese food. Sometimes its overly salty and sometimes overly sweet, but most of the time its alright. So why 2 stars? Because they knowingly served me bad brown rice! It was sour smelling! I ordered two items for pickup and I wanted brown rice for both. The lady tells me they only have enough for one order. That should have been the first clue. After I got home I could smell it after opening up the box. X_X. I called the restaurant to tell them and the lady that was talking to me sounded like she knew that! She apologized and asked if I wanted to come back for another rice. Girlllll, What?? Why would I even go back now that I know they are serving bacteria infested stale food?? JHC, please smell your own food before giving it to customers. read more

Great and efficient service. I've only visited this place once and will not return. Ordered crispy noodles with bbq pork and beef Ho fun. Both dishes were too salty and inedible. Meat taste like old meat from days before. Ho fun not the consistency I hope for. read more

Two words: Always Satisfied! Whenever I go here whether it's for the lunch special or dinner, I am always filled with good food. The service is always speedy and efficient! The waterfront really ties the place together as well as the decor inside and outside! I recommend this spot to anybody in Bayfarm! ~Sorry there's no pictures~ read more

Our family loves our Alameda China Villa!!!! We used to go there for birthdays, family celebrations and just going out to dine with the locals. The food is excellent, the people who work there have always been very kind and accomodating. In past decades it has been a treat to go there and enjoy the beautiful interior. They used lovely fresh tablecloths and the view of the Harbor Bay lagoons water is lovely. My only complaint now, after Covid is that whole resturaunt floor is no longer open. The back dining room which is actually over-water, is being used for storage and no more window/water views from that room. It is cluttered and supply boxes are in sight. They still use the front area and use some of the tables there, but it is basically void of the bustling tables they used to have in the whole place. No more fountain at the entrance, or the lovely ambience. The beautiful carved woodwork is still there, and the potential is there to bring it back to life. In recent years it is mostly to-go and delivery which we do appreciate very much sometimes. But I miss going there to eat. I know that having a whole staff is expensive. And using clean tablecoths and napkins is not cost effective, but I would be happy without those things. I would love to see them bring the whole Bay Farm dining crowd back! If you don't use the back dining area maybe put a curtain up. Fix up and light the front dining room. Maybe offer to-go and a few tables 3 nights a week, but offer a good dine in option on Thurs-Sun. Compete with La Penca on that. You don't need a bartender. Beer and wine is good enough or pre-made cocktails if that is legal to do. Have a reward program like Shirasoni. Dine - in earns rewards? Maybe a free entree after $150 is earned or something like that? Take reservations for big family groups on the weekends. These are just ideas. I want to support our families favorite Chinese Food spot here in Alameda. read more

We love this local restaurant! The food is good and the atmosphere is friendly. They offer lunch specials, have a good selection on the menu, free parking and a Canal view. The restaurant is located right on the water at Harbor Bay Landing. Some parking in front, more parking in back. Nice dining experience! read more