Probably one of the best general gaos in Chinatown. Cook to order, fresh. For $14, this would feed 2-3 people. The flavor is on point. Comes out a little crispy but so saucy. Definitely better when eaten fresh. Highly recommend trying when you're here! read more

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Holy deliciousness. Anytime I'm in the Boston area this is a go to. The fried pork belly, ughh I'm drooling just thinking about it. read more

Chinatown Cafe - Pork bellly - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

HUGE portion sizes. I was craving some classic Cantonese food this day and picked up 2 rice plates- one with the roasted duck, pork, and chicken and a yang chow fried rice. It was about $30 for both, cash only. I was super impressed by the portion sizes, especially because one of my containers needed a rubber band just to keep it closed. The roasted pork really hit the spot. Exactly what I was looking for, some slightly greasy comfort food. The fried rice lasted my husband and me about 3 meals because of how much the nice ladies packed my container. Minus 1 star for cash only, but I was willing to walk 6 min to Chase bank to grab Maine cash. The food isn't spectacular by any means, but it does the job and fulfilled my craving for the day. read more

I was so excited to try this place because the reviews are awesome and prices online looked really affordable! It's cash only and pick up only. I called to place my order and was told my total was $25. I even repeated it back to her once she told me it was cash only because I wanted to make sure I had enough cash. Once I got there and handed her the money, she told me it's not enough and showed me the receipt. The total was $35... I told her that doesn't make sense because it doesn't match the prices on their website or what they told me over the phone. She picked up the sesame chicken and told me this isn't $9. It is a huge portion, I'll give them that! But I didn't want $20 worth of sesame chicken! I even showed her the website and their own prices and she told me no. Bad attitude about it too. I walked out with $36 worth of chinese food when that's not at all what I had planned to spend. Luckily I had an extra $10 in my wallet otherwise I wouldn't have been able to pay for it! I got home and was excited to try it because if Im gonna spend almost 40 bucks on chinese it better be heaven. I kid you not, mall food chinese is better than this and a quarter of the cost. Overall I'm so disappointed because I was excited to find a locally owned, hole in the wall that could become my regular chinese takeout to go. After eating about 3 bites it's obvious I won't be coming back. Chinatown Cafe, please please please update your website with accurate prices!! read more

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Great folks, great food and reasonable prices. Their Cantonese Chow Mein is the best. Be patient as it can get busy and it IS Chinatown so don't expect parking to be easy. read more

BAD ATTITUDES !!! The Asian lady was so rude when I picked up my food!!! The pickup sign was not clearly marked, and people were standing at the front of the counter. I was waiting in line to pick up, and the Asian lady was rude and told me to pick up at her counter. read more

A very local & favorite to Chinese people. My stepmom always loves this place. Every time I visit her (from out of state), I always stop here to get them 1 lb of roast pork. If you can eat when they are still warm, it is flavorful, crispy & make my heart happy :). They don't speak English so well except 1 lady can communicate in English a bit, please tell them not to get you the fat pieces if you don't eat fat. Cash only place so be prepared. They also have other dishes that you can order to go or eat right there at the cafe. Big portion & pretty authentic. read more

Chinatown Cafe - 1lb of roasted pork - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I drove all the way from New Haven, CT to get some of their Lobster Sauce with shrimp. Bostonian's don't know how fortunate they are to have access to such a delicious treat. I grew up in Roxbury and there was a Chinese restaurant at Egleston Station that use to make it. Other states that I have lived in don't make it like they do in Boston. They give you more than enough per order. I purchased 4 orders to back to CT with me. I love this place and will return again in the near future for more.... read more

They were so good freshly made and price is reasonable tooo I would go there again!!service was good . Ambiance was good. read more

Chinatown Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Chinatown Cafe has a large menu with a really good price. All of its item is pretty good and it's hard to beat its price. I come here quite a bit to order something to bring home. The ambiance makes it feel like a hole in the wall because the restaurant lost a lot of the seatings. That makes me order things to go most of the time. It's also cash only. Here is my thoughts on what to order: Rice plate if you are ordering for yourself. For a family: Order a protein such as chicken, duck, or pork. Vegetables are a good add on and lastly, a side of your favorite carbs. read more

Chinatown Cafe - Menu + Price - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Chinatown Cafe is a hole in the wall restaurant that has DELICIOUS Chinese BBQ meats! It is located in Boston's Chinatown, away from the more congested area of Chinatown... parking is slightly better & easier to find here. I used to come here as a kid, after my weekend Chinese school class & would always get the chicken wings, wonton noodle soup, or a rice plate. They've got great BBQ meats, my favorites being their chashu, BBQ pork, & duck. Last time I came here, I believe they were still cash only... very traditional. I doubt much has changed in regard to their cash only, so I would suggest carrying some cash if you decide to come & visit! I would say Chinatown Cafe is reasonably priced, fair prices for what you get! read more

I ordered a chicken with cashews yesterday for takeout. Why it turned out to be chicken with peanuts? Peanuts is much cheaper than cashew. This is a scam in Chinatown! read more

Chinatown Cafe - I ordered mock chicken w/ cashew. They gave me chicken w/ peanuts! - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This is THE place for Chinese BBQ in Boston. I used to go here when I was a kid with my parents and get pan fried noodles every time, but I never truly started to appreciate Chinatown Cafe until I started going here on my own and ordering their Chinese BBQ. Their Roast Duck, Char Siu, and Crispy Pork Belly are absolutely amazing, and they always give a huge portion for the amount of money you pay. HOWEVER, you never want to order a rice plate with more than 1 meat. We've noticed that if you order something like rice with roast duck and crispy pork belly (2 meats or more), you may get some off-cuts of the meat with a lot of bones in the duck or the ends of the pork belly. If you want to get a reliably consistent good quality cut, it's best to order just a 1-meat rice plate (or multiple, but always stick to 1 meat per dish). The most recent time I was here, I ordered the crispy pork belly on rice and (see picture) it came loaded with meat. I've been to other places around Boston that charge upwards of $15 and only give you 8-10 pieces, but there were 15 or so chunks of juicy, fatty, and crispy pork belly in this order. While we didn't eat in the restaurant because it was so crowded, there is a park right next door where we sat down on benches and were able to have a nice lunch. There was also enough rice and meat that we had a second helping for dinner! All in all, I will ALWAYS come back to Chinatown Cafe for Chinese BBQ. There really is no better place in Boston in my opinion, and the value is unbeatable. read more

Chinatown Cafe - Crispy pork belly on rice - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Ordered food for a party and the fried rice was spoiled -- mushy, stringy, and with a bad smell. We couldn't serve it to our guests. I even took a video showing the condition, but when I called, the restaurant denied any issue and said it was my responsibility. No apology, no accountability. Very disappointing and not reliable for catering. read more

Food is the best! Servings can feed at least two people! Service great and quick! Have also had the crispy pork and chicken plate and the best beef chow foon! read more

Chinatown Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Food was very quick and fresh. It's Cash only so be prepared!! Servings are large for the price.

This place is where you go if you want large portions at a very reasonable price. We ordered a combo meal, and it literally was packed to the top, and they needed a rubber band to keep the lid shut. The container had to be at least 5 lbs of food. They do only take cash, so be prepared. Our combo dish included bbq pork, roast duck, and soy sauce chicken that came with some steamed veggies and rice. This one dish was enough to feed at least 2 people. read more

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the love-hate relationship with this place. LOVE: convenient location; 15-min parking right out front. HATE: spots are always taken; I even got ticketed slipping in the hydrant spot for a quick pickup ~7pm when the street was practically empty LOVE: quick service (esp if you order ahead + beat the crowd) -- food is usually there by time I hang up and walk over. HATE: lines are always long - glad that they have added a second register mostly just for pickup. LOVE: value for money - portion is still big even at post-pandemic pricing. I'm always full when about 2/3 way into any of their noodle or rice dish. HATE: cash only LOVE: food is mostly consistent HATE: odd balls and "fake" items -- most recent being the Shanghainese style noodle. It was supposedly dark brown from dark soy, but it came as pale as Shanghainese people's skin. My Shanghainese friend is not impressed. Please, take it off the menu!! p.s. They recently re-opened limited seating for eat-in. read more

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This place is a hit or a miss. Today we bought some roasted pork and when we got it home realized it was barely cooked. I know it wasn't bc they marinated it I looked at the meat and the bones - all pink. We had to take reheat it in the oven. Mind you, this was pricey. We called them and the woman who answered didn't believe us. Like, ma'am whoever chopped the pork should've seen how pink it was. They need to use their meat thermometers! Perhaps the health dept should get involved. read more

Chinatown Cafe - barely cooked pork 10/26/24 - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

What can I say, this one was one of my favorite meals when I when to visit Boston for the first time. I was really excited to see how the other Asians live in the east coast and this place did not disappoint. We ordered the roasted duck and soy sauce chicken plate over white rice and my husband got the vegetable fried rice with crispy pork. And honestly we should have just gotten 1 to share because the portions were massive. But even if the portion size wasn't so large, the FLAVOR of the food was really good. Roasted duck is my absolute fav thing to eat and this place didn't disappoint. But honestly I was delightfully surprised that the soy sauce chicken was amazing as well! It was so flavorful and had so much meat! I think I had a whole chicken thigh in there. My husbands crispy pork was flavorful and of course crispy! Love. Then the fried rice I was not expecting much from but was actually delicious. flavor, portion size, price = ELITE I really wanted to eat a Chinese meal in Chinatown and support small businesses while showing support for the Asian community and had absolutely no regrets! Also, this was the cleanest Chinatown I've been to like WOW. Also, I'm from the SF Bay Area and some of the aunties working in Chinatown SF can be a little mean, so I was really anxious about ordering here but these Aunties here in Boston Chinatown was honestly the nicest ones I've ever met. Great customer service and spoke great English too! And I've been to a lot of chinatowns across the US! Things to keep in mind: 1) cash only 2) take out only! - but there's a beautiful park right by the the Chinatown Gate. It has shade, seating, and a mini bamboo forest that you can eat by and join in with the locals there. read more

Chinatown Café is located next door to large parking lot (which I believe restaurant patrons aren't supposed to park in, but we did just for a few minutes to pick up our to go order), with some street parking available. This is an easy miss, so try to look for the maroon-colored awnings. Please note that this place is CASH ONLY. I decided to make an order over the phone to pick up some dinner to go, last Tuesday. I called a little after 6:30 am and was told it would be ready in 15 minutes. I ended up purchasing: Chinese Congee- My husband thought this would be a good dish to order since it was raining and cold on the evening we ordered. I love eating congee and thought this was made just right. The congee was perfect at the right consistency (not too thick and not too watery). There are thin slices of chicken and also fried Chinese donut pieces placed on top. The portion size can easily feed 2-4 people. The congee was perfectly seasoned (I hate when some places over salt their congee). Chicken and Vegetable Chow Fun- I love chow fun noodles and so I decided to order this. What surprised me was how incredibly saucy this dish was. If you see from my photos, you will see that there was a whole lot (which I kind of wished I had some steamed rice to soak all of that up with). It ended up spilling a little in the bag they placed our order in but no problem with wiping it up with a few paper towels. The dish itself was seasoned right and there was plenty of chicken and gai lan in this dish. This dish can also easily feed 2-4 people. ------------------------ (Total= $17.50, tax included.... Again this place is CASH ONLY) Although we only ordered 2 items, it lasted us a few more meals thereafter and so I think the portion size is perfect for the price. I think if I lived in this area, I would most likely come back and become a regular. read more

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Amazing food, big plates, and the nicest people you will ever meet Must come and try this amazing place.

Lots of menu items including bbq Lots of classic authentic Cantonese dishes you can't find even in Chinatown Made to order and Piping hot Not overly salty but tasty Huge portions busy with local lineups Affordable prices Outside main area of Chinatown but not too far No parking read more

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Forreal hole in the wall place. Language barrier was tough to get through. Hanging duck and meat everywhere. A bit dingy. Big cleavers and chopping. Sounds legit to me! The roast duck and pork was awesome. And what really made it awesome was that the day after it was still amazing. The beef satay was probably the other winner here. Char flavor, flavorful but not too much that it over powers the beef. It was great. Beef and tomato's wasn't my favorite and I have had better, but still good. Too many tomato's. Overall. Great experience. Will definitely come back. read more

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I've had much better but pricing is pretty good. The star of the items I got was the BBQ pork. The roast Duck was good and was very very meaty but it didn't quite have that skin that is unique and amazing to other Chinese places k been to. There are a couple of tables inside to sit and eat if you'd like but I think it's more of a takeout restaurant. The cashier is nice enough and they cut the meats in front of you. read more

Chinatown Cafe - Soy Sauce Chicken & BBQ Pork With Rice - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Authentic and tasty Hong Kong style BBQ. My default 'go-to' when I need to load up on some HK BBQ!

Had stirred fried fish, tofu and vegetable. It wasn't bad. They gave you plenty of fish and tofu. There were a few vegetables, however more tofu, then fish. The food was okay , but nothing to write home about. Some of the larger stems of the vegetable could of cooked longer. The portions were big. They did have a lot of meat hanging and I am not sure it meets the board of health standards. read more

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Chinatown Cafe is located on another side of Chinatown that I didn't know existed. I'm sure glad I found it though, if I didn't I would have missed out on such a great place. I am a huge fan of those meats you see hanging through the window of authentic Chinese restaurants...whole roasted ducks, whole chickens, char siu pork, crispy roast pork - I love them all. I had a huge craving for roast duck and crispy roast pork with rice and was on a mission to find the best and stumbled upon Chinatown Cafe. They aren't open during COVID19 but they do have a window where you can order and pickup your food from. We bought 2 whole chickens with ginger sauce, 1 whole roast duck, and 2 lbs of crispy roast pork for about $97. A whole lot of meat for a reasonable price, especially for Boston. The key to good roast pork is that crackling, crispy skin. It's such a shame when you get roast pork that is filled with oil and way too much fat. Chinatown Cafe's roast pork was perfect. It was super meaty with a good portion of fat and wonderfully crispy skin. The meat was also nice and tender without being dry. The roast duck was also delicious! Of course duck comes with a lot of bones and usually not as much meat but the roast ducks here are pretty damn meaty. Chinatown Cafe also threw in that delicious brown dipping sauce for your meats. We love this place! It's our definite go-to for our crispy roast pork and roast duck cravings. We also love the friendly service. This is a Chinese owned establishment but the few Vietnamese words they know are "heo quay" (crispy roast pork) and "vit quay" (roast duck) and that's all you need! read more

Chinatown Cafe - Roast Duck - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Going down memory lane and aging myself review. Chinatown was an institution and a go to spot when I was younger. This is where you got great fast Chinese takeout, it was also packed and hectic. It was no frills takeout spot that made great Cantonese food. You order at the counter and try to find a table. The process is still the same but it's not bustling like it used to. The original owners sold the business and it hasn't been quite the same unfortunately. Anyways, besides my personal nostalgia let's get onto the most important part the food! The menu is pretty much the same although prices are understandably higher than it was 15 years ago. I ordered half a roast duck, a little over a lb of the crispy roast pork, and salt and pepper pork chops (due to another Yelp review I read). This spot is known for the best crispy roast pork and it still lives up to the hype. The thing a lot of places struggle with is the crispy skin and having the seasoning penetrate the meat. It was a bit salty so you need to eat this with rice. As for the duck, it was ok but nothing spectacular. I think it was cooked perfectly this morning and has been sitting out too long so it was very dry. The salt and pepper pork chop was solid. The pieces weren't fatty like most places, but it needed more jalapeños. This place is cash only still, so don't forget to hit up an atm before you go. There aren't really any atms near there, there used to be one in the pharmacy next store but not sure one is still there. read more

I walked past Chinatown Cafe a half dozen times before I finally decided to try it, and I'm not sure why it took me so long to finally do so. There always seems to be a lot of people coming and going - they are only doing takeout right now, but even with that, it's usually pretty busy. This is an old-school, Cantonese style restaurant with dishes that you might find in Kowloon. I really like the tomato beef offerings, and while I wish they went a little heavier on the meat/veggies and a little lighter on the rice/noodles, they are quite good. Prices are extremely reasonable for the portions, and your food will be ready in 5 minutes or less. They are *cash only*, so be sure you have some on hand. I'll definitely be back soon! read more

Chinatown Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The Best chicken wings ever!! Crispy, crunchy, salty and delicious. They stay juicy inside!! I don't know how they do it. They're great!! Nothing not to like especially if you like a chicken wing. You call and they're ready in no time. Super fast service. We always call for take out. Nice inside no complaints. read more

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Amazing Flavor. huge portions. Unbelievable value!!! The staff is also pretty friendly, comparing to other older Chinese restaurants. Can't really go wrong with this read more

Chinatown Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

There's nothing more I can add that hasn't already been said but this is the ultimate hole in the wall. The one Chinese takeout gem to rule them all. There's three reasons you want to come here: 1. Portion size my god. They recently raised the price due to COVID but still, $12 duck/chicken/rice will serve two people for two meals. Seriously. 2. Authentic Chinese flavor and service. The flavor is savory and the rice is sticky and filling. And the service is nonexistent, only adding to its credibility as a Chinese takeout. 3. Fast and far. It dodges the busy crossroads and the lines packed in small space at the heart of Chinatown. It's a bit more hidden and out of the way but it's worth the walk! 5/5 for food that reminds me of home and tastes really good! Here are pictures for reference! read more

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I went To try as saw good reviews on Yelp . Initial appearance is dirty inside . No indoor seating, all taped off still? Ordered side of chicken wings, roast duck, roast pork ... was R6 on menu... 6 bucks for wings and reasonable. Wings looked good and were good but were cold . The Roast duck and roast pork was fair price at 11 or 12 bucks and was awful. Roast duck wasn't crispy at all and all dark meat and bones ... poor duck died for bad reasons. The roast pork all fatty and little meat... whole container piled with a rice serving for 12 people... White rice, no flavor... I wanted to like place as cook was hanging 2 more fresh crispy roasted ducks... Maybe I got the ugly duckling one? I would not go back and cold , semi cold temperatures may send my digestive track for a marathon tonight... I feed the pics of remains of food to yard animals.... read more

Chinatown Cafe - Way too much rice, roast duck and pork - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Haven't been inside but the duck here is impeccable! My sister said this spot was very busy when she walked in and couldn't distinguish where the line was. Said she was yelled at in Chinese by another customer possibly because they thought she was cutting the line due to not knowing where to line up?? Lol. $29 for a whole cut up duck with 3 sauces on the side. Moist and generous meat on the duck, not stingy with the five spice sauce that comes with it. Some places are more bone than duck so I am impressed with the portion. Skin is a good crisp and flavor isn't overbearing with five spice like some spots. Definitely my favorite duck shop in Boston Chinatown I've tried this far! My bf had the soy sauce chicken rice plate for $9 and change. The portion was VERY generous. He was only able to ate half of it and saved the rest for later. Came with soy sauce chicken, rice and Napa cabbage. He said the flavor was delicate and good but the skin is more of a boiled chicken not crispy. He said it was pretty good. read more

This super no frill cafe is definitely one of my favorites to visit whenever I crave single dish food I could find in Asia. In particular, the wonton noodles soup, the roasted duck and the bbq roasted pork were my favorites. And even though I'm not a huge chicken fan, their soy sauce chicken was quite good, too! The place is slightly on the edge of China town...so I'm glad it's usually not too crowded. You can place and pay for your order at the cashier and grab one of the seats in the cafe (plenty of seats but if you stop by during lunch/dinner hours and don't want to awkwardly share tables with others, you may have to grab your food to go!). The portion is definitely large...so don't over order! A rice plate can be good for two meals if you aren't too hungry! The tastes are so authentic and definitely remind me of food from home back in Asia. P.S. cash only...but I will tell you, the taste and the value are well worth stopping by! read more

Chinatown Cafe - W2 Roasted duck wonton noodle soup --large and totally yum! (~$9) - Chinese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The food is definitely good but service is BAD! The place is cluttered. And if you're not careful when you order they will mis-charge you. I order one pound of roast pork, one pound of beef tripe, and a lunch special ($14.25). They charged me $41.xx. When I got my food they handed me the first 2 items. When I told them that they were missing my lunch special and they said "No. that's all you ordered" so you're telling me that it's $20/lb for roast pork and $20/lb for beef tripe?! That's ridiculous. She brushed me off because there was a line. And they don't give you any receipts either because they only accept CASH. So yup, no proof either. Never in my life I felt so robbed. read more

I used to love getting food from here when I was younger. Recently, I called to order a whole pig and duck for a wedding a month in advance, but they kept yelling "not now" and were quite rude on the phone. This happened just a little past opening time. You might have better luck with in-person service, but if you're planning to order by phone in advance, it might not be a pleasant experience. read more

**NOTE** CASH ONLY!! Note to self for next time: Don't overdo it if you're hungry. I've been meaning to stop by this place since it's on the outskirts of Chinatown and I drive by it fairly frequently but I finally decided that it was time to give another cantonese style bbq place a try and boy I was not disappointed! First off, parking is street parking only and can be a pain (especially if you plan on eating in) so keep that in mind. There are metered spots so if you come during an off hour (late lunch or early dinner you should be okay (though make sure it's not in a time frame where it's resident parking only!). If you're unfamiliar with ordering and are intimidated (lots of shouting in chinese/cantonese) don't worry as the cashier can speak english just fine! I opted for: 1 lb of roast pork 0.5 lb of roast pork belly Seafood and vegetable over rice (R26 - $7.75) Chicken soy sauce in wonton soup (W3 - $8.75) All of these items were absolutely fantastic! The roast pork was super flavorful and contained enough fat to make is savory. The seafood and vegetable was also large and yummy. The chicken soy sauce wonton soup was far larger than expected (which explains the price point) as it had a good 1/4 lb of chicken in a large, deep bowl packed with noodles and a surprisngly ample amount of wontons that were also delicious (I'd say at least 5 to 6 golf ball sized wontons). The amount for the 5 pounds of food I ordered was just shy of $40 which in my mind is totally worth it considering the size and flavor! Service? What service?? It's an authentic Chinese restaurant so I wouldn't expect a smile; just prompt service! Definitely stop by if you're in the area! read more

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Even though I take out-of-towners to places like Gourmet Dumpling House, this is my real favorite restaurant in Chinatown. I'm obsessed with their salt and pepper pork chops over rice. It's greasy (in the best way), it's sinful, and it's oh so good. Every time I get it, I just inhale it because the pork is so tender and just melts in your mouth. It's also an awesome deal at about $8-9 for a gigantic mound of rice and at least 4-5 whole pork chops--easily enough for two people (or for one 24-hour call shift). The har moon noodles are also good--an insane portion, also on the greasy side, but a Cantonese classic done well. It's pretty generous on the char siu pork and baby shrimp as well. The General Gao's chicken is tasty--less crispy and more chewy with a more savory than sweet sauce, but I tend to prefer Jook Sing if I want that particular dish. The people here are so nice, and even though it seems to be really busy at all hours of the day and is absolutely slammed at typical meal hours, they manage the crowds efficiently. It's a good sign when the entire restaurant is packed with locals, and all you hear spoken is Chinese (though the people at the counter always speak English too). There is also plenty of seating in the restaurant although I've always gotten my meals to-go. If you want a taste of classic Chinatown Cantonese food and are willing to step outside the main drag, definitely give this place a try! read more