This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants, especially when I'm craving a great chicken and rice dish. They make it incredibly well, and what keeps me coming back is the consistency. I've been eating here since high school, and the flavor has remained exactly the same over the years--a rare quality that speaks to how much care they put into their food. The restaurant has a warm, family-owned atmosphere that makes you feel welcome every time you visit. It's the kind of place that has built a loyal customer base through good food, friendly service, and reliability. If you're looking for a comforting meal with flavors you can count on, this spot is definitely worth a visit. Price is reasonable and food taste heartwarming. Favorite dish : fried chicken & red tomato rice dish , Hainan chicken and rice. Sauce is amazingly delicious and unique. Beef cubes. Mapo tofu. Soups is alwyas complimentary. read more

Dong Nguyen - Best chicken plate ever - Chinese Near Me - Alhambra, California

I came here for their hainan chicken because the internet told me it was good, but it was the worst I've ever had. It had very little flavor. The meat tasted old, the rice was poorly seasoned, their complimentary soup you get when you first sit tasted like poultry. I know there's chicken feet in there but it didn't taste like 'chicken' it tasted like when you walk in to a poultry soup. It tastes like how the poultry shop smells. If you haven't been to a poultry shop, it tastes like if you're around a lot of live chickens. My brother got the brisket. It was the worst he's ever had too. He said it was chewy and lack flavor. They might be cutting costs because the economy is bad. I notice a large portion of their menu was covered up or dishes crossed out. Even the beverages got cut! You can only get like 3 different beverages which are ovaltine, coffee, and something else. They even cut out lemon ice tea. They're a mom and pop shop and it would be sad if they're out of business because of that reason, but the food was unfortunately not good. Service was really good though, but we were the only ones there majority of the time we were dining. The price for the hainan chicken was about $17, brisket was about the same. I don't remember the exact amount. Just listing that here because Yelp's prices are way off. Could be old pricing from a while ago. read more

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CASH ONLY! I saw this on an instagram post and I wanted to try this place out. I saw that they have Hainan chicken and steak with tomato rice. Those were the two dishes that we tried and we also got black bean chow fun with beef and green beans with pork. All the dishes were delicious! The service was very good. It's a small place but when we arrived we sat at a table and they brought the menus shortly after. We also received complimentary soup. It had a clear broth with some greens and a chicken foot. All the dishes were good portions. My family and I will definitely be back. read more

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Ive been craving bo luc lac with macaroni since its been years since ive had it. And its always the same when i get it. The cubed steak is always flavorful and they stack alot of food in the togo box. Ive always prefered mac over the red rice but my 2nd order would be the cornish hen with red rice. Those are the 2 that have been consistent since i was a child. Glad they still give lots. read more

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We've primarily come here to grab to-go orders of Hainam chicken, we haven't tried anything else yet. This place has been around for a while and most of the time it's pretty yummy. They definitely accommodated last minute orders up to 15-20 min before closing. There's plenty of parking in the plaza and it's in the corner. Next time we'll try ordering other things to try. read more

I made my way back to Dong Nguyen after having a great experience a few years ago. After placing some takeout orders, I went over around 6:00 pm to pick up. This store is located in the same plaza as the 168 market and CVS. One thing to note is that the store sign was a bit hard to see from the parking. For parking, there wasn't any issues since it's a large lot. What brought me back here was specifically their Bò lúc lắc, so that was the dish I ate. My brother also got the Hainan chicken rice for himself. The order also came with some soups as well. For the Bò lúc lắc, the beef had a lot of flavor. The rice was a bit mushy and not how I remembered it. The chicken and rice for the Hainan chicken tasted a lot better. One thing that stood out for both dishes was the portion, which was easily a serving for two people. The soups were also pretty basic and didn't really standout. I'd probably won't come back for the Bò lúc lắc, but possibly the Hainan chicken. Keep in mind it's a cash only establishment. read more

Dong Nguyen - Bò lúc lắc (Shaking Beef) - Chinese Near Me - Alhambra, California

When I think of Bò Lúc Lắc, this is my gold standard for it. I grew up with this spot and it's still my favorite place to go to if I'm craving shaken beef with red rice. I ordered take out and the portions are just as hefty as dining in. It also comes with a side of soup that is comforting and reminds me of a homemade soup that my mom used to make for me. read more

Dong Nguyen - Chinese Near Me - Alhambra, California

I was introduced to this restaurant by my friends years ago, and unfortunately haven't been back since until today. I was too caught up with the new restaurants and viral marketing videos, never making time to visit mom and pop shops. Came here around 2:40pm and it was empty due to the lack of foot traffic. Business slowed for them a lot too. Even so the staffs still delivered and made quality food and provided excellent service. Free soup on the house as soon as I sat down. The portion was so big for me that it became 2 meals. The cubed steak was juicy but the rice was a little softer for my tastebuds. Definitely needs to come back more often to mom and pop shops like this since it reminds you of eating at your grandma or at home. To add they accept only cash! read more

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The fried cornish hen was great with a light crispy skin and tender/juicy meat. The hainam style chicken and pork chop with rice and cubed steak (bo luc lac) were pretty good but weren't that impressive imo. Prices are pretty affordable. Good service. read more

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A rustic yet appealing family-style Chinese Viet restaurant located in the historic and bustling Valley Blvd. We opted for the popular Hai Nam Style Chicken with Rice and Cubed Steak Rice. Both were consistently excellent, delicious and nuanced despite the simple ingredients. The free soup was refreshing and acted as a much needed palette cleanser. Highly recommended for any local occasion. read more

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There's different versions of Hainan Chicken everywhere - i happen to love this one. I've been coming here for years - and the flavor hasn't changed ( although the chicken portions have become smaller and the rice is a lot - the proportion is off). their sauce is excellent and delicious. I wish they sell it by itself. I come here often and i complain about the chicken portion all the time to the husband. Oh well - i wish they would just increase the price a bit more and add more chicken and I'll happily give them a 5 star. The husband likes the cornish chicken and the fillet minion steak. I always stick to my Hainan Chicken read more

Dong Nguyen - My favorite Hainan Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Alhambra, California

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We bought the Hainan chicken rice for dinner, when we noticed some problems with the food quality. The chicken in the chicken rice was clearly old and it had an unpleasant taste to it. Never coming back again. read more

First time at Dong Nguyen. I can tell this small business has catered the local community for years and is a welcoming favorite amongst customers that return to support them. Their items 1) Hainan chicken 2) Cornish hen with tomato rice 3) beef cube with tomato rice. We opted for two of the beef cube with tomato rice dishes. Each meal came with a veggie broth on the side and a large portion of tomato rice and beef. The beef was on the chewier side but I think was a nice cut. The tomato rice has bits of eggs folded in but was on the wetter side. There was also a salt and lemon on the side as a dipping sauce if wanted an even bolder flavor. Overall, it was filling and a large portion. I can see why it's been around for so many years. Note they are cash only. read more

Dong Nguyen - Chinese Near Me - Alhambra, California

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This place is so nostalgic for me. They have the standard Chinese/Vietnamese staples. I highly recommend you try the filet mignon, Cornish hen, and tomato rice. One of the best in town and possibly best price too. It's kind of sad that prices have gone up a little bit because of inflation but I still think their food and prices are better than the competition. Nice hole in the wall vibes so beyond the food, I just like eating here and supporting their business. I feel at home here and they get the food out fast. read more

Dong Nguyen - Filet mignon with tomato rice - Chinese Near Me - Alhambra, California

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Simple and delicious, service is great and super friendly. I love that it comes with a bowl of soup. I am a big soup fan, so something simple and flavorful to cleanse your palate is a bonus! I order the Hainan chicken with red rice, portion is decent for the price you pay! read more

The Hainan Chicken at Dong Nguyen is very good. The rice is not oily; infused in seasoned chicken broth. They use bone-in chicken that's tender for their chicken rice version- it's delicious. A simple dish not fancy; but so tasty when done right. I think this place is better than Savoy. Majority of the orders were takeout, am not sure if dine-in is available. Service was very friendly and there is no English barrier. -CASH ONLY read more

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I wanted to try Dong Nguyen for their Hainan chicken rice plate since my brother's wife's real estate agent's husband recommended it. I brought my Mom with me on a Saturday afternoon. It is located in the 168 Market shopping center. It's not a very big restaurant, but still comfortable. Nice and clean place. We were greeted upon entry. We sat closest to the door. Surprisingly, there weren't too many people at the time at 2:00 PMish. I didn't look at the menu too much as I was targeting the one item I came here for. Yep, we got 2 Hainan chicken rice plates and 2 waters. Btw, price for the chicken is very reasonable. Wow, the chicken was very moist and yummy. Rice was nicely flavored with seasoned chicken broth. Cucumbers were fresh and crispy. And the garlic ginger sauce was amazingly tasty and drinkable! LOL The nice lady server and gentleman (he may have been the owner not sure) consistently came over to our table asking us if we wanted more sauce. We ended up getting a small container of extra sauce for the left over chicken. Thank you miss and sir! It was a quick lunch. I would definitely return here for more Hainan chicken and maybe even try their other food items. Thank you Dong Nguyen for your many years of passion for food and sharing it with us across continents! read more

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Service was great, went in middle afternoon and was very welcoming. Perhaps, it was middle the week and afternoon so it was only me and another party were here. Food value was pretty dang great of a deal for the food. I was I ordered a hainan chicken. Honestly I give it like a good 8/10, it's good but I have had better, this is very "home" style taste like what my mother would make. The sauce is good 10/10. I would return to try other food though. read more

Cash, Venmo or Zelle only! Can't believe I forgot about this hidden gem. We placed a phone order and they said it would be done in 10 minutes. Take out also comes with complementary soups. Red rice here is pretty flavorful and the texture is soft and fluffy but not mushy. There are pieces of fried egg scattered with in. Hainan Chicken Rice- with red rice was the move. Chicken was tender and juicy. Server asked if I would like extra sauce before we left, the one it comes with was just enough. Fried Cornish Hen- crispy skin but meat was still really juicy. We also ordered this with red rice. read more

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I have been coming to this place since I was a young child. Food: 4/5 We ordered the beef filet mignon with red rice, Cornish hen with red rice, and Hainan chicken rice. The filet mignon was the best dish, the beef cubes were well seasoned and cooked to tender. The Cornish hen was crispy and the red rice was light and fluffy. The Hainan chicken was alright, a little too plain for my liking. Price: 4/5 This place is about a dollar or two more than your average cafe. Each plate came out to about $20 and the portions were not super big. Each of the meals do come with a delicious warm soup. Service: 5/5 This place seems like a little mom and pop shop. The servers were very friendly and personable. They came around refilling our sauces and teas. Ambiance: 5/5 I would recommend this place as a small hole in the wall or mom and pop shop. It's cute and quaint. They also specialize in take out as their phone orders kept coming. read more

Dong Nguyen - Filet mignon with red rice - Chinese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Cornish hen with macaroni. Very crispy not too salty like other places. You get a dish of salt and lemon on the side if you happen to be a sandworm from Arrakis. The macaroni was al dente and lightly coated with tomato sauce. You can get it chopped or whole. I probably shouldn't gotten it chopped for photo purposes but I'm lazy read more

Dong Nguyen - Cornish hen with macaroni - Chinese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Microwaving old food and it's extremely mid tasting compared to nearby places. Saw the chief literally took out old rice and microwave it and its barely hot and he just served it like its supposed to be like that read more

Use to come to this restaurant all the time as a child. They have great comforting food. Yelp prices are not right though... quite off ... read more

Dong Nguyen - Chinese Near Me - Alhambra, California

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Parents and I have been going to this place for 20ish years. It's all about the cornish game hen with red rice. The chicken is fried to perfection. Give this place a shot and support this local mum and pop joint. You won't regret it! Its in the same lot as the 168 market and CVS. Plenty of parking. read more

Its been a long time since i came by this area to grab food but we stop by for my mom to get something to eat. Thank you for the service.

We've been coming here for years, and the food is still consistently delicious! Service is usually very quick and friendly. Bring cash because it's cash only. Dried cornish hen with tomatoe paste fried rice: the chicken was so crispy and perfectly cooked! The chicken is lightly seasoned, but they give you a lemon with salt and pepper if you want more flavor. Cubed steak with tomato paste fried rice: this is always my go-to here. I love the tomato paste rice paired with beef. The beef is seasoned, but it also comes with lemon and salt and pepper, if you want it saltier. I love that the dishes come with a little bowl of soup with some veggies. It definitely makes the meal feel even more hearty. read more

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Been coming here for years. Solid comfort food with friendly service. They stopped serving my favorite lamb noodles since covid but it hasn't kept me from going back. read more

On 12/6/25 morning after restaurant opening, I ordered a Hainan chicken rice. The rice and soup is fresh, which assumes new chickens are already cooked. When I ate the Hainan chicken at home, the chicken is a slight rotten already. I am a customer for decade of the restaurant, so I know what is a fresh chicken taste. Restaurant business has a high margin of profit, so many restaurants don't sell old food. Dong Nguyen greedy business sells not healthy food. read more

Where do I begin! Lol Best traditional cuisine in town. Hidden diamond in the rough, short of clichès. Amazing service and amazing food. Definitely a must if you're looking for some amazing food. read more

Homecooked food: great flavor, massive portions, tender meats (velveted beef cubes), and a very clean taste.

This place way overpriced now and still accepting only cash in 2025. I ordered 4 entrees for $85 WTF. Plenty of better and more affordable Hai Nam chicken around. read more

Don't forget to bring cash. It's either cash or Zelle. Quick, easy service and takeout experience. Had the same dish - Cube Steak w/ Tomato Paste Macaroni at the newly opened Pho n Mor Annex down the street, but it made me miss this dish from Dong Nguyen. Dong Nguyen does it better imo for the same price. Favorite: Cube Steak w/ Tomato Paste Macaroni $17 (Good portion & comes with complimentary small cup of veggie soup) ***CASH or ZELLE ONLY*** read more

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**5-Star Review for Dong Nguyen on Valley Blvd, Alhambra** If you're looking for a hidden gem in Alhambra, look no further than Dong Nguyen! This charming little mom-and-pop shop has been a staple in the community for a while, and it's easy to see why. I always order the Hainan chicken and Cornish hen, and it never disappoints. The simplicity of the meal is what makes it so special--the flavors are authentic and comforting. Every bite is a reminder of the love and care that goes into each dish. The ambiance is cozy and welcoming, making it the perfect spot to enjoy a delicious meal. Whether you're a regular or visiting for the first time, you'll feel right at home. Highly recommend Dong Nguyen for anyone craving delicious, heartfelt cuisine! The person who usually serves me is the guy and he's very nice and welcoming! read more

I'm sad to give this place 3 stars. I've been here a few times way before the pandemic happened. I'd always get the hainan chicken rice and it was amazing every time. I stopped coming after I moved to Hacienda Heights and this restaurant just wasn't really on the way whenever I was on this side of SGV. I had to run some errands and decided to stop by Dong Nguyen since i wanted to support the boba shop next door (Moo Tea) after seeing a post on the fb group SGV Eats. Hainan Chicken: the rice is delicious, just as I remembered it. Lightly flavored with chicken broth. The ginger sauce is yummy as well. The chicken however... although tender and moist, the portion was quite small and most of it was just bones. The portion in general for this dish is just off- takeout box full of rice with very little chicken. There was about 3 pieces with decent amount of meat. Cubed Steak: the tomato rice is good but not strong in flavor. The steak tasted just ok but the portion size made up for it I guess. I took maybe 3 scoops of rice before I noticed a hair hidden inside :( Each dish had 4 slices of cucumber and they came with soup. The soup had lots of green leafy veggies and a very small piece of the end of a chicken foot. If you're not a huge fan of chicken feet, don't worry the toe/claw part wasnt included. Loved the soup :) ...but I won't be coming back for a long long time. It's just not what it used to be. Restaurant is located in a big 168 market plaza. Won't have problems finding a parking spot. Cash & to-go only. read more

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We ordered hainan chicken rice at Dong Nguyen for to-go many times. It used to be 4 stars quality but now downgraded to 3 stars for me. They didn't give us much chicken meat this time and it was under cooked. Their fried noodle dish was salty and the beef quality was not good. Price was good and portion not small but it was hit and miss. I hope that they will improve their specialty dish (hainan chicken rice) quality. read more

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The food is always hot and very good The man and lady who works there speaks cantonese and will greet you upon arrival. Space is small, a hole in the wall. But..if you go, you will not be disappointed. 5/5 stars! read more

The tomato macaroni with shaking beef (bo luc lac) was so good. I love macaroni in general and the beef was extremely tender. It comes with lime and salt to dip the beef in. We also go the tomato rice with Cornish hen. The hen/chicken was p small compared to the rice ratio. But it was decent. This place is located in a large plaza w a lot of parking. This place is cash only! read more

Dong Nguyen - look at the amount of beef on this bad boy! This is the tomato macaroni with shaking beef (bo luc lac) - Chinese Near Me - Alhambra, California

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This place was my go to spot for Hainan chicken in the 626 area and I have not been able to go to this place in the last couple of years. But when I finally got the chance to go I was disappointed. It seem that they do not do dine in as all the chairs are stacked on the tables. Got my food to go and was excited to eat it and was a very disappointed The chicken hardly had and meat and mostly I was sucking the little meat off the bone. The rice was okay, but the chicken was not great. The sweet sauce did make the chicken any better. I might come back to give them another try but it will be a while before I do so read more

Dong Nguyen - Hainan Style Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Cash only. Delicious selections and adequately priced. Speedy service and quaint decor.

I have grown up with this place but thru the years, the quality has gone down a little. Food is still good but portion size for the chicken has gone down alot. They have one of the best sauce to eat their chicken and rice dish Service is great. Ambiance is a small mom and pop shop. I would come back but hopefully their protein part of their meal will get more. read more