The best Chinese spot on this side of the hill! If you live in Aptos or anywhere in Santa Cruz County, you need to check out Four Streams Kitchen. I've been looking for a solid go-to Chinese takeout spot for a while, and this place absolutely knocks it out of the park. Do yourself a favor and order the Szechuan Boiled Fish (Sichuan Shui Zhu Yu). It is insanely flavorful, perfectly spicy, and easily one of the most legit, authentic Chinese dishes I've had in the area. If you prefer the classic American-Chinese comfort staples, those hit the spot too. The Kung Pao has the perfect balance, the potstickers taste completely house-made, and my family is obsessed with their chow mein.  The ingredients are always fresh (especially the veggies and seafood, try the fried prawns!), and the staff is incredibly kind and accommodating. Great portions, amazing value (especially the lunch combos). read more

I would give this 3 1/2 stars. It was the first time ordering last night through DoorDash. First, I will say that in the Aptos area this is far better than anything in this town, and way better than Panda Inn. I probably should have just picked up the order because $80 for Chinese food for two people is a bit steep and honestly ridiculous. The first negative thing is the fact that we ordered pork fried rice and ended up getting the fried rice but with chicken instead so OK, edible, but there is something about pork fried rice that I really like so that was disappointing. Also ordered their vegetable green bean with garlic sauce dish, and the green beans were cooked nicely although a side order of green beans for $16? Yes, I made the decision to order simply because I wanted a veggie with the rest of the meal. I ordered a chicken breast dish that was coated in some sort of a Panko-ish crunch. That was good although I wasn't expecting it to be fried. When you're hungry, you just eat it anyway... Truth. also had the potstickers which were typical nothing special, although they did serve it with some sort of a hot pepper sauce, which was good although the seeds in it were quite tough. They also pack a little container of what looked like white vinegar weird not at all like what you would normally have. We will probably try again as we explore the menu, but I will definitely pick up next time. Oh and finally with an order that clearly served two people they throw in one fortune cookie. How cheap is that? Jury is still majorly out on this place, but just wanted to share for now. read more

The staff is fun and helpful. It's a family style place, so you can bring your group. Food-wise I was half and half. The curry chicken was really salty, as was the kung pao chicken, which didn't seem very spicy. I did enjoy the walnut shrimp and ginger chicken. All and all, it was ok. read more

Four Streams Kitchen - Lunch - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California

Unfortunate. This was my first time sitting inside and it was not good. The smell of smoke is awful and made it hard to focus on the food. The fried rice was... okay. Plain, but hot and filling. The Mongolian beef was a train wreck. The beef was chewy and sparse, the onions were basically raw. read more

Four Streams Kitchen - Mongolian beef, shrimp fried rice - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California

Food was delicious! Service was fantastic! Would highly recommend if ever in the area again!

Took a quick pic of their hours- Yelp has them wrong. Great food, casual place, owners are local and friendly. read more

Four Streams Kitchen - Hours and Specials - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California

***Overall: 3.75 stars*** Service: 5 stars We were seated, served, and tended to right away. Excellent! This smiley lady checked on us and kept an eye on us the entire time we were there. Facility/Location: 5 stars Everything about the facility and location is 5 stars -- from the restaurant being easy-to-find in Aptos Village, parking is ample, restaurant space is large and clean. Even the ambiance has just enough decor to whisper "Chinese restaurant" so they didn't need to put the description into the name. Decor was simple and looked family-owned. Menu/Price: 4 stars A decent menu with reasonable prices. I like that they offer lunch specials, but it doesn't say anything other than a lower price, so I guess that just means you get rice and the dish for a slightly discounted rate? It'd have been nice to get a side with it, like potstickers or a salad and a drink. Some authentic Chinese dishes aren't on the menu, but then again, this is also the first Chinese restaurant menu I've seen that is in all English, so perhaps that gives me a hint why. Food/Flavor: 3.5 stars The food came out super fast and it tasted good, though the noodles lacked flavor. My daughter had to add salt to hers and I reached for the spicy chili -- both things were uncommon actions by both of us! Other than that, the food tasted good and was freshly made. We did like that food and plan to order from there again. read more

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Everything was so good! From the moment you walk in you're greeted by the front and the food also comes out by so fast and tasted so good We will be back! read more

The food was good. We had take out do service was gine. Could not be better - well parking the area can be a bit tough.

chicken was overcooked and dry. Garlice chicken wings had no garlic. Will not order delivery from here again. read more

Food was great! Folks who run this place are so nice. Wonderful service. They gave our kids special chopsticks, and they were so excited to use them to eat all the green beans We especially loved the potstickers, the hot spicy eggplant, the green beans, the vegetable delight and the sezuan beef I really liked the paintings on the walls. Felt very calm read more

Jessie D doesn't know how to order real Chinese food. You don't go to an authentic Chinese restaurant and order American Chinese food which is not authentic Chinese food from China. More people order Chinese food from here than all others in the area BECAUSE it is authentic. If you want to start off with an amazing dish order the Sichuan boiled fish and a bowl of white rice. Eat them together in your mouth. You won't be disappointed. Americans don't now that boiled food in other countries is 5 star, packed full of flavor and makes meat melt in your mouth. By the way, vegetables should be crunchy, not mushy. Asians know how to cook food. read more

Four Streams Kitchen - Sichuan boiled fish. Delicious! - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California

We saw this place on Yelp and decided to try it. Every dish we ordered was delicious and we were well taken care of. We ordered chicken salad, sweet and sour pork, shrimp in lobster sauce, bbq pork chow fun, eggplant, and rice. The colors on the vegetables were so beautiful and vibrant. It's one of the best Chinese food places we've eaten at, and we've eaten at a lot of them. read more

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We were in the area and decided on Chinese food. Excellent food. Excellent service would definitely go again we loved it. The owners were super nice and so welcoming made us feel very special. read more

The food here was so good! We ate in and got the honey walnut prawns, ginger onion beef, general tso chicken and veggie chow mein. The service was super friendly and everything came out so quick but tasted so fresh. read more

Food is tasteless! No seasoning or flavor! We ordered kung pow combo, hong kong style chow mein & mu shu pork. Would never go back. Owners mingled and tried to be inviting while food was being prepared. The owner was personable but came of as a kook with his half cocked baseball cap. Didn't eat much since it was the worst chinese food we have ever experienced. Took home leftovers so as not to offend owner but dumped in trash when I got home. Please don't waste your money or time on this place. I wish we would have known but yelp said good place to go. read more

Attended in person for lunch. This restaurant has no personality, no atmosphere whatsoever. Wait person did not smile, seemed very bored. The food was bland and unappealing. Nothing was done to make the dish appealing to eat. Just a pile of white rice and some steamed chicken with green veggies. No attempt to make the dish look appealing or appetizing. The food tasted just " ok". Not worth the effort to go there or the fairly high cost for what you get. First and last time my family will go here. read more

I think this place is really good. Very clean inside, all the good stuff on the menu. Very kind service. We got the sesame chicken, potstickers, and beef chow mein. I recommend for chinese take out in the area. read more

Four Streams Kitchen - No Sesame Chicken left. - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California

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Food is great. Very quick service for take out. Wor wonton soup is superb. Good size portions.

This place is a reprise of Uncle Kwoks, which used to be in the same location. I recognize some of the people and it feels quite the same. Solid menu offerings. Had the eggplant with spicy garlic sauce and mushu with vegetable/tofu. Hard to find this kind of food anywhere around this area. I will definitely be back! One more thing... They used to use homemade pancakes for the mushu now, they use the more prepackaged type but still very decent. The staff are friendly and the place seems pretty clean read more

Take out so minimal service but food was ready when I got there and was hot. Pretty empty for Friday at 6:30pm. Combo chow fun had little protein. A bit bland. Garlic sauce broccoli was good. Combo appetizers were a bit dry. Mushu chicken was ok. I'm sure they do some dishes well but haven't found this dishes over 2 visits. Not many Chinese options in Aptos so no competition. read more

5 Stars for the hot and sour soup I've tried a few other things on the menu, but was not impressed. The hot and sour soup is very good. read more

The noodles were soft and overdone. Instead of fully cooking the noodles and then warming them before serving them, the kitchen should cook the noodles slightly underdone, then they will be still firm when warmed and served to the customer. read more

I thought I already rated this restaurant. Again, my husband and I have enjoyed many meals there, both in the restaurant and Take Out. The food is very good, the service (Paul) is excellent and the atmosphere is very comfortable. I would definitely recommend it to others. Anne Young read more

Stopped by here with a few friends, and we were all super happy with everything we got. We ordered the crab rangoons, Szechuan boiled fish, walnut shrimp, sweet and sour pork, and snow pea, mushroom, and bamboo shoot dish. Everything was seasoned really well, and I was honestly surprised at how authentic their boiled fish was - it was everyone's favorite. It wasn't super spicy and had a nice subtle mala flavor, highly recommend trying it if you go here! There's a good amount of fish and veggies in the dish itself, and along with the savory thick broth, it goes really well with a bowl of white rice. The veggies were also really good, and the snow peas were cooked perfectly as they still had a nice crunch. Service was also nice, and the ambiance was relatively quiet and peaceful. The food came out pretty quick, too. Great mom and pop shop! Overall, we'd definitely come back here next time we're in Santa Cruz, especially for the boiled fish, snow peas, and to try their other things! read more

Four Streams Kitchen - Szechuan Boiled Fish - definitely get this - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California

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We ordered to go. Food was delicious and fast service very friendly. Next time we'll eat in so it's warmer and tastier. We had walnut shrimp, brown rice and special chow mein with Hong Kong style noodle. Will definitely return! read more

Amazing schezwan food. The boiled fish has soooo much flavor. It is going to make you go back again and again and again. Love the vegetable stir fry, tofu salt and pepper... yum! it's not your run of the mill Chinese food. A humorous host, very good service, easy parking in a great spot in Aptos. But none of that would really matter. Because you'll go back just for the food. Wow! We have gone back half a dozen times and it's stellar. Give them some love. You won't be disappointed if you crave authentic schezwan cuisine. read more

The dumplings were perfect especially with the hot chili sauce. They were not overly cooked which is an art. However, the mushroom chicken was slimy and the chicken was of poor quality. Yes I would recommend it but ask them about the chicken read more

Food was felicitous and crispy. Service was quick. Ambiance was traditional. Definitely some of the best Chinese food in the area.

Friendly, quick service food arrived very quick Top favorites: Szechuan boiled fish / snow peas -bamboo shoots- mushrooms / crab Rangoons Wanna highlight the Szechuan boiled fish - soft tender not too strong overwhelming Szechuan chili numbing feeling, yummy flavor goes well with rice Clean bathrooms and overall nice peaceful vibes Sorry we ate all of the crab Rangoons and walnut shrimps before taking a photo read more

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This is our go to Chinese spot in the area. It is somewhat off the beaten path but for those of us in Aptos a while, they took over a previous Chinese food place, I forgot the name, maybe Uncle Kwoks? It is in the same shopping center as Showtime Pizza and UPS. The food is always good and the front counter is attentive and patient as we made a decision and asked some questions the first couple of times we went. The restaurant is much cleaner than it was as the former place and lighting is also better. We used to go to Golden Fu Wah nearby so if this is closer to you too, this place has a very similar flavor profile. I do think this place has better service and the place is aesthetically appealing than the previously mentioned establishment. Our favorites have been Mongolian beef, Kung Pao Chicken, and for the kids, lemon chicken. We have also enjoyed chicken chow mein, combination chow fun and the sesame balls. read more

I tried this restaurant for the first time, and I found the food to be super yummy! The vegtables in the veggie fried rice were fresh, crunchy and delicious. The sweet and sour chicken was tasty with just the right amout of tangy. The food prices are nice as well. read more

We have dined here for years. It is hit or miss, the past few times there have been several issues with our food. Bland, wrong items. We ordered vegetable fried rice and received fried rice with egg in it only. I ordered chicken chow mein, and it had a very strong fish flavor. We ordered Kung chicken that basically came with celery, peanuts, and onion, Very little chicken. The service is fine. Friendly staff but when we tried to call to get help no response, or the call ends. It is very unfortunate because in the past, the food was top-notch. hopefully they will get it together as there is not many Chinese food restaurants in Aptos. read more

I found an old metal staple in my fried rice. At first, I thought it was a rock because it was so hard when I bit down, but it turned out to be a staple. I'm very thankful my toddler wasn't the one to find it or, even worse, swallow it. This is a serious safety concern and shows poor quality control. Unfortunately, I won't be returning. read more

Best Chinese food in Santa Cruz hands down! The owner is the funniest, sweetest person in the world! I love coming here to support him and his business because he makes everyone feel special! The interior is clean and spacious, making it a perfect place to bring big groups! The food itself is delicious and flavorful. The pork chow mein is my personal favorite but everything that I have tried here has been delicious. read more

Got take out, combo chow mein, pork egg foo young and scallops with vegies. Chow mein only 2 shrimp and not much protein, egg foo yung sauce tasty, small portion, short on scallops also. Not sure I will return, maybe to try a cheaper lunch special. Place only had one table for dinner read more

The food was ok but, what I didn't understand was the price! The total online when I was ordering, came out to about $43. At the final checkout, the order was nearly $60!! It wasn't worth $60 for 3 items! read more

Serviceable, albeit very bland, Chinese food in a comfortable, clean, homey setting. Nothing to get excited about, either positive or negative. I could pick apart the dishes I ate, but why bother? FSK is in Aptos. If you want authentic, excellent Chinese food (regional food!) drive over the hill. The food here is more like the stuff I remember from the old days in San Francisco's Chinatown, where small, family-run diners served up Chinese-American food -- ample and satisfying and underflavored. Comfort food. Lunch plates include two sesame balls filled with sweet bean, for dessert. That's a nice touch! A caveat: The host/server (owner?) thinks he has a dry wit, but to me his joking comes across as overfamiliar and rude. A big turn off, to this older woman. He might be wise to save the jokes for repeat customers. Read the room. Would I go back? Maybe. But if I do I will definitely be dipping into the chili crisp jar! read more

I was craving Chinese food so ordered from here. Definitely scratched the craving! I will say some dishes were disappointing (the crab rangoon I definitely wouldn't get again, both the dish itself and the sauces were quite strange), but overall really solid and happy with the meal! read more

Friendly, clean and spacious. Food is Fresh and delicious. Worth giving this delightful place a try. read more

Four Streams Kitchen - Shrimp and vegetables - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California