I had a wonderful time dining at Lai Lai with my boyfriend after arriving at SFO. The eggplant with tofu and basil was such a delicious dish, the savory glaze paired with the basil helped bring out a very umami flavor in the eggplant and tofu (which soaked it all up!). The orange chicken was also delicious, the breading was yummy and crisp. The white rice here is perfectly fluffy and comes in a decent portion for one. The hot and sour soup was enjoyable! I wouldn't say that this was a standout dish, but it did come loaded up with delicious toppings. The bamboo shoots and tofu were plentiful! The service here is also very quick, I wish the owners continued success. read more

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My family and I have been coming here for over 20 years, and it has always felt like home. As vegetarians, we truly appreciate how accommodating they are--especially making their hot and sour soup special for us without meat. It means so much and never goes unnoticed. The food is consistently amazing. The green onion pancakes, salt and pepper tofu, and fried rice are absolutely delicious every single time. You can tell everything is made with care. On top of that, the entire staff is always so friendly and welcoming. They treat us like family, and that's why we keep coming back after all these years. Highly recommend to anyone looking for great food and even better service! read more

Came here for dinner and was satisfied. This return visit had friendly service and quiet interior. The food was delicious and old school Chinese. I recommend and will eat here again. read more

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Came here with my mom after landing in SFO. I absolutely loved the service here, they were just so prompt and checked in frequently about needing anything. The food itself was absolutely delicious, it gives classic home made Chinese food. We ordered the egg rolls (deliciously crispy), green beans (bomb), honey walnut prawn (perfectly made), veggie chow mein. Everything was wonderful. It's such a mom and pop spot which makes it very cozy inside the restaurant. Love it so much and can't wait to come back!!! (: read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - Veggie Chow Mein / 素炒麵 - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

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One of the Chinese restaurants in Millbrae I wanted to try for my comfort food, won ton soup. I ordered the variety "with all the goodies," which turned out to be a mistake. They warned me it would be a very full meal, and indeed it was more than I could eat, a bowl piled so high with solid material that there was little room left for the broth. The only vegetative manner was a hunk of spinach and a few bits of scallion, which would have been in it anyway. The "goodies" were mostly solid chunks of - rather dry, considering that they were in soup - chicken and beef, plus exactly two (2) shrimp. The won ton themselves were big dumplings of roughly cut meat, rather tastier than the "goodies." I should have gotten just the plain won ton soup. Rather dull flavor and soy sauce but no hot sauce on the table. Service attentive and friendly. read more

Amazing food and service! My husband and I were starving after a day exploring SF. We were served very quickly with water and hot tea. The menu selection was extensive and reasonably priced. We got the general tso's chicken and Mongolian chicken and both were superb. The portions were large and we had leftovers. We were well taken care of the whole meal. Would recommend to all friends! read more

This was recommended by my family to try. It was my first time, and it was amazing! The restaurant itself was very quaint and cozy. Gary provided great service and served us with a smile. We had the corn soup, lemon chicken, salt and pepper fish, and walnut prawns. Everything we had was delicious. The workers made sure our waters were always filled and that we had enough tea during our meal. I would definitely go here again! read more

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It's an old outdated restaurant but the service was great and the food we ordered was very flavorful and delicious for the price and the portion it was worth it for me. read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - Walnut Prawns - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

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I've heard about Lai Lai ever since I moved to Millbrae years ago, and finally paid a visit. Got to go combo plate it's hugely portioned. The shop is kinda quiet on a supposedly busy weekend lunch hour. read more

Great location in downtown Millbrae, ample timed parking in the area. Attentive service, fairly quick; not the best, but fast enough. Food-wise, solid with good flavor, maybe slightly overcooked on the noodles, but it's savory, and that's what I'm looking for; my comfort food. Decor could definitely use updating. While it may not be the best I've ever had, it's a great choice in Millbrae where there is a lot of choice in the area. read more

1st time order from the restaurant. Almost $16 for the wonton soup. Only 8 small pieces wonton with a plain soup( you can taste the soup is the water they cook the noodles ) With tax and tips it's gonna be $20. Regardless their price. The wonton didn't taste good either. Not like the original wonton. You only taste the ginger flavor inside. With such price and the quality of the food. I won't come back. read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - Wonton Won Ton Soup (Whole, 32 oz) / 雲吞湯 - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

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I really do enjoy their food . Good solid and hot every single time . I travel for work and i truly have good choices for food in this area . nothing like getting one of my fav take out read more

Best egg foo young I had in a while Very friendly staff looking forward to trying more read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - And gonna lie a little, bummed out that they sold out of egg foo young but next time I got to come earlier as it was 30 mins before closing - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

I had lunch there earlier today. The staff were amiable and the service was prompt. I ordered the lunch menu spring roll, noodles, fried rice and sweet sour pork and pork bun. ; I was unable to finish the entire meal due to the generous portion sizes. I enjoyed the food and took the leftovers home for my husband, who also appreciated the meal. The pricing is fair and accessible. I strongly recommend that friends and family consider trying this establishment. read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - Spring roll, noodles, fried rice and sweet and sour pork. - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

Another fabulous family dinner at LaiLais.We had reservations and our table was ready for us. We are always greeted with big smiles, such a welcoming atmosphere. The piping hot and crunchy Egg Rolls came out first, then the refreshing Chicken Salad, which is a family favorite. Our entrees this time were Orange Chicken, Egg Fu Yung , Pork with String Beans, Walnut Prawns, and BBQ Pork Fried rice, all delicious! Tea and water come with the meal, as do the fortune cookies at the end. One family member enjoyed a beer. Our total, including a 20% tip, was $172, that's roughly $25 per person, with some leftovers to take home. Amazing! (They also have cocktails and nonalcoholic beer, and for dessert offer a variety of Double Rainbow ice cream) read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - My receipt from last night's meal - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

I've been here twice, and it's hands down the best Chinese food I've had. The green beans with prawns, Mongolian beef, and fried rice were all amazing, and the portions are very generous. The service is fantastic--everyone is so kind and welcoming. My date even called ahead for a window seat, and they were happy to accommodate. It's hard to find great Chinese food in Daly City, South San Francisco, or even San Francisco, but this place truly stands out. read more

I tried this place because they have an everyday lunch menu that comes with soup and an item on a plate with a spring roll, rice and noodles. I got the sweet and sour pork and we also got the almond chicken that came with rice. Had a potstickers appetizer that was excellent. They had won ton soup or hot and sour, so I got the won ton. Everything was very good. They are clean and have hand sanitizer at each table. Service was a little slow and the food was a bit oily but everything tasted great and the staff were nice and professional. read more

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These guys are the real deal, family restaurant that is from days past. Good food and friendly service. Dont use doordash or uber eats with them, order directly to support this local establishment. read more

All good things must come to an end and it appears that my favorite Chinese restaurant since has fallen by the wayside. My family and I went often since it first opened in the early 80s. Last night, I was really craving Lai Lai's and made the trip to Millbrae. The first thing I noticed was the state of the interior. Looked like it hadn't been cleaned for quite some time. We ordered green onion pancakes, pot stickers, lemon chicken, chicken chow mein and pork fried rice. Of those items, the green onion pancakes and the pork fried rice tasted of fried fish and the chicken chow mein had a very weird texture. The pot stickers and lemon chicken tasted okay. After a few bites, we decided not to finish the meal and the waitress seemed miffed that we weren't taking it home. What a waste of $75. I miss Jimmy and Gary :( read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - Filthy ceiling and fans - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

334 Broadway Ave Millbrae, CA 94030 "Lai Lai Restaurant" is an award winning chinese restaurant that offers delicious Mandarin cuisine. Opened in 1983, it is Millbrae's oldest chinese restaurant. I have eaten at this place three times, and it's time to award it 5-stars for food, service, and generous portions. My first visit, I didn't know what to expect. The tables had white tablecloths, and the wait staff were neatly dressed. I ordered Wor Won Ton Soup (full order), Eggrolls, and Salt & Pepper Shrimp. OMG, they brought out a huge bowl of Won Ton Soup big enough to feed 3-4 people. Maybe 9 dumplings, shrimps, meat, and spinach. The Eggrolls were freshly made, not frozen. The Salt & Pepper Shrimp were breaded and deep fried. Served with peppers, onions, salt and pepper, they needed to be mixed a bit. I asked for hot oil, chili sauce, and vinegar. So the Salt & Pepper Shrimp weren't spicy enough, but were crispy and a little crunchy. My second visit, I ordered Mongolian Beef, Corn and Chicken Soup (1/2 order), and side of White Rice. While I was enjoying my corn soup, I could hear the chef beating the beef tender in the kitchen. The Mongolian Beef was thinly sliced and tender. Beautifully presented with a blend of carrots, green onions, and white onions. The dish wasn't super spicy, but it wasn't salty either. Very good, a 5-star dish. I'm 2nd Generation ABC, and I had a Grandmother from the old country. She used to sit at the table and preach about cooking good food. She said the true test of a restaurant is how well they cook fish. So, on my 3rd visit, I ordered Ginger Fish, Hot n' Sour Soup, and a side of white rice. It was about 5pm on Christmas Eve, and the place was busy. People waiting for a table, people waiting for takeout, and delivery drivers waiting for orders. The wait staff still took the time to check every table. This place has good attentive service. How was the food? The Hot & Sour had that "made from scratch" taste. It wasn't powdery or have any spicy after taste. The Ginger Fish was cooked perfectly. Whole pieces of fish, silky smooth, tender and easy to eat. Presented with green onions, ginger and bamboo shoots. Another 5-star meal. This place opened in 1983, and the interior decor is a little outdated. But they makeup for it with white tablecloths, nice dishware, well dressed wait staff and good service. Also, there's a collection of model jetliners. MISC Notes: -You have to ask for chopsticks. -Men's room is large -street parking Overall a 5-star dine-in experience. If I'm in the area, I'll probably return and try something else. read more

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Great Chinese Food!! Everything was delish. Parked in a lot nearby. Service was great. Able to snag a table in a Wednesday rainy evening. Menu had lots of options. Started with sizzling rice soup for 6, had prawns, snow peas, bamboo shoots, and the regulars. Rice was crispy and soup was very tasty. Nothing bland here. The egg rolls were crispy, not greasy and very tasty. The sauce was not too sweet or thick, just as I like. Entrees. Chicken pan fried noodles was my favorite. So tasty. Lots of chicken and fresh veggies. Plenty of sauce for all of the noodles!!! Mongolian beef. So tasty. Noted as spicy but it wasn't too spicy. It was exactly as I enjoyed it. Perfect sauce. Not dry like some others. Lemon chicken. Crispy. Sauce is thick and sweet. It was good but too sweet for my preference. Wanted to try some ice cream dessert, but next time. Recommend if looking for traditional delish Chinese food. read more

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This restaurant is one of the best. Excellent food and great service. The owner Gary has always been committed to providing excellent food for a reasonable price. I have used them for large catered parties and they always provided plenty of food for the amount of people who attended. Highly recommend them. Tom M read more

Pleasantly surprised by the food and generous portions. The pork in hot sauce had a lot of flavor, but was fairly mild in terms of spice level. The egg fu young and mushroom gravy contained 3 large and fluffy pieces. (And I had enough to have leftovers for the next day! The service was quick and attentive! read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - a plate of noodles with meat and vegetables - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

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Ordered the lunch special Kung Pao Chicken. The chili oil was either rancid or not thoroughly seasoned and mixed. Too pungent. The lunch specials are not under $10. Expect to pay almost $20. My most disappointing experience with this restaurant was when I meticulously ordered an office lunch on their own website and the transaction was declined due to "suspicious fraud", but charged my credit card. We had a team member call the manager to sort this out and they kept telling us that they couldn't help us- and they never received our order details. If you have a third party company taking your orders, then you should communicate to them how important your business's integrity lies upon them. read more

While searching for a place to eat nearby, I came across Lai Lai which was known for their walnut prawns. Honestly, I had to say the walnut prawns were phenomenal, with a hearty serving of large juicy prawns fried with a crispy light batter and coated in a honey mayo glaze with the perfect sweetness. I also enjoyed the salt and pepper spare ribs and the beef chow fun, which also were also quite tasty, but my only critique was that the food was a tad salty even when paired with white rice. I'll soon be returning again for more of the walnut prawns and am excited to try the other dishes on the menu. Pros: Excellent service. Large portions at reasonable prices. Clean and well kept with hand sanitizer bottles at every table. Walnut prawns are a must try! Cons: Street parking can be challenging on weekends. read more

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This is my go to Chinese restaurant. I have been going since 1985. The food is fabulous, taste great, you can spice up the heat if you want. Must try the szechaun chicken, potsticker, garlic green beans, honey prawns, lots to choose from. The ambiance is perfect quiet, relaxing atmosphere.Kid friendly too. The staff is friendly, attentive, personable, helpful. This place is clean, neat & tidy. Owners Gary & Vincent set the mood for a perfect outing. Highly recommend this place! 20 stars!! read more

So yesterday I got home from work sick , basically your cough and sore throat. I knew there was nothing at home that would hook up my hunger and the way I felt. What I did though, was order food from Lai Lai's. I absolutely ordered the perfect meal when sick. The chicken wonton soup, some steamed rice and combined the two. Other than that, I ordered potstickers, egg rolls and their vegetable fried rice. Thee girlfriend got to enjoy everything else. Don't get me wrong though, I did have two delicious eggrolls. I ordered it through Grubhub and the food showed up around 45 minutes later. I really appreciate their service. They placed everything in the paper bag, stapled it closed and on top of that, they put a sticker on the side. So you can tell the paper bag wasn't opened I know I have knocked them in the past for this. Their food is clean and not over-seasoned,like you would find at a typical Chinese restaurant. If that's what you're looking for, this is your place. Thank you Lai Lai's, I really appreciated you, in my time of being sick. read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - Chicken, wonton, soup and steamed rice. - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

I would say the food is pretty good. We ordered walnut shrimp, chow fun, corn soup, ginger fish, orange chicken, salt and pepper ribs with rice. The portion size was alright compared to other Chinese restaurants I've been to. The service is good too with the servers being really friendly. Ambiance is alright. I would say, there were about ten of us and they were able to accommodate us pretty quickly which I was thankful for. A good place to eat at with your toddlers and if you have a big family. Wasn't able to take photos of the food since we were starving, but this is the photo of our group and you can see we pretty much devoured the dishes. read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

Reasonable price, taste so-so. If you are just passing through the area with limited time, I would not choose to eat here. Maybe somewhere cleaner... read more

This place is a hidden gem, I had lived in Millbrae for like 10 years and have never been here before. The place definitely looks like it's been here a while. Interior is simple and very clean. I love the display of airplanes. Our waiter was super helpful and attentive. All of the items we had were delicious and I highly recommend. 1. Calamari - Crispy and lightly salted. Jalapeños definitely gives it that extra kick. 2. Schezuan style fried chicken wings - This is spicy, yet once you start eating it, you can't get enough. Clears your nose right up. 3. Salt and pepper pork chop - I was blown away by this one. It was boneless and tasty, not greasy. This felt like something I could snack on all day while vegging out in front of the tv. 4. Dry Braised beef chow fun - This was delicious. The noodles were perfectly cooked and didn't give you that greasy kind of slimy after taste. This was clean and not greasy. Not sure if you understand what I'm trying to say, but if you've had your share of chow fun, you get what I'm trying to explain. 5. Honey walnut prawns - not going to lie. This by far is the best one we've ever had. It was crispy and crunchy. I definitely loved that it wasn't overly drenched in the sauce. Walnuts were addicting to eat at well. 6. Fried rice yang chow style - It's like a house special fried rice but with a perfect mix of meat and veggies. I definitely can't wait to come back here again. The dishes were simple yet tasty. The restaurant doesn't cook with msg as well. Portions are huge, which is rare now a days and definitely reasonably priced. Parking can be a challenge depending on the time you come. read more

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We needed some lunch and we wanted a small variety of flavors. We ordered a somewhat eclectic collection of food. Mom ordered Dry Fried Chow Fun with Greens added. My partner ordered a Mongolian Lunch Plate which came with a bowl of Hot and Sour Soup. I rounded out our meal with Salt & Pepper Tofu and a Chinese Chicken Salad. Overall the food was pretty tasty. It would have been nice if the server would have either given us each a bowl of soup or offer it at nominal cost. Many other restaurants that I've been to would have provided a bowl with the Chow Fun. read more

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Ordered Beef chow mein. It did not taste like beef. It did not taste like meat. I had no idea what it really is or how they got it taste that bad. I think they should close.. read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - Beef chow mein. It did not taste like beef. It did not taste like meat. I had no idea what it really is or how they got it taste that bad. - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

Amazing lunch! Great portions ! Great value! Delicious! Service is quick and professional! Best in area! read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - Lunch! - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

I ordered this for delivery so I can't speak to the restaurant itself, however the food was delicious. It hit the spot for my craving of Chinese food, whereas some restaurants just miss with the quality and flavor of this cuisine. The "Special Chow Mein", which features various meats such as pork, beef, and chicken, was tasty. However, the egg rolls were the highlight of the meal. Overall a great tasting meal. read more

This restaurant is a gem and institution to the days of yesteryears in Millbrae. Yes, it's authentically American Chinese. Yes, Millbrae have other purely authentic Chinese eateries. But this place is a reminder of what an American dream looks like. Places like this, therefore, needs to stay and survive to remind us what hard work and perseverance looks like in America. Aside, food is always fresh and made to order while keeping it low in the sodium department for the aging population in Millbrae. Though I'm a younger person, I appreciate the love this restaurant gives to accommodate its elderly residents and clienteles. 5/5 recommend because of its nostalgic factor and reminder that in order to move forward, we have to appreciate and be thankful for the past, and the giants who were before us! read more

We were craving Chinese food, and this definitely hit the spot! We had wonton soup (yum), orange chicken, Mongolian beef, potstickers, and chow fun. Everything was flavorful - loved all the finely cut veggies in the dishes (they kind of mimicked the noodles which made it fun to eat) and the portions were with a satisfying about of meat. Bonus, they gave us a handful of fortune cookies for the two of us! No additives in their cooking and the food tasting homemade. Great spot. read more

LOVE Lai Lai's!! Every dish is so fresh and delicious. Staff are friendly and efficient. I eat here often. read more

Lai Lai Restaurant - Walnut Prawns - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

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As a midwesterner I love to get Asian food when in the area and Lai Lai is the best Chinese food anywhere on the planet. The crispy tofu is absolutely to die for! read more

Food quality and freshness is lacking. Also, on the take out order they forgot to put Tofu as the order was for Kung Pao Tofu. Too many options available in the area to settle for mediocre food. read more

Food quality has deteriorated in the last few months. From a non Chinese perspective, the food was kind of tasteless and poorly prepared. Chow mein is very bland, pot stickers were bland and doughy, and the sweet and sour pork was also bland and the pork very dry inside a tremendous amount of fried breading. read more