My boyfriend and I were craving some good Chinese food nearby, and Mandarin Island was one of the…read moreoptions that came up. I'm a bit surprised at all the low ratings but, I'm happy I decided to give this small business a try. I placed an order online through their website, and placed an order for pick up. The pick up time was 45 mins, which was a bit high, but we were okay with that because we ordered early enough, and the food was worth the wait. Once we arrived, we found parking in the back, so I entered from there, mentioned my name, picked it up, and went home to enjoy it. The place itself looked a bit dated but was a cute little restaurant. I wouldn't mind eating inside the next time around. We ordered the cheese rangoon for our appetizer, I got the beef lomein for myself, and my boyfriend got the Kung Pao Chicken. It came with rice which was nice. The total was $45 with taxes, which was reasonable given the potion size and quality. It took us two days to finish it. All the food was flavorful, fresh, and delicious. I will definitely be ordering from here again!

Two stars -- and that's being generous…read more The food was heavy, greasy, and seriously lacking flavor. With so many solid Chinese food options in the area, this place simply doesn't measure up. What really sealed the poor experience was the service from a woman who appeared to be the owner. When I politely asked to move tables to avoid nearby customers loudly using vulgar language, she came across as dismissive and rude (whether due to attitude or language barrier, the interaction was not handled well). I ultimately had to move myself just to enjoy my meal in peace. The only bright spot was our waiter, who was friendly and prompt. Unfortunately, one good staff member isn't enough to offset the overall experience. I won't be returning.

Still love this place. If you get takeout it's packed very nicely…read more Dined in today and service was till good, portions tasty and a decent size and quality for the price I love the beef teriyaki and the wonton soup The soup is just a tasty broth and very nice filled wontons that have great flavor to them. I should have consulted my review so we tried something different - we got moo goo gai pan again today In my takeout order we got mooshi which was tasty .

Ick. Now, I'm basing my review on only one lunch by myself, so figure that in as you read…read more This place certainly loves it's oil. Everything I had was laden with this heavy, greasy, fattening stuff. If you're a fan of cooking oil, this is your go-to spot for sure. I had the "gourmet" dinner. That means Mongolian beef, my usual in basic old-school Chinese places like this. I chose won ton soup over the seafood soup choice. The broth was fine, but the won tons were thick and doughy. Not great. The beef seemed of a decent quality, but was absolutely floating in oil. This made the green and white onions too soft and mushy and dripping with oil. Ditto the very messy foil wrapped chicken appetizer, but the egg roll was okay, if bland. There are plenty of excellent choices for all types of Chinese cuisine in the Valley. No need to come here. Again though, remember I only had one dish, but I have an idea it's indicative of the entire menu.​

This was a very cute cafe in Pasadena…read more There is a line out of the door but the service is quick and the staff are nice. There are also lots of menus posted outside for you to browse while you wait. There are several drink options and pastries offered. Outside, there are lots of tables and chairs in the hallway to relax and catch up. The Uji matcha latte tasted quality, and was unsweetened which I liked. My friend got the Vienna Latte and it was very good! It's on the sweeter side bc of the sweet cream but still tastes like quality coffee.

I go out of my way to make a pitstop here. It is by far one of my favorite coffee shops to visit…read morefor create drinks that tie me back to flavors I grew up with. Cute and quaint is the way I'd describe the vibes. With no more than 4 people allowed in the shop at once, there's almost always a line in front and seating is limited to a few out in the arcade courtyard. I usually like to take my drinks to go so I can grab a pain au chocolat at C.A.R down the street but sometimes I'll linger if a table opens up. They team up with different microbakeries on weekends to host popups, my fave being crumbs and flakes, so that keeps the pastry rotation interesting. My drink of choice now, having tried a few items off the menu, will forever be their gui hua (osmanthus) latte. No one can convince me otherwise. Everyone I know who has tried it, has loved it. While there are a ton of hyped coffee shops and cafes, this one is definitely not one of them.

I don't usually leave reviews, but this place truly deserves one. It's really a gem! I was so…read moregrateful they were open on Christmas Day. They had a limited menu for the holiday, but everything we ordered was absolutely delicious! The hot and sour soup was so comforting on a rainy Christmas. It honestly warmed my soul. The orange chicken was very tasty, and the shrimp with string beans were super fresh. The cheese wontons and beef fried rice were clearly made FROM SCRATCH! You could actually see them being prepared in the kitchen! It was completely understandable that customization wasn't possible since they were the only place open, and you could see there were only two or three people working while nonstop orders kept coming in. Even though the staff were clearly exhausted, they stayed friendly, patient, and welcoming the entire time. The lady at the front was especially kind and patient while taking our order during such a busy time, even though my grandma has trouble hearing, which we truly appreciated. The wait was long, but absolutely worth it! The service never lost its warmth. The inside looks very nice, and it seems like they are remodeling with customers in mind. Truly appreciate their dedication and holiday spirit. Thank you for serving us such a wonderful Christmas meal!

Never have I seen customers treated as poorly as they were here. Here are objective factual events…read morethat occurred during my and others' visits (I was waiting for take out). * Woman on the phone is surly and rude af and says they don't have broccoli as a side but offers beef and broccoli to a customer on the phone while I'm awaiting takeout. * Refuses to modify any dishes when a customer walks in and asks very nicely if he could please have lo mein with chicken and nothing else. Lady refuses to tell the kitchen to remove the cabbage. Nice customer leaves in disbelief while giving her a piece of her mind that it is Christmas Day and maybe they should think about ensuring return business * My food gets done while I am literally sitting in front of the cashier from whom I ordered. She does nothing to check if my food came out and lets it sit for 10 minutes after being bagged I will NEVER be back and you shouldn't spend money either. Rude, incompetence should not be rewarded.

We love the food here and our favorite waiter, Marc! He always goes out of his way to make sure…read moreeveryone is happy and satisfied. Marc always goes beyond the call of duty with a smile on his face. We appreciate him + all the staff. -Hammer Family

Perfect for party! We had an incredible experience with the catering menu--it was absolutely…read moreamazing! Ms. Lee went above and beyond to accommodate us and made sure every detail of our order was perfect. Our guests couldn't stop raving about how delicious the food was, and we received so many compliments throughout the event. We'll definitely be ordering again for future parties. Thank you for making my mom's birthday party a success! We've also been loyal customers since 2004, always loving the lunch specials--so we're thrilled that they're now available on weekends too. Such a fantastic upgrade to an already wonderful place!

Sometimes you stumble upon a place so good you almost hesitate to talk about it, part of you wants…read moreto keep it a secret. That's exactly how I felt after taking my boys out for Chinese food at this spot. I nearly didn't write this review because it truly feels like one of those hidden gems you're lucky to discover. From the first bite, it was clear the kitchen takes pride in what they serve. The food carried a noticeable freshness and authentic depth of flavor that immediately stood out. I ordered three staples to get a good sense of the menu: chow fun, fried rice, and walnut shrimp. Each dish delivered. The chow fun had perfectly cooked noodles with that signature wok flavor, savory, balanced, and satisfying. The fried rice was light yet flavorful, with every grain distinct rather than heavy or greasy. And the walnut shrimp was the highlight: crispy shrimp coated in a creamy sauce that hit the right balance of sweet and savory without overwhelming the dish. What impressed me most was the consistency and quality across all three plates. Nothing felt rushed or generic, everything tasted carefully prepared and full of character. In fact, the experience was good enough that I've already returned since that first visit. The menu clearly has more to offer, and I'm looking forward to exploring different dishes each time I come back. Places like this are rare, excellent food, authentic flavor, and the kind of quality that keeps you coming back.

We ordered takeout yesterday. Their online ordering food was good, no problem there…read more The online ordering system asked for a tip, which I did not include, since we were going to pick up the items in person. Then, my eyes moved on to a breakdown of the bill. It included sales tax, of course, AND a service fee of around 7% -- both reflected as a single amount of money on a single line, entitled "Taxes $ Fees"! Maybe the "fees" were for the food cartons and plastic bag? Upon further examination today, this is how they describe the so-called fees: "Support Local Fee" (a flat 99¢) "Surcharges" (a strange percentage) Question -- do customers dining in also see these charges when the bill arrives? Maybe it's time to simply raise menu prices...

Stopped by Northern Cafe Bar & Grill for lunch sometime on a weekday. Plenty of parking spots…read moreavailable to park. Inside the eatery was bright and plenty of tables available for dining. We were greeted right away by the hostess and she also sat us down. Excellent customer service from the moment we came into the establishment until we left. We tried their famous Chongquing Crispy Chicken along with the Beef, Chicken and Shrimp Fried Rice. It was yummy. Definitely glad we stopped by to try their food. The servings for both the entree and mixed fried rice were plentiful. We can't wait to comeback to try other food items on the menu. Another eatery worth frequenting in the San Fernando Valley.

Decent Chinese food for the Valley - Beef roll: tastiest of…read moreall the dishes! good overall flavor and the pastry was crispy - Fried rice: alright, a little bland, but that could be because it was vegetarian - Beef noodle soup: flavor decent, I especially enjoyed the wide knife cut noodles - Green onion pancake: decent and crispy

Came here for happy hour with friends. We got all four of the dishes on the happy hour menu. My…read morefavorite were #1 Brussels sprouts were cooked to perfection. Then the #2 spot landed on the smashed burger then the #3 spot were the refinery fries with beer braised short ribs on them. The 4th and 5th landed on the fried chicken sando and the Fish & Chips. The place is a combination of a bar and seating area but no TV's to watch a game. It was pretty dead when we were dining and I hope it got better when dinner time came around because the food was good and so was the service as our waiter came by frequently to check on us and refill our drinks. They have plenty of street parking and a couple of blocks from them they have a parking structure. Come on by to socialize with your buddies and enjoy a time of good food and drinks.

We recently had a death in our family which led us to look for a restaurant away from the city. In…read moredoing some research we came to find that Newhall had a few new restaurants, based on the reviews and the pictures we traveled there to the Newhall Refinery. The street front seating and building architecture is very appealing and welcoming. As you enter the main doors, you are greeting by friendly staff. We were offered any open seating, we decided to take a table against the back wall that was adjacent to the entry. The decor inside is very rustic with a touch of micro brewery, the ceiling has many tap handles that adorn the ceiling. The menu and food, we were initially drawn into the Refinery since they seem to be the only spot that offered Brunch and Mimosas in the downtown street. Key point of clarification, the Mimosas are simi bottomless (you have 90 min) to pour down, some of us really like Mimosas, plus the price was just slightly higher that we typically expect at 27, per person. Were they good, yes, so we decided to go with one Mimosa and an Old Fashion drink, it was very well done, Buffalo Trace Bourbon. We ordered from the Brunch menu, the Steak and Eggs, cooked to your liking, they did a great job on both, the one item that we were less impressed with were the overcooked Oreda looking potatoes that accompanied the meals. We also ordered the Cacio e Pepe Beni, Prosciutto, perfect poached eggs and all of the other fixings, it was great testing and the presentation was amazing. As far as my overall rating I could not give it a 5 star due to what other customers have shared in their reviews, the wait staff is not timely, almost forced friendly and possibly just lacking some restaurant experience, they did not come around or notice things like empty water glasses and a few other things, could have been understaffed possibly on this day. Overall I would still recommend the Refinery due to the location, atmosphere, drinks and main dish prep. Thank you for providing a break from reality during a very trying time in our family.