I came here last minute since madam Lu is gone. I loved their crispy fried rice soup. So when I…read moreentered "crispy fried rice soup" in yelp I saw this place Ambiance is casual and the staff is very hospitable and not intimidating- I read what that "elite" reviewer wrote- she may have a case of long haul COVID where her sense of taste is a bit off. Complaining about details of sour? Girl that's just tongue being superior to your smell response lol I ordered a similar plate of the trinity meat dish and I loved it. MSG has been debunked for years now, read more girl so o don't have to read you here on yelp lol this is a persons business, mincing words like the way they did was very irresponsible as a community member Anyways I loved this place. - I ordered the same meat dish in their lunch kung poa special I paid 11.95 I think pre tax? With a meal I wiped clean lol I mean hello "the zucchini was sour" "the shrimp was ugh" that's a lot of audacity - sounds like she is on another planet- I did not notice anything like she described - I tend to eat my plate mixing the items for the story of food to collide. Sounds like she was taste testing each individual piece- lol girl that's a personal thing abiut yiur personality - regular people like me eat our food passionately hungry lol Everything was delicious- comforting and the spice content perfect. I'm going back again and bringing my family The soda comes in a can and glass with ice- just how I like it

Cozy old school interior with friendly staff…read more I ordered the Triple Delight lunch special. The serving size was generous. Very Americanized food with heavy use of MSG. Beef was unfortunately inedible, shrimp was average and chicken was okay but tasted like warmed up chicken so not the best. Veggies were okay though the zucchini tasted a bit sour. Rice side was okay and egg roll was okay. Fried wonton was tasty. Soup was okay. Overall, I have had much better quality lunch specials at Chinese restaurants. Food was a bit below average in taste and quality. The lunch special price was cheaper than average for California. There were Chinese customers dining and I noticed they were not getting the lunch special. I was only given the lunch special menu so I guess they assume that if you are not Chinese you are going to order the lunch special?

Wow...I came back here again, and my waiter John mentioned that they will soon be adding Dim Sum to…read moretheir menu in May. Lo and behold, he brought to our table a complimentary sample of these delicious morsels. The lunch special again was plentiful and I truly appreciate the value here and the kind service. Thank you!

My husband and I visited this hidden treasure while out riding our motos last evening around 8:00…read morepm. We had noticed the restaurant a few times before, after stopping for gasoline at the corner station directly across from Meet Up Chinese Cuisine. We had intended to stop by long ago. No more waiting. Last night, we made it happen. Ample parking is on site, and another perk in a city with a shortage of this feature. They also maintain later operating hours than most SB restaurants, another HUGE plus in a city which seemingly shutters before sundown. The restaurant interior is bright, airy fresh, clean and inviting. The two large robotic table attendants wore white attire with cheerful red aprons. They exude a special kind of whimsy and add another level of delight rarely experienced in dining. These capable assistants greet you at the front desk, and proved a novel and intriguing welcome (especially in today's landscape of our ever-increasing AI functionality). The adorable stuffed pandas are a great addition as well. The vividly colorful and impactful tile tapestry behind the entrance doors is a spectacular selfie spot and work of art. It sets the tone for "Meet Up Chinese Cuisine" ~ and is telltale of the effort and authenticity invested in everything they do. There is a live stage off the central dining room - where band equipment quietly awaits to spring to life and provide additional enjoyment to an already beautiful dining and seating arrangement. We were greeted by a kind and polite woman who was working at a nearby table as we entered. She promptly and warmly greeted us, and patiently assisted us in placing our order. This included an item not located on the menu, which my husband loosely described. (THANK YOU!). We were invited to wait comfortably in the dining room while the order was prepared. The scents emanating from the nearby kitchen were heavenly, and so enticingly to our already eager appetites! We placed an order which included three mains and a large soup. It was prepared accordingly to order, and in due time. Bagged and carefully carried to our table, where two young male attendants used the receipt to double-check the contents and asked if we needed any condiments or items. Exceptionally attentive and aware team in this eatery. We were truly excited to get it home and dig-in. Before I describe the dishes, I cannot PRAISE this next feature enough. I've never seen it before, and it is a game changer for take-out (especially saucy dishes and soups)! Once home we carefully unbagged the items...anticipating some leaks and spillage (as we transported it in the cargo attachment on the back of a Motorcycle! Not a DROP!! I carefully removed the plastic lid from the Pork (soft noodle) lo mein with vegetables. Over the TOP of this container, and UNDER the plastic sealing top lid -- we found "SARAN WRAP" which cleverly sealed itself utilizing the heat reaction caused by the HOT food (hence the term: shrink wrap). I was stunned, in a giddy excited manner! I carefully and easily removed the Saran Wrap to a beautiful burst of FRAGRANT steam and delectable noodles with an abundance of meat and FLAVOR! Every bite was flavor-packed and the meat was "melt in your mouth" tender. The temperature was MOST notable. It was as HOT as if the dish had just finished cooking in the kitchen. Splendid! Each subsequent dish (ie: moo goo gai pan, spicy beef with select peppers and veg, hot and sour soup, and the BEST steamed rice) were literally some of the most authentic, flavorful, and delicious Chinese fare we have ever enjoyed. In the top "5" for sure. "CRAZY - GOOD." The kind which lingers pleasantly on your palate and maintains a solid place in your memory vault! For a little tucked away haven, "Meet Up" surprised us in the BEST of WAYS, and now we have a solid genuine gem to enjoy whenever the urge for the ULTIMATE CHINESE FARE hits. Pricing is affordable, with generous portions for the prices paid. Even the steamed RICE is complimentary and provided WITH the dishes (where most in our city seem to charge as ala carte nowadays). There is no skimping here on the rice either (or any dish), and the fresh, tasty, superior locally sourced ingredients shine through in every single bite. Thank you to all who helped us last evening. You represent the very BEST in restaurant hospitality and food service. Santa Barbara is blessed to have you amongst our ever-changing restaurant culture. We became loyal patrons the moment you extended such grace, kindness, and professionalism as we held the menu and discussed options and selections at the register. We are grateful, and appreciate you and your five-star staff, food, and memorable restaurant. Beyond exemplary all the way around. Bravissimo!

We love that there is outdoor seating. Not a lot of seating so it can get pretty full fast…read more We ordered a coke, veggie tofu spring rolls, orange tofu, and combination pho. It hits the spot. Super flavorful tofu and had the outer crisp. The pho I inhaled so fast. A lot of noodles and meat. The server nearly forgot to bring out the bean sprouts and basil with a friendly reminder. Otherwise I would absolutely come again!

Pang Zi has become one of my favorite places to eat pho and until recently, their fried rice! We…read morewere sat immediately on a busy Saturday night and we were taken care of right away! Their servers were incredibly sweet and made sure to check on us during the night! My partner ordered their rare steak pho and she destroyed it in no time! I fell in love with their combo fried rice! They had a Vietnamese hot sauce that worked perfectly with the rice and the pork. I'm looking forward to my next fried rice trip!

I find the ambience and food at China Pavilion to be great. And they have a bar as well…read more The service is very professional. I'd recommend it if you are craving Chinese food and in the Santa Barbara area.

Hands down the BEST Chinese food in Santa Barbara. There is no comparison!…read more If you're looking for incredible Chinese food, this is the place. My husband and I come here all the time, and every single visit is outstanding. We have our absolute favorites: the chicken fried rice, spicy pea pods with oyster sauce, and the sizzling rice chicken soup, which is a must. When we bring our son, he always orders duck, and this restaurant truly shines in how many amazing ways they prepare it. He loves every version. When we have friends or family visiting, we explore even more of the menu, including Szechuan dishes, noodle plates, and so much more. Everything is consistently delicious. But it's not just the food. The people who work here are fantastic. They are warm, welcoming, attentive, and genuinely happy to have you there. They make you feel like a regular even on your first visit, which is rare and so appreciated. We've tried the Montecito location, and while it was fine, it simply does not compare to the Santa Barbara restaurant. This spot is something special. If you haven't been yet, do yourself a favor and go. You won't regret it, and you will definitely be back.

Haven't been to this neighborhood gem in a few years, since I radically changed my diet and dropped…read moreover 100 pounds. We went last night with out-of-town friends and the food was as good as it was when I first reviewed Szechuan 12 years ago. Susie took our order for the chicken and Chinese cucumber from the secret Chinese menu. The dish was the same level of deliciousness and after all these years, Susie remembered the details of our customization of this order (hold the green peps and add baby corn and shrooms). Also, enjoyed the sichian fish stew. The spareribs our friends ordered also looked moist and tender with a beautiful red glaze. Our friends gobbled them up!!! Szechuan is still a solidly great restaurant and continues to offer wonderful customer service.

Kind of a cold vibe coming in. We were the only people there. Employees were very serious, cold…read morehard glares. We ordered 3 items, they came in one minute (not fresh, but microwaved.) The server was pleasant when she served us. Food was ok, but I could microwave at home.

Excellent food and service. Great flavor and well cooked dishes. Love the lettuce cups and dim sum…read moreappetizers

Great Chinese food. I would say best jam bbong in town- spicy Korean seafood soup. Really nice dept…read moreof flavor. The basil beef is my favorite because it has a nice strong basil flavor. The wife likes the crispy walnuts shrimp because they don't over batter the shrimp like many other places. So you get a nice ratio of shrimp to fried wrappings and they candy the walnuts. Wife also likes Chinese scallion pancakes because it's a nice texture. This time we ordered the Mongolian lamb and Hunan lamb. We preferred the Mongolian lamb because there was more lamb and Hunan lamb has broccoli(I'm not too big on broccoli). The crispy fried jumbo shrimp was good and I liked how they gave us spicy mustard sauce (wasabi hot). Service is pretty good.

Great deals for lunch specials. Fast service , tasty food and great ambiance . Definitely will stop…read morehere again for a quick bite to eat while in the area. Huge selection to choose from

Let me start by saying this use to be one of our favorite places to eat over the years. We would…read moreeither stop in or order delivery a few times a month. However, the last we went three times we were shocked at how far far place has declined. So much so we decided this was our last. The food was marginal and extremely greasy. The service wasn't very good either. One of the employees spent most of his time on his phone. The other two were pleasant but never really bothered to check in with us to see how we were doing. They were quick to drop off the bill and disappear. The restaurant use to be clean. Now the seats are coming apart and it had a funky smell like grease and old food.

My wife and have been customers of Madam Lu since a they opened in 1998. There are a bunch of…read moredelicious reasons why we are still regular customers. Lu, the owner, is also one of the friendliest people you'll ever meet and she always treats us very well. Ask for food that's not on the menu and I think you'll like them:) I highly recommend this restaurant!

I want to love this place...the decor and service feels like great Chinese restaurants of…read moreyesteryear. The food was not what I expected, bland even. I ordered the chicken chow mein menú lunch. The buffet, if you want sheer quantity, may have been a better choice.

My husband and I dined here for the first time last night and I have to say the food here was…read moreamazing!! The wonton soup, orange peel chicken, the eggplant, chow fun, and jasmine tea were all so flavorful. Not only that the service here was fantastic. Kudos to the one server that was juggling multiple tables at once, it's not an easy job however he was positive, friendly and upbeat. He got all of our orders out in a timely manner and also put our items in to go boxes for us once we were done eating. We definitely will be coming back!

We ordered a door dash from here. When we received our order, the bag was filled with juice from a…read morecontainer with our food, and it was dripping everywhere. It was Christmas night and it was raining, the poor drive. It wasn't his fault. We were still able to enjoy our version of Christmas dinner. The food was tasty and flavorful. The amount was perfect for 4 people. I was unhappy about the broken container juice dripped on my carpet. My original choice for dinner they were closed. I'm very grateful China king took my order at last minute.

I love it here (except for the one customer on his cell phone talking LOUDLY!) The service was…read moregreat, the menu is simple, and the food is delicious. I highly recommend the ginger soup for anyone that is sick or needs warmth. Sliced chicken, mushroom, baby boy choy, carrots, and jullienne slivers of ginger. So good! A small bowl is pretty large, at least to me. I ordered the Mei Mei Tofu dish which comes with white rice. I took a scoop of that white rice to put in my soup, too. The heat holds well in the Tofu, which was still hot after my soup. I didnt need to add anything to it. No salt, no soy sauce, no white pepper...it tasted delicious. I enjoyed my meal. I will return!

We're regulars at Uncle Chen in Carpinteria, and it's always a great experience. Clean, quiet, and…read morewelcoming. The orange chicken, shrimp chow fun, kung pao beef, and hot and sour soup are consistently fresh and flavorful. Generous portions, hot tea, and friendly service every time. A reliable favorite, highly recommend.