Another delicious dish I just had at Renee's: Combination pan-fried noodles - crispy chow mein noodles with chicken, beef, shrimp and veggies. I've ordered this dish in most every Chinese restaurant I've been to... often times, the sauce is lacking in flavor basically tastes like chicken broth and cornstarch, and the texture gelatinous. Little Shin-Shin on Piedmont was a favorite, but alas, the owners retired. Renee's is even better, high quality ingredients make such a difference. The noodles were crispy, not at all greasy and softened beautifully under the sauce the sauce, which was the perfect consistency and very flavorful. Renee, of course, was her charming, attentive self. read more

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Always great food and great service!! I've been going for nearly 30 years and will keep on going.

I really wanted to love this place because the food is really really delicious! but the portion was so small and the price expensive that it wasn't worth it. First of all I ordered takeout vegetable chow mein and asked to have chicken added to it. They said they would charge me an extra $2 to add the chicken. That was fine. But when I got home and opened it, there were hardly any pieces of chicken in it! Really skimpy! I paid an extra $2 for three tiny pieces of chicken meat. The vegetables were skimpy too. The entire serving was so small, it was only half of what you normally get at other places and I was charged a total of $21 for it! But the plus side was that the food (what little amount of it) was very very fresh and delicious so therefore I will give them two stars for that. read more

Renee's Place - Very small portion, didn't fill the box at all. Where's the chicken I paid for and asked to be added to it? - Chinese Near Me - Albany, California

We ordered the orange chicken and fried rice; the orange chicken is just fried flour pieces with orange sauce! No chicken The fried rice is ok Will not be ordering again! So sad for they do mentioned that they use organic ingredients. read more

It's good, the green beans were really good though but everything was alright. Just came here after work, the service was great though!! I'll come back for that! Very sweet older women. read more

Renee's Place - Chinese Near Me - Albany, California

Small portions and under seasoned underwhelming food. The egg rolls were just fried greasy wraps with nothing in them. Small portions and overpriced. Go elsewhere. read more

Renee's Place - Chinese Near Me - Albany, California

We found a big dead fly in our takeout. When I called the restaurant to let them know, they were unapologetic and told me to bring the food back. I offered to send a photo instead, but they said they didn't have a phone (really?). They put me on hold to check with the kitchen, and when they came back, they told me the screen door was closed and there were no flies--implying, I guess, that I was lying? They offered to refund just the fried rice the fly was in, but I wasn't comfortable eating anything else from the order. After going back and forth, they eventually said they'd refund the entire meal, then abruptly hung up, saying they didn't want to talk about it anymore. I had a feeling they wouldn't actually process the refund--so I packed up the uneaten food and returned to the restaurant. Sure enough, they hadn't done it. Still no apology. They took the food to the back again and repeated that there were no flies in the kitchen. I guess they were all in the food. This review could've been very different if they had handled the situation with basic courtesy and accountability. Just say "I'm sorry." It's really not that hard. read more

Renee's Place - Big dead fly! - Chinese Near Me - Albany, California

I can't believe this is my first time eating here, I've lived in Berkeley for over 25 years! A friend suggested we meet here for dinner tonight. She's been eating here since they opened, which I think was over 25 years ago. Anyhoo, we ordered the wonton soup, so good! Mushu with shrimp, the wrap was so tasty. Then their special rice, brown, wild, and black rice mixed together with basil egg plant, another winner, and then green beans with fried tofu. Everything was delicious and the place is so calming and nice classical music, very easy to have a conversation with your dinner companions. Highly recommend this place and yes, service was also great. Sorry, forgot to take photos of the food. read more

The best Chinese restaurant in the Bay Area. Great meat quality I love the Szechuan beef. I've been going there ever since I was young and I love it every time. read more

We have been going to Renee's Place for over a decade. Although we moved to El Cerrito, there is no better, fresher, more flavorful Chinese food in our area. They do not use MSG and their proteins and produce are very high quality. I can honestly say we have never had a bad dish from them. A bonus is the soft lighting and Chinese art on the walls. It's a tasteful, soothing environment with excellent service and Renee herself is almost always there to welcome you. read more

This place is massively underrated, and the service is genuinely great (the owner is lovely and attentive). They do classic dishes really well, I was not expecting to have the best orange chicken I've ever had there but there you go. But they also have lesser known dishes, the cumin lamb was amazing. The green beans and eggplant are flavorful and fresh too, and there are loads of veggie options my friend got that she enjoyed. Support this place and sit in the restaurant to enjoy the ambiance, it's a hidden gem. read more

Best Chinese food in the East Bay. My family have been going here for 10+ years. They use local produce and you can tell. Everything tastes fresh and light. The orange chicken, sea bass fish, crispy noodles are a must! read more

My sister and I had a late dinner here. It's a nice neighborhood on Solano Ave with lots of restaurant choices. I had kung Pao chicken and she had lemon chicken. Really nice! What you would expect from a traditional Chinese restaurant. Our waitress was very friendly and we were happy with the service. Very nice background music of Strauss waltzes and then some Chopin piano. read more

Renee's Place - Kung pao chicken with rice - Chinese Near Me - Albany, California

I really wanted to like this place as it came highly recommended from someone I trust. I love the concept and the idea of using good ingredients. Unfortunately the wonton soup I ordered had not one but two hairs in it. A curly gray hair and a short black one. When I showed it to the waitress, she took it away and told me they'd make another one but I'd lost my appetite by then. I had also placed an order for food to go before I got the soup. They made me another soup as part of the to go order and tried to charge me for it. I asked for a refund and only got a refund or the soup. No big deal - I just don't feel as confident in cleanliness of this restaurant and kitchen practices. I really hope they take the feedback and try to do better as I really loved the concept and idea. read more

What a shame. We came here to celebrate my wife 65th birthday, and unfortunately, we were underwhelmed. Several people had told us that Renee's Chinese restaurant was very good. I don't want to be harsh and wish I could leave a glowing review, however, of all the dishes that we ordered there was nothing memorable flavor wise. Let me break it down first I ordered a Tsing Tao beer and the beer was not chilled enough. Secondly, because it was my wife's birthday. The wait staff counted us an onion, pancake, which I was excited to try. Again, however, there was no lasting flavor. The third thing to come out were the potstickers, which were adequate, but not upstanding. the next dish was the hot and sour soup and once more not very flavorful. Then came the entrées, I ordered salmon with green beans. My wife ordered prawns with garlic sauce. I'm sad to say that there was nothing memorable for my taste buds to report on. Possibly because it was a Monday night, their regular chef may have a night off. I don't know. But I was very disappointed at the blindness of the food. I did not walk away with a bonanza of flavors, exciting my taste buds. I hope this was an off night for their kitchen and that they serve more flavorful dishes on other evenings. read more

I decided to come here because I wanted to try their soup, okra and chicken. Plus they have a few different things. The food overall was okay not bad but not exceptional. The best thing was the okra. Maybe because not too many restaurants have this. The Hot and Sour soup was also good. The Kung Pao Chicken was a little too spicy. The other dishes was just okay. The service was good and attentive. And the place was nice and clean. Maybe next time I will come for lunch. read more

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I've been eating at Renee's place for many years. This is by far my favorite Chinese restaurant in the Bay Area. Her food is not only very tasty but it is also extremely wholesome and made with very good organic ingredients. My favorite dish is crispy duck. Make sure to order it if you eat there. We mostly order food to go, but the times that we have eaten in the restaurant, the service has been outstanding. The ambient and decor of the restaurant is very tasteful. None of the cliché Chinese decor, rather modern and contemporary, almost zen-like and very welcoming and tasteful. Renee herself is a great hostess and a beautiful person, both inside and outside. read more

Excellent food and service. Pleasant atmosphere. Fresh ingredients Nice owner and staff.

Renee's food is fresh and delicious, and the staff are very friendly. Also lots of great vegetarian options.

Best Chinese restaurant! I never feel guilty eating this because they use local organic ingredients. I've been coming here with my family since I was small and the atmosphere is always the best, I love the staff and everyone is very attentive. read more

First time here and found the food, service and ambience excellent. As others have mentioned it is more expensive than other Chinese restaurants as quality ingredients are more expensive. We ordered the sweet and sour pork, black bean chicken, orange chicken and kale. The 4 stars is because the dishes seemed a bit cold when served. It was a cold evening but perhaps warm plates would help? My husband finds most Chinese food too sweet and he loved the black bean chicken (spicy). When I asked my friend what she thinks made the kale so delicious her answer was, "Magic". read more

The food was not good at all. My first complaint came with the spring rolls. I asked for cabbage vegetable egg rolls. They were stuffed with crap, no veggies in there, and yet they told me that they would be. I told manager I did not like and she did not charge me. Next, they brought out main dish I ordered: mix vegetable and shrimp prawns. Shrimp tasted like flour was on them. I did not eat this either. The manager compromised with me for some type of payment. So, I gave them $15 just out of courtesy and left. The service to me on a scale of 5 is 2. Also, I could tell while looking around at other people eating their food that they weren't pleased either. I could tell they wanted to agree with me but were afraid. Condiments like soy sauce, not on tables. I hate to keep asking for things I need to enjoy my meal. Ambiance was ok. read more

Renee's is my favorite Chinese restaurant. The food is so good! My go-tos are the pot stickers, sizzling rice soup and beef with broccoli. They are also willing to make modifications like not including soy sauce if gluten free. read more

Renee's Place is a hidden gem on Solano Avenue, in Albany (just neighboring Berkeley to the North). Renee's is named after the owner - a beautiful soul whose restaurant is an oasis of delicious food and a beautiful and very tastefully designed atmosphere, and with excellent and kind service. With classical music playing in the background, you will enjoy well-prepared, delectable Chinese dishes. For vegetarians, Renee's offers substitute meat options that are quite nice in texture and flavor. If you're seeking an upscale Chinese food experience, please give Renee's a try and say hello for me. :) read more

We've been coming here for twenty years and it will always be one of our favorite restaurants . You know those places that are so loud they shake your teeth out of their sockets? Well Renee's is not one of those places. Fans gracefully moving the air around, Mozart gently trickling from the stereo, it's all very restful. And the food continues to surprise me. I'd fallen into the pattern of always ordering from a short list of favorites but tonight the wife wanted some comfort food and ordered a tofu dish which turned out to be silky and delicate and floral and went especially well with the Gewürztraminer (she's got a very finely curated wine list). It's high end Chinese food, always competent, never fails to impress. Renee herself is just a lovely person and has that characteristic of making you feel *seen*, and if you trouble yourself to come in more than a couple of times will probably remember you and greet you like she's missed you. read more

Renee's Place - Imagine this with classical music. - Chinese Near Me - Albany, California

Renee's Place has minimal decor of black & white pics of scenery, etc. on it's walls. offerings: lunch specials eats: kung pao imitation chicken(11.75) -tart hot & sour soup, not hotness tasted -tart iceberg lettuce salad -3 pieces of semi soggy tart & spicy fried calamari -cubes of vegeterian chicken (not tofu) with red peppers, cucumbers, peanuts, in a tart & spicy sauce. -fortune cookie had no fortune within. unknown if it's a bad omen or they've gone paperless. *food definitely for those with tart tastes. otherwise go elsewhere. leftovers: -after dropping off food, waitress just dropped off "check" without checking in, & literally went to lunch. read more

Gourmet Chinese on Solano Fresh Meat & Produce We had the Spinach Tofu Soup, Orange Scallops, Xyghur Cumin Lamb & Rice Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The breaded, deep-fried jumbo scallops in a tangy, not too sweet sauce stole the show. Last Meal on Earth kinda stuff read more

Delicious Chinese food with very attentive customer service. We had the shrimp chowmein and sweet and sour chicken with rice. 10/10 recommend! read more

We love Renee's and so appreciate their attention to sustainable cooking, the ingredients are wonderful, the flavor is spot on, the service and ambience, warm and family oriented. I don't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu. Now our go to for Chinese food!! read more

Definitely a local favorite. Everything on the menu is tasty and prepared thoughtfully. Unlike other local places, we also appreciate that every entree is not dripping with oil and grease. Renee's really focuses on quality. As it's a smaller local place, the menu is not as extensive, but everything is good. read more

Quiet and spacious place. Waitstaff had a kind demeanor, and we're flexible on making a substitution, but overall weren't effective. The food was only average and seems like many ingredients not organic. We don't plan on returning. We ordered the wonton soup and were told a small was enough for two. It was only enough for one, and was $17. Ordered the beef iron skillet as it was one of few dishes that come with protein and some veggies. Was supposed to come with three vegetables, came with one. Had to ask a few times to get an answer, told that chef forgot to add one, other was out of stock. They took it back to have chef add the one they forgot, but looked at me like I was crazy when I asked them to please add one of the other veggies that was on their menu. Usually a restaurant would let someone know if they are out of one of the ingredients for a dish. Menu lacking dishes that combine both veggies and protein. Unless you are sharing multiple dishes with others, it's hard to get a balanced meal. For another dish asked what sauce it came with (not listed on menu) and also got a strange look. read more

Renee's when Renee is not there: flies, loud telling in the kitchen, man talking loudly on his cell phone Aaron the back table in the dining room, and no lovely classical music. Good food still. Favorites are orange beef, eggplant, chowmein. Come back Renee, or mAke sure quality control for ambience is in place when you are absent. read more

Renee's Place - Orange beef with chowmein and eggplant appetizer lunch - Chinese Near Me - Albany, California

Fiancee and I were craving some Chinese during this shelter-in-place, so we tried this place out. The food was great. Typical portions as any other Chinese restaurant, but the flavor was good. I especially loved how fresh the chow mein and potstickers tasted. The orange chicken was a bit too suacey for me (I thought it was sesame chicken), but everything else was great. The staff was SUPER friendly. Looking for this pandemic to end because I'd love to be able to dine-in here instead of only having take-out. read more

Our favorite Chinese food restaurant in the area! Absolutely spectacular food, the kindest owner, wonderful ambiance. Its our pleasure to support Renee's every time we visit. read more

We have been ordering from Renee for years. We love the rolling lettuce chicken, soups, vegetarian entrees, and fried rice. Our kids especially love the fried rice and I love that it's made with quality ingredients and not greasy. Yes it's a bit pricey, but they prioritize using fresh and organic ingredients as much as possible. Bonus - Renee is always kind and welcoming. read more

I ate here years ago and what stuck in my memory was that the fish in the soup stank of chlorine. Chlorinating seafood is illegal (and doesn't help the flavor). We all need to cut way down on seafood consumption since the ocean is being disastrously depleted by overfishing. Large scale Chinese fisheries are particularly destructive as described in a recent NY times article. read more

I was so excited to try their Veggie potstickers until I opened the box and saw how small they were . Not to mention the fact that they were filled with spinach only and tasted awful like plastic . Cost about 15 dollars for this . I will never go again . read more

Renee's Place - This is a photo of the veggie Potstickers Such a disappointment........ - Chinese Near Me - Albany, California

When we lived closer to Renee's Place this was our "go-to" Chinese food place. It's a little more expensive than typical Chinese food restaurants, but the quality of the ingredients comes through. We came back to town after a couple of years & headed straight here. If anything, the food is EVEN BETTER. We had the tea-smoked duck, the Uighur lamb, the spicy beef with basil, & the mu-shoo pork. All were excellent, and I should make special note of the lamb: cumin can be tricky -- but the seasoning here showed a confident & deft hand at work on it. Too little and it doesn't impress, too much & it impresses in the wrong way. Just right is hard, but that's what came on our order. The duck, too, was great & made excellent leftovers as a sandwich with cherries. These were highlights, but all the selections for us tasted great. Renee's Place does a fine job with COVID practices, and the staff remains friendly as ever. read more

My friend and I stumbled across this place as we were walking by. We walked in and the decor was gorgeous. The customer service was amazing ,they sat us by the window. We ordered the pork dumplings and the green onion pancake. We got some jasmin tea an order of orange chicken and a order of chicken chow mein. Everything was delicious and my friend even ordered a chow mein to go. I'll definitely be back and recommend. I wish I had taken photos :( read more

Strangest combination of "Chinese" food I've ever had. The crispy duck was crispy all right. Very little duck left after frying the bejesus out of it. Not sure what the point of the fried tofu was. It was like eating regular tofu with the outside lightly toasted. And the HK pan fried noodles were quite burnt and very crunchy. Nothing against the people working there as they were very friendly and were talking about how their kids are all grown up and going to college which was very sweet. But... the food is definitely incredibly lackluster and overpriced. read more