After a long absence from Shang Hai, my family returned and was incredibly pleased to find that their quality of service and their vegetarian offerings were the same. The lemon soybean chicken, soybean beef with broccoli, orange soybean chicken, and sweet-and-sour soybean chicken did not suffer the fate of new, "improved" recipes that other restaurants have succumbed to in our past. Again, the service was friendly, attentive, and everything came to our table very soon after ordering. We really appreciate the quiet, relaxed atmosphere. I also love that they have a Lunch Special - for a family of four, it makes for an economical, while still delicious and satisfying, afternoon out. Thanks for being a reliable restaurant, Shang Hai! read more

We were in town for a show at the SB bowl and came across this spot. The owner greeted us and seated us walking in. She was super friendly and welcoming. We ordered some green tea and one peached flavored. It was so refreshing on a warm day. Beef and broccoli, Kung pao chicken, sautéed, fresh and hot. We also had a bowl of steamed rice. Everything tasted great, it really hit the spot. We will definitely be back! read more

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Cozy old school interior with friendly staff. 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? read more

Shang Hai - Hot and Sour Soup - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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the ONLY good chinese restaurant in Santa Barbara. Refined authentic flavors. FRESH ingredients. Santa barbara local. new favorite spot for me. as a Vegetarian, lots of delicious options. The whole restaurant was full of what looked like Chinese models--UCSB undergrad Wealthy scion or chinese aristocrats . The word is out: Shang Hai is IN. read more

The owner of the place was very nice and was very helpful when it came to choosing our dishes. Her hospitality was amazing. She remembers customers and is very friendly. I got the Dan Dan noodles and it was really good! The peppers will make you cough and sneeze, but I think it's worth it. If I lived here, I would 100% come back again just because of the owner's friendly attitude. read more

Shang Hai - Dan Dan noodles - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Can't get enough of our favorite Chinese comfort food as well as Bao & dumplings! Service is always so warm welcoming and on point! Love this cozy eatery, definitely giving home vibes! Shout out to Dani the owner and head chef! read more

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We have been going here for decades! Their vegetarian options are mind blowing! We now live in Ventura, but drive up whenever we can!

Amazing! Best sweet and sour soup I've ever had. And the hot pot had so much meat, unique and authentic. The owner herself came up to us to confirm we knew what we were getting lol. Great service too read more

I came here last minute since madam Lu is gone. I loved their crispy fried rice soup. So when I entered "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 read more

Shang Hai - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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everything was satisfying and ok, msg heavy i think but that's kind of a norm for chinese food. it's chill and quiet inside. owner was quite friendly and nice, that's a bright part! maybe it's cause we are from the bay, so we are asian foods harshest critics. read more

Shang Hai - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I love this place!! Absolutely the best Chinese food in the county! This time I tried the Mu Shu Chicken and it was fantastic! My buddy got the Pork Egg Foo Young. My friend says it is the best he has ever had. Nice big helpings too! Quick service and very reasonably priced, which we all need in these expensive times! Dani is an absolute delight too! My favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara, I highly recommend this awesome restaurant. read more

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It was our first time there,based on the reviews,food and service was excellent. Highly recommended.

This the best chinese food I've had in Santa Barbara since before Covid. Spicy szechuan tri flavor, shrimp noodles, and a couple of others that I can't remember but were delicious. Outstanding location for a dinner before a concert at the SB Bowl, as it's just a couple of blocks away. Highly recommend Shanghai Restaurant for anyone jonesing for great chinese food. read more

Shang Hai - The 4 dishes we shared at Shanghai Restaurant- Sorry I didn't get pic before we dug in, but after tasting it I had to capture the cuisine - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

this place is the real deal! delicious and authentic Chinese and Sichuan cuisine in a warm, inviting ambiance. As a Chinese American myself who has a keen interest in spicy, numbing Sichuan food - i can approve this place is DELISH and more importantly, authentic. The minute you walk in, you're greeted warmly by the owner Dani. She's so sweet and personable and always remembers my name! We ordered the spicy fried chicken, green beans, soup dumplings, pan fried buns, sichuan hot pot and green onion pancakes. This was for four but we couldn't get enough. Highly recommend - this place is truly a gem! PLUS they have delicious boba and fruit teas. All freshly made to order and curated in-house. 5 stars all around!! read more

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Great food and service! Plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Got their: Curry fried rice 4/5. Loved the flavors Veggie fried rice 4/5 Chowmein 4/5 Mapo Tofu and Eggplant Tofu : 5/5. Two of the best things we ordered. Parking in parking lot right outside. There was a wait of 15-20 min to be seated. It was also because we were a big group. Nice and cozy ambience. read more

Homemade and authentic! We had amazing service from the owner and while we waited she was so friendly talking with us. She told us how this place has been around for over 40 years too! We had the chow mein with beef and two kinds of pork bao. The crispy pork bao was definitely my favorite! Great spot! read more

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Friendly owner and servers. Really good soup dumplings and Chicken chop suey. Generous portions. Quaint little restaurant. Will definitely be back read more

Best atmosphere, excellent corn egg drop soup, mango tea, Chinese tea and many Chinese dishes. Very happy event for family. Visited this restaurant over decades and it is better than ever! read more

Shang Hai - Mango tea - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My lunch was delicious! I ordered muu shuu chicken and I loved it. Portions are generous and service was very efficient and friendly! read more

Shang Hai - Muu shuu chicken - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We stopped by to order takeout, and our experience was mostly positive. The woman who helped us was incredibly kind, and our food was ready quickly. We ordered Moo Shu Pork, Chicken Chow Mein, and Szechuan Vegetables. This seems to be a family-owned restaurant, and it's clear they put in a lot of effort. The food was hot and overall pretty good, though not the most flavorful we've had. My main feedback is about the Szechuan Vegetables. When a dish is advertised as "Szechuan," you expect some chilis, onions, or garlic to add a bold, spicy flavor. Instead, the vegetables were coated in a very heavy, sweet sauce with little spice. I'd suggest cutting back on the sugary sauce and adding more traditional Szechuan flavors to make the dish stand out. I will add a photo of it for reference. Other than that, the restaurant itself is charming, and we'd definitely come back to try more of their menu! read more

Shang Hai - Szechuan Vegetables. - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The food, was on point both times we went to pick up food there. I loved the orange chicken.

came here with a couple of friends on a trip and just to sum up everything, the service is great. The lady upfront is really interactive and she provided descriptions of foods and even providing pictures. The food was great. Some of us ordered some spicy dishes and they were pretty spicy, they'll mess up your stomach for sure. read more

Had dinner here with people who lived in China. They recommended it, and honestly, it was one of the best asian restaurants we have been to. Every dish we ordered was excellently prepared and delivered. It was busy when we were there. This place should be packed every night! Also, the condition of the restaurant is very nice and clean. read more

Shang Hai is the perfect hole in the wall Chinese restaurant that gives old school vibes, stellar service, and tasty food. Tucked away in SB in a busy but small shopping center, the restaurant was easy to find but definitely smart to get here before lunch rush as the parking situation was a little crammed but there were open spots. The restaurant itself is pretty small but very cozy and inviting. We were greeted by one of the servers and offered a comfortable booth. The menu for lunch is pretty extensive. They had so many lunch specials and deals to pick from. The lunch combos are also so reasonably priced! It looked like every special was under $15. That included your main entree, soup, rice, crunchy wonton, and an egg roll. You can't beat that deal. Just note they have one soup of the day included with the special so no substitutions or alternative choices (for example we like egg drop soup but the soup of the day was hot and sour soup). Service was 5+ stars. The ladies running the business were so friendly and kind. They make you feel like family! They made us laugh and were quick to take our orders and to bring out the food. Perfect for a quick lunch if you have to get back to work. The ladies here are just so nice they really deserve your business. I went with the egg foo young special and it was stellar. Not a huge portion but a good sized portion for lunch. I was full but not stuffed (much appreciated). The gravy sauce was awesome as was the egg foo young bites. Also love that they serve hot mustard and sweet plum sauce with the egg roll. The fried rice was average, no egg or anything in it but that's okay, your getting a great deal. My friend and I were both surprised by the hot and sour soup, it's not usually something we order but they make it very good here. It was hella spicy for me but in the best way. Had great flavor and consistency. Glad I was able to try something new. If your in Santa Barbara and craving no frills, home cooking Chinese food this spot is always going to be a good option. Love supporting mom and pop businesses with friendly staff and killer specials. read more

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Great taste, good portions, and very reasonable price. I was surprised to find such a good chinese restaurant in santa barbara.

The food is excellent. The service if good, but sometimes the staff is overwhelmed. And ambiance is mediocre. Clearly the best Chinese food in Santa Barbara/Goleta. read more

My favorite chinese restaurant. So many Vegetarian choices! We ordered S&P Crispy Tofu, Sesame Balls, Crispy Bao, Soy Cashew Chicken, Soy Chicken Chow Mein & Veggie Mu Shu. All were delicious!!! read more

Shang Hai - Mu Shu Vegetable - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Best Chinese I've had in a long time. Also, the only restaurant to vent the sweet and sour takeout so it didn't get soggy. 5/5 recommend.

We ordered UberEats delivery from this place tonight. 1) mapo tofu - it's more "mala" instead of spicy hot 2) Mongolian beef - they use white onion here instead of green onion 3) wonton soup - this was good and there was shredded egg 4) white rice - ok 5) fried rice - this was basically white rice that was tossed in the wok and turned light brown color read more

Im fairly new to the area and found this place. I'm so glad i did! I ordered the pork mushu lunch today and it was superb. The food was quickly prepared with very fresh ingredients. The portion size was very substantial for the cost ($11.95). The owner was onsite and spoke with me with genuine interest. I ordered wonton soup as well but i'm saving it for dinner because the mushu lunch portion was so large! I'll definitely be back! Note that the place seems to be relatively small and is in a smaller strip shopping area. I had to call the place back to get directions because I was having trouble finding it based on Google Maps. It was totally worth the trip, though. Don't hesitate to give it a try! You won't be sorry! read more

Shang Hai - Mushu pork lunch special-take out - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

New menu items have landed! We've been dining at Shang Hai on Milpas for years and it's been consistent and tasty. They've now added a new hand made dumplings/bao and noodle soup menu which is fantastic. The flavors are authentic and tastes as if the favorite auntie who is the best chef in the family made them. Noodle soup also great, I'm working my way through the different types as the menu is new as of April 1. Very happy to discover the new menu additions! read more

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Great Chinese food! I'll eat here again when I'm in SB. Egg rolls were fresh, light and not at all greasy. Hot & Sour soup is so flavorful! Orange soy chicken's texture is just like regular chicken - good flavor, too. Szechuan eggplant perfect with a side of steamed rice. Sauteed mixed veggies were crunchy and satisfying. They will adjust the heat of the "red pepper - hot" dishes to your preference. read more

Best chinese food in Santa Barbara, Dani and Betty were the best people ever, best service, very caring and clean, definitely check out this place 10/10!! read more

Shang Hai is fantastic! Food - Delicious and authentic. Portions - large. Prices - very reasonable. Service - welcoming and attentive. Bonus - the owner is kind, fun and personally makes the bao & wontons. We had Mongolian beef with onions. The meat was tender and flavorful. The Orange Chicken was cooked perfectly with a tasty but not overly sweet sauce. Five Flavor Noodle soup hearty. Pork Wontons in Chili Oil was the best. Served uniquely in a spicy broth with cabbage. Highly recommend Shang Hai! read more

I was given a recommendation from parents of students from Ucsb. It was a little bit of a drive from Goleta but well worth the drive. The food was fresh. Lots of vegetables within the food and two orders of food was enough for four people, would definitely go back again. read more

The food here is not salty at all. We ordered the Shrimp Chopsuey and Sweet & Sour Chicken. Very satisfying. Service is good too. The server and the bus girl were both very attentive. The place is small but they are expanding. We have a little issue with finding the place and parking. You could easily missed it. Very well worth coming here for a good Chinese food. read more

Shang Hai - Sweet & Sour Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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It was my first time there my ex-wife and I went there with a friend of ours. The food was excellent. It was very quiet friendly staff did I mention the food was excellent.!!!!!!! I would go back again and again and again I highly recommend it. read more

The food was really tasty and came out super fast. The atmosphere was chill, but what truly made the experience 10x better was the service - the owner was incredibly sweet and kind. Definitely recommend, and I'll definitely be coming back! read more

Shang Hai - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The lunch specials here are a great value @$11. I had Kung Pao Chicken...delicious and a large portion with soup, rice and an egg roll! Friendly server! Thank you...I'll be back! read more

Shang Hai - Kung Pao Chicken = $11 - Chinese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Thanks to the great reviews, i decided to try this place sight unseen while visiting Santa Barbara. I'm so glad I did! You can't tell from the rundown little strip mall it's in, and the modest little hole in the wall just how great the food is! (Though some of the best restaurants are those little holes in the wall. ). Well I recommend taking the chance. And this is coming from someone who is very particular. Also, when I walked in there were several policeman eating there... generally a good sign it's good. The food is fantastic! Great flavors. Big portions! I ordered all vegan but there is a full menu. Go for the food, not any fancy ambiance, or get it to go. They use Uber Eats. The owner is very nice and accommodating. Great choice! read more