Food is all right. Average at best. Rude employee at front, with attitude that doesn't seem like she enjoys what she is doing. Best Chinese food are express locations near Claremont frankly read more

I never want to bash a mom and pop shop but this meal was almost inedible. They served half burnt and half undercooked chow mein that was clumped together. They served large delicious shrimp but all the other ingredients didn't taste good at all. Maybe it was just an off day for the chef. The dining room was small but could fit small to medium parties. Service was friendly. Plenty of parking. read more

Shanghai Cafe - burnt Chow Mein - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Just to let you know, this was my auntie's favorite restaurant. It reminded her of the type she used to have back in her home country. When we come to town, we usually end up there to have a meal and catch up. Shanghai Cafe is a simple mall shop with a good take-out business. The food is good, filling, and hits the spot when cooking is just not an option, or it is a great place to go to enjoy a leisurely lunch or dinner and catch up with friends. What happens when a pre-arranged meal for 20 goes south and you are suddenly without a main dish for dinner? In this instance, we called Shanghai Cafe and were (relieved) to be met with a "no problem" attitude! Yes, they could whip up a dinner for 20 in about an hour! We literally ran in and ordered a boatload of food: combination chow mein, salt and pepper chicken wings, eggplant, a seafood dish, and a veggie dish. About an hour later we were on our way with our food that saved our meal! Shanghai Cafe cheerfully and efficiently filled our order; the food was good and the price, was equal to the value we received, not to mention they saved our "bacon", because we were actually able to serve a meal to a hungry crowd. So, whether a nice, clean quiet place is needed to have a good, authentic Chinese meal and catch up, or you need to feed a crowd in a pinch, Shanghai Cafe will fit your bill! read more

Located in the Vons shopping center. This is a must visit stop after you've finished your errands for the day. Or if your just looking for a great lunch/dinner place. The food is impeccable and possesses that distinct wok flavor I've come to love. Recently stopped by here for a delicious lunch! Was not sure what to order so I chose from the Chef's suggestions area on the menu. Lemon chicken with fried rice! Yummy! The vegetables I 'borrowed' from Soo. The staff here are always very kind and efficient. I look forward to my next meal here. The only thing I'd change (if I could grant wishes): I'd give them a larger area to rent/lease so they could seat more people. read more

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Great food, reasonable prices, love supporting small businesses. We came at lunch, and even though a small cafe, we were served quickly. We had the chicken lo mein and shrimp in lobster sauce lunch specials. The lo mein was flavorful with noodles, bean sprouts, cabbage, and tender chicken and it was a large serving. Everything tasted fresh and cooked to order. My husband loved his shrimp dish. If you sit in the right spot you can see "pop" (in the mom and pop cafe) cooking the meals over high heat in well seasoned wok pans. Great spot!! read more

Shanghai Cafe - Chicken Lo mein lunch special: all delicious. - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Initial Service was OK. however after food was brought to table she vanished. No condiments on table. Sweet and Sour Pork was over cooked and tough, meat was dried out. It looked like a previously poasted,dried our then dippen batter to deep fry. See Photos read more

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We have been going to the Shanghai Café for many years! Some of our favorite dishes are Shanghai chow mein, potstickers, dumplings in hot sauce, fried rice, and walnut shrimp. read more

Shanghai Cafe - Potstickers - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Not that the food here is awful, but it tasted to me like frozen food that was heated up to be honest. We've searched for a good Chinese restaurant closer than Convoy for some time and tried Shanghai since it's right up the road. Hole in the wall feel to it, and interior isn't generally inviting or decorated. We did get our food to go, and the portions were large, but the food just seemed to have an overly processed flavor to it. read more

Great food, great service. Served piping hot. Very reasonably priced. Ordered hot and sour soup...excellent. Good flavor, a little bit. Great price. Ordered the pu pu platter for two. Super hot, great variety, amazing flavors. Ordered sizzling three ingredients and kung pao three ingredients. Wow! Fresh vegetables, super hot (temperature), flavors that you'll crave for more! Been coming here for decades and has been consistently great every time. PS - this is a mom and pop shop, simple, clean, friendly. read more

Shanghai Cafe - Hot and sour soup for two - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Didn't know what to expect at this place, needed to run an errand in the neighborhood and didn't see many customers but went in anyway. We ordered a few items and I asked to not have any MSG added to my meal which they were able to oblige. Loved the simple dishes of beef & broccoli, and also paper wrapped chicken. Haven't had that in many years. The fried rice with like 11 different ingredients in it wasn't bad at all. Service was attentive and the place was relatively clean. For sure will be back when in the area. read more

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What a bargain for lunch! I was in the mood for lo mein and came upon this restaurant in my search in the area. I didn't know how much their lunch special were until I sat down and looked at their menu. Wow! You cannot beat $11 for lunch these days and the food was served on a huge platter! I almost laughed when the waitress brought it out to the table. This is a small restaurant with a few small patio tables in front. It was a weekday and it wasn't busy. The cashier/waitress was really friendly and nice. She had a ready smile for everyone who came in. I wanted shrimp lo mein for lunch but only chicken or pork lo mein were on the lunch menu. I paid $2 more for shrimp and there were a lot in my dish. It was really good. The side salad was plain and just mainly iceberg lettuce but the egg roll was good. read more

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Stopped in here for the first time tonight and thought it was delicious! The woman working was very kind. We were seated and had our order taken quickly and the food was flowing out shortly after. We ordered the cream cheese wontons (crispy and delicious), the beef egg rolls (also crispy and delicious), the hot and spicy dumplings (the sauce was very tasty), xiao long bao (good!), the bbq pork (good!), and the sweet and pungent chicken (crisp white meat in a fun sweet and spicy sauce). We loved everything we ate and it all came out hot and fresh, at reasonable prices for the serving sizes. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

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Have lived in La Jolla for many years but never thought to try this place because always I always assumed Chinese food in a Vons plaza in La Jolla couldn't be that good. Came here on a whim when we were searching for Asian food in the area but all the nearby options like Haidilao/DTF/Qin West Noodle had too long of a wait, and am so glad that we discovered this place!!! It is a very humble, cozy, mom-and-pop shop that seems to be family-run. There are a handful of tables for indoor dining and it looks and feels clean. Quiet, peaceful and I've always seen available seating and lots of parking even during peak hours like a Friday or Saturday evening, so it's a great getaway from the hustle, bustle, and parking disaster that is Convoy. The Chinese food here is actually super solid. While there are spots on Convoy that I might enjoy bit more or find more authentic, ever since discovering this place in my neighborhood, it's felt less worth it to make the trek to Convoy and I've been coming here instead! I'm a huge fan of the hot&sour soup and the black pepper beef. Definitely hoping to come back here and try more things on the menu, and to support this local restaurant, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone looking to get their Chinese fix in the La Jolla area! read more

Amazing food and outstanding service! I had the ten ingredient fried rice and it was delicious. This is a really good Asian food choice for lunch or dinner! read more

This place is classic American Chinese. Mongolian beef Vanilla shrimp or honey walnut shrimp Chow mein Beef chow fun Shrimp in lobster sauce When you're tired of Panda Express and want to step it up a bit, give this Mom and Pop shop a try. I usually take it to go read more

Moved to this area 3 months ago. My wife and I walk here and do carryouts at least once every week. LOVE the food, the service and the family & people who run this gem :-) read more

The dishes presented were delicious and fresh! Great service and ambiance perfect for locals.

Great service, great price. Went for the lunch special which was under $12 and it came with an entree, rice, salad, wonton, and an egg roll. Delish!! Highly recommend. We got the hot and spicy chicken and the broccoli beef. The flavor was delicious and the meat was nice and tender. Highly recommend especially for the price. It's a cute and quaint little place next to Vons perfect for great Chinese food. read more

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Not really traditional Shanghai style but tastes not bad . The food portion is big , worth to try

Always amazing food, huge portions and friendly service. They're a hardworking elderly couple who just want to run a Chinese restaurant business and are doing amazing at it. It's literally just them working 7 days a week and continue to provide amazing food and quality service. I do encourage you to support this small business read more

Visited here for a quick lunch. Definitely could tell it's a small and intimate mom and pop Chinese restaurant. Food is crafted for love not luxury. Chef special beef was the best entree. There was a single hostess that was very nice to us! Recommend for a quick quality lunch! Any bad reviews are probably expecting world class Chinese food or expecting modern Asian fusion-- this is not that!!!! read more

Shanghai Cafe - Chef special beef - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

I have been going for this place since I was a child and it's the best Chinese food ever. The owner is the sweetest lady ever. I highly recommend the honey walnut shrimp. No one makes it like they do. This place is really underrated, not many people know about it. read more

Shanghai Cafe - Pork low mein - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Their food never disappoints, always fresh and reasonably priced. Authentically cooked by the owners of the restaurant. They do take out and dine in as well. Very homey feel to the restaurant too. The service is amazing and the food has a great value with sizable portions. One of the greatest small businesses/restaurants I've been to, 10/10! read more

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The lunch special was just what I was craving! I got the garlic chicken it was tasty with lots of veggies, I like that it came with crispy wonton, egg rolls & a simple salad. The sides really added to the meal. Good price and tasty. I'll be back ! read more

Was craving Chinese on my lunch break. Found this. The inside was empty. The lady behind the counter took my order and told me to sit. She didn't ask me if I wanted a drink or water. I had to ask for water. The meal came with an egg roll. I asked if it was meat or veggie. She said beef and said "you don't eat beef? Next time tell me". -_- I would think decent service would offer to just give me a veggie egg roll but guess not the case here. read more

Shanghai Cafe - Garlic shrimp lunch meal - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

Service was amazing, very nice and receptive, however the food is very bland and definitely not worth the price. The salad they have are lettuce leaves with a quick dressing, the fried rice is basically white rice mixed with soy sauce, and the breading for the sweet and sour pork and chicken comes off easily and the meat pieces themselves are not even fully covered in sauce. Good customer service though read more

This was my go-to take out place when I lived in San Diego years ago--it's still there and still great! It's a small space in a nondescript strip mall but it was not busy at all when we were last here (on travel)--I had a pleasant and delicious lunch (chicken with mushrooms, spring rolls). Fast and friendly service and not too expensive. Parking could probably be a hassle but we found a spot right in front. Excellent for take out or a casual dining option. read more

We love this place! The food is delicious, the service is always friendly, and we love eating in when we can and having some tea with our meal because the ambiance is just very warm and homey. Our family's favorite dishes: chef special beef, Mongolian beef, fried shrimp w/ spicy salt, bbq pork fried rice, shrimp with lobster sauce, four seasons vegetables, claypot eggplant and chicken, chicken lo mein (if you're looking for chow mein as in the thick/soft noodles - this is what you're looking for. The chow mein on the menu here is more of a crunchy noodle dish), beef with broccoli, and the xaio long bao. We eat here at least once a month, sometimes more, and it quickly became our go-to Chinese American food place in San Diego once we discovered it. It very clearly has a number of regulars, and it's always nice to be at a place where the (presumably) owner is chatting with people about their recent vacations and how they're doing. read more

We have often picked up takeout as well as eaten in the restaurant a few times. The food has always been good! Highly recommended!

We came here for lunch on a weekday. They have a good selection of dishes from their regular menu. We ordered from their lunch menu which includes an egg roll, fried won ton (which is just a fried won ton skin), salad, and rice along with the entree. For our entrees we ordered almond chicken, garlic shrimp, and shrimp with vegetables. The portion sizes were good. We were all full when we finished. The flavors of each one was average. The egg rolls were with vegetables only. The broccoli that came with the shrimp dishes were a little bitter. Service was good. Parking is easy. There's a large parking lot. Overall the dishes filled us but were on the bland side. read more

Neighborhood Chinese restaurant that was recommended to me by someone to try their fried chicken wings - and he wasn't lying they're super crispy and juicy. They also have excellent affordable lunch combos to choose from. I usually order a soup of the day from here when I'm not feeling well. I love that they're always quick to have your order ready. They have seats for dining in but we usually order for takeout in advance to pick it up. read more

It was over 20 years ago I first visited Shanghai Cafe.  It's small and simply decorated.  All the entrees I've tried are under $15 and quite filling.  Lady who takes the orders is very nice and the food is usually out in about 10 minutes.  Sometimes I'll order to go and walk over to Vons and grab a few things and my order is waiting for me when I check back.  Shanghai Cafe is my favorite Chinese restaurant in the area.  I'm glad they are still open and offering takeout during the apocalypse. This visit I ordered Hong Kong style won ton soup.  My order came in 2 containers.  One container held the hot soup.  The other container had egg noodles, bok choy, and won tons.  Egg noodles were soft and smooth with a nice mild flavor.  Bok choy had a fresh flavor and a nice snap.  Won tons had a thin wrapper and a pork won ton with a hint of shrimp.  My favorite soup here. My other favorite dishes: Bbq pork pan fried noodles was fully of tender flavorful bbq pork and bok choy.  Noodles were crunchy and covered with a savory brown sauce.  Tasty classic dish. 10 ingredient fried rice has a big assortment of ingredients.  Love all the different flavors and smokiness imparted from the wok. read more

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Food was good: came out fast enough (10 minutes) and is great chinese american fare. Service is great: smiles on everyone's faces. Ambiance is classical. You'll feel comfortable. Toilet slightly dimly lit, but not dirty at all. Don't really understand the bad reviews. Been there a few times, always a good time, so go and see the place for yourself. read more

A little hole in the wall place in the same shopping center as the Vons. It has only about seven tables in the restaurant but the dining area was well lighted and clean. I never knew it was here except I saw it after I had my taxes done at the H & R Block next door. The menu is extensive and has all the usual Southern and Northern Chinese dishes. I had the Sweet and Pungent Shrimp and stir fried Snow Peas with Water Chestnuts and Mushrooms. The shrimp was crispy and generous in size. The menu indicated that it is spicy but I really didn't detect much heat; it's more like just a touch. The stir fried Snow Peas were fresh tasting and the water chestnuts were crunchy. This dish is made with canned mushrooms which is fine with me. I am used to a lot of Cantonese dishes made with canned button mushrooms. Overall, both dishes were delicious. I will be back to try other items on the menu as well as their lunch specials. The waitstaff was friendly and service was prompt. I enjoyed dining in their restaurant. It appears that their business consists mainly of take out so that can be an option, too. Update: I went back and tried their Chicken and Eggplant Clay Pot dish. Don't miss this on the wall menu board. It is excellent and cooked perfectly! read more

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Extremely small restaurant, with ~ (4) 4-seater tables and (3) 2-seater tables. Our group of 6 got lucky that there wasn't anyone occupying two adjacent tables, so we were seated promptly. It seems like it's only a man and woman working here, so it's understandable service may not be as quick as other Chinese Restaurants. Honey Chicken ($10.95): Really crispy outer breading, but there were definitely some pieces that were dry. However, the sauce was really nicely done! Fried Chicken Wing w/ Spicy Salt (8pcs - $11.50): Once again, really nice crispy crunch on the breading, and nice flavoring as well. The chicken wing was not dry like the Honey Chicken. Fried Squid w/ Spicy Salt ($13.95): Really nice flavoring on the outside, with just the right texture of squid - not too chewy, not too soft. Walnut Shrimp ($15.50): The shrimp was definitely breaded differently - it seemed thicker and more soft than the typical Honey Walnut Shrimp I usually get. You get a few pieces of candied walnuts on the side. Beef Chow Fun ($11.95): Nice smokey wok flavor on the noodles, but nothing special. We had also asked for this dish to be the "wet" option, but it came dry. Not sure if there was miscommunication or if they don't do the former. Snow Peas w/ Water Chestnuts and Mushrooms ($9.50): Really nice flavoring in the sauce that was like a gravy that coated the veggies. Everything seemed fresh from the crunch it gave, minus the mushrooms of course! Overall, the flavors of everything were good, but I was definitely left wanting more from the price points. I understand they may be a smaller business that needs revenue, but I probably wouldn't come back since I know I won't get my money's worth. Really nice waitress, and would recommend trying Shanghai Cafe at least once - you'd also be supporting a small local business at the same time! read more

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This place is a hidden gem. Owners are great, food is authentic and well made. I've seen it crowded before so I figured I would give it a try. Did not disappoint. read more

Great food and nice service . The lady speaks limited English but she is very helpful . I love their prawn in lobster sauce , won ton soup ( the bigger version not the lunch menu ) , Mongolian beef , stir fry beef noodles . A little gem hidden by UC San Diego . We returned for many visits . read more

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Worth the try: fried squid w/ spicy salt, snap peas w/ mushrooms and water chestnut Fried Squid w/ Spicy Salt: thick, crispy pieces Snap Peas w/ Mushrooms and Water Chestnut: great mixed veggie dish to balance out all the fried food, comes with a gravy-like sauce Honey Chicken: crispy breading on the outside, but the chicken is a bit tough on the inside Honey Walnut Shrimp: has a different breading texture on the outside than usual, small portions but still worth getting if you enjoy splurging on this particular dish Beef Chow Fun: noodles were a bit hard and dry Cute little mom & pop shop in La Jolla that serves your typical family-style Chinese food. The portions are somewhat small for the price but that's given that similar restaurants serve huge portions as is. Not bad if you're looking for your Chinese food fix in the area. read more

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Good food, good service. This is our go to for both take out and eat in Chinese. Try the sweet and pungent chicken and the ten ingredient fried rice! read more

Finally got the chance to sit down and eat at the restaurant. It's not a big place, maybe 5-6 tables. As a party of two, we ordered 4 items, which was more than enough food. Orange chicken: After eating the honey chicken, I had no doubt that the orange chicken would be delicious as well. Because we got to eat it fresh, the chicken was still crispy even though it was smothered in sauce. 100% better than Panda Express orange chicken! Fried squid with spicy salt: Fried crispy, seasoned well. Pretty standard. Snow Peas with water chestnuts and mushrooms: the obligatory veggie dish. The chestnuts add in a nice crunch with every bite. The sauce was thick and stuck on to the food so every bite had great flavor. Beef chow fun: Pretty standard as well. The flat noodles were soft and chewy and the beef pieces were tender. Lots of bean sprouts and green onions. The place looks very unassuming but it has quickly become a favorite Chinese restaurant for me! read more

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