AMBIENCE taishan kitchen is a great local spot for homey cantonese food! the friendly environment made me feel like im home again with my grandma back when i was a kid. they seem to have loyal customers who frequent the restaurant. FOOD all the dishes were clear ("qing dam"), not overly oily, and reminded me of my grandma's cooking. beef soup noodle with 3pm wonton: 8/10 - the soup was flavorful, noodles were cooked well and the wonton was meaty! steamed rice with pork and salted fish (鹹魚豬肉餅): 8/10 - loved how green the napa veges were. the pork patty was rly good. would taste better with more ginger. pork and century egg congee: 6/10 - very little century egg and the pork quality didn't seem too great. egg rice noodles, pork rice noodles: 6/10 - it was fresh and not bad, though not the stand out among the dishes i've tried. overall, taishan kitchen is a solid spot if you are ever craving the taste of home, and clean tasting cantonese food! PARKING free and easy parking lot read more

Taishan Kitchen - Beef noodles, Egg rice noodles, Pork rice noodles, Congee with Preserved Egg - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

Where can you find taishanese speakers? It would be here. I've been here previously when it used to be called Auntie kitchen. I ordered a chicken rice noodle soup and steamed pork rice noodle roll. It was a dollar extra with an egg. The flavor, the soy sauce, the bouncy texture, and portion size for the price was delicious. I forgot to take a picture. Service was good as staff are attentive when you call them over, but mostly leave you alone once you get your food. The restaurant was small, yet clean, but I don't recall if there was a restroom. This restaurant is in a busy plaza, but parking was not an issue. read more

A small family own & run place, very old fashion family run place, the rice noodle is great. But at lunch time you need to be patient, the lady is one lady show but very fast & efficient. Reason price and big portion. read more

We came back for more. This time we tried the savory riceball soup and it was so good. I have heard of this dish before and this is the first time trying it... I would definitely come back for more. I am so happy that we found this restaurant and trust me when I say this, you will come back for more. read more

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Service was great - very friendly and warm. Portions were generous. The century egg and pork porridge had plenty of century egg and chunky slices of tender pork. Fried rice was fine and so were the noodles. However, the premises had an old musty smell. It was clean but I think the entire building is old. read more

This cozy spot specializes in Taishan-style dishes you rarely find in LA, and it's clear they put care into every detail. The food is incredibly flavorful and well-seasoned, nothing bland here. Their house-made soy sauce and chili sauce are standout touches that elevate everything on the table. My favorite dish was hands down the beef steamed rice noodle rolls with egg--soft, silky, and packed with savory goodness. The vegetables were very fresh and well cooked. Bonus points for the sweet gesture, they gave us complimentary watermelon to finish the meal. Refreshing and thoughtful! The flavors, the hospitality, and the unique regional dishes make this place special. Definitely coming back. read more

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o9.o8.2o24 Oh great... this place is under new management! Not a good sign bc I liked the previous one! This place is now called "Auntie Kitchen"...the beef chow fen party tray is back to soggy now. I'm sad. I ordered the food ahead of time, provided the time I will be there for pick up...nope...the food wasn't even ready and they weren't even serving anyone when I arrived. Fuyi had the BEST beef chow fen bc it wasn't soggy even after sitting for an hr. It's weird but it's also very good! But not this management. The worst part is we found a screw in the noodles! Omg! I was so mad! This is UNACCEPTABLE! Someone could have chocked and cut their throat if swallowed! They also forgot the sauce for the Hainan chicken and the broccoli beef was salty, same for the 5 flavor duck. I'm never never ever going back!! read more

Taishan Kitchen - Screw found in the leftovers! I am so glad nobody actually ate it esp the elder family members! - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

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Listen to the recent negative Yelp reviews. Unfortunately this place has changed management and the food is awful now. I used to frequent Auntie Kitchen when I worked in El Monte and this place was just down the street from me with the most affordable and delicious comfort Cantonese food. I would always come and order the hainan chicken and wonton noodle soup for lunch. Today I had a work meeting nearby so I thought I'd give the new management a try. Sadly I should've heed warning from the negative reviews. The first red flag was that there was absolutely no one dining inside at lunch time. Since I was already there I decided to give them a try anyway. I ordered the wonton soup noodle as usual and when it arrived it was nothing like what I used to order. They used lettuce which was a weird substitute for the usual veggies in the wonton soup. Also there was only 4 small wontons in my soup and the soup itself was the most bland soup I've ever had. I'm curious if they even bothered adding any chicken broth or salt. I ended up literally eating a couple bites of my food and taking the rest to go. I'm hoping I can add some chicken broth at home and make the leftovers a little more palatable. I definitely will not be returning in the future and highly recommend anyone to look for better alternatives in the SGV. read more

Taishan Kitchen - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

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I read about the recent management change so I decided to see if it really went downhill? Anyway food was as consistent as before? Although I don't know why my chicken rice has no veggies in it.... Rice is tasty, chicken looks and tastes fresh. Also it's still the same Chinese lady working there. Give it another try! read more

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店小。服务一般。不太会讲英文。听口音是正宗台山人老板。但味道真的是很传统好吃。早午餐期太多人。建议1：30pm后去 有些要预定的还没试过。但听朋友说。她家的猪肚鸡好吃。今天时间有点赶。没来的吃她家"蒸"的菜系。听说也是很有特色。 read more

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Chinese cuisine for breakfast on Cinco de Mayo in Los Angeles, California... I'm quite sure that I tried to dine at Auntie Kitchen in the past, but wasn't successful. Maybe I arrived before 9am (their opening time)? Anyway, this time (5-5-23), I got my wonton soup! Without noodles, on a chilly 54° morning, it's the perfect breakfast! At home in Honolulu (73°), I'm usually perspiring when I have a bowl of dumpling soup. This time, the wonton soup helped to warm me up... Because it's freezing in Los Angeles! Haha! I liked the free shared parking lot, the cozy interior, and the efficient service! The shrimp in each dumpling was excellent! The cooked lettuce at the bottom of the bowl was a healthy touch! I was so happy to complete this bookmark! read more

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Language barrier was definitely an issue on this trip. Three "aunties" working and none spoke a word of English. That's not the real issue though, as I was able to get what I went for which was some crispy roasted pork. Ruby down the street was closed (even though they were supposed to be open), so I searched and found Auntie's. Ideally, I would have ordered a two item combo as I saw in a previous order pictured, but didn't find it on the menu. Oh well, pointed to it hanging and settled for a pound, which I assumed was the minimum since they kept saying "one pound" over and over :). I agreed, but then it came to 1.5lbs and I'm the only one eating. No biggie. I love left overs. I wanted some hainan chicken and rice to offset the richness of the pork, but they pointed to what looked like a duck, but said it was chicken. Not hainan style and no rice, but I'm tired and getting hungry so asked for half only. Once I get home and try the "chicken", I'm confirmed it's duck and it's not very flavorful. Oh well, I just won't eat as much and have plenty of leftovers. Then I get to the roasted pork which looks great, but once intook a bite, I realized the piece has been there all day and was chewy instead of crispy. Decent flavor, but not great and without the crispy skin, total bummer. A couple of minutes in the air fryer and lots of siracha made it edible. Again, not bad but not all that good either. Oh well, at least infelt like I helped a small business of auntie's :) Pro tip: don't go near closing time. Take pics of what you want or take someone who speaks Mandarin :) read more

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Large portions, reasonable prices, good food! Located in a strip mall with filtered water store, laundrymat. There's plenty of free parking. It's a small restaurant with about 10 2-4top tables inside. Most order to go. The people at the front counter speak English and a little Spanish. The menu has numbers and pictures of most items. They a good size menu selection: the bbq, some entrees, noodles and soup. Beef stew rice noodle: Good just wished the beef had more flavor. 7/10 Hainan chicken bbq pork combo: the container was so full and heavy. Enough rice for 3-4 people. Chicken is not boneless. I know the bones add more flavor, but adds more work to eating and savoring the flavor. The sauces are excellent and complement the chicken well. Bbq pork was standard. Underneath the meats, they do give baby bok choy. 8/10 Bitter melon with beef: I love bitter melon. Ratio of bitter melon to beef was about 70:30 in terms of volume. But since the container was stuffed, I still think that's plenty of beef for the price. 9/10 read more

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I want to love this place more. I had my eye out on the Hainan chicken. Was excellent! I loved the spicy chili dipping sauce more than ginger oil sauce! But nobody spoke English, which is not an issue, but to try to ask questions, I couldn't get anywhere. Not to knock them down, but you're in the heart of El Monte. I would of ordered more, but I couldn't communicate to ask questions or get answers. read more

Taishan Kitchen - Hainan chick n and rice - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

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The best chinese roasted pork ever. I absolutely love how crispy the skin is and how juicy the meat is. I always tell them that I will order a whole roasted pork one day...thats how good it is! This place always has customer going in and out and they're super quick! Affordable prices, friendly and communitive staff. Definitely recommend read more

Taishan Kitchen - Roasted Pork, Egg Rice Noodles, Rice Noodles with chasiu | 07/27/22 - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

I got the half hainan chicken and rice. I didn't know that the half hainan chicken would not come with rice but they have rice to me for free after I realized and asked. I thought the chicken was extra boney but it was good and the dipping sauces were great. Actually really liked the yellow rice too contrary to some other reviewers. read more

Taishan Kitchen - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

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You looking for some canto comfort food? Yes, I am. I never really venture out to S. El Monte but I was in the area looking for a quick lunch. I came here about a couple times and ordered the Hainan Chicken and the Wonton and Braised Beef noodle soup with rice noodle. The hainan chicken rice was a little dry and it came with a side of soup. The Wonton and beef noodle soup reminded me of my childhood. Their prices are reasonable and there is plenty of parking in the plaza. read more

Taishan Kitchen - Hainan Chicken rice - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

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Authentic Taishan cooking - we had the ginger chicken, wonton soup, rice rolls and congee. All delicious

I really had high hopes for this place, since we enjoyed eating at the San Gabriel location. The woman at the front was very friendly. You can tell people feel welcome when even customers greet staff as they enter. The bbq hanging looked amazing so I had to try a little of everything, unfortunately it was hit and miss. The duck and honey bbq pork was great but the house special chicken (which the owner raved about) had a peculiar taste, and the skin on the roasted pork belly was inedible. Such a shame considering it looked fresh out the roaster. We also ordered a variety of other dishes, again hit & miss. The braised pork was good and comparable to the other location, the shrimp fried rice was a little bland and could have done with a few more pieces of shrimp. Ong choi was nothing special. I would go back to try other things like the Hainan, I hope they find a way to improve the roast pork belly to be more similar to Ruby's down the street. read more

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The people here are honestly so nice and genuine they are a small business, so if you are ever craving Hainan Chicken Rice or Roasted Duck, their prices are very reasonable and taste DELICIOUS, so come support them please. Their menu also has a very wide selection for you to choose from, from noodles to stir fry rice, I promise you won't be disappointed!!! It's always these small businesses that taste like home read more

Taishan Kitchen - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

I love that there is a Cantonese restaurant in El Monte. The place is very affordable. I came here today specifically for their soy sauce chicken. I got the half size for $15. The gentleman managing the counter and the restaurant is really nice. He also speaks Cantonese and English so no language barrier. Definitely be back for their duck and roasted pork. read more

Taishan Kitchen - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

Under new ownership. I was told by the staff that they just opened in August of last year. They speak both English and Chinese. Food was really delicious and the portions were generous as well. Vegetable chow fun had delicious noodles and good wok hei flavor. The vegetables were cooked perfectly! I also wanted to try their BBQ so I ordered the crispy pork and roast duck on rice. Both items were delicious. The meat was juicy and flavorful. I'll definitely be back to try their other items! There was only one person working in the front so it's best to call ahead and place your order if you're in a rush. The poor guy was hustling taking care of dine-in customers, walk-in takeout orders and phone orders but he handled it well. It's a casual dining atmosphere with ample parking in a shared plaza. read more

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I don't like to exaggerate but... BEST HAINAN CHICKEN IN SGV. I said it. Better than Savoy, better than Red chicken. Only reason I come to El Monte for. Silky and moist chicken on a bed of perfectly seasoned and oiled yellow rice. This thing only sets you back $8.50 which is a bargain. I usually cannot finish the whole thing so it's like 1.5 servings for me. A-Ma-Zing. I only wished they gave me more ginger sauce for it as it seems a bit stingy. Also, as you have read on Yelp, the rice rolls (cheong fun) are of some kind of soft and silliness as well. They don't look good but they taste good! I recommend shrimp and beef with added egg. read more

Taishan Kitchen - I don't have to tell you how AMAZING this Hainan Chicken is! You can see it for yourself. Silky and flavorful. $8.50 is a bargain! - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

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Can't believe they serve such authentic Chinese food here. I believe it is a family own business.It is definitely a hidden gem !!!! Soooo good and affordable plus staffs are so friendly. I loved the unique pear drink that they have. read more

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We like to order their braised pork with vegetable rice and bbq pork with hainam chicken rice. They're always friendly and welcoming. Good place for a quick to go; we've never sat and eaten here before. read more

Taishan Kitchen - New menu - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

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This address has been changed to a new one called Taishan Kitchen. I ordered Hainan Chicken which comes with white rice (not flavored rice as traditional restaurant would do). As the other recent reviewers mentioned, the portion is very very small, only 6 small pieces of chicken, for $12.95 + tax. The chicken was cold instead of serving warm, but the quality itself was okay. read more

It's ok. You pay for what you get. The hainam rice is cheaper than other reatraunts, but you get all bones. It taste good, but come on, throw some meatty chicken in there. 2 stars for great taste and great service, -3 stars for skimping the good parts of the chicken. Prob will not be coming back. read more

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I came back to this place after a few months. Sad to say the quality went down. The price went up I ordered 2 roasted pork with rice. The skin was incredibly hard and dry, nearly inedible. Pork tasted old. They didn't give any sauce to go with the pork so the meal was bland. The cuts were very fatty and chewy. Only got a few pieces of white meat. They changed the veggies to some cheap cabbage so now you get some soggy leaves with your order. The meal was very bad for $12 a portion. Giving 2 stars because the service is generally nice and the portions are generous but disappointed with the quality of the food. Probably not coming back. read more

Taishan Kitchen - Not a lot of meat - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

Definitely a local hole in the wall spot. Came looking for hainan chicken and saw they had the chicken noodle soup which seemed like their specialty. I'm not sure how to describe the taste except that it felt like my childhood. A home-y feel... you feel??? It's a pretty small spot with a few tables spread apart to ensure social distancing which is a plus. I thought it was funny how their power tripped a few times while I was there but it's a pretty old plaza/building so no surprise there!! I'd say pass on their drinks since it's alright but their chicken definitely doesn't disappoint! I'd recommend calling ahead if you're in a rush since it can take a while when they get busy. read more

Taishan Kitchen - Hainan chicken noodle soup! - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

Small mom and pops Cantonese BBQ and Food, staffs are friendly food is good for the price. Old school HK movie vibe interior. read more

Taishan Kitchen - Combination Hainan Rice, and Beef Tribe Noodle Soup -The Noods. - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

I think I stumbled upon a pretty good hole in the wall. Similar to Chinese BBQ places this place sells Chicken, BBQ Duck, BBQ Pork(Char Siu) as well Roasted Pig(Siu Yuk). There menu focuses more on the carb loaded end serving rice, porridge, noodle soups, and Cheung Fun. The prices are ridiculously cheap with each dish costing around 7-$10 depending on what you get. The quality may not be on par with other bigger Chinese BBQ shops, but is very good for the price they charge. The service was very friendly. I came by 10 minutes before the lunch rush and got myself their BBQ Pork Wonton noodle soup and a HK Lemon Tea for a total of $11. The egg noodles were just my type(thin and plenty), the BBQ Pork was flavorful and didn't have too much fat and the Wontons had shrimp in it as well. I will probably frequent this place more often, there's not too many places like this in the local area. TLDR: Prices are really low, but quality is great. Authentic and offers variety, good as a working meal. read more

Taishan Kitchen - BBQ(char siu) wonton Noodles(Mein) - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

Got to love this little hole-in-the-wall. Found this place by accident and it's a little Hidden Gem. I've now been here for my third time in the last couple of months and they always seem to be quite busy. They have quite a small menu, I would say their food is Cantonese Chinese. Incredibly inexpensive menu for their quality of food. Both their milk tea and their lemon iced tea are delicious. Where can you even get drinks for under $2 nowadays? I've gotten there Hainan chicken rice here which seems to be their specialty, they're Hainan chicken noodle soup which is very clean tasting, not oily and overly season 2 like some others I've tasted. They also have really good breakfast noodles. Both for $7 They have a small menu here and they are always busy. Definitely worth a try if you are in the area. read more

Taishan Kitchen - Hainan chicken rice plate - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

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Best crispy roast pork I've had in years. Not dry, melt in mouth. No frills, easy casual meal. Excellent service. read more

I come here for the BBQ rice for lunch. It's usually good. Today, I ordered Roasted Pork and duck over rice. Took them 5 mins to bring the food over which is fine. The duck wasn't fresh at all. They gave me leftover duck which the meat is like falling apart. The meat was at least a week old and was heated up in the microwave. The pork was dry too. Very disappointed! read more

Visited this place a few months ago to buy a full roasted duck. Three days later, they made a duplicate charge on my credit card. Tried to call them to resolve this issue. An elderly Chinese woman and man answered, but neither spoke english. They eventually just hung up on me without resolving the issue. I had to file a dispute with my bank about this duplicate charge and was resolved within a few weeks. These little mom and pop Chinese places are sketchy AF. Do yourself a favor and avoid this place. read more

Service was great. Food came out super fast. Love their steam egg rolls and Hainan chicken rice. They are both really good. Though I wish their chili sauce were spicier. Milk tea was not bad either. For $1.7 per cup, it's a steal. Prices are fair and affordable. The best part is that they accept cards too. Will definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants to try authentic Cantonese steam rice rolls. read more

Taishan Kitchen - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California

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Lucky me to have found this hidden spot right next to King's tacos...I almost opted to go next door lol but decided to continue my search for comparable hainan chicken vs the good ones since one of my fav decided to make everyone order hour in advance so I've decided to drop them. The place itself is pretty small. I think 10-12 tables. I ordered the milk tea boba, hainan chicken rice/noodles, and shrimp noodle w egg. The hainan chicken was awesome for the price point! The only thing I didn't like was the choice of sauces. I don't like ginger and I'm not into fish sauce which was in the other sauce and those were the only two options. I'd take it togo next time and make my own sauce at home. But the rice did come w a bowl of chicken soup w a piece of carrot and potato. Yum! The shrimp noodle was meh, I wouldn't order it again and the boba was on the harder side but for $1.59, don't even complain, it is what it is. Overall: the service was incredibly attentive and friendly, food was incredible vs price, and price point from like 5 years ago. Yes I'll be back :) if you're closer to me, I'd be a regular for sure. read more

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Feels very homestyle! Really like the chicken noodle soup. Nothing super impressive, but it's a great place to bring your family to on the weekends. Or a place to get take out to eat later. Service was fine and the boba wasn't spectacular, but good to have afterwards. read more

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This little hole in the wall is located in a strip center. I wouldn't want to venture here when dark since it seemed like a sketchy area. At lunch parking was easy to locate. Prices are reasonable - tried the won ton noodle soup, beef stew soup and Hainan chicken. Of the three, I enjoyed the Hainan chicken, won ton and beef stew soup lastly. The small eatery was busy with Cantonese patrons and I'd return here for a reasonable quick meal. read more

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Great Mom & Pop restaurant. I came around 10am on a Tuesday morning. The three workers there said Hi to me. It looked like the owner and his kids were seated playing at a table. It gave me a home like feel. The food was great. Prices are good. I bought a Viet Ice Coffee which was $1.75. This is cheaper than were I usually get my Viet ice coffee, and it was strong. I also got the Beef Stew. It was about $6.50. The beef was cooked great and the broth was good. The noodles were soft. I had a good experience. In total I paid about $8.50. I will be coming back. read more

Taishan Kitchen - Chinese Near Me - El Monte, California