We grabbed takeout from The Breakers last night, and it reminded us why this place has stood the test of time. The eggrolls are absolutely delicious, and the fried rice is arguably the best in McHenry County...seriously that good! If you're picking up food, do yourself a favor and stop in at the bar while you wait. The tiki bar has this awesome, retro feel...like stepping back 50 years in time. It's a fun, laid-back vibe that makes waiting for your order part of the experience. If you're looking for more of a night out, the dine-in area is great too. They often have live music on the weekends, which makes it a really fun date night spot. This is one of those places we always recommend to people visiting the area...a true local favorite that's been doing it right for years read more

Just excellent Chinese food. Been coming here for years. Another "Original Decor" Chinese restaurant from the 1960's. Crystal Lake well water is a locally acquired taste. Loud and usually bad music on the weekends, but it just adds to the "Tiki" atmosphere. Excellent drinks, and some of the best egg rolls around. Chinese hot mustard is really hot, but it doesn't stop me from putting on too much every time. Get the appetizer tray. An all Canton style menu. Ding noodles are a must with any entree. Some excellent curry dishes add to the usual offerings. All meals are designed for take home leftovers. Closed Monday and Tuesday read more

Let me tell you something.. This place doesn't look like anything big on the outside. I looks like a dive bar bit step inside and you're taken to a little tikki paradise serving amazing chinese food. We got the po po for 2. It came with 2 of their eggrolls that they are known for, fried shrimp, and fried wonton. I wasn't expecting much in flavor but let me tell you how wrong I was to assume. THE APPETIZER SURPRISED ME IN HOW DELICIOUS THE FOOD WAS. This had me so excited for the rest of the food. Oolong tea was exceptional and then the main courses was nothing to mess with. ordered kung pao chicken, sesame chicken and combo fried rice. MY GOD WAS IT AMAZING! Everytime I told myself I was full I keep finding myself going back for more before the third serving where I was extremely full. The server was sweet. Let us take our time and checked in to make sure we're were enjoying everything. We will definitely be back for more. read more

Breakers has the best food and Mai tais on the planet!!! Staff is very nice too! Doesn't look like much, but trust me, you won't be disappointed!! read more

Feels like the Bamboo Lounge in Goodfellas. Hands down one of our favorite spots in town. We're moving away, and making sure to hit up all of our favorites before we leave. Food is great, ambiance is even better. We'll definitely come back and visit this place over the years. read more

The Breakers is a long established Crystal Lake favorite restaurant. Always good food and friendly people, we've enjoyed going there for many years now. We even get carryout on days we don't have the time or inclination to eat there in person. The egg rolls and fried rice are the bomb!!! read more

I thought that this place would be a cat-box of a fake "Chinese-Polynesian" Restaurant. In fact, I didn't even ever want to go here after moving from 30 years in Los Angeles to the culinary desolation that is McHenry County. Yet, when a local buddy of mine took me to The Breakers as a "Treat", I was shocked to find that I really liked the place. The Breakers has very little to do with real Asian food, but it Does have a lot to do with the "Faux-Asian Faux-Polynesian" foody trends of the 1920s to the 1970s. This was a time when the exotic yet fictional image of Japan and China captured the imaginations of cultural curious Americans who all wanted to try what they called the "Polynesian experience". This experience had nothing to do with Polynesia, which was, at the time a bunch undeveloped islands in the Pacific. In reality the "Polynesian experience" was imaginary, not relating to any specific place in Asia. The "Polynesian experience" was actually more of an imaginary exotic "Hawaii" thing, with lots of rum drinks (even though Rum is Caribbean), and hearty sailor drinks like 'Grog', all served in coconuts or ceramic Tiki-Tiki mugs. There were Hawaiian 'Kapu' statues everywhere, buried in plastic ferns, with green and yellow lights shining on them to make the place look super cool and and full of Island-Gods. 'Dom the Beachcomber' and 'Trader Vic's' pretty much started this whole Polynesian drink and food movement, but it soon caught on all over the USA. Independent Tiki places began opening in every major city, serving giant bowls of strong fruity drinks, all with little umbrellas in them, and 4 straws. After a while, not only were these faux Polynesian drinks served, but appetizers too, like foil wrapped Chicken, Egg Rolls, Rumaki (a skewered chicken liver & water chestnut wrapped in crispy bacon), plus Pressed Duck, Asian Dumplings with Chinese Mustard, Curry Chicken on a Skewered, and triangles of Crab Rangoon (which is neither crab nor from Rangoon). There were even flaming "Pu Pu Platters (a made up name) that kept your Polynesian BBQ Ribs hot like a volcanic tower of every appetizer the Tiki restaurant had. Then, after $100 worth of drinks, the main dishes came, all with a hint of Asia, but none with the stamp of it. By 2010 every one of these really cool and colorful faux Polynesian places were closed for good. No more flaming Pu Pu platters. No more Tiki Punch Bowls for four. No more sesame smoked ribeye from a clay oven, or fake Indonesian Riz-Tafel accompanied by 10 fun sides. The age of the 'Polynesian Experience' was over. But then I came to The Breakers. Even the name suggests the surfer-waves crashing on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii. The Breakers offers many of those cool old pirate drinks, flavored with pineapple, coconut, sour mix, and rum. And the food here is also reminiscent of those Polynesian flavors that tried to shine a light on a Cantonese/Japanese/Hawaiian hybrid cuisine that does not really exist - the hallmark of Trader Vic's and all of those other wonderful magical faux-exotic Tiki-Drink places that are now closed forever. Overall, The Breakers is a very fun throwback to a playful and imaginative era gone by. This place is worth a visit - and well worth drinking a lot of Grog in. read more

Danny was the only thing we really liked. He is warm, funny and can explain everything on the menu. He told us he has been their for 50 years. He is a real treasure! read more

The best around Crystal Lake for Chinese food. They do deliver within a short time. Try them out, you'll be happy you did. read more

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I had such high hopes because this place has been around forever. We started with drinks and an appetizer. The Mai Tai was not good at all. I've had way better. The crab Rangoon appetizer was not so good. (The two sauces were good. Sweet/sour and the hottest horseradish mustard I've ever had) The beef chop suey was okay. The beef should have been more tender. The vegetables were super large cut instead of fine cut. The beef looked gray. The General's Chicken was bland, not spicy like I expected. More like Orange chicken, without much orange. Seriously, the menu said it has red peppers and I couldn't detect any. The fried rice was alright, but again, a little bland. The whole meal seemed to lack something. The building itself is old and it shows its age. Musty smelling when you enter and an off putting bleach smell in the dining room. The live entertainment can be best heard in the bar but not the dining room. read more

We live nearby and wanted to try Breakers out for a cocktail. Walking in the restaurant is a little tired. Staff was okay.. but not to inviting walking in. When we said we wanted to have a cocktail on the patio we kinda got the brush off to go over there at the bar and order. Tiki drink menu was decent but limited. I was a little surprised since I have heard they are know for their tiki drinks. We ordered the scorpion and since we were On the patio the couldn't serve it in the nice tiki bowl. I get it but Miller Lite cups? That's a bit of a feeling that sent me for a bit of a left turn. The drink was ... okay. Nothing special and would give it a 2 out of 5. The stone patio was nice with fire pits and did enjoy hanging out there by ourselves. No on ever came out to ask if we needed anything though. Just not the best service and okay drinks. One time visit was good enough for us... was expecting more and would not recommend as there are better options. read more

The Breakers Restaurant - Fireside tikis - Chinese Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

The service was good, and the setting of the table was good. I liked the theme, but the food needed improvement. The noodles weren't good at all, they were stale and bland. The sesame chicken was ok, again bland. The fried rice wasn't good because of the little onion pieces, and was also good. Breakers is a good option to go if you are looking for a good appearance restaurant, but I wouldn't recommend their food. read more

Food was good overall. Loved the egg rolls, combination fried rice and sweet and sour chicken. I would not recommend the beef and peapods. Beef was super tough and chewy... Not good quality. read more

Ok. So my ratings on this place went down a few stars if you are calling or trying to order in line. First of all please note their food is excellent. This is the third Friday we tried to take out on line AND calling. Their site says open at 4:00pm in Fridays. Well, this is sure as heck wrong because between 4:00-4:45, no one picks up the phone NOR can you order on line. I guess I should have just called after 5:00 (which seems to be the correct opening time, rather than what their site says.) Again, their food is great, the in side decorations is a bit tacky, and please note, if you are looking to order for a pick up on Friday starting at 4:00, it ain't going to happen. read more

We were told this is the best place for Chinese in the area, so we decided to give it a try. The restaurant itself is dark, but appeared to be clean. The server was very friendly and kept our drinks full (fyi- the water is yellow and super gross - must be on a well). We started with crab rangoon, which was TINY, was mostly fried dough and tasted only of green onion, so I was very worried about the meal. We ordered kung pao chicken, which was delicious! Also ordered an egg roll with my meal, which tasted like peanuts. Not sure if it was the egg roll itself or the sweet and sour sauce that I put on it prior to trying it. It tasted good, but with many people having peanut allergies, I thought that I would mention it. Note I ate the egg roll BEFORE the kung pao chicken, which does have peanuts. read more

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I've dined with them for over 10 years and even with new owners they stayed just as consistent. Treating the customer well always as well as employees which I value! I ALWAYS recommend the ding noodles and egg rolls. read more

The Breakers Restaurant - Will forever be a favorite of mine. Good to the customers and workers. Consistent delicious food. - Chinese Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Not impressed at all, egg rolls - bland, orange chicken - bland, General Tsao's Chicken - bland! (In fact, the orange chicken had a very slight orange flavor, and the GT's tasted more like sweet and sour chicken - but still not much flavor - and pretty sure they use the same chicken just put the different sauce on per order.) No intentions on going back for food! read more

My family ate here many times when I was a kid. I'm 59 now and took my son on a trip through Northern Illinois to show him where I grew up. We found ourselves at Breakers for dinner one evening. I was actually happy to see that, although very tired, the atmosphere hadn't changed. It was almost exactly as it had been way back in the day. I had the shrimps in lobster sauce, and it was superb! The service was spot on. I only knocked off one star, because the place could use a little sprucing up. I wouldn't change the overall theme one bit. However, a little paint, carpet, deep cleaning, and a driveway refresh would go a long way. All in all, I definitely recommend and would go back in a heartbeat! read more

Love the food and ambiance! Food served old school in covered metal dishes. Amazing egg rolls. Always get the Hong Sue Gai Koo. Best chicken dish on the menu. Strong Mai Tai served here too! Best in CL! read more

Must stop spot!! Catherine H is an amazing bartender and if your dining in the restaurant ask for Danny. read more

The Breakers Restaurant - Catherine H is bartending up a storm!! - Chinese Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

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The vintage tiki vibe and decor were awesome...the food, not so much. I wasn't expecting "authentic," but even by American Chinese standards it was weak. Drinks were strong and delicious and our server was very attentive even with the heavy weekend crowd. The live band was a neat addition to the whole experience. However, Sesame Chicken and General Tso's Chicken were essentially the same battered chicken nuggets in sweet brown sauce, and the latter tasted more like sweet and sour sauce, not spicy at all... super disappointing. Cannot recommend based on the food alone...but if you're looking for tiki kitsch, it fits the bill. read more

The food is always exceptional! I have been coming here for the past 30 years and have never had a bad experience! Danny is an awesome waiter! My favorite dishes are shrimp egg foo young, shrimp mushroom kew, shrimp fried rice, egg rolls, Moo goo gai pan. Highly recommend!!! read more

Waited one hour twenty minutes . Received appetizers Drinks. Then nothing All other tables came in after us Received there food and finished. Asked if she had forgotten to put in order. Said no, just waiting on one dish. Nothing takes a hour to make. A lady had her order messed up and they remade it in 5 min. Sorry is all I was told. read more

Food is very good with many choices ! Service is good, but can take some time when busy. If Danny is on, he really gives top service. Bar is fun with Great Specialty Drinks ! Cathie is a Great Mixologist ! read more

Scary place. Entering you smell a combination of mustiness and bleach. The carpeting is filthy even in low lighting. Drinks were tropical and ok... not great. Weirdest egg roll I've ever had with a very thick wrapping and peanut butter taste. Watery sweet and sour sauce. Pot stickers were underdone and doughy. Fried rice was the best of the lot and just passable. Service was good but we will not be returning. This place needs a deep cleaning. read more

Been coming to this restaurant ever since I was a youth. The food is what you'd expect from an authentic joint. Love the tropical island atmosphere throughout the entire restaurant. Egg rolls are the best that I've had, & their fried rice with vegetables are great too. Give this place a look if you're in the mood for an authentic Chinese place. read more

Our date night was sad ,the food was a disappointment, rubbery noodles in my 36$ lobster meal, 9$ Bahamas beverage did not have the correct ingredients, our first table had ants crawling on top, so 100$ could of been better spent on groceries for home . read more

We went there today for lunch and the place was closed. Not sure if the place is even still in business. The building looks like it should have been condemned ages ago. Tried calling them but nobody answers. read more

Ok not the best meal i have ever had. And the cocktails were good not great but good. Sometimes its not about the food or drinks. But something special in your experience. And for this i will definitely go back. I'm talking about our waiter Danny He was delightful and made the experience a 4 star rating. Always on point and in tune with the customer a true stand out in todays society. What a wonderful dinner experience dealing with him. If your ever in the area. Or even if your not and you just want to experience what its like to deal with a person that obviously loves what they do and enjoys people. Ask for Danny . You wont regret it read more

The water tastes like iron. So our party of eight ordered diet cokes. They tasted like iron, too. Is something wrong with their water? 3 of our 8 meals were barely edible. Our waitress excelled at putting the wait in waitress. We were there at 4pm when they opened on a Friday night. So why the sloooooowwwww service. read more

This spot is a classic for the area. Recently we have been getting take out but have also eaten inside. The food is good and the drinks are fun. The place doesn't take itself too seriously and it's always more food than we need which makes it great for leftovers the next day. The potstickers are really good! read more

We've been coming here every year for 33 years on our engagement anniversary (2/14). The food was amazing yesterday and for the most point never disappoints. The owner made a very nice gesture with a special drink for my wife and I which we really appreciated & played a song for us. For a Valentines night there was something missing in the atmosphere, which after we played a song realized it was the music. Without music the vibe was very bland with no energy. This won't stop us from returning, but it may leave others with a different opinion. read more

We get take out and it's some of the best around. It does have msg in it. There's always a bit of a wait for take out.

I first visited The Breakers 4 or 5 years ago when I first moved to the area and was told I needed to check out this gem. At that time I left really disappointed in the bland food, and unfortunately a cool vibe is not enough to keep me going back to a restaurant with bad food. I gave it another try last night and am officially 100% sold and already looking forward to going back. I was not aware that there has been an ownership change, but I imagine that is likely the shift. Everyone in my party of 5 was really happy with their meals. The portions are really big, each dish is enough for 3 servings (yet the price is standard and not reflective of 3 servings, which is great.) The food was flavorful and fresh and not at all what I remember the first time. Dishes with rice on the side come with a huge portion of rice, not just the tiny cup with enough for 1 serving like many Asian restaurants. I also appreciate that they have a thoughtful non-alcoholic drink their drink menu. And of course the classic tiki-bar vibe and decor is unbeatable. The only thing that is still a negative that I remember from my first visit here years ago is the funky sewer smell in the hallway leading the bathrooms. What's up with that Breakers? It's really unappealing after a delicious meal. read more

The Breakers Restaurant - a table with a lamp on it - Chinese Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

It has been a long time since were here and we brought two friends based on our prior experience prior to Covid. Everyone was very friendly, but the food was just so so and in very large quantities. The tropical drinks were good. I think that their version of Chinese food is Americanized I didn't see any Asian cooks or waitresses and there were no Asian customers. Food was kind of bland. I think we'll stick to the good Asian spots we know in eastern Lake County. read more

Called ahead to have steak for dinner and they knocked it out of the park for my wife's birthday It was some of the best steaks I've had Great job guys We have eaten here many times everything we eat has always been awesome I highly recommended this place read more

Didn't get to the food although I've been told by the locals the food isn't as good as the previous management. I ordered a Mai Tai and asked the bartender if she had the wifi password and she said,"No." Okay, bye. read more

After no one answered the phone for over 30 minutes this evening, we decided to place our order online. When I arrived at the appointed time, I was told our order had been cancelled. No explanation was given. When I mentioned we had been coming there for over 40 years and this situation wasn't appreciated, I was told "Oh well". After arriving home, another call to the restaurant was answered by the owner. She quickly made several excuses and basically blew us off with, "We're busy right now". As a business owner, I've always supported small, local businesses in our area. Many times, looking past their shortcomings. In the case of the Breakers, it's declining food quality and service level the past few years. The old, dated decor served as a fun reminder of decades ago. However, the attitude conveyed by the owner is unacceptable. We will gladly take our business elsewhere...Oh well. read more

Was a little concerned from the looks of the outside but was pleasantly surprised. First off it's dark and dingy. Ok by me because usually those places have good food. Water came and it was yellow. I was a little turned off by that so I ordered coke instead of my usual iced tea (wasn't sure what water they were using for the tea). Service was slow and it took a while for us to even get our drinks. So off to a rough start. We finally ordered. The egg rolls and the shrimp on the appetizer were pretty good. Not the best I've had but solid. So we ordered our food. We shared the combo fried rice and the general Tso chicken (not usually my go to but my wife wanted it). I will say I was pleasantly surprised. The rice was really good. Good flavor and texture. Same with chicken. I also got a chili sauce that was fantastic. Good flavor and kick. We didn't get alcohol but interested in trying their drinks. Also was confused why the patio was closed. I would be interested in trying that out as well. Will definitely go back to eat and try other dishes. read more

This place F*cks! Been coming here for years. Egg rolls for life. Classic crystal lake spot if you want solid Chinese food!