Cancel

Open app

Search

Yan's Garden

3.9 (524 reviews)
ModerateChinese, Noodles, Soup
Closed • 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Updated 2 months ago

Order Yan's Garden Takeout or Delivery

Yan's Garden Photos

Business Info

YAN'S GARDEN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Happy hour specials
Outdoor seating

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Yan's Garden

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Tomato beef chow mein
S T.

We have tried several things on the menu but come back for the tomato beef chow mein. It is made like old school tomato beef. So many places make it too sweet. We also like their boba drinks!

house special chow mein
Wing Y.

Growing up in Arcadia, before 99 Ranch and lots of Chinese restaurants arrived in the area, my family used to go to Spring Garden in Pasadena, and I remember loving the mu shu pork there. Yan's brings me back to those days. We've been eating here more often over the past few years, and we have our regular dishes: chicken and corn soup, pork chops with Peking sauce, green beans, potstickers, and of course mu shu pork. Not sure who came up with the idea of a tortilla with hoisin sauce wrapped around cabbage, pork, and wood ear, but somehow it works. We usually have leftovers since the portions are quite large. There's other interesting stuff on the menu too (especially the Szechuan dishes) but most of the time we don't have enough room to order them. They also do drinks, and I like the lychee slushee. The staff is super friendly. Happy to have this place within a few blocks of home for some Chinese comfort food.

6. Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice 菠萝鸡炒饭
Kevin F.

The service was good and usual as any other restaurant. The sizzling rice soup, pineapple fried rice and vegetable chow mein are really good and tasty. The chicken soup dumplings could use more flavor but overall good for what it is. The snow peas beef and crispy chicken were just as good but nothing to really write home about. Overall the food is good and tasty with decent family size portions. The restaurant itself is nice and dope especially since the last time I was here they were doing renovations.

Very very good food. They make it fresh and hot. The restaurant is family owned and I think mom makes the food which is very very good. The serve is also excellent and very small homely atmosphere. Indians will also love this Chinese food.

Pork Mu Shu Beef
Harshika J.

IMO the best chinese food place in downtown San Carlos - their sizzling rice soup, and sizzling eggplant vegetables are . You can also do a Bubble tea takeout - do try their Mango yakult (no caffeine) and Thai iced tea. Staff is friendly. Cute ambience with unique elements - like a fish tank, bamboo, interesting lights, an energy stone, a little kid sized table

Check out this overflowing goodness, Chicken Salad
Neo Naomi T.

We love Yan's. We take out monthly because their flavoring is delicious and reliable! We usually order for a family of 7 based on the fortune cookies because we love so many dishes on the menu -- any permutation of beef/chicken/shrimp and string beans or broccoli. The fried rice, Singapore mifun, and potstickers always hit the spot! I just got the Chicken Salad to go for lunch with fried rice and Spicy Cucumbers and I couldn't be happier. Highly recommend no matter how many people you're feeding! I also appreciate that you can rack points when you order from their website (just be sure to log in).

Orange Chicken
Amanda M.

Yan's Garden is definitely a one-stop shop for all your asian cuisine needs. From boba tea and pot stickers to Mu Shu pork and Pineapple Chicken fried rice, this place has truly got you and your taste buds covered from beginning to end. I stopped in recently with my boyfriend for dinner and we had such an excellent experience. I love the family-run dynamic of this place... They're a fast-paced bunch and very efficient! The food here is not only prepared with the freshest of ingredients, but its also bountiful in portion and you can't beat the homemade taste! We shared between the two of us practically a whole feast... but enough for lunch leftovers the following day. Based off what we ate, i'd highly recommend: Hot & Sour soup, BBQ Pork Buns, Honey Walnut Chicken and Orange chicken. I also paired the meal with a black sugar milk tea and that was delicious--an absolute must, for the next time you visit. Long story short--the food and the service is above par and you can't beat the bang for your buck here. The menu is plentiful so the possibilities are endless. I look forward to future stops here!

Matcha Mango

See all

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Mango M.
0
200
157

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of S T.
0
62
53

9 hours ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

24 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Wing Y.
975
376
10790

9 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Aks J.
1
31
11

4 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Steven L.

Steven L.

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Steven L.

Steven L.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Steven L.

Steven L.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Steven L.

Steven L.

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of D C.
1
187
73

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Evan L.
30
37
6

8 months ago

Great Chinese restaurant. Nice portions, always good quality, excellent customer service. This is our go-to in San Carlos.

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Chi L.
418
607
1605

2 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Steven L.

Steven L.

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

11 months ago

Food and staff are both amazing. I love the portions! I can never leave without leftovers. I would recommend this place to anyone.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of T. O.
5
29
12

8 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Delicious food, great service. Everything tastes fresh. Love the chicken fried rice, chowmein potstickers and green beans.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Tasty and affordable. Inside is comfortable, and service is good. My go to for takeout.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Steven L.

Steven L.

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Excellent Chinese cuisine! Our family's go-to for Chinese Food. Love the scallion pancakes and veggie mushu

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Andy B.
0
46
33

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Steven L.

Steven L.

Helpful 2
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 3

Page 1 of 14

Yan's Garden Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Yan's Garden

I was thinking about ordering from Yan's as it's been my go-to chinese restaurant, but it seems like they increased the prices recently. Potstickers used to be ~$6.00, now they're $10. What happened?

The cost of maintaining business during a pandemic where they are not getting the same amount of customers and are delivery or take out only. Still gotta pay the same rent with lowered foot traffic.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

You might also consider

Paik’s Noodle

Paik’s Noodle

3.9(174 reviews)
0.9 mi

i usually get paik's noodle to-go from their location inside h mart, so it was really nice to…read morefinally sit down and dine in! honestly, it was so much better fresh in the restaurant! the jajangmyeon was exactly what i pictured, the noodles had the perfect chewiness and paired so well with the savory, flavorful black bean sauce. we also got to try the jjampong with pork, and it had the perfect amount of spiciness. the seafood was surprisingly fresh and not fishy at all. the shrimp was especially good, i honestly want to say it might have been my favorite. crispy on the outside, soft and flavorful on the inside. definitely the kind of bite that makes you crave more! the food came out so quickly and the portions are definitely reasonable! this meal fed 3 people! i would come again!

3.5 stars I have…read morebeen wanting to check this place out for awhile! I had gone before they switched to a noodle place (it was bbq before). It is now a Chinese/Korean spot. The space is very nice, casual yet inviting. Service was also good, attentive young staff. No issues with either. I went pretty early on a Saturday evening and it filled up pretty quickly within the hour. The menu is small, honestly was expecting a bit more choices. I ordered the "popular" dish, Jajangmyeon- and was excited to try it finally! Unfortunately I found it to be very bland. I asked for hot sauce to see if I could spice up the flavor but it only made it "hot". Maybe I was eating it wrong? We also got the stir-fried vegetable noodles which were much tastier! And also the sweet and sour chicken, I appreciated that they brought the sauce on the side. Unsure if I'll return, unless I have a Korean friend to come with! Any takers?

Photos
Paik’s Noodle - Interior

Interior

Paik’s Noodle - Fried dumplings inside

Fried dumplings inside

Paik’s Noodle - Fried dumplings

See all

Fried dumplings

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Features on SF Chronicles- The one of a kind authentic hand-pulled noodles in the Bay.

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles

4.3(727 reviews)
5.8 mi
•$$
Established in 2012
Family-owned & operated

This place is consistently good and always has at least a couple people waiting outside of the door…read moreif not more. If you feel like a nice warm hug for your tummy, then get the Langzhou hand pulled noodles. The clear broth and light spice is so comforting for your stomach and it doesn't feel too heavy. You can choose your noodle thickness based on your preference. I typically go for the small rounds while my boyfriend gets the belt noodles - the complete opposite from each other! You can get out of there less than $20 a person, which is so rare in downtown San Mateo. Quick and easy meal for lunch or dinner.

I'm not the biggest fan of their standard bed soup noodles, so I tried their chili oil wide noodles…read morewith braised beef and definitely prefer this! Noodles are springy and have a nice chew. The braised beef is well marinated and full of flavor and soft. The bowl isn't overly spicy either, but I adjusted for less oil, less salt , and less spicy. Would recommend this! I've also tried their knife cut noodles in his bed noodle soup today too from my partner's bowl, but it was a miss. The noodles were really soft and doughy. Flavorful broth as usual though. Looking to try something different next time...

Photos
Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Features on SF Chronicle- the best bay ever in San Mateo!

Features on SF Chronicle- the best bay ever in San Mateo!

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Proud to be featured on EATER SF in April 2023, the 25 must try essential restaurants in South Bay!

Proud to be featured on EATER SF in April 2023, the 25 must try essential restaurants in South Bay!

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Chili Oil w/ Wide Noodles

See all

Chili Oil w/ Wide Noodles

Kajiken - Homura Aburasoba

Kajiken

4.4(1.5k reviews)
5.8 mi
•$$

Incredibly savory soupless ramen. I'm a big noodle soup fan and am always a bit dubious of soupless…read morenoodles. But boy did Kaijiken impress! So much flavor and umami in every bowl. Be prepared to queue up on the weekends, but the wait will be worth it! Service was a bit spotty and the ambience is basic. But we're all really there for the food, aren't we? Be sure to liberally add extra vinegar, chili oil, and spices to your dish - all available right there on your table.

After dining here several times and enjoying my food, I chose this restaurant to celebrate my…read morefriend's birthday and had a VERY disappointing experience. Because Kajiken does not take reservations, my party of 4 arrived 4:45p for an early dinner. Fortunately there was no wait and my party was seated immediately. In fact, we were able to choose to dine outdoors which is perfect for the immuno-compromised birthday girl. To begin our meal, I began with: Oroshi Ponzu Karaage - good Sauteed Vegetables with Yuzu Kosho - there was no crunch or texture, I would not order again Edamame - good On my recommendation, three of us ordered the Wagyu Roast Beef Aburasoba and one ordered the Unagi Aburasoba. Because the birthday girl must eat food that is fully cooked, we asked if the raw egg could be substituted for a fully cooked egg. No, a fully cooked egg was not available. But here is where Kajiken lost its stars, the Wagyu Roast Beef was not up to par tonight. Not only did the beef have a texture of being old and full of sinew, it didn't taste fresh. Of all the days to have Kajiken fail me, I'm celebrating a birthday. When our server asked how everything was, I did tell her that the beef was different than it normally was and she said she relay that to the kitchen. As for the Unagi, the birthday girl said she enjoyed meal. For my next trip to San Mateo, it looks like I'll be trying other places.

Photos
Kajiken - Inside

Inside

Kajiken - Oroshi Ponzu Karaage($10)

Oroshi Ponzu Karaage($10)

Kajiken - Complimentary Accoutrements ($0) Vinegar, Chili Oil, Dried Garlic, Sesame seeds, & Chili Powder

See all

Complimentary Accoutrements ($0) Vinegar, Chili Oil, Dried Garlic, Sesame seeds, & Chili Powder

Blue Sky Café - Prawns with Salted Egg Sauce

Blue Sky Café

4.3(660 reviews)
1.0 mi
•$$

Had Wednesday dinner around 7:15 PM and ended up waiting close to an hour, with 6 parties ahead of…read moreus even though they close at 8:30 PM. The restaurant is tiny, with only about 8-10 tables, so that definitely contributes to the wait. The staff was super friendly and efficient despite being so busy. They even gave us menus to order while we waited, so our food came out really quickly once we were seated! We ordered the Singapore Rice Noodles, House Special Chow Fun, Pepper Clay Pot, and Walnut Shrimp, and everything was delicious! Singapore Rice Noodles: My favorite! The noodles weren't dry, and the curry flavor wasn't overpowering. House Special Chow Fun: Huge portion, packed with meat, and not dry at all. Pepper Clay Pot: Super flavorful, and the crispy rice was AMAZING. They also give you soy sauce to pour over it. Walnut Shrimp: Huge shrimp, a light coating, and the perfect sauce!!! Not overly sweet or too thick. Overall, everything was flavorful, the portions were generous, and each dish had its own unique taste. The wait was long, but the food and friendly service made it worth it. Definitely recommend checking this place out, just be prepared to wait!

*** U P D A T E ***…read more It's been a few years since our first visit to this cozy and casual Chinese eatery, but we still think about Blue Sky every now and then. It's rare that we're in this area, but we made a point to come back from SSF and give them another try. Like our first visit, there was a waitlist! We got here on a weekday at lunchtime around 12:30, and there were 3 parties ahead of us. Thankfully, the wait was only about 15 minutes this time. The owner was friendly and welcoming. Once we sat down, it took us forever to decide what we wanted to order! We ended up placing our order with the owner, but you can also order through the QR code on the table. *** O U R P I C K S *** BEEF CHOW FUN ~ good flavor and wok hei. We really enjoyed this dish! So much so that we ate the rest for dinner too! 5/5 PUMPKIN WITH SALTED EGG YOLK ~ this was a memorable dish for me from our first visit, so I definitely wanted to have it again this time. Still very good! The pumpkin is mildly sweet, while the salted egg yolk adds a little saltiness that balances everything out. 5/5 SWEET AND SOUR PORK ~ something we almost never order, but my partner was craving something sweet and tangy. The meat was nicely fried, so it didn't get too soggy even after being coated in the sauce. Good dish that seems popular among their customers. 4/5 BAKED PORTUGUESE BEEF STEW WITH SPAGHETTI ~ out of all the dishes, this one was bland and our least favorite. The sauce had more of a mild yellow curry flavor with coconut milk. It also didn't really look baked, since there was no browning on top that you'd normally expect from a baked dish. The stew itself was good, but we probably wouldn't order this one again. 3/5 Generous portions for every dish! Two people could easily get away with ordering just one dish and be satisfied. But with so many tempting choices on the menu, it's hard to order just one! Now we have tons of leftovers that'll last us for a few days! Oh, and the owner gave us a sample of their homemade hot chili sauce. It was tasty and savory, but nothing too spicy. My partner enjoyed it so much that he wanted a jar to take home! So we bought one to go for $8. With so many good things on the menu, we'll definitely have to come back again sooner than later. Already thinking about what we'll order next! Can't wait!!

Photos
Blue Sky Café - Small, sparse, busy restaurant

Small, sparse, busy restaurant

Blue Sky Café - Sweet and Sour Pork Rice Plate

Sweet and Sour Pork Rice Plate

Blue Sky Café - Pumpkin with Salted Egg

See all

Pumpkin with Salted Egg

Hunan Mifen San Mateo

Hunan Mifen San Mateo

4.3(75 reviews)
4.0 mi
•$$

Hunan Mifen is another good spot worth trying if you love authentic Asian cuisine…read more I don't eat spicy food so I was happy that they have some dishes that is not spicy, I love the flavor of their broth, tasty not salty and it has a balance. I love that they have variety of appetizers and side dishes. Price is very reasonable for a freshly cook dishes. I would give them two thumbs up

Had low expectations coming here and was pleasantly surprised!…read more Food: T-he braised beef noodles were amazing. Noodles were chewier than most beef noodle soups I've had and the beef pieces were very tender and soft. The soup wasn't too spicy by itself and had alot of depth and flavor. -Pro-tip: There is a little self-serve station near the kitchen where you can get add'l condiments like cilantro, green onion, chili, and pickled daikon. SCORE. Add in the cilantro/green onion for a flavor explosion. -Ordered one of the combo noodles + 2 sides. For my sides, I got a blanched bok choy and a fried gyoza. The bok choy was needed to help cut the spiciness of the soup and to add veggies b/c without it, you'd just be having carbs, beef, and soup. Gyoza was a win too. Service: FAST and friendly, just how I like my non-fine dining restaurant experiences. You scan a QR code at the table and then choose an english/chinese option. If you have questions, you can ask the staff, but there isn't a TON of options to choose from, so make it easy on yourself and order a noodle soup. Ambiance: Ample seating at 1:30pm on a Sunday. Didn't have to wait, which was a big plus as all the other restaurants in San Mateo over near 3rd/4th and B street were packed. Overall: Highly recommend and would come again. This might be my favorite niu rou mian spot!

Photos
Hunan Mifen San Mateo
Hunan Mifen San Mateo
Hunan Mifen San Mateo

See all

Yan's Garden - chinese - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...