I've always love this place it's just that ever since I've gone digital I don't think they really know how to work the system very well. You cannot pay for an order over the phone and they're not very savvy with the computer system to pay when you you in. Make sure sure you bring cash it's just easier for them.
Sarah Augustine
$14 for dried noodles. Just dried noodles. No seafood, vegetables or anything else. The other food was mainstream level Grocery store level “Chinese food”. Doubt they’ll let me post the real pic of the food they offer.Vegetarian options: Vegetarian means just noodles and nothing else after you’ve spent $14+ for one dish
Jerry G.
Went to Four Steams "Uncle Kwoks" this past weekend. It is not the same at all. The Hong Kong noodles were disgusting to the point that I threw them away immediately. I will not be going back.
John P.
Unkle Kwoks is history. The new restaurant is called Four Streams Kitchen. The interior has been refurbished and the food is 4-5 stars. Like Uncle Kwoks was twenty years ago.
Esmeralda Fregoso
I've only had their Kung poa tofu lunch special but it is so good! lots of flavor. definitely my go to lunch spot now. for $10.75 you get fried rice, soup, an egg roll and an entree: what a deal!!!! The owners are so nice and will make you feel welcomed!
Lee C.
Not sure why this place has negative reviews. While I've only eaten here (or take away) 3 times, each experience has been very positive. Very friendly people, and the food is excellent. Just remember you are at a Szechwan restaurant so when they say spicy, they mean it. The hot and sour soup was a little too spicy for me, but it did have a good flavor. I just couldn't eat too much of it. Loved the egg rolls, the Mushroom Chicken and the Kung Pao Triple delight. I'll try more dishes as I return. I did see that one reviewer gave them a low rating because the delivery company they use, couldn't get the food to them in a prompt manner during the height of the pandemic. Seriously??? Door dash, Uber and all the rest of the delivery services are not the way to get good hot food. Just sit in a restaurant and watch the staff prepare the orders for take out and then see how long it take for the delivery service to show up. No wonder the food is cold. Lol. To each his or her own, but if I order take out, I'm there before they box it up so I can be sure I'm getting the best. Also note Uncle Kwok's changed owners about a year ago. I have no experience with the prior owners, but I really like the current ones. Very nice people. No rudeness, no attitude, just service with a smile. I'll be going back soon. Cheers.
Meg M.
Uncle Kwok's is open for dine-in again at last! It has a new owner (Mae) and a new name but some of the old staff is still on-hand. I had the kung pao chicken lunch special -- I think their kung pao is the best in the area -- it isn't dluted with zucchini or anything. It came with rice, very decent hot and sour soup and a magnificent egg roll. My mother had the sesame chicken lunch and said she thought it was even better than she remembered. They have repainted the dining area and I don't think they are finished with the decorating but it is very pleasant, just a bit Spartan, for now. I go to a restaurant for the good food and good service and this place really meets those goals! Another reviewer complained that the spicy dishes are not really spicy. They kind of have to guess how spicy each customer wants the food. I have a friend who likes his food very spicy and he just tells them that and he is very pleased with the results.
Paul Neuman
I wasn't impressed...Their online menu doesn't really tell their hours.The first time I showed up it was a Saturday at about 1:30... there was no sign of life .. however they had set up a pick-up window. I made a call and was told they were on lunch break until sometime after 4. I did go back... and the portions were big - our normal order of one dish each with an added rice and/or soup was over the top...the two of us had leftovers for two days.It was good food...however I have had better! No eat in experience... they are still on COVID protocols.I would go again if this was what I was looking for.Thanks.
Adrian L.
Very nice people with kind hearts. Occasionally stop by for lunch specials and I'm always happy with my experience
Not the absolute worst Chinese American cuisine at Kwoks--but pretty close. It really is geared toward its Aptos location--seniors that don't know any better or taste all that well anymore. Certain dishes, BBQ pork and anything duck, come to mind, are just plain terrible. Dry and/or not crispy or sauced right (BBQ pork has a distinctive sweetish sauce lacking at Kwoks). Chow Funs are a mass of way too oily noodles--skip their rice noodles entirely. Safe, edible dishes are the Chow Meins, and simple dishes such as beef and broccoli, or chicken and mushrooms. They are splashed with water and soy sauce for flavoring, and that's it (NO ginger, NO garlic, NO oyster sauce, NO stock). The soups are yech--water splashed with soy sauce and cornstarch; flavorless... Overall--avoid Kwoks if you can...
Dale McNamara
We got the dinner for two, a combination of Chinese food dishes. Greatt dinner and left overs the next day!
Emily S.
We just tried Uncle Kwok's for lunch today and it was really fricken good! I feel badly for not trying it sooner. The lunch special is a screamin' deal, for about $10-11 I got soup, rice, broccoli beef, AND an eggroll. That kind of pricing in Santa Cruz County can't be beat. The food was all fresh and delicious, with the exception of the wonton soup (it was cold and somewhat bland, but the wontons were tasty!). My co-worker got the szechuan beef and let me try a bite because it smelled divine - and it was SO good! We will be ordering again for sure.
Rachel Stettner
I ordered the black bean chicken lunch special. I asked for fried rice and received white. The hot and sour soup wasn't hot or sour. It just tasted chicken broth. Also the egg roll was soggy and burned on one end. The black bean chicken and rice were the only edible food I received. I usually don't leave reviews but, this way just a poor example of what Chinese food is supposed to taste and look like.
Charles
None of the food is fresh. Sweet and sour chicken was 2 day old breading with wayyy overcooked and multple times. Fried rice is just rice with 3 pieces of old chicken. The sweet and sour chicken (breading no chicken) tastes a little like buffalo wing sauce which was odd too. Chowmein tasted off. Like it had been spiked with something dark. Im not sure but I will never eat here again. 35.00 plus tip on takeout in the trash.
I've always love this place it's just that ever since I've gone digital I don't think they really know how to work the system very well. You cannot pay for an order over the phone and they're not very savvy with the computer system to pay when you you in. Make sure sure you bring cash it's just easier for them.
$14 for dried noodles. Just dried noodles. No seafood, vegetables or anything else. The other food was mainstream level Grocery store level “Chinese food”. Doubt they’ll let me post the real pic of the food they offer.Vegetarian options: Vegetarian means just noodles and nothing else after you’ve spent $14+ for one dish
Went to Four Steams "Uncle Kwoks" this past weekend. It is not the same at all. The Hong Kong noodles were disgusting to the point that I threw them away immediately. I will not be going back.
Unkle Kwoks is history. The new restaurant is called Four Streams Kitchen. The interior has been refurbished and the food is 4-5 stars. Like Uncle Kwoks was twenty years ago.
I've only had their Kung poa tofu lunch special but it is so good! lots of flavor. definitely my go to lunch spot now. for $10.75 you get fried rice, soup, an egg roll and an entree: what a deal!!!! The owners are so nice and will make you feel welcomed!
Not sure why this place has negative reviews. While I've only eaten here (or take away) 3 times, each experience has been very positive. Very friendly people, and the food is excellent. Just remember you are at a Szechwan restaurant so when they say spicy, they mean it. The hot and sour soup was a little too spicy for me, but it did have a good flavor. I just couldn't eat too much of it. Loved the egg rolls, the Mushroom Chicken and the Kung Pao Triple delight. I'll try more dishes as I return. I did see that one reviewer gave them a low rating because the delivery company they use, couldn't get the food to them in a prompt manner during the height of the pandemic. Seriously??? Door dash, Uber and all the rest of the delivery services are not the way to get good hot food. Just sit in a restaurant and watch the staff prepare the orders for take out and then see how long it take for the delivery service to show up. No wonder the food is cold. Lol. To each his or her own, but if I order take out, I'm there before they box it up so I can be sure I'm getting the best. Also note Uncle Kwok's changed owners about a year ago. I have no experience with the prior owners, but I really like the current ones. Very nice people. No rudeness, no attitude, just service with a smile. I'll be going back soon. Cheers.
Uncle Kwok's is open for dine-in again at last! It has a new owner (Mae) and a new name but some of the old staff is still on-hand. I had the kung pao chicken lunch special -- I think their kung pao is the best in the area -- it isn't dluted with zucchini or anything. It came with rice, very decent hot and sour soup and a magnificent egg roll. My mother had the sesame chicken lunch and said she thought it was even better than she remembered. They have repainted the dining area and I don't think they are finished with the decorating but it is very pleasant, just a bit Spartan, for now. I go to a restaurant for the good food and good service and this place really meets those goals! Another reviewer complained that the spicy dishes are not really spicy. They kind of have to guess how spicy each customer wants the food. I have a friend who likes his food very spicy and he just tells them that and he is very pleased with the results.
I wasn't impressed...Their online menu doesn't really tell their hours.The first time I showed up it was a Saturday at about 1:30... there was no sign of life .. however they had set up a pick-up window. I made a call and was told they were on lunch break until sometime after 4. I did go back... and the portions were big - our normal order of one dish each with an added rice and/or soup was over the top...the two of us had leftovers for two days.It was good food...however I have had better! No eat in experience... they are still on COVID protocols.I would go again if this was what I was looking for.Thanks.
Very nice people with kind hearts. Occasionally stop by for lunch specials and I'm always happy with my experience
Best chinese food on earth ?.
Restaurantji Recommends
Not the absolute worst Chinese American cuisine at Kwoks--but pretty close. It really is geared toward its Aptos location--seniors that don't know any better or taste all that well anymore. Certain dishes, BBQ pork and anything duck, come to mind, are just plain terrible. Dry and/or not crispy or sauced right (BBQ pork has a distinctive sweetish sauce lacking at Kwoks). Chow Funs are a mass of way too oily noodles--skip their rice noodles entirely. Safe, edible dishes are the Chow Meins, and simple dishes such as beef and broccoli, or chicken and mushrooms. They are splashed with water and soy sauce for flavoring, and that's it (NO ginger, NO garlic, NO oyster sauce, NO stock). The soups are yech--water splashed with soy sauce and cornstarch; flavorless... Overall--avoid Kwoks if you can...
We got the dinner for two, a combination of Chinese food dishes. Greatt dinner and left overs the next day!
We just tried Uncle Kwok's for lunch today and it was really fricken good! I feel badly for not trying it sooner. The lunch special is a screamin' deal, for about $10-11 I got soup, rice, broccoli beef, AND an eggroll. That kind of pricing in Santa Cruz County can't be beat. The food was all fresh and delicious, with the exception of the wonton soup (it was cold and somewhat bland, but the wontons were tasty!). My co-worker got the szechuan beef and let me try a bite because it smelled divine - and it was SO good! We will be ordering again for sure.
I ordered the black bean chicken lunch special. I asked for fried rice and received white. The hot and sour soup wasn't hot or sour. It just tasted chicken broth. Also the egg roll was soggy and burned on one end. The black bean chicken and rice were the only edible food I received. I usually don't leave reviews but, this way just a poor example of what Chinese food is supposed to taste and look like.
None of the food is fresh. Sweet and sour chicken was 2 day old breading with wayyy overcooked and multple times. Fried rice is just rice with 3 pieces of old chicken. The sweet and sour chicken (breading no chicken) tastes a little like buffalo wing sauce which was odd too. Chowmein tasted off. Like it had been spiked with something dark. Im not sure but I will never eat here again. 35.00 plus tip on takeout in the trash.