50 Best Chinese Restaurants near San Carlos

“Fried chicken wing - Don't underestimate fried chicken wing, you can taste a good one compared to bad ones and this is one of the best I've had. Good garlic flavor and crispy fried flavor.Baked Spaghetti Bolognese - I was surprised how good this is. They use the good cheese and you can smell it. Crispy cheese on top and the sauce flavor is very good as well.Baked pork chop over rice - The sauce is above average. However, the pork chop could use more marinate, garlic and sesame oil. I think the pork chop they use is pork loin. Using more fatty pork will make it more tender and juicy.Portuguese style baked chicken rice - The flavor of the sauce actually was pretty good but I thought it taste a little sourness.All in all, I'm pretty impressed because I didn't expect it's this good.“

“We got the house dinner special for two. The water didn't taste so great but we were started off with the fried shrimp with sweet and sour sauce which was pretty good. I enjoyed the sizzling rice soup. I added hot oil to mine. Next we had our dinner which consisted of Mongolian Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, and pork fried rice. All of the above were very tasty. The walnuts in the honey walnut shrimp dish were candied, crispy, and fresh ❤️ The ambiance was very relaxing and mellow. The music was jazzy and there was a virtual aquarium which I really enjoyed. I loved the mellow vibe and our waiter, Felix, was very sweet and helpful.❤️“

“A lovely white tablecloth setting. Great service and delicious food. A lot like Wings in San Jose which is out of business now😭. So yes I love that we found King Chuan Restaurant 😍“

“Went with family here for lunch and got seated the minute we walked in, we ordered and the food came out in less than 10 minutes freshly cooked the service was also great our server made us feel welcome i would recommend this if you enjoy some really good chinese food.“

“Smaller older restaurant food delicious

Lunch special GRAST DEAL

We love Mongolian beef 4.5/5
Mongolian lamb 4.5/5
Kung pao chicken 4.5/5
Fried rice 5/5
Chow mein 4/5
Chow fun 4.4/5

Walnut shrimp 3/5 ok not great“

“I love momos , fried corn , noodles & fried rice ...“

“Really family friendly place with high quality Korean noodles. Reminds me of Korea and oddly Southern California, where Korean food presence is strong. SO glad to be seeing more high quality foods in the Bay area, and in the Peninsula where there is an absolute paucity of selection. Service was only ok, but it was clear that they were understaffed during their opening months. Will be back!“

“On a Tuesday night 7pm, there is still 15 minute wait. This place is popular. You order off a QR code and the system supports multi user ordering for the same table. The skewers are tasty. I wish the skewers are spicier so next time I will put in an extra request. You get a birthday gift bag if you show your ID on the day of your birthday!“

“Food is wounderful and not that expensive… worth it….😃“

“Have you ever had Fujian cuisine before? Now you can at Taste of Shaxian in San Mateo! All of the dishes were very simple, but surprised us with a lot of flavor! Whether you're a fan of dumplings or not, this place has good ones and a bunch of other must-try dishes all priced very reasonably. For 2 people, we ordered just enough to be comfortably full.

* Shaxian Wonton Soup
* Soup Dumplings Combo
* Spicy Cold Noodles (highly recommend!)
* Braised Chicken (bone in) Clay Pot w/ Rice (highly recommend!)“

“Town of Dumpling – San Mateo
I’ve lived in San Mateo my whole life and somehow never tried Town of Dumpling until now — no idea how I missed it, but I’m really glad I finally went. The food was seriously delicious. The soup dumplings especially were a standout — super flavorful, juicy, and perfectly done. You could tell everything was made fresh and with care.

Prices were totally fair too, which was a nice surprise given how high quality everything was. It’s just one of those spots that does great food without trying too hard to be “trendy.”

Definitely coming back. Can’t believe I slept on this place for so long.“

“When the food first came out, it was quick, warm and tasty! However, the next day I ate the leftover for dinner I am quite shock from the amounts of cooking oil. I know that good Chinese food doesn’t need a lot of cooking oil for it to taste good, so I am disappointed by that. I had to throw away the rest of eggplant dish because I am pregnant and isn’t good for me. Although the service and setting/environment was great. I might try again but I will request to limit on the oil. To me it’s more of a Chinese-American food, almost like Panda Express.
The 3 dishes plus 18% tips, appx $75.“

“The restaurant is located inside a plaza and there are a lot of parking spaces. We arrived there right after 6:00pm, and there were a few people waiting inside. After I put my name on the waitlist, we were able to get our table very quickly. We ordered the Sliced Beef & Ox Tripe in Chili Oil, Cucumber Salad, Chicken & Corn Dumpling in Chili Oil, Napa Cabbage & Pork Potstickers, Pork Xiao Long Bao, and Iced Assam Milk Tea. They served the food pretty quickly and all the staff were friendly. Those dumplings were freshly made by the chef because you could see the back with an open kitchen and watch them making all the dumplings. Dumplings and Xiao Long Bao tasted pretty good except the sliced beef and ox tripe and the drink was just ok. Highly recommended for the dumplings and Xiao Long Bao :)“

“I've been here many times in the past two or three years and it's always delicious! I must order the squirrel fish every time. I also like the lotus root sandwich, pearl meatballs, hot dry noodles and tofu skin. They are also delicious.“

“Food came out hot and fast. Enjoyed the pick 4 item meal. Cantonese Chicken, ribs, green beans and shrimp were great

The two people working there were so efficient!

Kids enjoyed the cute animal videos playing. Very family and group friendly“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Solid (1=Avoid, 3=Standard, 5=Can't Miss) for fast, casual Chinese food to-go. There's no seating here, but plenty of parking in the surrounding lot that has a lot of empty businesses around it. But there's a reason Rickshaw is still around because it is one of the best deals in town. Just when you think they are finished loading your plate, they keep going! The garlic noodles are an additional $1 and it is very garlic-y. 😉“

“This Place is so Good and Delicious!!! They have Chinese, Hawaiian and even Pho! Been coming here a lot!“

“How I just LOVED this restaurant. Me and some family members went here after a boring fishing trip and it made my day! The rice was perfectly cooked, the dishes had large portions enough for the three of us, and the pot stickers were cooked to perfection. The service was great, it was fast and easy! I don't have much more to say about it! The atmosphere had that wonderful Chinese restaurant feel to it with wonderful smells wafting through the air along with the friendly waiters always making you smile.“

“I came here with two friends and it was mostly empty at 7:10 pm on a Tuesday night!

Good:
- Food came out fast and it's as good as I remember!
- The egg tofu was so chewy and soft, and savory!
- The veggies here are tasty and healthy
- The fried rice was flavorful and well salted

Bad:
- It was hard to flag down a waiter
- Not a big fan of the salted egg yolk dish in the clay pot - just had a bit too strong of an aftertaste for me

Overall it's a casual place with good Asian food and predictable quality!“

“Vegetable fried dumplings, soy sauce noodles, and green onion pancakes were all incredibly good. Staff was supremely helpful, kind, and personable. Highly recommend!“

“All the food we ordered was so good. The variety menu was kind of impressive, and we loved that 😉 it's not Japanese but more Chinese. Order can made my own devices which is easy!

My understanding is that they are not accepting reservations, but I found a waiting machine when you arrived. It's better to get earlier to check on your waiting list if you want to secure your table. No outside tables for dogs too.
The place was already very crowded - about to be full at 6pm on Friday night.
The customer service level was very good, and the staff was friendly and nice.

I agree that some other people said the food was too salty, and it was indeed too salty. I hope they can put more spices on the table and customize it themselves.
I love the dessert there! They do cook and serve very fresh 😉“

“Delicious Chinese food with generous portions. I especially recommend the mapo tofu—it was full of flavor and perfectly spiced. They also serve a very generous amount of rice, which makes the meal really satisfying. Definitely worth trying!“

“The best Chinese food my daughter and I have had in a long time. She’s says it’s the best she’s EVER had, and she loves Chinese food. I recommend this place 💯“

“great food. good service“

“Food was delicious 😋 I gave it a 2 because my Kung po chicken was in much needed of more chicken. All I could taste was chestnuts, zucchini, bell peppers and sauce. Flavor was there tho... I'll still be a regular here, best chinese spot.“

“Delicious skewers on top of the already good hand pulled noodles. We went there enough times that we got the gift card which also makes this really good value for the money.

Other good dishes are the meat pockets. So far didn't find a dish we regretted.“

“The seats in the restaurant are comfortable, the place is clean, and the waiters are attentive. It has a Hong Kong-style teahouse style, and the food is of average quality. The company's sandwich menu has a Hong Kong feel, including garlic fried chicken wings, baked pork chop rice, and stir-fried beef river. I think the milk tea doesn't have enough flavor, there is room for improvement. This is a restaurant I will visit again.“

“It's a refined place. Went during the week and had Two dishes. Forgot their names but they were really fresh and tasty. Bill was 100 bucks which means it's spendier than the average (I think. I'm not a local to Cali) but it was a treat!“

“Stopped by The Mandarin Chinese while hoping for some great Chinese food in town. The location was convenient, and the space itself is quite nice, with the added bonus of upstairs seating. Service was smooth; we came on a Friday evening, got seated right away, and dishes arrived in a steady flow.

Unfortunately, the experience was a bit mixed. The sizzling rice soup was disappointing; it came out lukewarm and didn’t sizzle at all, with a watered-down broth. Definitely underwhelming.

That said, the rest of the meal was much better. We ordered Spicy Beef Tendon, Salt and Pepper Tofu, Garlic Snow Pea Leaves, Eggplant in Spicy Sauce, and Kung Pao Chicken. Every dish was flavorful, and the Szechuan-style seasoning really stood out. The beef tendon dish, in particular, looked and tasted great.

Overall, while not everything hit the mark (and prices felt a bit high), the main dishes were strong enough to make it a solid option for Szechuan cravings; just maybe skip the soup.“

“Food is very fresh. You take a large bowl and fill it up with fresh ingredients. Take it to the counter to get it weighed, and then they cook it for you. Pick your soup base. Definitely a very good concept 👌. Love the fresh ingredients. Definitely a good place for lunch or dinner.“

“I travelled from Riverside County to come eat at this restaurant and have heard such great reviews about it from my relatives and friends who live all the way in China! It was worth the drive and we will definitely be back again. Each dish is unique and they also have gluten free options as well as requested options. (My f5 year old is Gluten free).The bamboo and mushroom dish had a hint of sweetness with an undertone of spice, the Chong qing 🌶spicy chicken was mouth watering, along with the eggplant 🍆 dish, dry stir fried fish, and glass noodles with pork! I enjoyed every dish and my kids enjoyed their shrimp fried rice dish and greens as well. Our family is a foodie family and we love ❤️ traveling far and near to try dishes from around the world. The Chef came out and greeted us and was So kind. The staff was very attentive and friendly with our children. I would highly recommend this establishment. Thank you!! 🙏💕😁“

“look for the 3 item specials but also the cho chow mein, Mongolian beef and beef noodle soup are all really good. fast service and friendly.“

“粥品美味道地。沙薑雞實在太好吃了。“

“味道好！價格合理！好吃！服務好！“

“Get the recommended specials. They are all insane. Szechuan spicy chicken isn’t mala or “numbing” but is still very good. Walnut shrimp is excellent.

Would pass on the lemon chicken.

Best of all …. The prices are on the mark. Didn’t feel like a rip off.“

“It's a Lil hole in th wall, but th food is good. Good selection of Dumplings. Stir fry grn beans a must hv. My good to for dumplings

Vegetarian options: Veggie dumplings, fried rice n chow mein

Parking: Parkin lot is in th back so u'll hv to walk around th block, which is helpful aft ur done eating“

“The food are fresh and amazing!! My wife from Taiwan loves it. She finally found a Chinese restaurant in the US that impressed her. The taste and quality are that of premium more expensive restaurants. Props to the cook. We couldn't wait to eat it while charging our vehicle nearby.“

“quite good and competitive price. Missing Taiwan a lot!!“

“One the best, higher-end Chinese restaurants in Palo Alto. They serve Chinese dishes from all over China, but impressively every dish tastes authentic and delicious. We had Peking duck and pork served with tissue paper thin crepes, cucumber slices and scallions (from China’s capital city), juicy pan fried pork buns and sweet and sour squirrel fish (from the east of China), spicy cabbage stir fry, pig intestines in spicy sauce and beef stir fry (from Sichuan and central China). They carved the duck in front of you and then used the duck carcass to make a very tasty tofu and Napa cabbage soup. The sweet mochi cake dessert was also some of the best I have had in the Bay Area. It’s a very popular restaurant and reservations are recommended. They have a couple of private dining rooms for large parties (at least 10 people). The prices on the higher end for Chinese food, but the taste and the quality of the food absolutely makes up for it.

Parking: Free street or garage parking on the next street

Kid-friendliness: Very kid friendly and kids usually love the buns and Peking duck“

“We tried the fish and frog dishes, plus cold noodle. All were outstanding, great taste, great portions. The tea served were a good compliment to the spicy food, of higher quality compared to other similar restaurants. If you like spicy Sichuan seafood - this is the place to go. Will definitely visit again.“

“The food is absolutely delicious! The staff is friendly and helpful. One of my favorite places to go when in town. Highly recommend.“

“Very good. The Brown sugar pancake is very soft and chewy. And the Sour beans Gnocchi with minced pork is very tasty as well. the Gnocchi is made of very authentic Chinese northern style dough,it’s their specialty here,also very chewy and tender. I like it. Will definitely be back.“

“If you want affordable Chinese buffet with super large portions, this is good. But don't expect the quality you would from more accomplished Chinese restaurants. Quite the generic business name they have. On El Camino across Redwood City Target.“

“Some of the best hot pot I have had and the customer service was great“

“Superb Shanghainese cuisine with modern twist. For instance, chilled cucumber with chili oil. Tang Yuan in micro size. All very good, reasonable portions, and not salty or greasy. Went there for dinner on Wed and returned for lunch the next day!“

“Chef Zhao stands out for serving one of the most delicious and truly traditional Kung Pao chicken dishes around—perfectly balanced with spice, sweetness, and that signature wok aroma that many other places miss. 🐔🌶️ The soft tofu and crab meat is also a highlight, with a smooth, delicate texture and rich seafood flavor that’s both unique and satisfying. 🦀🍳 A must-try for fans of authentic Chinese flavors! 😋🥢

Plenty of free street parking behind the restaurant.“

“I've been coming here for almost twenty years and they never disappoint. The staff are super friendly and the food is delicious. It's a relatively unknown little place, but by far my favorite in San Mateo. I recommend anything on their menu, but I personally LOVE their chow mein and sizzling rice soup.“

“Great food, the people are very nice!“

“I had such a great experience here! The hotpot came in a beautifully designed pot that kept the broth bubbling and full of fresh vegetables, mushrooms, and bok choy. The beef was sliced perfectly thin, with great marbling for flavor, and the hand-pulled noodles were chewy and satisfying. Everything tasted fresh, clean, and high quality. The portion sizes were generous, and it felt like a balanced, hearty meal. On top of that, the presentation was gorgeous. The pot itself is a work of art. Definitely a spot I’d recommend for anyone craving comforting and authentic hotpot!“

“太棒了，肉品沒吃多少，倒是吃了好幾磅的櫻桃🍒“