50 Best Chinese Restaurants near South Pasadena

“The best Chinese food I had in a long long time. We have been with six, sharing different dishes - a blast. Share the soup! Highly recommended.Thanks for reading my comment. Now, if you are curious enough about my "rating scheme", here's "the moment of truth. I am a music photographer who has traveled the world with the world's greatest musical talents (Michael Jackson, AC/DC, Rolling Stones, and Rammstein, to name a few) for almost 40 years. When being asked "Where do you live" I tended to ask "in hotels". At my peak, I "shot" 250 shows a year. Will say: been there, saw and tasted it, and a lot, as I may say, and much to the dismay of my doctor who is in my back to lose a few pounds. Quite a few, as I may add, which is why my wife and I walk ten thousand steps per day, where- and whenever we can - and explore a lot of new exciting places - places you may oversee when just driving by. While I love to share my experience with others, I am sometimes shocked at how people use their "power of the word" to down-rate amazing places because of minor incidents (in my all-time favorite​ restaurant Le Petit Four on Sunset Plaza the owner was even called a racist as he refused to toast the (free) bread in his packed restaurant - they simply do not offer toasted bread, as no French​ place does, as I may add). Or I just read "Chicken piccata so over-salted I hope the dog enjoys the leftovers tomorrow, I brought home most of the dish." Did they speak to their service? How could the restaurant learn that something was wrong when patrons even have their leftovers​ boxed to take home? As a dog owner,​ I want to take the writer and shake him or her really bad and say "You give over-salted food to your dog? Anyone with a bit of brain understands this is a horrible idea...​ I hope you agree.So If I had a say on this portal, I would offer just to see the ratings of my friends. So I would see what the ratings were by like-minded people. Sadly, I have no say. I try not to compare apples with oranges. A place like this does not correspond to "The Ritz". At first,​ I assume that a restaurant is clean, they do not greet you with a gun - and they deliver whatever they promise. I do not give stars for things that are expected. In my rating scheme, three or more stars are awarded if they actually exceed my expectations. Four, if I am sure I will come back. To achieve five stars, I must be willing to take a detour of thirty minutes or more to go again. Thank you for reading this.“

“Tried Phoenix Food Boutique for a quick meal and overall it’s a decent spot if you’re not in a rush.

The menu is straightforward and the food is fine, good for chinese food, casual bite. It’s the kind of place you go when you want something simple and familiar.

The biggest downside is the space and logistics. The restaurant itself is pretty small, and the plaza has limited parking. It can take a bit of circling around to find a spot, especially during peak hours since it’s a shared lot.

Service was okay, but the food does take a while to come out even for basic items, so it doesn’t really feel like a true “quick grab and go” situation despite the vibe.

Overall, not a bad option in Pasadena for a casual meal, just be prepared for limited parking and a bit of a wait.“

“For the longest time, I had been passing this spot although never went inside. I told myself I would return when craving some Americanized Chinese food.

Well, today my chance arrived. I came in to get chow mein and orange chicken for lunch. I felt like I needed veggies, so I got those.

The veggies were just boiled vegetables in oil. Nothing special. In fact, they tasted kind of bland. But they did the trick anyway, and I got full when I ate them before everything else.

Prior to actually dining here, I'd heard that the orange chicken can be too sweet. It was, although when compared with others I'd had I didn't think so. Seemed on par.

Chow mein was really light... I don't know what they put in it. I am a noodle person. Therefore, I enjoyed this. I got the feeling that the Chinese food they serve is a lot healthier and lighter than other competitors.

I'd come back when craving Americanized Chinese in the area.“

“We love our neighborhood Golden China and recommend anyone who has not came here to try their Fried rice, Chao Mein, Wonton Soup. They are so delicious and servers are so friendly and attentive to customers. Clean and nice environment for families to come.“

“Love all the food and the drinks are great too. Just afraid it will get too busy at lunchtime and no seat for me! :)“

“Stopped through this Panda on our way home and as I made my way in line I noticed that the string bean chicken I was hoping to get was running low. Instead of giving me a scoop of what was left in the bottom of the pan, they asked me if I wanted to wait for the new batch and offered me AND my husband a free drink while we waited. Top tier Panda!! And the food was fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥“

“So good!!! Amazing. Love the food. The bok choy pot stickers OOOF! The best. 💜💜💜👑👑👑🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🕺🏽🕺🏽🕺🏽🕺🏽💞💞💞💝💝👨‍❤️‍👨🧡“

“Every time I go to this restaurant, even when it's packed, the service is always excellent. Yangzhou Restaurant is almost always overflowing with diners, but honestly, the wait is worth it every single time. I also really enjoy looking at the celebrity photos hanging on the walls; they infuse the restaurant with the classic charm of an old-school Chinatown eatery“

“Everything about this dining experience was perfect. I've never had that before, where literally every box is checked...

Every single item we ordered blew our minds with how tasty they were. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

We were traveling from Utah and were in that town accidentally. We wandered in to the closest restaurant nearby and were not at all prepared for how nice this was. Even though we were not looking our best from a long day on the road, we were treated kindly and even had nice conversation with the owner.

This is now on our must list EVERY time we come to California!“

“Came here for my Grandma’s 80th birthday. Was recommended this spot for Peking Duck by a friend and it did not disappoint. The duck meat was juicy and duck skin was crispy. The eggplant was flavorful while the soup was pretty refreshing. I thought the grilled eel was ok, not very strong in flavorful in comparison with the rest of the meal.

The staff were very friendly and food came out promptly (not much of a wait). I would come back again for the Peking Duck alone!“

“Delicious & authentic Cantonese and Vietnamese cuisine! Everything was so fresh and well prepared. Service was spectacular!“

“Had a yummy dinner with great service in a lovely setting. We love the hot and sour soup here and the lemon yuzu scallops are my absolute favorite! Love the beef rolls and the cauliflower dish too. Truffle xiao long bao are so fragrant and yummy! Everything is always delicious. The sticky rice drinks are so good too! One of my fav toppings anywhere! Always a delicious meal.“

“The best Vietnamese Style Lobster and seafood! Always a long queue to be seated. Get here early for best parking and best seating.“

“We were pleasantly surprised and loved this little restaurant! We originally came to Chinatown to eat at the other famous place down the street from here, but there was a 2 hour wait there and we needed to eat and get going to the Dodger game! That’s when Google came to the rescue and we found Jade Wok!! We ordered fried rice, chow mein, spare ribs, kung-pow chicken, house beef and all were very delicious!! We are forever happy customers and will continue to come back! The owner and her son served us and were very attentive!“

“This is a really delicious restaurant, and I’ve been here many times. The owner is very friendly and welcoming, and I even recommended it to a few friends—they all loved it too. The food and service are excellent. Highly recommended! 👍 Definitely worth a try.“

“The atmosphere of the restaurant is relatively simple but comfortable. The waiters are friendly and provide fast service.“

“Food is delicious! If you like spicy can try it. If not, you can order one for non-spicy. Many different choices!“

“The best place in Dtla! Ask for Hiro, he was super amazing and kept our drinks full!“

“Walked in for lunch without any expectations only to be surprised at how good it was. Very solid noodles and large portions that looked like a lot but went down too fast. The guy behind us cleaned off his plate in under 5 mins. I'd would 100% recommend this spot.“

“This is the place to go if you love hot pot. Good quality food, tasty, and flavorful broth. Good service and friendly staff.“

“Great Dim Sum spot for classic dim sum food and not too long on wait for a table.“

“Solid authentic Chongqing hot pot here in Pasadena! Love that they have lots of fun snacks now to go along with your hot pot. Super convenient spot, since you can go for a nice walk around the neighborhood after eating. Great dinner option！“

“If you want a place to hang out after an activity with friends and eat good food while listening to some relaxing karaoke THIS IS YOUR PLACE! Yes there are busy times for this place because this place has great food, service, and atmosphere! I've been here with different sets of friends and I have never had a bad time...though parking may be a bit hard it's worth it. Also the prices for everything are fair and I don't end up spending too much especially in a group.“

“This is absolutely our favorite go to restaurant whenever we visit LA. A must stop for us. Living in CA and then moving to MN, we always crave for the noodles here. We visit every 2-4 years and the soups and noodles have always been consistent. The flavors are truly astonishing! We took my parents to visit last week again, and we stopped there 3X! A few days later back at home in MN and we are craving the soups already! Would definitely recommend this place.“

“Great food, location and service“

“Love their desserts and herbal drinks! They always have specials and their food portions are huge!“

“A WONDERFUL RESTAURANT - THE FOOD WAS DELICIOUS , THE PORTION SIZE WAS LARGE AND THE WOMAN SERVER WAS VERY KIND AND PLEASANT - AN EXTRA PLUS INEXPENSIVE PARKING WAS ADJACENT TO THE GOLDEN TREE . LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING BACK AGAIN .“

“everything is delicious and fresh 😋“

“每道菜餚皆是無可挑剔的精緻和美味“

“Authentic, delicious flavors. Good portion size. If you want the spice. They have it and delivery it amazingly. Service was fast, and incredible. A heads up, it is a smaller establishment and it will get filled up quickly during dinner. There is parking in the front, though it is limited.“

“Absolutely the best new restaurant inLos Angeles. Wonderful staff. Gorgeous facility indoors and patio. Exquisite and unique delicious food.“

“the restaurant is super clean. If you show up thinking you're going to order Orange chicken, Broccoli beef, kung pao chicken or any of that chinese fast food then this is not the place for you. BUT if you're looking for some delicious mouth watering dumplings cooked in various forms then you're at the CORRECT place. I brought my mom here and we tried the pork chive regular dumplings, the pan fried beef and cumin dumplings and the regular fried rice. All of it was delicious. Also they give you a complimentary bowl of egg drop corn soup. NOT a small bowl but a good size portion, it was GOOOOOD. I will definitely be back with the rest of the family and I want to try the beef noodle soup. DON'T fall asleep on the fried rice.“

“Wow- pure fire here - best house hot sauce ever- mix between a Mexican salsa n Tabasco 🔥🔥 very tasty- well the other bestest item were the beef noodles!! Thick noodles!! 🫶🏻“

“I had to update my review because this place just got a serious glow-up! They finally got rid of those old picnic-style checker tablecloths, and the dining room looks so much more upscale and sleek now.

We came in for dinner with a group and ordered one of their set menus for 6 people. It's honestly an incredible deal, it comes with a whole Peking duck and a bunch of great dishes, including the shrimp with vermicelli, beef in soup, broccoli, salad, sweet and sour pork ribs, and a 6-item appetizer platter. The food tasted fantastic, though the portion sizes for the set felt a little light for 6 fully grown adults. To make sure everyone was full, we added an order of their famous braised noodles with pork ribs, which absolutely hit the spot.

The service was highly impressive and completely matches the new elevated vibe of the restaurant. We had such a great experience that we’re actually coming back again next week for a birthday celebration. Highly recommend checking out their new look!“

“The food was delicious. The environment was very pretty. The service was very nice. The food portions here are large so it is family style. We had plenty of food for both of us to enjoy for lunch the next day. The orange chicken was really good and had a bit of a crispness to each bite.“

“Need to make reservations, otherwise need to wait almost hour“

“It's still the best restaurant for me and my family. Can't believe every time I eat their food, feel the same as the first time, when your first and last bite are equal of tasteful, you know you're hitting the right spot.

Thanks to this family for giving me the pleasure of being a diner at this place.“

“We ordered the sauerkraut fish and the portion size was huge. It was more than enough for two people, and we still had a lot of leftovers to take home. The flavor was really good--savory, tangy, and comforting without being overwhelming.

We also tried the quail eggs, which were battered and fried. They were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and honestly super tasty. Perfect little bite-sized snacks.

Overall, great portions, solid flavors, and definitely worth it if you're hungry or want leftovers for later. Would come back again!“

“If you’re looking for a restaurant with delicious food, reasonable prices, and outstanding service, this is definitely the place to visit! Every dish we’ve tried has been fresh, flavorful, and worth every penny. The staff is warm, attentive, and always makes you feel welcome from the moment you walk in. The atmosphere is comfortable, and the overall dining experience is consistently excellent. We always leave with full stomachs, big smiles, and already looking forward to our next visit. Highly recommended!“

“Absolutely loved this place! The food was delicious and everything tasted fresh and authentic. The soup dumplings were definitely the highlight — super juicy, flavorful, and made perfectly. We also tried several other dishes and honestly enjoyed everything we ordered.“

“this definitely deserves the michelin recommendation. every piece of meat was so tender and every dish was just so flavorful. i really liked the braised beef noodles. it had a cilantro taste and the bok choy was so soft. my family really liked the texture of all of the noodles - especially the fried ones. the scallion pancakes were very good and the food came very quickly. the staff are very nice and the water hits hard 😁. definitely come here“

“Excellent food and great service. Family owned and my favorite local eatery. Please try it.“

“Great food and new location!“

“Just tried Guilin rice noodles for the first time and I’m absolutely obsessed! The broth is incredibly fragrant and soul-warming, with a subtle spicy and savory depth that keeps you wanting more. The rice noodles themselves are silky-smooth and have the perfect chewy texture. Topped with crispy pork, peanuts, fresh herbs, and a hint of pickled vegetables—each bite is a beautiful balance of flavors and textures.
It’s not just a meal, it’s an experience. Whether you’re a foodie or just looking for something comforting and delicious, Guilin rice noodles will not disappoint. Highly recommend giving it a try!“

“Braised beef noodle soup with all the veg. Normal noodles and spicy. Imma gonna order that next visit. I ordered the above except medium spice level. See below.“

“I like this place. $13.99 per pound of food. You get to choose all your toppings. I recommend going heavy on the meats and light on the carbohydrates. That’ll be the best bang for the buck. They also have frog meat if that’s your lingo. I tried their beef bone broth and I like it a lot. I’d come back again.

**UPDATE**
Just a heads up. If you can’t eat mild this place won’t be for you. They can’t alter the broth. The only option is the tomato broth which is no spicy.“

“Probably one of the best kept secrets in Chinatown in Los Angeles. The food is simply amazing. The best Kung Pao Chicken in town. The pepper steak is fantastic. The orange chicken is crispy and on point. The facilities are clean and welcoming. For our team lunch, we were given the private room that seats about 60 people.“

“Love love this place great people that work there amazing food. Great portions, fresh and delicious can not go wrong did I mention great prices too. You must try.“

“Try The Indo Fried Rice… You will love it😀“

“Very good food. Clean and fast service.“