I think I'm going to start rating places to eat by Praise Reports, Or Prayer Requests, and this place is in need of some Prayer.Gave this a chance after my bad experience in James City, having finally recovered, willing to try Chinese Cuisine, I am determined to find some place that's at least 4 stars, well Taste of China looked like it might be it as it had that hidden hole in the wall feel and look, but as soon as I opened the door and was greeted by this dinning room, and order off paper sheets cafeteria style I was having a serious deja vu moment back in James City.I and Agent 113, Ordered:Egg RollsSteamed DumplingsBeef and BroccoliChicken Chow MienOrange ChickenHot and Sour SoupTeriyaki Beef SkewersDrinks are in caned form only, no alcohol.Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Orange Soda, Mountain Dew, whatever you pick, remember 2 cans per-person, you will be thirsty , and will want another can, this trick will save you from waiting.The room is odd, when we ate there we're order after order going out, but none dined in.Place was dead, I will say it was clean, had a kind of 80s feel to it.Unlike the place in James City, this place was at least clean and organized.Well, we talked to a guy who said he went there at least once a week, he said some times it's good, sometimes it's bad... interesting.Ours was bad.Never had orange chicken that was bread and fried, served with this orange goop, looked like Slimer from Ghostbusters trying to pass a kidney stone. The chicken was hard and dry, more like a chicken nuggie from Gold Arch World than anything I've had in Chinese restaurants before, was bummed out looked forward to a classic titan.Hot and Sour Soup was Hot, like that it, couldn't taste the sour which is usually from the Chinese Black Vinegar, this was like eating a bottle of hot sauce, but you only taste burning. It was so hot, spicy hot, now I can take some hot stuff, but this wasn't classic Hot and Sour. This was just Hot and Hot.Beef Broccoli would have been fine, but the broccoli was raw, hard, too bad, as it was the only thing we had that held that classic flavor, think this was the last places problem too in James City.Egg rolls were dry, tasted like they were old, as was the oil they were cooked it.The Steamed dumplings were so thick and gooey I thought I was eating globs of glue, the insides weren't bad, ate two or three by gutting them.Teriyaki beef skewers were actually the only really good thing though a bit tough.And the Chow Mien was oily. Into the trash bin it went.You bus your own tables here, there is a tip jar so if you have cash hold back from tipping, as this place hits you first then you see what it's like... Been seeing this kind of thing more and more popping up in Asian Cuisine style restaurants, you tip good or big then feel like you got robbed, I tipped fair and good but still felt robbed and disappointed.I saw one baby high chair the classic wood style.The young woman who took my oder from the counter was friendly, had no issues with customer service, yet that's easy there really isn't any.No I'll not be going back, any time soon, maybe in a year and see if some things have changed...also if eating in and it's early evening and sun is going down, sit on the left side, as the Right side gets washed out with blinding sunlight. Bring a jacket too, gets very cold in there.When after a few weeks or months pass and I feel up for Asian Cuisine again, I'm hoping to find, determined in fact to find one good Asian place. I'm amazed places like Taste of China have lasted this long, serving sub-par or low food, no real service, place is drab, food way too spicy, too dry, tastes old, of old oil, or oily...sad. I guess when there isn't any other option but this people just take what they can, but that's the only way, they've stayed up and running.Wasn't even worth what I paid, dropped almost a hundred bucks...never got a free 2 liter soda either as advertised on the menu...I guess tips don't count, my wallet sa
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Christopher L.
The portions of chicken in the Kung Bo Chicken were ridiculously small while the amount of celery in it was equally high. The health inspection rating posted is an A. However, that didn't stop me from getting food poisoning. Eat here at your own risk.
Georgia Busby
I enjoyed the egg rolls they were good
Pat Dostick
I was very disappointed in the quality of the food. It was not real flavorful and biggest thing was very skimpy on meat. I usually don't come to this end of Havelock but since I was going through thought I'd give it a try. I feel there is better food at China Inn at the other end of Havelock and my recommendation for the best in the area is Golden China in James city!! I think they are absolutely the best take out in the area. Large portions, very flavorful and a lot of meat and better quality vegetables. Out of the 3, I I would have to rate this #3.
Food: 2
Service: 4
Kiera Blankenship (Kira)
When my mom went to pick up my order from this place tonight, I was expecting it to cost $25 - $28 as it usually does for me to get the same stuff at other Chinese places. But instead they charged my mom $38 with no itemized receipt offered to check the individual prices. The food itself was perfectly fine, but I would definitely double check the prices they're giving you.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
Shroom Deadheadz
For Havelock, Taste of China is the best around. I highly recommend the shrimp egg rolls, wanton egg drop soup, beef with mushrooms, Singapore noodles, and the orange chicken. These are my top go to items but you really can’t go wrong with any of the menu items.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Katiya Cannino
The food was just horrible. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. Stay away.
Food: 1
Service: 4
Tiffany J.
Not much to look at inside but the food is amazing!! The best orange chicken I've ever tasted!!
Ashley H
Amazing food, wonderful caring staff. They take amazing care of each order. Prices are great for food quality.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Egg Drop Soup, Wonton Soup, Triple Delight, Shrimp Fried Rice, Shrimp Lo Mein, Chicken Wings, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Egg Roll, Chicken Fried Rice, General TSO's Chicken
Bryteyes 4.
Not very impressed! Hubby said his Kung Bo chicken was the same as anywhere else. My sesame chicken had a very strange taste, almost like it was made with old batter. The egg rolls were overly greasy. Service though was very fast, good was warm and the price is good for the amount of food. E could not find a good current menu, so I an including it with my review
Lousy service, food is okay if you're lucky enough to get it on time and still warm...
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Milo C.
Only tried this place out as that's where everyone at work was going for dinner. Got pork fried rice and Beef with Mushroom. The price was okay 20$ for both and the portion sizes were very generous. I only wish the food tasted as good as it smelled. The Beef and Mushroom was pretty mediocre, no real flavor stood out just the natural taste of beef and mushroom which itself isn't bad, but expected them be seasoned at least. It came in some weird gelatinous sauce that tasted like nothing. Pork fried rice was just bland, the pork didn't share its flavor profile at all. It's just white rice with pieces of pork. Would not recommend those items and I'm not sure I'd come back to try the rest of the menu unfortunately.
Tanya D.
We love A Taste of China! Best Chinese in Havelock. Here is an updated menu from September 2023.
Kim
Best place around for General Tso chicken. If you ask for extra spicy it is almost too hot to eat. The regular is plenty spicy. I had been in the habit of ordering extra spicy in this area because everything I got was bland. That's all i really get, so i can't comment on much else. I call in, and it's ready when I get there. I have tried most places in New Bern and Havelock, and their General Tso is always too sweet, mushy and not spicy at all.
jean averill
Very good food. ExcellentGeneral tsa. Chicken,egg rolls,and crab ragoons. Hot and fresh. Super clean
I think I'm going to start rating places to eat by Praise Reports, Or Prayer Requests, and this place is in need of some Prayer.Gave this a chance after my bad experience in James City, having finally recovered, willing to try Chinese Cuisine, I am determined to find some place that's at least 4 stars, well Taste of China looked like it might be it as it had that hidden hole in the wall feel and look, but as soon as I opened the door and was greeted by this dinning room, and order off paper sheets cafeteria style I was having a serious deja vu moment back in James City.I and Agent 113, Ordered:Egg RollsSteamed DumplingsBeef and BroccoliChicken Chow MienOrange ChickenHot and Sour SoupTeriyaki Beef SkewersDrinks are in caned form only, no alcohol.Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Orange Soda, Mountain Dew, whatever you pick, remember 2 cans per-person, you will be thirsty , and will want another can, this trick will save you from waiting.The room is odd, when we ate there we're order after order going out, but none dined in.Place was dead, I will say it was clean, had a kind of 80s feel to it.Unlike the place in James City, this place was at least clean and organized.Well, we talked to a guy who said he went there at least once a week, he said some times it's good, sometimes it's bad... interesting.Ours was bad.Never had orange chicken that was bread and fried, served with this orange goop, looked like Slimer from Ghostbusters trying to pass a kidney stone. The chicken was hard and dry, more like a chicken nuggie from Gold Arch World than anything I've had in Chinese restaurants before, was bummed out looked forward to a classic titan.Hot and Sour Soup was Hot, like that it, couldn't taste the sour which is usually from the Chinese Black Vinegar, this was like eating a bottle of hot sauce, but you only taste burning. It was so hot, spicy hot, now I can take some hot stuff, but this wasn't classic Hot and Sour. This was just Hot and Hot.Beef Broccoli would have been fine, but the broccoli was raw, hard, too bad, as it was the only thing we had that held that classic flavor, think this was the last places problem too in James City.Egg rolls were dry, tasted like they were old, as was the oil they were cooked it.The Steamed dumplings were so thick and gooey I thought I was eating globs of glue, the insides weren't bad, ate two or three by gutting them.Teriyaki beef skewers were actually the only really good thing though a bit tough.And the Chow Mien was oily. Into the trash bin it went.You bus your own tables here, there is a tip jar so if you have cash hold back from tipping, as this place hits you first then you see what it's like... Been seeing this kind of thing more and more popping up in Asian Cuisine style restaurants, you tip good or big then feel like you got robbed, I tipped fair and good but still felt robbed and disappointed.I saw one baby high chair the classic wood style.The young woman who took my oder from the counter was friendly, had no issues with customer service, yet that's easy there really isn't any.No I'll not be going back, any time soon, maybe in a year and see if some things have changed...also if eating in and it's early evening and sun is going down, sit on the left side, as the Right side gets washed out with blinding sunlight. Bring a jacket too, gets very cold in there.When after a few weeks or months pass and I feel up for Asian Cuisine again, I'm hoping to find, determined in fact to find one good Asian place. I'm amazed places like Taste of China have lasted this long, serving sub-par or low food, no real service, place is drab, food way too spicy, too dry, tastes old, of old oil, or oily...sad. I guess when there isn't any other option but this people just take what they can, but that's the only way, they've stayed up and running.Wasn't even worth what I paid, dropped almost a hundred bucks...never got a free 2 liter soda either as advertised on the menu...I guess tips don't count, my wallet sa
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
The portions of chicken in the Kung Bo Chicken were ridiculously small while the amount of celery in it was equally high. The health inspection rating posted is an A. However, that didn't stop me from getting food poisoning. Eat here at your own risk.
I enjoyed the egg rolls they were good
I was very disappointed in the quality of the food. It was not real flavorful and biggest thing was very skimpy on meat. I usually don't come to this end of Havelock but since I was going through thought I'd give it a try. I feel there is better food at China Inn at the other end of Havelock and my recommendation for the best in the area is Golden China in James city!! I think they are absolutely the best take out in the area. Large portions, very flavorful and a lot of meat and better quality vegetables. Out of the 3, I I would have to rate this #3.
Food: 2
Service: 4
When my mom went to pick up my order from this place tonight, I was expecting it to cost $25 - $28 as it usually does for me to get the same stuff at other Chinese places. But instead they charged my mom $38 with no itemized receipt offered to check the individual prices. The food itself was perfectly fine, but I would definitely double check the prices they're giving you.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
For Havelock, Taste of China is the best around. I highly recommend the shrimp egg rolls, wanton egg drop soup, beef with mushrooms, Singapore noodles, and the orange chicken. These are my top go to items but you really can’t go wrong with any of the menu items.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was just horrible. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. Stay away.
Food: 1
Service: 4
Not much to look at inside but the food is amazing!! The best orange chicken I've ever tasted!!
Amazing food, wonderful caring staff. They take amazing care of each order. Prices are great for food quality.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Egg Drop Soup, Wonton Soup, Triple Delight, Shrimp Fried Rice, Shrimp Lo Mein, Chicken Wings, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Egg Roll, Chicken Fried Rice, General TSO's Chicken
Not very impressed! Hubby said his Kung Bo chicken was the same as anywhere else. My sesame chicken had a very strange taste, almost like it was made with old batter. The egg rolls were overly greasy. Service though was very fast, good was warm and the price is good for the amount of food. E could not find a good current menu, so I an including it with my review
Restaurantji Recommends
Lousy service, food is okay if you're lucky enough to get it on time and still warm...
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Only tried this place out as that's where everyone at work was going for dinner. Got pork fried rice and Beef with Mushroom. The price was okay 20$ for both and the portion sizes were very generous. I only wish the food tasted as good as it smelled. The Beef and Mushroom was pretty mediocre, no real flavor stood out just the natural taste of beef and mushroom which itself isn't bad, but expected them be seasoned at least. It came in some weird gelatinous sauce that tasted like nothing. Pork fried rice was just bland, the pork didn't share its flavor profile at all. It's just white rice with pieces of pork. Would not recommend those items and I'm not sure I'd come back to try the rest of the menu unfortunately.
We love A Taste of China! Best Chinese in Havelock. Here is an updated menu from September 2023.
Best place around for General Tso chicken. If you ask for extra spicy it is almost too hot to eat. The regular is plenty spicy. I had been in the habit of ordering extra spicy in this area because everything I got was bland. That's all i really get, so i can't comment on much else. I call in, and it's ready when I get there. I have tried most places in New Bern and Havelock, and their General Tso is always too sweet, mushy and not spicy at all.
Very good food. ExcellentGeneral tsa. Chicken,egg rolls,and crab ragoons. Hot and fresh. Super clean
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Egg Roll