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3 Brothers From China
Categories: Restaurants Chinese Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Asian Fusion Chinese, Seafood, Asian Fusion [Edit]
2001 Contra Costa BlvdPleasant Hill, CA 94523
(925) 671-6888
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Alexis G. said: "I originally came here to check it out for a party I was having, and right when I walked in I was greeted by not only the very nice owner but every single waiter as well. He showed me where he would set up tables and showed us a menu…" read more »
171 reviews for 3 Brothers From China
Review Highlights
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"Honey Walnut Prawns are the shizz." In 6 reviews -
"Love the special red bean soup at the end." In 4 reviews -
"The salt and pepper pork chops are also a staple amongst..." In 3 reviews
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171 reviews in English
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Review from Trish F.
San Francisco, CA
4/27/2012
Pretty good food. I love their spicy garlic sauce, it tastes good with everything!
Like other reviews, their egglant in spicy garlic sauce is delicious. I get this dish every time. I've tried other dishes too - honey walnut prawns, Singapore style noodles and prawns with spicy garlic sauce - and they were all good as well. The eggplant is still my favorite though. And they serve brown rice which is a great alternative.
They give you a ton of food in their lunch specials and they have early dinner specials (until 6:30pm) as well that come with an entree, rice and soup.
Prices are decent but the only negative I have about this place is it's location. It's next to a liquor store where a lot of folks hang out in the front and bums walking around. Considering that I'm literally in and out in like 5 minutes, it doesn't really phase me but I can see how this can make some people think otherwise. There's also plenty of parking - if you can't find parking in the front, the parking lot also extends to the back of the restaurant. -
Review from Amy S.
Walnut Creek, CA
4/2/2012 1 photo
I've been coming here a long time with my family and with friends. It's a nice, quiet atmosphere with several tables in the main room and a larger room for parties in the back. It's always been very clean and usually the service is pretty decent. Sometimes on the slow side but always extremely professional.
Everyone I know would probably agree the best item on their menu is the Chinese Chicken Salad. ($10.95)? It's a huge salad, meant to be shared with the table and not great leftover, so make sure to have 3 or 4 people if you're going to order this. Lots of great little crunchies in it, wonderful chicken, and a house dressing that's pure awesome! I don't think I've ever dined there and not ordered it.
Enjoying an early dinner there on a recent, rainy day (3.24.12) we ordered the Chicken Salad, an early-bird plate of Honey Walnut Prawns (served with soup and rice) and one Coke. The Coke glass is huge, but don't drink too fast, no free refills.
The honey walnut prawns (pictured) were in smaller quantity than the regular order from the dinner menu but this was perfect because the two of us were already sharing the large salad. Our server brought us two soups (hot and sour) and there was a huge pile of steamed rice with the prawns. It was a lot of food. Even with our giant appetites we left with food in the to-go containers we had brought with us. ($19.33 total)
I love this place. My fiance made a joke with our foodserver about how our fortune cookies had magically disappeared and she brought him 5 more. Those 5 disappeared as well! He loves this place too! :) -
Review from Ryan L.
Moraga, CA
3/17/2012 7 Check-ins Here
Huge fan of this restaurant if you're looking for some good chinese food. My family and I are regulars here and we always get the same things. We enjoy the
- Spicy Eggplant in Garlic Sauce
- Chicken with Ginger Sauce
- Stringbeans Beef
- Fish Fillet with Celery and Snow Peas
- Salt and Pepper Pork Chop
Staff is friendly. Seems like the sweet chef is on tuesday and the salty chef is on every other day. LOVE THE FOOD!
It should really be called '3 Brothers From China and the other guy' because I find myself here so often, I might as well be in the title. -
Review from Elaine P.
Concord, CA
Updated - 5/19/2012
After a bad experience more than a year ago, I avoided this restaurant. When a friend, who really loves 3 Brothers From China, suggested lunch, I agreed. Soon I found her car was heading to 3 Brothers -- and not the Chinese restaurant that I favor. Glad I didn't protest. Had a surprisingly good experience. Lunch came with a flavorful hot and sour soup, small green salad, and hot tea. I opted for one of the specials: pepper shrimp and calamari. I found the balance of shrimp and calamari was off -- a lot more calamari than shrimp. Probably would not order this dish again. Decent, but nothing to rave about. Good service. Will not hesitate to return -- and perhaps give 3 Brothers a chance for another star.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/11/2010
Needed quick take out for a noon time meeting at the office. Surprised to find that the nearby… Read more »
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Review from DJ Guan Yu M.
Pittsburg, CA
5/15/2012
We know the waiters here, and they are friendly and nice. One of my friends works here. The food is delicious, and there is food for both meat and vegetarian eaters. The bathrooms are clean, and the place has Chinese themes throughout the restaurant. The bar is nice for those that want a drink. Parking is decent. I went here right after my senior high school graduation.
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Review from Jessica N.
Concord, CA
4/11/2012
EWE EWE EWE I gagged on the lamb dish
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Review from Laurie C.
Los Angeles, CA
2/24/2012
Love love this restaurant! I think it taste better than their San Ramon location.
Normally order off their 3 dishes for 21.00- peking ribs is a must! I also like their shanghai fried chicken and their clay pot- the one with seafood and tofu in it.
You can't go wrong if you order off this menu! -
Review from Gef J.
Walnut Creek, CA
The eggplant was perfect. Nice and spicy great sauce. The waitstaff was very accommodating
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Review from Amy L.
Orinda, CA
2/23/2012
Used to come here a lot because the price was right..but after today, I don't think I will ever come back. The management has been getting sloppier, cheaper, and lower quality. I had noticed this the last time we came, and the fish that we got came out looking congealed and tasted old-and oh man, was it bad later in the day -.-
But THAT I was able to overlook. Today I cannot. The owners brother was just that rude! He had the gall to yell at my mom for something that wasn't even her fault. We may have only had a table of three females-but if you're going to be so chauvinistic about it, then I will gladly go elsewhere. The story was that she had told the waiter that she would order some noodles to-go, but that she wanted to wait until later to order it since she wanted to take it home to my dad...but when she placed the order to one of the waiters, the owner came out red-faced and SHOUTING that if she only wanted one order she shouldn't order twice. She had only wanted to remind them..and he BERATED her for it MUCH longer than was necessary, polite, or professional.
If I want to be screamed at, I'll go to jail or a training camp. I do not go and put down money for this kind of behavior. It is uncalled for and is just bad business.
It's sad because we used to come here a lot. My parents used to know the waiters, and would notice if they were gone, and my dad had his 60th birthday celebration here where we rented out the whole back room. It's too bad that it's come to this level. My mom didn't take offense, because that's just the kind of person she is, but I won't stand for it. -
Review from Jim M.
Martinez, CA
11/14/2011
Have been going here with my family for almost 20 years and have yet to have a bad meal here. These guys are great for take out when you don't feel like cooking at home. The dinner menu is fairly expansive with daily specials and the service is always friendly and fast, though without feeling rushed. Portions are very generous and the prices are more than reasonable.
And if you like seafood, PLEASE try the honey walnut prawns (on the lunch menu also). You will not be disappointed!!! -
Review from Eric B.
9/23/2011
When I first met Gayle, "3 Bros" was Gayle's favourite local Chinese Restaurant. Staff all knew her and when I first entered on one of our dates, I definitely felt that I was being evaluated.
The Restaurant space is roomy and I have always enjoyed the food and the service. However, this place has fallen out of favour with Gayle and to the point that I can't talk her into stopping in or ordering takeout. I'm not sure whether it was an "off" meal or some jogged memory, but somethings it's best not to ask. -
Review from Kat H.
San Diego, CA
12/18/2011
I would give this place 3 stars for the food, but the exceptional service earns it an extra one.
I came here last night with my huge family (at least 20 people) and we took up two tables. Even though some of us came late, which screwed up the settings and seats, the staff was pretty nice to us. My only gripe is that my plate was a bit dirty and the waiters were slow in getting us our extra place settings/seats at first. Finally the food came out and it was pretty good! I didn't have any of the beef but it sure looked yummy, and the peppered pork was amazingly succulent but not overly battered. Fried rice was seasoned well and the scallops were nicely cooked. Crispy chicken was nicely done as well. Overall, food was okay; pretty good price for what you get.
THE SERVICE was exceptional! My cousin tipped extra (Gratuity had already been included in the bill due to our large party) and the waitress was nice enough to come back and tell her that she needn't tip more! How honest! Then our dessert came out and they insisted we pretend it was our little cousin's birthday (haha) so we could get red bean lotus buns on top of that (yum yum)! The waitress helped us sing Happy Birthday and egged on my shy family to sing louder. We ended our visit with our giant family squeezing into a picture.
I'd come back here to try more of the food if I was in the area. LOVED the staff. Pretty good experience. -
Review from Andrew K.
9/22/2011
Great Chinese food - authentic!
Peking duck was tasty and a value at $25 for a HUGE portion.
Busy place for a Wednesday night and looked like a lot of regulars.
Totally worth going to. -
Review from Ken L.
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
I got the Kung Pao Chicken and was less than impressed. They get flagged by my as one of those places that skimps on the quality of the chicken. I tried my friends' Lemon Chicken and that was better, so I am willing to come back and try something else, but I know several Chinese places near here that I like better. I think if there were 5 brothers it would be better. I keep mistakenly calling it "5 Chinese Bros."
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Review from Jimmy S.
Walnut Creek, CA
10/15/2011
Not a bad Chinese food place at all. It's fairly authentic (scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a 7).
My family enjoys coming here as it's not a completely Americanized Chinese restaurant. The service is better than most Chinese restaurants but no by a whole lot.
Their fried string beans and Peking pork chops are our go-tos. Overall, pretty good. -
Review from M M.
Pleasant Hill, CA
4/5/2012
I used to love eating here BUT on my last visit I used their restroom. It was discussing. The floors were filthy and it smelt like urine. I just can't eat at a resturant that doesn't clean their bathroom. It makes me wonder what their kitchen looks like!?!
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Review from Eric M.
Concord, CA
Updated - 4/1/2012
So, some backround on myself... I've eaten at some of the finest restaurants around the world... SF, New York, London, Beijing, and across the Mediterranean. Not trying to sound boastful, but believe me when I say that of all the restaurants that I have eaten at, I have never had a better waiter than at 3 Brothers in Pleasant Hill. I went yesterday with my dad. We've gone billions of times ever since I was small. The food is ALWAYS incredible. Extreme quality for a good price and excellent service. Our waitress was Ofelia. I sware she filled my glass after every sip I took. I dropped my napkin on the floor and she immediately brought me a new one without me asking. She took our bowl of soup back to the kitchen to heat it up after it had become cold from sitting on our table, and when it returned, she had filled it to the brim with fresh soup. She always did everything with a genuine smile. I felt like I was eating at my grandma's house. I was extremely impressed, not only with her, but with the food as well. We tried the evening special: Giant clam with vermicelli noodles and a garlic sauce served in the gigantic shell. It was incredible. Gourmet Chinese at it's best. So so happy with our dinner. If I could give six stars, I wouldn't hesitate.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/28/2011
3 reasons I give 3 Brothers 5 stars:
1) They have never, ever, in my 22 years of life disappointed me… Read more »
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Review from Jerry N.
San Francisco, CA
1/25/2012
I've been here several times but never again. The last visit I was eating the white rice and noticed it smelled like 'bad breath'. It turns out they basically re-use the rice that wasn't eaten from other customers. I nearly vomited from the smell! Essentially I was eating rice from someone else's mouth and that mouth had halitosis!
If a restaurant is too cheap to cook fresh rice for every patron, imagine what else they cut corners on?! -
Review from Jules S.
Ever since the majority of my family moved to the East Bay from SF we've been going to 3 Brothers From China, now, for nearly 12 years. Nothing much has changed. The food is still consistent, and the service is still good. Prices went up a little, but so has everything in the world.
I took a bite of the SALT & PEPPER PORK CHOP, today, and remembered why we always came here. Lunch is inexpensive and it comes with a soup (hot & sour, if your lucky) and your choice of fried rice, white rice, or chow mein. You can't beat the price here for lunch.
This place is great for large groups too. Sometimes we have b-day dinners here and they always seem to get the job done.
I wonder who the 3 brothers are? -
Review from Lea G.
2/14/2011
When I used to work in Walnut Creek I would love coming here for lunch once a month. They have an awesome lunch special where they have combination entrees for less than $10. The portions are so BIG that I would actually have leftovers for dinner as well. How can you beat $10 for lunch and dinner?!?!?
Sadly, I've moved to another office but I have not forgotten 3 brothers...I went here with 2 of my own brothers for a family gathering last night. Great food, attentive service in a casual environment with easy parking = GREAT time. We enjoyed the schezuan chicken, general tsou chicken, beef chow fun, braised tofu and vegetables, spicy green beans, shrimp fried rice and lastly the orange peel beef (the best). Which was perfect for a group of eight. Of course we had enough for leftovers....
Highly recommend! -
Review from Brandi W.
Walnut Creek, CA
2/11/2011
It must be really difficult to find quality Chinese food in this part of the East Bay. I read the rave reviews, but sadly, I cannot give this place my seal of approval.
The food is SO greasy. The chow mein that comes with the lunch special tastes of nothing but oil. If you're looking for a healthier meal, this is definitely not the place for you. -
Review from Ray C.
Oakley, CA
8/13/2011
Since I have been eating at 3 Brothers in San Ramon for more than 10 years, I thought I would write a review for the Pleasant Hill branch. I have not visited the San Ramon for over 3 years now after we moved away from the area. Now for the food.
3 Brothers has special chinese menu that you can pick 3 items for around $21.00 I remember it used to be $15.00 when we started eating there. Food is excellent and it is authentic Chinese cooking, mainly Cantonese style. They do have spicy ones also. Service is good but it can get a little noisy like most Chinese restaurant but located inside a strip mall, what do you expect. You go for the food and it is one of the best in the area and the place is usually pack. -
Review from Grace anne D.
Concord, CA
1/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food here is delicious ! The manager, I'm pretty sure he was the manager, was super nice to us. He interacted with our whole family, he was very welcoming.
We waited 5 minutes for a table, since there were 5 of us and the medium sized tables were all taken. They have an open bar, I might be mistaken, my memory is a bit fuzzy, but there's a bar and a little waiting section so you don't have to stand up the whole time while waiting for your table to be cleared.
Our table was clean with new paper lining the rotating table was also clean. We ordered:
Hong Kong Pan Fried Noodles = yuuummmmm!
Honey Walnut Prawns = I always order this and it never disappoints me.
Steamed Rice
Seafood Corn Soup
Garlic vegetables (something like that)
Porkchops = they were delicious :)
One con: we got taro tapioca soup, on the house. It was so good but then I found a tiny piece of hair in it :'( WHY?! -
Review from Scott L.
Pleasant Hill, CA
11/19/2011 3 Check-ins Here
The lunch menu has great prices and the service is good and the food is good as well. I have been going there ever since they opened and the food has always been very good to excellent.
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Review from Jana S.
10/6/2010 9 photos
Large restaurant that I actually have never taken note of...woefully only a handful of patrons on a recent Saturday night to dine.
Oooh.. I can't really say that I enjoyed the banquet style meal I had recently at grandma's birithday dinner. Save a few standouts, if the entrees served party-style were any indication of the quality, then this place has seriously declined.
I mean nosedive. Back in the day, a 'usual' Asian gang of us used to patronize this place, back when 3 dishes for $15 was offered, and almost every entree was tried, devoured, appreciated, and adored.
Away for several years, I came back to a real let-down. Examples? well, ok! Uninspired soup. The peking duck: skin not crisp enough, fatty, meat tasteless, buns were just not fresh with sub-zero fluff. Shrimp dish: shrimp was not fresh. Lo hon zai/Buddha's Delight was too disgustingly salty. Even the dish brought out that caused a bit of excitement/anticipation: fried chicken stuffed with sticky rice... couldn't fly for me. chicken itself needed to be crispier and rice better seasoned.
Of the two Chinese desserts served, only the 'squash/bean sweet soup' was worth mentioning. Not a winner, folks.... at least not for the aspiring foodie's palate. -
Review from RD C.
Irvine, CA
3/24/2011
Another decent Chinese Restaurant in the Concord/Pleasent Hill area. Your basic dishes are well prepared, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Sometimes, during certain seasons, they will have Crab with Long Life Noodle on special for around $20... while not sizeably compared to Crustacea, the taste is! This dish, along with their mongolian beef, salt/pepper shrimp, and peking ribs are all delicious.
Parking is a bit hard, since its a small plaza, and spots are smaller than usual. -
Review from Johnny W.
12/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
I spent this past weekend with a friend's family who opted to come here for Christmas Eve instead of cooking - there were about two other families here of similar mindset when we arrived (granted, it was also 9pm by then). Given our group of 10, we ended up going for one of the several fixed dinner sets.
While most of the food here is of average fare, there were a few standouts, including the golden crispy chicken, steamed sea bass, then sweet corn and chicken soup, with a decent red bean and pearl soup for dessert.
Service is as expected of most Chinese restaurants. That said, they did go a bit above and beyond by allowing us to order some last minute dishes (another steamed fish) five minutes prior to closing, and not attempting to rush us out despite us staying 40 minutes past closing, so props to them for that. -
Review from Giggle G.
Pittsburg, CA
11/30/2011
I come here at least once a month for the food... It's delicious! The wait staff and the ambiance leave a lot to be desired, but again, the food is good. It's generally pretty easy to get in. At peak dinner times you may need to wait a few minutes for a table, but it's under 10 minutes.
My favorites are the Peking style ribs, ginger lobster, and general tsou's chicken. -
Review from alan c.
Berkeley, CA
1/1/2012
We were doing errands in the walnut creek area and was looking for some Chinese food after xmas. Saw many good reviews on this place. Well, the service was terrible on this day but the manager later apologized saying that several staff called in sick. As to the food, I cannot see how it can deserve 4 or 5 stars and one reviewer even claimed it to be the best in America. It is just an average suburbian Chinese restaurant and there are plenty better Chinese restaurants in the East Bay and in SF. Way over rated.
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Review from alli t.
Torrance, CA
12/23/2010 2 photos
The best Chinese restaurant on the east side of the tunnel. We've been eating here for more than 20 years. Our experience has been enhanced over the last years b/c of Raymond, the best and nicest waiter we've ever had at a Chinese restaurant. It's almost like he worked on a cruise ship.
We've had several parties here in the back room and the food is usually good. Once in a while there will be a dish we don't like. Our favorites here are the Peking spareribs, anything salt and pepper and the special order quail. We enjoy the 3/$20 something menu a lot too. Soup of the day is always tasty. -
Review from Wendy S.
8/23/2010
The 3.5 star rating is legit. It's what I would give them, too. It is cheap, tasty, and filling. It probably contains a lot of MSG, but that's what makes it tasty.
Their lobster is sweet and their fried pork is delicious. They had a hot pot of vegetables, sea food and tofu that I REALLY enjoyed and definitely would liked to get again. -
Review from Rob M.
Berkeley, CA
8/17/2010
I had the Chow Fun last night and the guy was "nice" enough to throw in a free small hot-n-sour soup. I woke up this morning with so much edema (fluid retention) that my legs and feet felt like they were going to explode. It hurt to bend my legs even to walk and my feet wouldn't fit in my shoes.
I'm guessing it was the "free" soup because it tasted a little funny. It was probably just 200% msg with a few mushrooms thrown in. THANKS DUDE!!
In hind-site, I think business was too slow that night. When I walked in there were only a few tables being served. The guy's sales pitch was "Yea, try the chow fun and I'll throw in a little soup even though it doesn't come with it". He was probably just trying to get rid of the cooked food for the night.
I'll probably never dine here again. -
Review from Tim T.
Updated - 7/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
$21 for 3 dishes+soup special
is hard deal to beat for dinner.
Good portion sizes
Fast service
Good value for your money
Ok chinese food nothing to be wow-ed about
Downside a little too much smg1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/6/2010
This place has gone down hill. I used to come here with my family all the time for 15 years. But… Read more »
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Review from Rob L.
San Francisco, CA
This is a good place for Chinese food in this area of Pleasant Hill. The ambiance was a good mix of Chinese and Western elements, though nothing too eccentric nor too Westernized. We came by this place on a weeknight to eat dinner & they were very accommodating to the babies & children that were also in our party.
The Mongolian beef is decent, where its not too spicy yet not too oily. The kung-pao chicken is spicy yet tasty enough to eat the entire entree without drinking too much cold water. My other companions ordered a noodle and rice dish, though we ate family style, as we almost always do at most restaurants.
The prices were fair, though the portions were filling and decent sized. Overall, I'd return to this place when I'm in the area for lunch or dinner. -
Review from Jerry V.
Alameda, CA
7/29/2010
Love It!
Without a doubt, 3 Brothers From China is the best Chinese restaurant on the Contra Costa side of the Oakland Hills. I have lived in Walnut Creek for more than two years and have tried several Chinese places in this area that range from the sub-par to the overpriced. This place is the best by a mile.
Their lunch specials have nice, large portions and are delicious. I had the shrimp w/soft scrambled eggs along with pork fried rice for under $7, while my dad had the mongolian beef with pork fried rice for the same price. Both specials came with soup as well.
Of the items we have tried in a very short time, The mongolian beef is amazing. The Hong Kong style chow mein is great. Won Ton soup is awesome, as is the spicy crispy shrimp, pork fried rice and others.
The only item I didn't care for was the pot stickers. The outer casing was a bit too thick, but the dumpling inside was large and flavorful. Every time I have ordered for pick-up I have gotten a 10% discount. We've been having their food at least twice a week for the past couple of months. I highly, highly, highly recommend 3 Brothers From China to anyone who loves Chinese food. -
Review from Wanugee N.
Pleasant Hill, CA
5/9/2009 ROTD 11/19/2009
From the main drag of Contra Coasta Blvd in Pleasant HIll, this restaurant is easy to miss, with only a small portion of its building visible in the back end of an unimpressive strip mall.
But once inside, the restaurant opens up into a large dining room with low divider through the middle, nice large Chinese influenced wall hangings, and a seperate dining/banquiet room in the back. A deceptively large place in fact. Its been around since 1992, so it has weathered the storms and changes over the past 17 years.
WIth the current downturn in dining, they have become aggressive in retaining customers and offering value. For instance, all food to go orders are 10% off.
They also have a daily lunch special, with nearly 50 choices for your main dish for $5.95 or $6.95! This is what I had.
When I was promptly greeted and seated, I was served a plate of peanuts to snack on. Right after that, a metal hot pot of tea and a glass of ice water was put on my table. Shortly after I ordered the Ginger and Scallion Beef lunch special and a diet coke, I received a huge 32 oz blue plastic cup of Diet Coke with ice. This would overwhelm 7-Eleven with its proportions! It turns out, they offer FREE sodas between 12 and 1, but I came later, so it cost all of $1.95! That beats any fast food joint for that size!
Next, I was served a small bowl of won ton soup, with 2 or 3 won tons in a chicken broth with spinach leaf greens.
The main dish had two large upside down bowl-sized mounds of steamed rice (you can get pork fried instead, or chow mein) and a large mound of good quality beef mixed with onions, green onions, and large slivers of ginger. There were also 2 crispy wafer chips with sweet red sauce. Very generous, and I had to take home leftovers, which I rarely do becuase there usually are none.
Finally a fortune cookie to finish it off. The service prompt and attentive throughout, but not obtrusive. The food was pretty good, although fairly Americanized to please the mainly Americans living nearby.(Although 33% of the diners were Asian today for lunch...they know good value!.)
The final bill? After tax it was................$8.63! Now that is Value!
They also have Early Bird Specials for dinner between 3 and 6pm, which are basically all the things you get in the Lunch Specials for about $0.55 to $1.55 more per person.
In this challenging economy, getting a wide variety of choices, great value, in a sit down white table clothed atmosphere with excellent service, this is a financial and gastonomic treat/ relief more people should enjoy. There is plenty of Free parking in the back lot.
These are Panda Express prices with a lot more than a 5 choice buffet on red trays after a line out the door!Listed in: Wanugee! CoCo County, Wanugee! Chinese, Wanugee! ROTDs
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Review from Sempro S.
San Jose, CA
6/14/2009
Three Brothers from China packs it in despite -- or maybe because of -- a name that sounds like an adventure movie.
This place offers incredible value for American-style Chinese food. The lunch and early bird specials under $6.00 are a fantastic bargain with free soup, soda, egg rolls thrown in at certain times. Moreover, the restaurant has an unexpectedly elegant ambiance for a place with prices this low. And 10% off takeout orders.
Those who like American Chinese (Pandex, PF Chang) will be delighted to discover this place! -
Review from Patty W.
Walnut Creek, CA
Updated - 1/26/2009
How old are you?
What's your sign?
Which question sounds more rude? Of course, "how old are you?" is not a question in polite company...but Chinese people have this all figured out. Once you know someone's lunar animal sign, you will know how old they are -- as the signs come around once every dozen years. For example, the new year coming up is the year of the ox, so you know someone born as an Ox is either 12 years old, 24, 36, 48, 60 etc. Pretty sneaky, don't you think, that you can politely find out how old someone is?
We were reflecting on this when we were at 3 Brothers last night on Chinese New Years Eve (also known as Lunar New Years Eve). My kids were curious at which year was next and which members of the family were ox or tigers or dragons or rats and so on.
The restaurant itself was very crowded -- since Lunar New Years itself is on Monday this year, many families had the same idea as us to celebrate on the Eve. The meal was still well-paced -- quick enough to get us in and out relatively quickly and yet not so quick that we felt they were rushing us. The dishes were again flavorful and filling.
3 Brothers remains our favorite Chinese restaurant in the Walnut Creek / Pleasant Hill / Concord area.
Happy Lunar New Year everyone!Listed in: Lowbrow Dining Destinations
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/25/2008
I grew up in SF, and there good neighborhood Chinese restaurants are a dime a dozen. In WC, though,… Read more »
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Review from Rita Y.
San Francisco, CA
1/10/2010
We've been here a few times because relatives who live in the East Bay like to celebrate their kids' birthdays here. It's located in sort of a tiny strip mall with ample parking in front and in back. The restaurant has been there since 1992.
The food's decent, considering it's in the 'burbs'. If you order take out food, you get 10% off the price, except for "special menu". They offer daily early bird specials from 3-6:30 PM: soup, pork fried rice or steamed rice, tea & fortune cookie for $6.50 or $7.50 for higher priced listed entrees (mostly seafood dishes - prawns, calamari, fish).
It's a fairly large restaurant compared to hole in the walls in SF. One large room as you enter and a larger room in the back where the tables for 10 are located. Their lunch menus run about $6-7 and dinner prices run $7-$10, up to $13/plate. Our relatives order the pre-set family style dinners.
We started out with a seafood soup (sort of an egg drop with tiny scallops and bits of fake crab) which was good. The fried rice was rather bland but the walnut prawns were pretty good. The Peking style pork chops were heavily coated with the finger-licking syrupy sauce which was better than the beef with vegetable. The black mushroom with Chinese mustard greens was OK. Surprisingly, the mushrooms were thinly sliced, braised and were large like Portabellos but resembled abalone. Fillets of black bean sauce catfish was not fishy and good. The golden crispy chicken with shrimp chips (stale) wasn't very crispy and dry.
I thought the long life braised noodles were better than the fried rice. The meal ended with individual bowls of tapicoa dessert soup, not too sweet with bits of taro. A large plate of fortune cookies ends the meal except for the chocolate birthday cake brought by the kids' parents. All in all, I've had better food, but it's decent for an East Bay place. Happy Birthday to the one year old twins!! -
Review from Eric L.
12/31/2009
You have to look at the comparables.
You can compare McD's to In-n-Out but let's just admit it, that's not fair! So you have to compare Three Brothers from China to the other Chinese restaurants in the area, not those in SF/Oakland/LA.
That being said, Three Brothers is my family's go to place when we don't want to drive more than 15 minutes for chinese food. You could drive to Oakland or SF for great chinese food or you can come here. It's almost like settling for a townie because you don't want to fly somewhere exotic to get that hot girl.
Things to note: The $6 menu. They have a menu where if you order I think it's 3 or 4 of the dishes on the menu each dish is about $6. They have a very extensive selection on here but the thing is, you have to ask for the menu.
In the end, given a choice, I'd come here because i don't like driving that much. However, if there were another place opening up in the 'cord area, I'd try those places out.
PS: When you go, note that there are 3 pieces of Chinese influenced pieces of art and 1 piece of what looks like an italian alley. Quite random.
