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Andy's Seafood & Grill
Categories: Restaurants Taiwanese Restaurants Chinese Taiwanese, Chinese [Edit]
95-26 Queens BlvdRego Park, NY 11374
Neighborhood: Rego Park
(718) 275-2388
- Nearest Transit:
-
63 Dr - Rego Park (E, M, R)
Woodhaven Blvd (E, M, R)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
66 reviews for Andy's Seafood & Grill
Review Highlights
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"The oyster pancake here is excellent." In 16 reviews -
"Ginger Clam Soup (very flavorful and light." In 7 reviews -
"braised pork, and shredded pork noodle soup." In 4 reviews
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66 reviews in English
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Review from Jando S.
5/3/2012 6 photos
The more I continue to explore Rego Park, the more impressed I am with the variety of international cuisines available in this eclectic hood. Everything about it supports the notion that Queens is the most diverse area of the country. So it's fitting that Andy's, a Taiwanese joint joints the rest of the international parade along Queens Blvd, churning out quality Taiwanese eats in the process.
Typically Asian establishments in a largely non-Asian hood skimp out on the menu and shoot for short cuts to cater to the community palate. Chinese takeout joints, faux-Korean food, laughable Viet pho, eye rolling Japanese sushi at cheap-o prices is all too familiar. Sometimes they end up combining powers like Captain Planet (#1) (http://www.youtube.com...), pulling off Thai-Japanese, Chinese-Viet, Korean-Japanese, etc. Thankfully, this doesn't apply to Andy's.
Their menu is reasonably priced and still features a good load of traditional dishes often found in authentic Taiwanese joints. Sure, there's crab rangoon and general tso's on the menu, but there's also huoji ruofan (turkey rice), lu rou fan (ground fatty pork over rice), chou dou fu (stinky tofu), o-a-chian (oyster pancake), youyu geng (cuttlefish soup with fish paste), danshui agei (fried tofu with cellophane noodles), and much more. How often does that variety co-exist with the typical chino takeout? Almost never.
Surprisingly, it's all very reasonably priced. It's on par with the Flushing price tag, if not better. Most of the appetizers are within the $3-7 range and things get more pricey once the family platters are involved ($8-17). The lunch specials are an incredible deal for $4.99, which I believe comes with a drink.
The food is probably somewhere between a 3.5-4. It's not mind blowing but it certainly does a pretty solid job of keeping the cravings in check. My Taiwanese go-to paigu fan (pork chop over rice) is a solid lunch special choice and I could do any of the aforementioned dishes without much hesitation. The stinky tofu could stand to be a bit stinkier, but that involves some serious marination that I don't think the NY DOH would appreciate.
The infamous "Taiwanese hamburger" that Andy's is known for is really just a pork belly bun (http://bit.ly/IO00HI), with crushed peanuts and some cilantro for some aromatic effect. It is tasty, but at $4 is nearing Momofuku and Ippudo prices ($4.50), which is no bueno considering this place is in Queens and is not high end.
In the end, Andy's is a solid spot for folks to get their Taiwanese eats on. It isn't going to break the bank or scintillate the tastebuds in the same way the Flushing competition might. Stick with the appetizer dishes and the variety of traditional dishes, and life won't suck. After all, It is Rego Park / Forest Hills' best (and only) Taiwanese option.
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(#1) Though not nearly as environmentally friendly. -
Review from Mabel W.
4/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
My mom left to China for a month recently so I'm stuck cooking for myself all the time...
LUCKILY I live in a neighborhood that offers authentic taiwanese food for delivery and it's actually pretty darn good. One of the obvious choices to order from here is their taiwanese hamburgers (2 burgers in every order). It's little pieces of pork belly in a sweet plain bun topped with some garnishes and condiments. YUMM
I also had prawns with walnuts but I was a little grossed out from it. First off, it only came with like 6 prawns and the rest was broccoli drenched in mayonnaise..eek! and the prawns weren't cleaned properly if you know what I mean.
The steamed bok choy entree was cooked properly (you know when it's bright green) but it was rather expensive for just vegetables ($14!)
The only thing that I would come back for are the taiwanese hamburgers but that's it.
I miss my mama's cooking. -
Review from Sandy C.
Updated - 1/29/2012 4 Check-ins Here
I think they changed chef's. The food is no longer of good quality, the last time I ordered my oyster pancake from here, it was mediocre and the sauce on top was very bland. Bland sauce covering bland oyster pancake with way too much cornstarch.
Since my last review, I've given the Taiwanese pork chop two tries and both times it was done badly. They tasted like regular pork chops that someone coated with eggs and breadcrumbs and flash fried. They didn't have any Asian flavor to them at all nor do they resemble any pork chops I've ever seen at any Taiwanese restaurant.
The Taiwanese thick noodle soups - FAIL. They're not thick at all and yes I've just about tried them all. Quite bland too, where's the fried shallots and garlic?
The only thing still good here is the stinky fried tofu and the Taiwanese burgers. Although they're definitely skimping on the filling in the burgers now. I used to order from this place at least twice a month, but now it's very infrequent.
My last attempt at this place, I picked up my order and brought it home. The place at lunch time was very desolate and empty. They even removed the pictures they previously had up and removed their $1 lunch specials. There's definitely been a change in management here, and it took a turn for the worse. It's clearly becoming your typical take out fast food Chinese place and less of the specialized Taiwanese food restaurant. Which is sad because now I've been going back to Elmhurst to Lin's. So there is almost nothing that distinguishes this Chinese restaurant from any other fast food place in the neighborhood.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/16/2009
From the beginning, I knew this place was a work in progress.
They invested in an ice shaver and now… Read more »
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Review from Edna C.
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ordered Taiwanese pork chop over rice.....the pork chop had no taste. Fried intestines were decent but they weren't fried to a crisp like I expected. It was just chewy. Taiwanese hamburgers were too fatty for me with no real taste either. Crispy stinky tofu was the saving grace of the meal however...it was light, crispy, and sweet. Delish.
Makes me crave 66..... -
Review from monique e.
Hollis, NY
3/31/2012
I love this place! Where else can you still order from the $5 lunch special on the weekend? I literally just devoured my Sliced Fish with Garlic Sauce. It was tender chunks of fried fish with a sweet/spicy sauce with carrots, ginger, and cabbage(?). I was going nuts trying to figure out what was in that sauce so I could make it for myself!
I also really love the appetizers. They've got your standard Chinese appetizers, but they've also got a Taiwanese appetizer section. You could have a smorgasborg on cheap yummy appetizers. I really like their Szechuan Dumplings w/ Red Oil, Shrimp Shumai, and Grilled Skewers: Lamb/Taiwanese Sausage (both are super yummy and super cheap at $1.50 each).
The lamb skewer is tender, moist, and has a slight kick. It could probably use more seasoning, but maybe I'm just used to the Mongolian BBQ cart in Flushing where they put a hefty dusting of seasoning on the meat even after it's done - nit-picking aside, it had me in raptures. Same for the taiwanese sausage which was thick, perfectly grilled, and had a sweet/salty/garlicky taste that had me craving more!
I will definitely be back! -
Review from Lisa F.
This is a pretty solid restaurant with consistently good food.
I don't think I've had anything more than once yet since they have a vast menu of interesting dishes.
This last time I had dinner there it was just me and the hubby so we ordered the sliced beef and tripe w/chili oil, Taiwanese burger and based on the waitress' recommendation, the chunky basil chicken.
I liked the beef dish but it was on the small side. Tripe is one of my favorite things so I enjoyed the cool chewy slices of tripe mixed with a bit of seasonings and a chili oil added a decent amount of heat.
The burger was rated one of the best burgers in Village Voice so we figured we had to try that. It comes 2 to an order and is on fluffy mantao type of flat bun. I liked the lusciousness of the pork belly however I think the toppings were a bit much. It comes with chopped sour cabbage, cilantro and crushed peanuts. It was one ingredient too many for me.
Chunky chicken was alright but its not a dish I would crave or order again.
Service is friendly and the restaurant is clean. They had a family set menu that is a pretty good deal too. Definitely worth checking out if you are searching for food options in Rego Park. -
Review from Seiko R.
REGO PARK, NY
12/3/2011
I'm so glad that I found this place thanks to yelp. I just moved to the neighborhood and this is my favorite restaurant in the new hood by far.
Taiwanese hamburger is a must try. It's nothing like a regular hamburger. I don't know why they even call it a "hamburger" but is a great snack and almost addictive. Tender pork belly in brown sauce is sandwiched by white soft steamed Chinese ban and garnished with cilantro, picked mustard green and crushed peanuts. I was hooked and ordered a few times within 2 weeks after my first try. It's the kind of dish you have a strong craving once in a while and bring you back to the restaurant, like the soup dumpling at Joe's Shanghai.
Many other things i tried are also surpassed what you expect at a regular Chinese joint. Their flavoring is much more sophisticated and subtle and not just all the same sweet and thick sauce to hide MSG after taste. Other things I recommend are:
-Chicken and Mushroom soup (best remedy when you have a cold or about to.)
-Ginger Clam Soup (very flavorful and light)
Their lunch special and family meal for dinner are great value.
I'm determined to try all the things I haven't tried yet. Two thumbs up! -
Review from Ania P.
New York, NY
2/2/2012
I was definitely surprised at how good the food is here. It is a seemingly plain little place bordering Queens Blvd but the food here really satisfies.
I started off with a clam soup which was awesome; it was super light and fresh, just the kind of soup you'd like to prep your stomach with for your entree. Afterwards, for my main course I had a fish and veggie stir fry dish with garlic sauce; the veggies were nice and crisp with the fish tasted super fresh.
The service was great too, no overdramatic friendly nonsense, but veritably nice people (probably related to each other) which had genuine smiles and were quite hospitable.
I wouldn't necessarily come here out of the blue looking to take people out for dinner but I'm sure I'll be by if I'm the neighborhood looking to go to Sears or Bed, Bath and Beyond, which are across the street -
Review from Emily C.
This is perhaps the only authentic Taiwanese/Chinese restaurant in the neighborhood.
Big thumbs up for:
1. An extensive lunch specials menu for $4.95
2. Fast delivery (usually under 30 min..and I live pretty far away)
3. Taiwanese pork chop ($6.95) and oyster pancake
Avoid:
1. Bubble tea. The bubbles are hard and not at all chewy.
2. Soup dumplings. There is no soup and the meat is bland.
3. Salt and pepper chicken. My order was way too salty and over fried. -
Review from Lizz K.
My past experiences with Taiwanese food have involved heavy, greasy dishes, some with heat some without but overall quite unappealing stuff that I wasn't in a hurry to try again - that was until I had heard about Andy's Seafood & Grill.
I figured, "sure, why not". I don't live too far from the place and I needed a recharge from an intense holiday shopping session at nearby Century 21. We started off with a simple and comforting bowl of ginger clam soup that brought warmth back to our chilled bones. The guo bao or Taiwanese hamburger is what attracted me to Andy's. These little treats are the size of a White Castle slider but the melt in your mouth pork belly (topped with sugared crushed peanuts, pickled veggies, and cilantro) cradled in a fluffy white bun makes me wish that I could purchase a case of these babies to take home when I had the crave.
The following dishes - shredded beef with hot peppers & fried baby oysters - were tasty, enjoyable, and most importantly, not greasy at all. The beef noodle soup packs some good heat but just an okay rendition overall. The restaurant is quite clean, as is the food. I cannot claim if Andy's is the best representation or the most authentic Taiwanese food around but it has me eager to venture further into the cuisine and of course return for more of the guo bao. -
Review from Alexi R.
Elmhurst, NY
12/12/2011
I went to Andy's when it first opened their doors a few years ago. I went with someone who knew what to order, and I remembered all the dishes were all tasty.
However, for many reasons, I have not been back until two weeks ago when my brother decided to go celebrate his birthday dinner there.
It was a Sunday evening, we did not make reservation. We went in and there were one large group of diners at a large round table and two booths were seated.
The servers promptly brought us the roasted peanut and cabbage small dishes right away with a pot of tea.
We ordered Oyster Pancake, our grandfather used to make it for us when we were kids, Of course, no other pancakes will ever taste as good as the ones he made, and Sliced Intestine in Garlic Sauce. While the Sliced Intestine came out swiftly, the pancake did not come out until after our Entrees came out (required asking the servers 2 times). the Intestines in garlic sauce was served on a bed of lettuces and satisfied us, the pancakes was a bit salty.
While we were eating, another group of 8 came in and started to order their drinks, And another couple came in and was looking at the menu. I noticed the service was starting to slow down, only two server girls running from tables to the kitchen and answering the phones. I also noticed that she answered the phone while a customer was standing in front of her to place a take out order. Maybe the Taiwanese run their business a different way, but as a former waitress (during college), I knew that paying customer standing in front is MORE important than the one that is on the phone.
Anyways, we ordered Lamb with cumin sauce, Twin Lobsters with ginger and scallions and Stewed pork with salted dried cabbage.
All our food came out very slow but they were not Cold. Both lamb and pork were really good but Lobster was a bit leathery. But all the flavors are really great.
Pro: Good food if you know what to order.
Cons: Slow service. -
Review from Tyler L.
6/20/2011 1 photo
A great dining choice in Rego Park - an authentic Taiwanese restaurant that you would expect to see in Elmhurst or Flushing. Relatively spacious inside with many tables.The oyster pancake here is excellent. I also tried some of the entrees here. They are high quality but can be hit or miss depending on your personal tastes. The diced chicken with chili pepper is so-so. The curry beef is better.
The best deal is easily the lunch special which is around $6 for a dish with rice. In comparison, the dinner entrees are $10-$15 per dish. -
Review from Nancy N.
New York, NY
2/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stars for FOOD: 4 1/2 Stars for SERVICE: ZERO! Or negative...
I have eaten at Andy's three times in the past few months and I have to say the food is AMAZING! However, the 45min - 1hr wait (for just getting appetizers) is not worth it most of the time... unless you aren't doing anything for the night.
I highly recommend the following dishes:
- Salt & Pepper soft shell crab (AMAZING- delish!!! One of my fav. however the portion sucks for the $8 they charge.... but it is delish!) Make the portion larger for goodness' sake!!!
- Taiwanese Hamburger (SO good! My 2nd fav! Unique and delish!)
- MIxed seafood with pan fried noodles (One of my fav things! SO good! the sauce, noodles, ALL delish--I prefer it without the disgusting clams though)
- Orange beef (yummy! A little 'tough' but really yummy.
Overall, I do love their food--but each time I've been there they have the WORST SERVICE I've experienced in a very long time.
Others that came in MUCH later than us were getting their meals and soups while I still hadn't received my appetizers.
They need to learn how to run a restaurant efficiently or else I don't see them being open much longer... but the food is good, if you don't mind the wait. -
Review from Renee m.
2/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Service: Slow, Friendly but Slow (it's chinese restaurant, so service is never the real reason you are here)
Atmosphere: Generic, clean not a hole in the wall (again, you're most likely gonna come here for the food NOT for the way the wall treatments make your toes curl)
Food:
Expect: Traditional Taiwanese food, packed full of flavor and spice!
What we had and would recommend:
1. Taiwanese Stinky Tofu - Freshly fried tofu served with pickled spicy and sour cabbage drenched in a soyasauce garlic sauce....1 word - Heaven!
2. Spicy Beef Tendon - Perfectly spicy, although i would recommend to the owner to slice the tendon thinner cuz that was the only downside of this dish
3. salt and pepper spareribs - Salty and spicy, crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside
Dishes that need improvement:
1. taiwanese han bao - Pork in a steamed bun with various sauces and scallion, imagine a pork peking duck bun....this was pretty lackluster...not enough flavor and the meat was hard....
2. Tofu/Veggie soup - Too much msg.... -
Review from Jenn C.
12/27/2010
3.5 stars, but I'll push it to 4 JUST because of that goddamn Taiwanese hamburger, which is 5 stars in my book. I've had other Taiwanese hamburgers but this was a whole different league. Pickly, fatty, sweet, salty, porky, carby- all of my favorite things in one teeny sandwich. I went in only wanting half of one (you get two to an order), but one bite in I started debating punching Melvin W. in the face and taking his too.
Ginger clam soup was perfect for a very cold day, so simple (gingery broth, clams, done) but so satisfying and comforting. I could feel that cold that was creeping up on my go away.
The rest of the food was just good. A passable beef noodle soup, pretty good fried oysters, and a sort of spicy beef with hot peppers. The service was very pleasant also. -
Review from Olivia L.
Forest Hills, NY
Updated - 2/26/2011
Since my last review, I've tried Andy again twice in the past two months.
First time was acceptable, but nothing like the deliciousness I had most of last year. It was okay to eat but nothing I would crave.
Last night, hubby and I ordered basically the same thing we always do, but it was phenomenal. It was even better than the deliciousness from the beginning ! The food was flavorful without being salty. Hubby even drank the tofu/veggie soup and he is not a soup drinker and definitely not such a "plain" soup drinker. The taiwanese meatballs seemed to have a different quality (less fat) as I could not locate little bits of fat in it that I was able to before. The Pork Chop over rice....wow. The pork chop was crunchy and had a little bit of a wine flavor. Delicious !! I'm guessing that they either have different chefs for different days OR they changed all together. I will definitely be ordering more from now on. Hopefully this chef is their main chef !2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/15/2010
We have been ordering here for the past 10 months on average once a week. Food was GREAT at… Read more »
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Review from Mike W.
Forest Hills, NY
2/27/2012 4 Check-ins Here
You have to have the Taiwanese hamburger! Now that I got that off my chest, I would like to recommend other dishes as well. Whenever I go there, I ask for sliced beef and scallion pancake together so I can make sandwiches. This is an amazing combination that you should try. All their other dishes are very authentic as well, I highly recommend their vegetarian dishes.
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Review from Aisha L.
Queens, NY
8/22/2011
Found a small worm in my food. Ordered the sesame chicken.
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Review from Adrianne B.
Elmhurst, NY
Updated - 10/4/2011
Why am I giving this extra star now? Tiny juicy pork buns are actually soup dumplings. YOU CAN GET SOUP DUMPLINGS DELIVERED TO YOUR HOUSE! They come with the classic gingery vinegary dipping sauce. You need to order these. Thank me later.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/19/2010
I tried this place due to yelp. Overall I've been impressed with the level of deliciousness.
Things… Read more »
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Review from Ryna D.
Best pork buns ever! I've never eaten at the actual restaurant but I always ask to order from this place when I'm over at my friend's house in the area. They call their pork buns Taiwanese hamburgers. Have them. Don't ask questions, just have them. They are the best pork buns in New York! They remind me of the pork buns I used to get in Chinatown in Japan and Manila! And yes, in Taiwan! The food is really authentic. None of that crappy all sugar and starch and food color coated mess most Chinese take out joints have.
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Review from Paul C.
East Elmhurst, NY
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The bubble tea is very good!
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Review from Catherine Y.
Boston, MA
1/13/2011
I def had better taiwanese food, but here I am in Rego Park, so I guess I have to settle.
I came here with my mom, who said she's tried it but isn't a fan. But I insist.
We order the oyster pancake, the taiwanese pork chop over rice and of course, the taiwanese hamburger.
The taiwanese hamburger is amazing. If I could tell all my friends to try it, I would. They put something sweet and crunchy in it, and that for me, is what made it amazing.
The oyster pancake was just odd, it felt like I was eating mucous. (sorry) I mean I've had it in taiwan, they just can't seem to get it right here.
The taiwanese pork chop over rice was good I guess, but where's the tea egg that comes with it? Sadness.
Would I come back? I guess. -
Review from Phil M.
9/5/2011 4 photos
I WOULD GIVE THIS 4 STARS IF THEY GOT MY ORDER RIGHT..
I'm only giving this place 3 stars for now. The food and service would be given 4 stars. I'm still a little angry that they gave me salt and pepper ribs instead of what I ordered which was salt and pepper frog legs. I know they sound alike...NOT! It sounded like they spoke decent english and could take a food order but I guess not. The food, however, was really good. The Oyster Pancake was loaded with oysters and was quite large. The sauce on top could have been a little better. It did taste a little like a ketchup based sauce but it was good non the less. The Taiwanese Hamburgers were great. I recommend getting these for sure. Bubble Tea was really good but not the best I have had but real close. I would get again. So I do like the food here without a doubt. The salt and pepper ribs were really good and I just ate them cause i had no time to tell them they messed up my order. Price is great and menu is huge. Pretty large and clean place as well. -
Review from Jared C.
6/19/2009 6 photos
There are a couple tricks to enjoying Andy's that must be mentioned... the first being ignore the buffet table and dollar menu. If you don't walk in speaking Mandarin, the friendly people here will probably direct your attention to it, but look away. It's all crap. The second thing is to make sure to get the second menu, the one without all the standard westernized Chinese staples. Don't come here for General Tso's chicken!
Ok, now we are ready to eat Taiwanese food. You've been wanting to try "stinky tofu" so now is the time as it's actually quite tame here. It is called crispy smelt bean curd ($4.95) and is not too pungent. The crispy texture is just right and the spicy sauce it comes with hides any undesirable after tastes.
Our group of three ordered many appetizer-like items to share, and these six things came to $30 and was plenty of food. The table favorite was probably the pork roll ($5.95), while the oyster pancake ($4.95) was probably the most unique and a must try. The grilled mackerel pike ($2.75) was probably the most disappointing. -
Review from Jocy C.
Updated - 2/19/2010 8 photos
Still a fan! I still get their Taiwanese Burger and their Oyster Pancake. YUM!
Recently, I started getting their Szechuan Beef Noodle Soup (but medium spicy). It's pretty good!Listed in: Queens Pride...
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/3/2009
We came here purely based on Yelp reviews. Overall, I am a fan.
The things that we loved and would… Read more »
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Review from Steven L.
Rego Park, NY
1/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
This review is strictly for the taiwanese pork chop over rice.
First off, the wording on the menu is dead on. They give you one pork chop. ONE. Don't expect two. Its fried but its not like other restaurants. It's more like a breaded pork chop... still flavorful though. Also, they don't cut it up. The dish comes with napa cabbage and that minced pork sauce with pickled mustard greens. That stuff is great. Awesome brown goodness that makes the dish great!
The only downside is they don't include a tea egg with the dish. =(
Be aware that finishing all this will put you into a food coma.
Food aside, the service is good, decor is nice, and they offer free wifi. -
Review from Isabel L.
1/20/2010
The Lunch specials here is an absolute steal.
For 5 dollars you get an entree and soda? That's cheaper than Halal carts but the quality and freshness of the food beats Halal carts big time.
Had some take out here the other day and I was very impressed with the flavor and quality of the dishes here.
If you want fresh, authentic Chinese( taiwanese) food you gotta give this place a shot. They deliver quick in the area. -
Review from ting y.
New York, NY
11/3/2009
I'm Taiwanese, so I am always hankering for authentic Taiwanese grub in the city. Flushing has its spots, but Andy's, dare I say, is better than any other I've tried in the New York area!
I've only been here twice, so haven't tasted that many dishes. But both times didn't disappoint. Get the fried oysters! They are lightly battered, served with salt, pepper, and basil, just the way you'd find them in Taiwan. I've also had the vermicelli soup with taro....just like Mom's! The pork roll (actually called "chicken roll" in Mandarin) is also very authentic. I can't remember what else I had, but I mostly stick to the Taiwanese "street food" items on the menu, as they are hard to come by. All I can say is, go to Andy's! If only I lived closer.... -
Review from Niki A.
Brooklyn, NY
7/29/2010
Visited this place a few weeks ago for dinner with my husband. We wanted to try a lot of different things so we ordered too much food and took our leftovers home.
As others have mentioned, the fried baby oysters are beyond-5-stars good. They taste very fresh, the texture is ideal, and the oyster's natural flavor shines because the seasoning has a very subtle flavor. Served with lightly fried fresh basil that complements the oysters well.
We also got the chunk chicken with basil. Packed with flavor and still simmering in its sauce when it was served to us in the crock. Delicious blend of garlic and ginger with sweet and savory sauce over melt-in-your-mouth dark meat chunks of chicken. But there were a LOT of little bones in the chicken, and while I don't have a problem with bone-in chicken, I think it should be much easier to eat-around-it, if you know what I mean. I felt awkward trying to eat that chicken, but it was so good that I tried anyway. I took most of it home, and when I reheated it for leftovers the next day for lunch, I couldn't finish it because I kept finding little bones in my mouth and it bothered me too much. That brings the rating down.
They serve bubble tea, so we ordered that. I had asked for mine to be barely sweet (I do not like sweet drinks with dinner). But when the waitress came back over to double check, I had an awkward moment where I had eaten some pickled vegetable and had a coughing fit. I got a little disoriented and she asked me if I wanted it extra sweet and I said "yes". I meant to say, "no"! Well, then she ran (she physically ran) away from our table into the kitchen while I was still coughing and didn't come back. It was a very awkward moment. Later, another waitress brought us our bubble tea and mine was extremely sweet. I asked for water and saved my bubble tea for dessert.
We had a few other dishes, including Taiwanese hamburger. I wasn't in the mood for it, but had a bite (my husband finished it). It is quite tasty but not crazy spectacular. We also had crab rangoons which were very good and I would recommend them. Last, we ordered sliced fish with garlic sauce which was definitely yummy - a simple white fish, breaded and fried, served with vegetables and covered in sauce. I would just have asked for a little less sauce but it wasn't a big deal.
The service was extremely friendly (even with that weird, awkward coughing moment) and polite. Water glasses being consistently refilled and all that sort of thing. The food came out of the kitchen quickly and the presentation was very nice. The restaurant has a great atmosphere and is very comfortable and clean. We did not feel rushed at all and took our time eating. -
Review from Shaunnie S.
Bronx, NY
10/11/2009
I ate here once when they had recently opened. We were sadly just one of a few tables filled. I really hope this restaurant does well, because the food was truly outstanding. If this place were only in Flushing or even Manhattan, it would certainly make a killing!
I had the oyster omelette and fried oysters. I was expecting these dishes to be made of frozen oysters, but I was wrong. I took a bite out of the oyster omelette and was shocked when I bit into a gently cooked fresh oyster. The omelette was delicious, right down to it's wonderful glutinous texture (this is no american-style fried egg for sure).
The fried oysters were amazing. If I lived closer to this place, I'm sure I'd develop some cholesterol problems. I ate most of them without dipping them in the pepper-salt offered, wanting to savor the oysters mostly unfettered, seasoned only by their light crispy batter. The food was mind bogglingly cheap especially when considering the quality and freshness of the oysters. This is a place to definitely return to. -
Review from Rae F.
5/18/2010 4 photos
Oh hello, how come we've never met? How come I've been driving all the way to elmhurts for David's Taiwanese? You are so close to me, I can't imagine why we've never crossed paths. Maybe the neon lights of Dominos nearby always grabbed my attention first.
But you, you have charisma, charm and a sense of style about you that I find irresistible. From your beef & tripe chili sauce cold dish, to your reasonable prices on the 2-dish family meal...i think our relationship should continue. The Chicken & Basil was soft, well seasoned and made me yearn for you. The mapo tofu was piping hot and kept me going. The accompanying Ginger & Clam soup gave me a warmth on the inside that I can't deny.
Andy's Seafood, until we meet again. -
Review from Leon C.
Rego Park, Queens, NY
I've wanted to eat here since it opened. The decor is nice and the staff are nice.
If you are looking for Americanized Chinese food, this place is NOT for you. But if you're looking for good eats and want to try something authentic or if you're a veteran at having weird Chinese food - this place is awesome.
I must admit that I've ordered their take-out stuff that you can get at Chinese fast food - they are as bad as those other take-out places but at least they look 10 times cleaner. Their take-out portions are a little small - but at this day and age, you should have some portion control anyway.
I also had dinner there with my father and ordered something from the Chinese menu (they have 2 menus, and they are different). This menu has some English in it too, but if you ask the staff there they are more than willing to help you with it and figure out what they are and explain things. I had an amazing dinner though, we ordered the 3 dishes with soup thing. Had fried fish, sweet and sour ribs, and a crock-pot chicken thing that my dad said is a traditional Taiwanese dish - it was the best chicken I've ever had - it was actually moist and juicy.
The price was great for the food we ordered, service was great, food was amazing. -
Review from Anthony L.
Hartford, CT
6/8/2009
Recently had dinner with the family at Andy's. Service was good and the food wasn't bad.
Very good:
Oyster Omelet
Sweet and Sour Whole Fish
Soft Shell Crab (Salt and Pepper) Special
Grilled Pork Chops
OK:
Duck (not sure what kind because I didn't do the ordering) - was very fatty and lacked meat but flavorful
Frogs Legs (Salt and Pepper) - not very meaty
Would return in the future. -
Review from Elena B.
Rego Park, NY
1/23/2010
My friend and I high-fived over the squid with basil. The sesame noodles that preceeded them were pretty yummy too, as were the pickled vegetables served as a courtesy before we ordered. My bubble tea had no bubbles and tasted more like marshmallows than mango. The service spoke limited English but worked efficiently- they got the whole order right, which is a major plus. The menu is in English & a Chinese dialect and contains scores of dishes made with delicacies like frogs' legs, gingko nuts, lotus root and sea cucumber.
I loved the noodles, and the squid with basil, but what completed the fun dining experience were the pineapple chunks who make a cameo appearance with the check. My friend said that we could have eaten better in Flushing, though I enjoyed the meal. The prices were a bit higher that I anticipated, but its a seafood restaurant. Considering that I didn't wake up the next day with any trace of MSG-sensitivities, Andy's must take a loss occasionally to keep things so fresh, which is definitely worth what we payed. -
Review from Laurie c.
New York, NY
6/13/2009
Hooray for Taiwanese food. There are not that many around so I'm always happy to find one. This place has a HUGE selection of dishes, including Taiwanese, Szechuan, and Americanized-Chinese dishes.
A lot of their dishes are really cheap (under $5). They have lunch specials for $4.75/$5.50 that include rice, soup or soda. They also have a DOLLAR MENU during the week days.
I got the 2 dishes + soup special TOGO for $14.95. Just a warning, their food is spicy!!!!!
I hope to dine in next time. The restaurant is very clean with minimal decor, not bad though, and can get packed on the weekends.Listed in: Taiwanese
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Review from Yoon S.
New York, NY
9/8/2009
I've dined here 4 times so far and have always had a great experience.
Some notables, as far as I can recall:
The Steamed Tiny Juicy Pork Buns...juicy and delicious!
Sliced fish with garlic sauce...supremely tasty.
Double Delight....chicken, beef, with basil and hot pepper. Very filling.
They also have (or had) a special double-smoked pork that was only available on select days. I would definitely try it again, but be forewarned it was quite salty and fatty...I love salty and fatty, by the way.
As of late, they've been serving roasted peanuts as a complimentary starter. These are fine and all, but make sure to ask for a dish of the pickled vegetables (radish, cabbage and the occasional carrot) they used to serve when they first opened. Truly refreshing.
One last thing I want to mention is the customer service. My first time here, I was served the wrong order. Not only was the staff extremely apologetic, but they gave me the extra dish on the house. Totally unexpected, but nevertheless appreciated.
Keywords: Rego Park, Taiwanese, Asian, Delicious, Good Service, Tiny Pork Buns -
Review from Cindy C.
Forest Hills, NY
9/12/2010
Oooh, I was so excited to try this place because of Yelp. The restaurant is a bit far away from me, so I ordered delivery through Seamless Web. Let me just say, the delivery was extremely prompt and the delivery guy was very friendly and courteous - a rare breed!
But the food was mixed. I ordered:
Taiwanese hamburger - perfect, hit the spot, just the right combo of pork belly, pickles, cilantro and peanuts. So flavorful and savory.
Oyster pancake - disappointing. Ummmm.... where are the oysters, the eggs, and the veggies? This was basically a mass of gooey cornstarch and sweet sauce, without any substance. I was hoping for o-a-zen (sp?) and this was not it.
"Aromatic" beef noodles - for some reason I was expecting thick chunks of beef in soup with thick, chewy noodles, which this was not. It was thin pieces of beef and thin noodles in soup. Oh well. I may have just ordered wrong - it's kind of hard figuring out from the translated English whether I'm ordering what I think I should be getting.
Sigh. I'm just glad I got my Taiwanese hamburger. It was nice to eat on a rainy day. I'm not sure I'll be back, though. -
Review from Dreyfus W.
New York, NY
6/14/2010
A good local taiwanese spot. Some of my personal faves: Stinky fried Tofu, Chicken Chunks w. basil, scallion pancake, and their fried meifun is pretty delicious too.
They have a generous offer. 2 entree plus soup for like $17.99 or something like that. Not as good as the food in taiwan but comes close. -
Review from Billy Y.
New York, NY
9/4/2009
Went there for lunch earlier. The food was just right, not too heavy.
For those who can't decide on what to order from their gargantuan list of menu items, they offer a buffet type salad bar where the waiters will assist you in filling up your plate.
The restaurant has too many empty tables that make the place feel tight. Bad use of space and traffic flow. -
Review from David H.
Washington, DC
1/18/2010
I loved this place. I've never really had Taiwanese food but now I am hooked!
I loved the Chicken Chunks with basil and the fried oysters! You have to try them! The service was prompt and friendly. Definitely coming back for more.
