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Beijing Cafe
- Nearest Transit:
-
Commonwealth Ave @ St Marys St (193, 57, 57A)
Boston Univ Central - Inbound (Green Line)
Boston Univ Central - Outbound (Green Line)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
78 reviews for Beijing Cafe
Review Highlights
"Beijing's lunch specials can't be beat."
(in 5 reviews)
"...Jane, the facility itself is not the best, but the location..."
(in 6 reviews)
"they have the best crab rangoons in the US."
(in 7 reviews)
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78 reviews in English
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Review from Melissa N.
Brighton, MA
12/4/2011
I feel the need to step in and defend Beijing Cafe after reading some of these mediocre reviews. I went to BU for undergrad and grad school, and Beijing Cafe has been one of my staples throughout that time. I can honestly say that they've never let me down!
Things I love:
- My staples include the egg drop soup, hot and sour soup, jumbo shrimp with vegetables, scallion pancakes, spring rolls, and crab rangoons. My boyfriend always orders the General Gau's Chicken, and he tells me that it's always crispy and delicious.
- The food comes out FAST. You can literally pop in here, order, and you'll have your food within 5-7 minutes. And don't assume that it was just reheated...it wasn't. It's always piping hot, fresh, and delicious.
- The value. Beijing's lunch specials can't be beat! Their regular prices are also very cheap.
- The service. The waitstaff is always friendly and attentive from the moment you walk in.
All in all, this is classic Chinese food at its best. It's delicious, inexpensive, and convenient. If you're a stickler for authentic Chinese, check out Shanghai Gate in Allston. For the Americanized version, go to Beijing Cafe. They're great for delivery, too! -
Review from Rani P.
10/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Now keep in mind I only order steamed dumplings and egg drop soup....
There aren't words to express my love for the Beijing Cafe. My hometown in PA, I thought, had the only "homemade" steamed dumplings in the universe that were so delicious, with the wonton wrapping so thick and the "meat" so chive-y and mouth-watering. This review may be borderline X rated... but when I happened to find the same dumplings at Beijing Cafe it was like a light from the heavens shining down on me and telling me that I've done well... I deserve this...
I'm also a self-declared egg drop soup professional. I've had more egg drop soup across the east coast than I think any Asian person could claim (and I'm only half!) This egg drop soup has a little addition to it: egg drop AND TOMOTO soup.. I was intrigued. Never had I seen this before (although I'm sure it isn't rare)- but it was GRRRReat! And my confirmation of how good it is, is that commonly while I wait to pick up my food- one of the employees there is eating it. Yep- uh huh- told ya so.
I would come here every night if my food conscious allowed it- I also would buy the place and call it my home if I had enough money.
My advice? Bring cash, order dumplings, tip well :)Listed in: All Time B-Town Favorites
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Review from Dorothy C.
Cambridge, MA
8/29/2011
Ok, we got delivery during Hurricane Irene - props for even being open during that storm. Great place for vegetarians
- the General Gao's Tofu was crispy, yummy, surprisingly good.
- the Vegetable Lo Mein was well cooked, tasty, & comes in 2 sizes (note to self, next time, get Large)
- the Garlic Noodles were basically Lo Mein with Garlic only - great for picky eaters/kids.
- the Vegetarian fried rice was pretty good, though even better with leftover General Gao's sauce stirred into it.
Two things - First, http://foodler.com does not offer their appetizers (?!) - so next time, I'll order Scallion Pancakes through their direct site at http://www.bostonbeiji... . Second, and this was not enough to dock any stars, but we ordered take-out from a hotel, and we didn't get any utensils (no forks/chop-sticks/napkins/plates/etc). Food and service were good, though. -
Review from Shuang C.
Scranton, PA
2/3/2012
Came here today with a friend for Bubble tea, was disappointed. Tea was watery, boba was hard, decor reminds me of my rural hometown in China. Def not coming back lol.
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Review from Matt C.
ALLSTON, MA
1/5/2012
I did not order this insect in my General Gau's Chicken. At a half inch long, it was almost as big as any of the pieces of chicken that I ended up throwing out.
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Review from Kyle R.
Boston, MA
8/8/2011
1.5 Stars
The only reason its not a 1 is the crab rangoon was O.K.
I ordered General Kung Pao Chicken. it was soaked in a salty sauce with soggy veggies. the fired rice was bland and needed all the duck sauce and soy to make it edible. the chicken was rubbery and non edible.
I ate it sober (thats what he said) and i can say that i wouldnt even sniff that place if i was hammered and it was the only place open -
Review from Shea D.
4/4/2011
After a day spent in the dungeons of the law student "annex" of the BU library (I'm not kidding...you have to go down some precariously placed stairs into an underground wing that maybe 0.05% of the BU student population know about), Margot G and I walked across the street to Beijing Cafe for what she promised to be cheap and fast Chinese cuisine.
Cheap? Yeah, maybe. I'm used to NYC cheap being $5-$6 for a combo special that includes your dish, rice, and an egg roll. In Boston, where I'll pay the close to $9 for the most delicious orange chicken I've ever had at a place right next to Margot's apt, apparently cheap means $6-$7 for your dish, rice, and an appetizer. Oh, and NYC places tend to throw in a soda or bottle of water for free. Calculate in cost of living + inflation, and I'd put Beijing Cafe's prices at "yeah, okay...not pricey by any means."
I went with the General Gao's chicken, fried rice, and eggdrop soup. The chicken was fantastic, the rice was "meh," and the eggdrop soup was pretty much too hot for me to eat almost the entire way through. But I didn't spend a fortune on it and it arrived at our table with lightning quick speed. All in all, a decent option across the street for a quick meal.Listed in: I'm Shipping Up to Boston
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Review from Quan F.
Allston, MA
11/16/2011
I like Beijing Cafe for its great location, tasty food and reasonable price. My favorites are their homemade stemming dumplings, Kung Poo Chicken and the newly introduced Chicken mushroom stew, which is so great and delicious ! I don't think you eat so nice Chinese food anywhere else around BU campus. Well, I never hesitate to try new stuff , sometimes you lose but most of time you win because it's usually more than satisfactory. Oh, I think the beef noodle soup is really big and very much filling, ~$5 dollars, a good deal. My any other suggestion ? Order an egg drop soup first, and then you can sit down enjoy a real Chinese meal.
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Review from Hilary K.
Allston, MA
4/12/2011
They have an unfortunate monopoly on the most dope spot on campus (in my opinion). It's the closest warm food to the Photonics building that's not CVS or the vending machine. I think this is the only reason they're still in business. every time i go in there (which is far to often) there is never more than 1 table in use.
Every time i go there I'm kind of scarred to order something new off the menu. The staple i usually go with is the General Gao's Chicken. It only resembles chicken. i think it's been re-fried at least twice before it goes into the mystery orange-y sauce.
The rice. don't order fried rice. period. it's just white rice that's been doused in soy sauce and used to clean the stove top off. it's naasty.
This evening i had the pleasure of ordering the beef something?. i tried to order some beef low mien but the woman didn't understand. she was like "beef and broccoli?" i just stopped trying and said yes. - i think this was prepared earlier today or maybe even yesterday then reheated for my order. it broccoli was def disgustingly wimp, and the beef. scary. just scary. i should admit that against my best judgment i tasted it. i was hungry. it was late. i'll try and keep this description from making you vomit but it was limp and really fatty. i don't really know if it was meat from this month. it was bad.
on a lighter note, the crab rangoons were okay. too bad they were served with some mysterious sweet and sour sauce (i think). the sauce is not a naturally occurring pink color. it looks like Hi-C fruit punch or something.
Can you tell i'm disappointed. to top the whole depressing dinner situation off, they had a $10 card minimum so i just threw $11 in the garbage. :-(
I only give Beijing 2 stars instead of 1 because I keep going out of convenience. Each time i regret it. it's like an abusive relationship. -
Review from Matthew P.
Boston, MA
3/21/2011
Just because it's cheap and convenient does not mean you should come here. This was a staple of many college students where I went. If you are inebriated or there is a storm and you don't want to pay for delivery, I guess it's okay to come here. If you always order delivery and have never been inside, don't. You might not order from them again. It just has this dirty feel, mostly stemming from it being in a small basement. It doesn't help that the food isn't very good. It's probably the greasiest food I've ever eaten.
This place isn't absolutely horrific, and I know many people who enjoy the food. At least their food is cheap. However, there are many other Chinese restaurants around that I would prefer going to instead. -
Review from S F.
Somerville, MA
9/12/2011
BU central is lacking good, fast, cheap food options so Beijing tends to be a staple. This is not some high-class, fancy, healthy Chinese food. This is good ol cheap, salty Chinese food. I couldn't possibly eat here everyday because I leave with a salt overload and food coma, but honestly I am a fan of many of their lunch specials. Chicken w/ garlic sauce, roast pork with vegetables, vegetarian delight are all not bad. Don't get fried rice. White rice is fine, brown rice is better but $2 extra(!). And who can complain about free hot tea?
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Review from Hannah K.
Honolulu, HI
3/27/2011
One afternoon, after being holed up in the library, the bf and I were looking for a spot to grab a quick lunch. Having been at BU for 4 years and never tried Beijing, I conceded and decided to give it a shot.
WOW and I mean wow...this food is bad. It is hands down the worst chinese food, if not a contender for the worst food, I've ever had. It was a cold day and I really wanted something nice and warm. I decided to order the won ton soup as it's a staple for any Chinese restaurant. The price of my dish was $4 which was dirt cheap b/c the bowl was pretty large. The broth itself was on the salty side but I thought it wasn't too bad. The won ton were horrible. The meat inside was grey and the noodle casing was practically falling apart. Probably the worst won ton soup I've ever had in my life...but I ate it cause I was starving.
I thought the service wasn't too bad, quick and somewhat friendly. I don't expect that much from a Chinese restaurant, just give me my stuff and come back with the check. Prices are unbeatable and it almost feels as you're stealing form them...if only they made better quality food. -
Review from Karen P.
Boston, MA
1/20/2011
With a heavy heart, it makes me sad to agree with some of the previous reviewers that Beijing Cafe really does blow. How can Chinese food be so bad? I'm not really sure, but they've accomplished it.
In freshman year, 2 friends & I went here for a dinner. The place was dead. They sat us all the way in a corner table that couldn't be seen from the windows/door -- not really sure why. And once we discovered Victoria Seafood located in BU West, we never returned.
Somehow, a friend convinced me to come to Beijing with her recently. I almost prayed that they had changed -- I mean, they were/are really pushing their boba tea offerings and all. Unfortunately, there was about twice the amount of rice as there was chicken. The sweet & sour chicken was also quite dry. The boba tea tasted bland & watery. Their prices are nothing special compared to Victoria Seafood, or even Nud Pob if you're looking for Asian food in general.
I would be more eager to suggest Panda Express in BU's GSU food court if I was really craving "Chinese" food. -
Review from Tracy T.
Boston, MA
2/11/2011
I've eaten here many times over the past couple of years so I know it pretty well. Here's what to expect when you go to this restaurant:
1. It's not real Chinese food, it's the Americanized Chinese food. It's probably only mildly better than when 99 cent Chinese food still existed. You go here for a cheap, quick, and filling lunch or dinner.
2. Don't expect amazing service. They speak enough English and are polite enough, but they will rarely ever come back to your table, and sometimes they bring you your check when they bring you your food. It's completely unpredictable.
3. Why 3 stars? I have had lunch here at noon, for a total of $7 including tip, and I don't get hungry again until at least 7 or 8 pm. It's filling and honestly one meal could really feed 2 people.
4.Only order off the lunch/dinner specials menu. It's actually pretty taste-y.
5. I have never gotten sick when I've eaten here, and again, I have eaten here for a couple years now.
Again. Great for a cheap quick meal of mediocre quality. Expect more and you'll be disappointed.
P.S. At least it's better than Panda Express. -
Review from Jeff M.
6/22/2011
During my college days, the super cheap lunch specials were much appreciated. Of course it's not the best Chinese food, but when you're in a rush, looking for a good and affordable lunch, I was quite happy here.
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Review from Jr H.
Falls Church, VA
8/8/2011
Simple the worst Chinese delivery food I've ever had. I'm traveling on biz and had the food delivered to the hotel in copley square boston. No rice in the bag and one of the dishes I ordered was missing. Meanwhile, the food was inedible. Boneless spare ribs dripping in honey and grease. Ma Pao Dofu, completely inedible. I threw it out. Steamed dumplings: wrapper worse than playdough. Don't order from this restaurant.
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Review from Sandra C.
6/23/2010
3 years at BU and I've never really checked out Beijing Cafe. The price is really cheap, and they serve boba tea, which is pretty awesome. Going in for the lunch specials is nice too.
Crab rangoons are good, and so is the General Gao. This is saying a lot because I don't normally like these Americanized "Chinese" dishes.
I wouldn't say I'd come here again...I wasn't blown away really, but if a friend wanted to ask me to lunch here, I wouldn't say no either. It's mediocre to me. -
Review from Tom E.
10/26/2007
I thought I should wait 24 hrs before reviewing this place. Just to see if, you know, my insides erupted or something. I'd been warned, but I still wanted to try. I'm like Elaine in Seinfeld when she's told not to touch her plate as it's very hot... I HAVE to touch it.
I went here for lunch, and when BU is in session this is a packed mad-cap lunch. The one rushed-off-her-feet server sat us, poured out waters for us, spilling mine on the table and leaving a black thing floating in it. She never cleared up the mess and I could never get her attention to replace it. She was just too damn busy. So I had no water, and they never poured out our tea either. No chopsticks either, just a fork. No decor either, just a damp little basement room. Grime-tastic.
We chose two Chinese staples - Mapo Tofu (with Fried Rice and a Spring Roll) and Beef Noodle Soup. The soup was good enough, but was not on the lunch menu. The Mapo was comfortably the worst I've ever had with really really horrid fried rice. I still ate it though. And pined for water or tea.
The check and fortune cookies came before we were a minute into our eating. She really was in a rush-rush-rush to get us out. And here is why this place gets two stars not one - a quick and hearty (if horrible) lunch here is 5, maybe 6 dollars and can be had in 20 to 30 mins. It's kind of impressive watching them turning over so many BU don't-know-any-betters every day.Listed in: Chineseeeeeeeeeee
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Review from Angelo S.
Cambridge, MA
6/27/2006
I asked a simple question about what comes with which dish from the waitress... she looked at me as if I had wronged her over a thousand lives. I thought maybe it was a misunderstanding... I asked another innocuous question, and she replied with, "Are you ready to order?"
Yet there's a positive point. =) Maybe the bad service is part of the benefit. The service of this place reminds me of my trip to Eastern Europe. It's worth coming here just to get the tightest disdain you can imagine (make sure to ask them lots of questions :).
But the food is a great value, no doubt. As long as you're willing to beg to get it. -
Review from Hugh R.
Cambridge, MA
7/14/2008
Vegetarian? Then try the Chicken with Cashews!!!
No, seriously. Enough celery and carrots to feed a family of rabbits for weeks and less chicken than one would find in your average McNugget. I'm pretty sure you can eat this dish and keep your vegan cred.
Disappointment, however, if you're a meatitarian like myself. -
Review from marie c.
Somerville, MA
1/27/2008
Wow. I actually had to look in my phone to see if the number I called last night was actually the one that went to the same place that all these other people had reviewed.
I really didn't think this place was bad, it actually seemed like above average Chinese take out. I got the lemon-chicken and was pleased that it wasn't all grizzly bits like it is at a lot of other places. It's cheap, the woman on the phone was nice, the delivery came relatively fast for a Saturday and everyone enjoyed their food.
Like Kim, I thought the crab rangoon were pretty good. Not as good as New Hong Kong, but definitely good. Also 6 for $3. Which is pretty cool.
Anyway, I'm at a loss. If I'd read these reviews I never would have tried the place, but I actually liked it and I don't think I'm somehow deficient when it comes to Chinese food. So it might be worth a shot.Listed in: Crab Rangoon
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Review from Raj P.
Boston, MA
4/12/2010
I don't know who comes into this establishment expecting culinary genius. The tacky green sign clearly indicates that this ain't gonna be the Ritz.
I only ever get lunch take out from here. And when I do, its the same order:
General Gao's Chicken.
White Rice with Crab Rangoon.
And sometimes when I'm extra ravenous, I'll get an order of chicken wings. Honestly those are days when I haven't eaten anything and I'm about to keel over and die. Don't judge.
It's gross in large quantities, but since I'm a fat ass, I love it. I'll admit, I often get a craving for that gooey cornstarch sauce. The wings are obviously not the best. But the outside is crispy and gives you that wonderful, artery-clogging satisfaction.
I wouldn't recommend eating in. Unless if you like being surrounded by mirrors in the a room the size of your dorm Freshman year and odd decorations of exotic butterflies and flutes. -
Review from Riddhi D.
New York, NY
11/14/2009
The prices are good, the portions are good. So what's the problem?
The food sucks. Bad.
I'm from small-town America so trust me I'm not demanding authentic chinese food when I come to this type of establishment. At the same time, I don't love the chunks of cornstarch or their passionate feelings towards salt.
The quality of their dumplings fluctuates. They're alright considering your other nonexistent dumpling options in the area, but it's not like they're particularly good. Thick, doughy skins and even when pan-fried, they're mushy, not remotely crispy. And yet more often than not they'll be burned. Squeeze me? Bacon powder? How the hell did that happen?
The service leaves a lot to be desired, and sometimes you have to slap your waitress' hand away as she tries to take a plate you're still clearly eating from in an effort to hurry you out. I had that happen to me once and in retaliation I took 20 minutes to drink my cup of tea. And then I ordered a refill of my teapot.
Half star for mediocre dumplings. The other half is for my stupidity in coming back here, thinking that maybe THIS time it'll be different. -
Review from Emma M.
Boston, MA
7/28/2006
While my friend enjoyed her chicken lo mein (and at lunch prices, so cheap!) I was INCREDIBLY disappointed with my tofu and veggie soup. I'm on the prowl for a chinese veggie soup that rivals one at my little upstate ny college and this is definitely not it! The broth was essentially tasteless and it really should have been called "tofu in water," as there was a TON of tofu and the vegetable portion was comprised of a few slivers of green beans and carrots. I kid you not, 10 toothpick sized slivers supposedly merited a "vegetable" listing on the menu. I'm passionate about my veggies and this was a huge disappointment.
Overall, I'm sure it's a great place to get cheap Chinese food, but avoid the tofu and veg soup at all costs! It was pretty pricey for what it was anyway. My search for the ultimate veg soup continues...
(We had takeout, can't comment on service, scene, etc) -
Review from Alyssa J P.
Brighton, MA
10/30/2009
I used to eat here very frequently up until I decided to brown bag my lunches last year. So I've had two solid years of experience with Beijing. The prices are reasonable, the vegan selection is decent, and you really can't beat the convenience factor. It's practically connected to my building.
I came here so often that the waitress knew my order by heart, and she was really nice, although at times she would be so hurried that she'd spill my water all over the table. -
Review from AccioSoyMilk ..
Richland, MS
1/17/2007
This place had forks instead of chopsticks at the tables. This is a sign to the kind of food you'll have here. They also had several health code violations a few years back.
Situated close to the center of BU's campus, this place caters to college students. Personally I would have never eaten here, but my dad and I were hungry during homecoming and I was willing to set aside my aversion to Chinese food for it. (Hey, when you grow up eating the stuff, you get tired of it.)
It's hard to see from the street, but ask any BU student and they'll be able to tell you where it is. It's also not wheelchair accessible. It's a staple for BU students for late night studying or for a quick bite to eat. A lof of people love it for it's value and it's apparent tastiness.
I've even had BU students tell me that it was the best Chinese food they had ever tasted. This was rather frightening for me to hear, but desperate college students fed cereal, ramen and the supposedly laxative-filled food will go for anything.Listed in: Places to eat in or around…
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Review from Kim V.
Rego Park, NY
12/11/2007
Ok... before you look at the four stars and think, "Okay she must work there or she must not have taste buds or a tongue," I will have to explain that there is definite reason for the four stars. A fair and specific reason.
This reason is otherwise known as "Crab Rangoons." lol.
Now shoot down the place all you want, because okay, it may not be the best or most authentic chinese restaurant in Boston -- I mean what can you expect from a take out place located next to Warren Towers, for cryin' out loud. But by God, and I know this because I try ordering this at every Asian place that has them ... they have the best crab rangoons in the US.
They are (usually) light, crispy and filled with an equally light puff of cream cheese, scallion and (fake) crab meat. They are served warm, with duck sauce. They should be savored on a cold, Boston day.
So, if you're looking for edible beef chow fun, sweet and sour pork or lo mein, you should probably go elsewhere for that. But if you do go here, then give them crab rangoons a chance. (On Boston trips, I usually will stop here along with Anna's. haha.) -
Review from Julie T.
Boston, MA
10/24/2009
Seems like there are a decent amount of unhappy folks who came to Beijing Cafe and didn't come back. I, however, am not one of those people. In my freshman year of college, my roommate and I always had a Sunday ritual: study our asses off until we were too tired, then order out and watch TV as a treat for working hard.
The only difference is the fact that she worked hard and studied her butt off like planned while I pretended to be doing productive things, but I pretty much wasn't doing much outside of sitting on my bed and reading magazines and such nonsense.
But at the end of the day, most of the time, Beijing Cafe would get a call from us with a list of things we wanted with credit cards in hand. They never messed up our orders and we never got sick and leftovers were even better! We loved getting half a dozen appetizers and just sprawling out there on the floor, laying beside the boxes of rice and noodles, chicken wings and dumplings and spareribs, laughing at reruns of friends and Lost.
Ever since then, I haven't really had Beijing Cafe, but the memories are fond ones and I always think about eating there again every time I pass, but I don't think my mind allows me to because I'll probably cry a pool of tears as I see my youth disappearing in all ways possible with noodles dangling out of my mouth.Listed in: The B-Line, Cheap Eats, Chinese
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Review from Jen C.
Boston, MA
7/17/2007
Please don't. Just... don't.
Never have I ever had worse Chinese food in Boston. Make that just plain food in Boston. No one in their right minds would consider this cuisine of any sort - why they're still in business baffles me. I've had people recommend this place since it's cheap, but why the hell would I pay for bad food? If I can cook better than you, then I'm damn sure not going to pay for your half-ass attempts at Chinese food.
I remember ordering curry on rice here awhile ago, and the rice was both hard and mushy at the same time. And the curry, instead of being a nice rich sauce, was basically some brown bits floating around in some yellow cornstarch and water. Just wrong. Other attempts have been even less successful. Be wary when the guy on the other line pronounces it "MOOOO GOOOOO GAI PANNNNN".
So, while I'm generally pretty Pollyanna, Beijing Cafe gets negative stars for being the worst waste of restaurant space in Boston. -
Review from Amy P.
Boston, MA
9/5/2008
Bejing Cafe has been my go-to place for the (very) occasional cravings for greasy chinese food. I've known them to be disturbingly fast with most deliveries and piles of food for a decent price.
I called them last night because i was starving, needed to feed some company and had those cravings again.
Nothing was too odd except the way the combo plates were ordered, only choose 2 of the 3 options for side dishes.... not what my menu said.
when the 30 minute delivery time turned into nearly 50 minutes i got my call and went to retrieve my num nums from a very polite delivery man but was SHOCKED to see that my order was $28!
that would be vegetarian general gaos chicken, real general gaos dinner combo and a small side of crab goons. wtf bejing.
The new menu attached showed me that they had boosted their prices on almost all of their menu at LEAST a dollar. The quality of the food was a lot worse than before, quantity was the same.
example: $8.95 for vegetarian general gaos chicken with rice
NOW $10.95 for gross, very dry, different vegetarian general gaos chicken without any rice.
Sorry Bejing, you lose. Your rival Hong Kong Cafe is now the winner. -
Review from Nika T.
4/9/2009
Not the best, but for typical Chinese take out, really good.
Everyone complains about the abundance of veggies in their entrees, but that's something I like so yay.
But I usually skip all else and go right for the DELICIOUS Sesame Chicken. Its made with stripes of WHITE MEAT LEAN CHICKEN!!! Yay. Its lightly battered YAY again! and covered in a sweet (sometimes too sweet, but heck) tomato sauce and covered with sesame seeds. It does NOT keep well, which is a little creepy but whateves its so good hot and fresh.
Crab Rangoon is pretty standard. I like mine with less filling though. Everyone has their own "style" they grow to appreciate best.
Spring Rolls are always greasy but don't have the mushrooms I hate, so I'm a fan of them and wrap them in paper towel or napkins like 5 times to absorb the excess oil.
The sweet n sour chicken or chicken finger appetizers are EXTREMELY greasy and best passed by.
Their fried rice is probably some of the worst fried rice ever. I always opt for steamed.
Everything else is pretty hit or miss, but since Sesame Chicken (and white meat and light breading) is my favorite way and its devoid of the normal weird tart chemical taste of lots of restaurants versions of sesame/orange/general tso entrees and that's what keeps brings me back. -
Review from Mara M.
Boston, MA
7/18/2007
I should have listened to the reviews. Awful. poor selection, poorly cooked food, got our order wrong. I'm not sure what I was eating was tofu... even the fortune cookies were stale.
Listen to Jen C.: "just... don't" -
Review from Drew V.
Charlotte, NC
6/25/2008
Oh Beijing...
I seem to eat here every few months forgetting how terrible the previous experience was, hoping that something has changed. Sadly, it hasn't.
The location is convenient for the BU student looking for chinese food but convenience is one of the few good things about this place. The white rice is dry/stale and the fried rice is just old rice doused in soy sauce. Most of the dishes I tried were either bland or overly seasoned.
The self proclaimed best General Gao's chicken in town was mediocre at best. On the bright side, the prices are cheap,the portions are fairly large, and the service is quick. I guess thats enough to warrant 2 stars. -
Review from Jason C.
Boston, MA
12/27/2009
The Beijing Cafe menu once had the distinction of being the only one in my drawer that offered delivery before 5pm. It now has the distinction of sharing a trash bag with used cat litter. Based on my experience with the food there, it should feel right at home.
This was like the bad Chinese you get at one of those all-you-can eat buffets, only worse. My order wasn't even that complicated: scallion pancake, beef with broccoli, sesame chicken. Pretty standard fare as far as inauthentic Chinese cuisine goes. The egg roll that came with the sesame chicken was probably the best thing I ate. The scallion pancake was way overcooked. The beef with broccoli was actually "broccoli in sauce with a few slivers of beef." The sesame chicken was a few small blobs of breaded chicken with some sesame seeds sprinkled on top. Terrible. -
Review from Rachel B.
Somerville, MA
9/24/2007
Give me a B! Give me an A! Give me an R! Give me an F! What's that spell?
That's right. It spells "Beijing Cafe."
Additionally, brown rice = white rice + soy sauce. FYI and all. -
Review from Olga Y.
Boston, MA
3/21/2011
Worst. Wonton. soup. EVERRR!!! I've never had soup where the broth was LITERALLY hot water and soy sauce. It is pure salt, nothing else. it was BROWN -- dark, dark, dark brown. All it had was napa cabbage, some decent-ish wontons (hence 2 stars) and SOY SAUCE. It was salty and gross. never again.
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Review from Emily L.
Burlingame, CA
4/17/2011
I know that this place hasn't gotten the best reviews based on its dungeon-like interior and whatnot but honestly, this place is no different from any other hole-in-the-wall cheap Chinese food places. I grew up in restaurants like this and they make dumplings the way I love them so I don't have a bone to pick with them. San Francisco and New York City are filled with places just like this. They're open until 11pm every day and I randomly went in to satisfy a craving I've been having. I've lived in Warren for 2 years and never went inside until tonight. The staff was nice and I couldn't find the dumplings I liked in English so I asked for them in Chinese and they were very sweet about it. $5 for a plate of home-style dumplings is okay any day in my book.
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Review from Anya S.
5/24/2009
I like veggies, but I like my beef. And when I order a beef plate I expect to see some beef. Also, Im from the old country, and there we dont eat no celery. I hate celery. Even with peanut butter. I hate peanut butter too. But I digress....
There were a total of six (6) paper thin one inch by one inch pieces of beef in my BEEF entree. ($11.95). Besides beef there was some luke warm rice and celery. Maybe a pound of celery. Maybe more. There were also three (3) carrot sticks in there. Beef with veggies that is.
The service was kinda of rude, but not overly rude, just rude enough to make you never want to go back to that place again. -
Review from Ambrose C.
Boston, MA
12/21/2009
This restaurant has so much potential to be one of the best Chinese restaurants in the Boston area. They are located in a great area, right in the middle of Boston University and within a short walking distance to many places within the campus. The prices look good, I have seen some dishes less than six dollars during the lunch period.
The main problem? The food is not really good at all. The last time I have been to this place, I was desperately hungry, and wanted a hot dish during a cold night. The chicken and vegetable dish was very greasy and the rice did not make much of a huge difference in trying to soak up the excess grease. The vegetables did not taste too good. The chicken was not good at all. You feel funny after eating the food. Of the three times I have eaten at this place, after eating, I did not feel content, even though I was full.
Beijing Cafe needs to improve the quality of its food to win back more and more customers while at the same time, keep the prices low. Since the restaurant is called "Beijing Cafe", one suggestion that maybe they can do is serve a few sticks of Yang Rou Chuan'er, with a big bowl Leng Mian at a low price. Those are a couple of my favorite foods when I was in Beijing. -
Review from Alexis B.
Boston, MA
10/20/2009
Beijing Cafe/Restaurant whatever I love this place. They have solid food that never disappoints and usually arrives faster than you except (35 minutes on average I live in Mission Hill).
Love the lunch specials- super cheap. Chicken with garlic sauce extra spicy is my favorite.
Homemade dumplings rock. Can't not order them everytime.
So it's the not the best chinese in the world but for the price and time it's damn good with me!!
