On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: ChinatownHerald St (Silver)
Ne Medical Center (Orange, Silver)
Mon-Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Loading...
great place for a quick cheap eat. yes their price is a couple dollars more than a "regular" dish but their portions are just as large--i can easily split one rice dish into two meals.
menu is mile-long. prep yourself in advance or your neck will hurt staring at the board that's hung near the ceiling. crowded during peak times for dine-in--best for take out.
nowadays they have roasted suckling pig coming out nightly (or around the clock even, so i heard). crispy skin and flavorful meat... best stuff on earth.
they have a mix of authentic chinese food like wonton noodle soup and BBQ items on rice, along w/things like general tsao/gao chicken and beef w/broccoli. although... sometimes i do find their authentic stuff not so authentic, and then their american-chinese dishes not completely so... something about the sauce (or a side ingredient!) that they improvise or substitute; not always sticking to the "original" recipe.
p.s. a couple spots got blocked out in front of restaurants for 15-min stop; great for ordering in and stop for pick-up.
:)
I have been coming to this restaurant fairly recently, particularly on Wednesday nights before I go to a get-together with friends. The dishes are simple and inexpensive.
This restaurant is really generous in terms of portions. I ordered Gon Chao Ngau Ho (I think the English word is Beef Chow Foon), and they gave me so much that I think it could last me for about three meals. Plus it was so warm. The heat from the take out dish lasted for more than a few hours. It was pretty good and had a strong pungent smell that could make your mouth water.
Other noodle dishes that I have eaten are Shanghai Style Stir Fried Udon, and the Beef and Broccoli Chao Mian. When I ordered the Shanghai Style Stir Fried Udon, they were also really generous with the portions and it could last you for two meals. The Beef and Broccoli Chao Mian was okay, it was nothing too special, it just filled up my stomach and kept it happy for several hours.
In terms of rice dishes, I had the Seafood and Vegetables, and it was pretty good, the vegetables were crisp, and the seafood was tasty, but it was doused with a lot of sauce, making it really greasy.
Overall, Chinatown Cafe is not a bad choice when it comes to getting some good and inexpensive Chinese take out, but I would probably choose Hong Kong Eatery down the street for slightly better quality.
Very good when you are in a hurry and want good Chinese food in an informal setting. The roast pork, duck and chicken dish is great and so is the large bowl of Wonton soup. Also: free tea and hot water!
This place used to be the "spot", after church, after school, after sports, a quaint enviorment where cash is your best friend because creidt cards will just earn you an angry stare. Eating Chinese Food everyday does get to me, so I've had better at home *some things*, but the one thing I never get tired of is the beef noodles. Its been one of my favourites since I was a wittle boi, just because the price is more jacked I'll have to lower the rating =(.
Service With A Stare
"Thank you for coming to my tour! Please look to your left at Chinatown Cafe. Notice position relative to Tai Tung Village housing community. Ah yes, basically restaurant lives under 700 or more low-income inhabitants. This is the Harrison Ave, this is where most of Chinese lives, not the retail Chinatown over there! This is real Chinatown, but B.R.A. come to buy it for yuppie devils soon, so anyway. So! What you infer? Nothing? (Inscrutable Asian Stare.) OK! This Chinatown Cafe--we feed thousand of working class people, even we roll up sidewalk at 8:30PM. When you come to slurp on the noodle sometime, you watch many a double-parked Honda from 5 to 6PM. Mommy and daddy rush home to feed suburban A.B.C. kid, ha ha ha! I tell you story..." http://www.bostonchina...
What's in those bags full of take-out? Solid family fare, roast meats, char siu, chow fun, even the most humble but awfully sustaining congee. I love the congee. What else do you really need to live on? Robert Capa, my favorite photographer, used to live on a little sugar dissolved in water once a day. Congee is manna from your fellow man, man.
Check out the photos on the wall. Local politicians, sports figures, community and school events. This place means something. It's not quite the Bahston institutions that (former) Amrhein's or Doyle's are perceived to be, but it deserves a more vaunted reputation. Think about the name, "Chinatown Cafe". After you realize "cafe" is, by accident or by design, short for "cafeteria", it's suddenly apropos, not generic anymore, right?
The link explains the real story. Again, http://www.bostonchina...
True to community service, no bragging, you would never know by eating here that this is a real community center.
Chinatown Cafe, we just serve, food and elsewise.
I've only tried the roast duck, chicken, pork and char siu here and it's very good. So good that I would eat here everyday even if it'll make me gain 20 pounds. But sadly, this place is a little out of way so I can only make the trip every other week.
But really.... try the BBQ'd meats!
My mom used to own a salon at Tai Tung Village and I used to go to BCEC (Boston Chinese Evangelical Church) across the street so I have been a steady patron of CC for many, many years now. I remember when the church used to let out, there would be a mass migration straight to CC for lunch. My mom would also often send me to CC to get their roast pork, char siu, or roast duck for dinner takeout.
This place is a classic. The portions have remained pretty much the same since the 90s except they might have cut down on the meat/veggies/seafood a bit with each order. The rise of food prices is to blame as most places do that now. Their Chinese BBQ is still the highlight of their menu. I like to get a mix of BBQ meats on either rice or noodle soup. You can get the duck and chicken on rice, char siu and duck on noodles, and whatever combination strikes your fancy. They also have a large variety of rice plates and noodle dishes so there is something for everyone.
All in all, this place is a safe bet for a value lunch or dinner. They do not open for breakfast and they accept cash only.
They keep raising the prices of the foods and the food is becoming horrible.
But what I like about this place is they put the food into a clean styrofoam container and you don't need to pay tips
My office orders this 1-2 times a week.
I am sick of it.
Somehow they got the idea that I only eat steamed veggie no oil or salt on white rice, blech!
I have corrected this and now I like to eat the soft tofu with green beans and they get me some stir fry with tofu sometimes.
For the most part, I would never eat here if it didn't come to me, but I have to say I do like that green bean tofu dish.
Every one is right.
It is cheap, but the prices are slowly going up and I would rather get a cheap lunch somewhere else in Chinatown.
I wish Chinatown Cafe could go back to the good old days when it was actually good. Now I don't go out of my way to get roast pork, duck, or chicken from here. I remember when the owner actually used to be behind the counter instead of on the customer side, guiding his chefs and butcher to make the best takeout meals ever.
Now it's sad - higher prices, smaller, less tasty portions (of meat and veggies), too much rice . . . I also remember when I could taste the sauce in their flat noodles with beef. I don't recall seeing so many cops sitting down and eating lunch and dinner there, either.
Oh Chinatown Cafe . . . you used to be so good to me. Why, oh why, did you go downhill?
I'll start off by saying that I'm not really a fan of Chinese food. And by that, I mean the Americanized Chinese that you find out in the sticks. It took a long time for folks to convince me to head over here. It's definitely better than I was expecting.
Prices are pretty low, and the portions are huge. I'm lucky if I make it through half. I still don't want to go everyday, but I'm now totally game for the occasional trip into Chinatown.
I teach near here and went for the first time last night upon recommendation of other teachers (who had gotten recommendations from students). All three of us ordered the General Gau's chicken and ended up stuffed and happy. There was more than enough for lunch today and it actually reheated well!
Back in the 90's this used to be my favorite place to eat in Chinatown. The owner is actually a family friend and used to roast a pig at a party every year. Fast forward to today; the dishes have a lot more rice and just don't taste as good as other places in the area. The congee is pretty damn good though.
This is good value for the oversaturated Chinatown $5-8 lunch scene. Lotsa food!...but you can get that many places. Tasty and fresh. And there are tons of veggies incorporated into their ~75 menu items.
Typically, I get the duck chow mein. Crispy noodles, freshly chopped duck (not a boneless breast...it's legit chinese cleaver-makes-bone-shards style), and lots of chinese broccoli w/ carrots and such. Not overly starched gravy--nicely flavored sauce. It'll be two meals, so bring a fridge or an extra person!
The congee tastes great here, and they give huge portions! I found myself almost licking the bowl at the end of the meal.
I was quite impressed by how clean the restaurant looked as well as their extensive menu with very good prices.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Boston. Since I moved from from there a few years ago, it's maybe the one restaurant I wish I could've brought with me to LA.
I wasn't a big believer in this place since it was further than the usual Chinatown dives we usually visited. But when a friend took me there repeatedly over the summer, I found myself completely addicted to the food. The best plate there (actually the only one I've ever had, but hey, if it ain't broke don't fix it) which is the roast pork/wonton/noodles (the wide noodles) soup! This is best meal I've ever had for under $6.
The wide chow fun noodles are plain and cooked perfectly, accompanied by freshly chopped roast char siu pork and the best wonton I've ever had in my life. A few pieces of Chinese broccoli is added to the mix along with wicked hot soup, that's more like a plain broth. Served super hot and fresh - it doesn't get any better.
Chinatown Cafe is a little out of the way and attracts locals from all points of the city. Local police, downtown residents and even some members of the Boston Bruins are regulars at this joint. Get there early for the wide noodles (they're worth it - trust me) and a table - this place gets busy!
Been coming to C-town Cafe since they first opened when I was in elementary school. The food is good and the prices are awesome. Portions are good and the flavors are all still there. Some dishes were better in the past, but for the most part, everything is good. I still advocate that they have THE BEST General Gau's Chicken you will EVER eat! The orange balls of chicken are spicey and flavorful. Make my mouth water just thinking about it......
YUM YUM YUMMY! The congee was delish! Real nice prices and in a really cute area. Also it's pretty close to where all the real action in Chinatown is!
Authentic Chinese take-out place known for their great congee and good stir fry noodles. Very good portions. I usually go here when I am hosting a party and need good cheap Chinese food. A bit of walk from the T-stop though.
Best Gereral Gau's Chicken I've ever had.
The rest of the menu is rather bland for my tastes.
This place doesn't have parking so everyone double parks on weekends.
Unfortunately, this place is on the far side of Chinatown, which is inconvenient for most people, but it's worth the walk for their tasy food. The food comes out fast, and the menu is huge. I recommend the noodle dishes or the rice congee, which are extremely inexpensive. Don't expect any service, though. It's a purely bus-your-own-table place. It's a long walk from work, but my coworkers and I have become semi-regulars despite the distance.
I really like their food. Its authentic, but its cheap, fast, and you can take it out. They have lots of rice and noodle dishes. You can order in English, but its better if you know the Chinese version of what you want, just to make sure the cashiers get your order right. They also have cooked poultry and meats you can buy by the pound and take home to eat. I like their soy sauce chicken. I'd recommend getting it to go because it gets really crowded.
Pretty good food. You get your money's worth and more when it comes to the size of the meal. But be sure to bring cash.
Chinatown Cafe is a great cheap place to get all kinds of Asian food. I like the traditional chicken dishes and their rice. It's quick and will fill you up fast. A great place for a grab-it-and-go lunch.
In the city, good Chinese food is really hit or miss. Chinatown Cafe, however, is a hit. The stir fry is great and I have a hard time varying my meal because of it. Neverthless, the price, portions and staff is great.
On some days, the food is fabulous. But on other days, the chefs must have a grudge against my taste buds because there's barely flavour in the food. As for portions, I think I should get less rice and more meat and veggies. Prices keep on climbing...and portions are getting smaller, aren't they?
it's the same as other chinese food.
I used to come here almost every other day for lunch and it's the only place in Chinatown where you'll get your money's worth for the food. It doesn't matter which dish you order, they will serve it in HUGE portions for a very low price. Not to mention that the food tastes superb. I'm never disappointed when I come here: you can't be when you're paying under $7 bucks for a plateful of goods. I still remember this place when I was a kid, loved it back then and still do.
great, satisfying, authentic food, easy on the wallet. nuff' said.
yelpers Valentiesday specials
Neighborhood: Winthrop
New Menu Item - Crispy…
Boston, MA
Neighborhood: Chinatown
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Chinatown
Category: Chinese
Quincy, MA
Category: Chinese
Neighborhood: Chinatown
Category: Chinese
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
Category: Chinese
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
I work in the South End, and here are some places,…
