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Mon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
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Honestly, one of the better Chinese Food places around Berkeley.
It's kinda pricey but if you want some decent Chinese food, this is the place to come! Please don't waste your money trying other wanna be Chinese places around Berkeley. They just give leave you with two things: 1) oily left overs 2) Diarrhea
Daimo has been consistently good and it hasn't let me down yet! I've come here numerous occasions and each time, I leave satisfied and happy! When I crave Chinese food, I usually think of this place and wanna come back for more!!
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I'm a bit shocked that this place doesn't have a much higher rating--more than anything I think that reflects the ignorance of the average American diner. This is a country, after all, where many people think McDonald's food tastes good.
The ambience may be spartan if that matters to anyone, but the food is as good as any Asian restaurant in the East Bay, maybe the entire Bay Area. Authentic, fresh delicious...what's not to like?
My favorites include the many tasty appetizers/dim sum, and the seafood--from the superb lobster to the geoduck that is served any way you ask.
If you like tasty and authentic Chinese fare--and aren't fixated on a cheesy fake and fancy decor--you won't find better within an hour's drive.
Daimo is one of those few (only?) places that is open till late and where you can get authentic Chinese food. The pea-shoot leaves with garlic stir-fry is great. Everything else I have tried here have been consistently good.
Service is okay; nothing to write home about but I haven't had problems so far.
Oh, and where else can you get dim sum till 3 a.m. in the morning?? If you and your friends are craving for dim sum at night and are dying to have some, this is the place to go. I'm not crazy about their dim sum but it's good enough to satisfy the odd craving at a weird hour.
Maybe I just came on an off-day, I know I came at an off-hour since dim sum was over for the day and the only options we had were the regular menu. My sister-in-law, her kids, my husband and I ended up ordering the bok choy, chow fun, and clams in black bean sauce, and it wasn't anything to write home about. In fact, the chow fun was below par and the tab for our mediocre meal was around $50. Maybe I'll come again during dim sum, but then again with the negative correlation between food quality and price of a meal at this place I don't see another trip happening soon.
This place has an inordinate number of shoddy reviews. Today marks the third time I've been here. And while I was unsure of how I felt about the place the previous 2 times, this time I brought 10 well-trained taste buds to help: the Canto-family.
I guess it was a little hard for this particular trip to go wrong: my parents and aunts were the ones who ordered (in Cantonese, of course), and we came at 11am, when the place was half-full. Service was fine, not like we got totally shafted as other people have experienced. It is a Chinese restaurant, after all, so don't expect to be babied and checked up on every 15 minutes.
Now. The food: DUCK EGG CONGEE. HOLY GODLINESS. Quite the coincidence too, as my cousins were saying how they normally hate, hate, hate congee. I was busy getting them to try a bowl to actually eat mine right away, so when we all had the first sip at the same time, there was a moment between the three of us of KYABLAWMSMAM YOU AIN'T NEVER HAD JUK LIKE THAT BEFORE, SON. The verdict: you'd have to go to Hong Kong, straight to the source, to get anything similar.
The rest of the meal was populated with generic dim sum items: har gow (shrimp dumplings--tasty), lo baak gou (turnip cake--fine, nothing too special), etc. etc. I'll agree, most of these things didn't make as big an impression, but dim sum is dim sum. And this is dim sum done proper.
Just ask my Cantonese posse.
+ .5 stars for very late hours and for being next door to 99 Ranch.
4.5 stars altogether.
People thought this was:
Came to Daimo for a later dinner and strictly to have wonton mein. My cravings were satisfied! I ordered roasted duck wonton noodle soup. It was excellent! Have had take-out dim sum from here before but never the wonton soup. What a treat.
Although the broth was not piping hot like I would have preferred, the flavors of the duck were especially good. It would have been nice to have 6 smaller wonton instead of 3 gigantic ones since they were lacking a bit of flavor. Overall very generous portions of roast duck--more than I have seen at other restaurants. The duck was prepared just right and very tasty.
Will definitely go back again for wonton mein and would like to try out regular dinner items to compare.
People thought this was:
3 stars: decent cantonese food which would normally be 4 stars for me, but the $$$ knocks one star off. You can spend half the amount and get good food else where. Service was decent and efficient on my visit.
I often frequent this restaurant on my way home from Costco for dinner. Usually I call ahead and order wonton noodle soup and by the time I arrive, it's ready for pickup. I would probably say that this place ought to be known for its fantastic wontons and late-night dim sum options. This is probably one of few legit Chinese restaurants in the area.
Of course, let's not forget the classic rack of hanging roast duck, roast pork, and bbq pork available.
Tell me there's somewhere better between Fairfield and Oakland (though I've not had a good Chinese meal in Oakland). The food preparation is wonderful and consistent. Portions are quite generous. We've had dinner there 3 times in a month. I've ordered lunch items to-go many times this year. It's a quick hop off and back onto Hwy 80. We know we'll be satisfied every time. Go for the food, not the staff.
People thought this was:
Gosh...I have so many memories of this Chinese restaurant. This was the place where it kind of reminded me of home when I first moved out to California from NY.
The food is ok, no dish in particular that was really memorable. The service is ok...what do you expect from a Chinese restaurant?? The prices are ok. Not bad if you're in that neighborhood.
I'm tempted to give this place 5 stars to offset some of the 1 star reviews lately, but 4 is what I think it should get.
I came here for my birthday tonight with 7 friends. The place was about half full when we arrived for our 8pm reservation and had only a few tables the rest of the time we were there.
Service was great! They kept us full on water. They changed our plates half way through the meal. They consolidated our duck onto one plate to make more room for other dishes. And they brought us plates, forks, a knife and cake server to use for the birthday cake we brought. A glance at our waiter had our order taken and our check brought. I don't know if the place being pretty empty made the difference, but I'd like to think they are reading these reviews and trying to improve.
The food was also good, though not all of it. The pepper beef on a sizzling platter was tender and delicious, as was the seafood hot pot. The Peking duck (with apologies to Marzan) was perfect. They served the skin (with its thin layer of fat) with pancakes, plum sauce and scallions. Then the rest of the duck cut into chunks. Some of these were pretty fatty, especially those from the tail, but, hey, its a duck. We also had a dish of greens with garlic that was very nice. Singapore rice vermicelli was good, but came mild rather than the spicy that was ordered.
The kung pao shrimp were not really recognizable to me as kung pao. No peanuts. Also, no strong ginger and garlic flavors. A bit bland, really. "Americanized," is the way one person put it. I won't order that again. The hot and sour soup, though it had more stuff in it than usual, had me reaching for the soy sauce. But with that, it was very good.
So, I don't know what's happened to the rest of you, but we had a very good meal with good service, and I'll be back. Maybe for the dim sum.
I really don't understand why my parents and relatives always want to come here to Daimo. The food is not good, it's pretty pricey, and service is horrible. I've never had a good experience here since it first opened, but finally decided to write a review. My family and I ordered wonton soup, tofu and salty fish clay pot, half a roasted duck, salt and pepper pork ribs, and chicken in black bean sauce.
The duck was hella skinny and hella oily. Gross! The pork ribs tasted like it was fake meat and the salty fish was way too salty and stinky. The wonton soup should be the first thing that comes out right? It did not come out until we were all done with everything else. Our waiter shoved a bunch of crumpled paper in my mom's face and said "Look your order got jammed up" If you want to give an excuse, don't do it so rudely. Then when we got the complimentary green bean soup at the end of the meal, the waitress just plopped the dirty ass tray with the soups on it in the middle and let us grab it ourselves. What restaurant does that??
First of all, if you're going to charge 15% gratuity on a party of 5 of more, you better make sure you give us some good service. It was not even busy and service was slow and poor. For the most part I just go along with whatever my family wants to eat, but next time anyone suggest Daimo, I will oppose strongly!
People thought this was:
It's dirty! The service sucks! There are a crap load of FOBs there! In other words, it's every kick-ass Chinese restaurant you've ever been to!!
Oh, and the food is awesome. I particularly dig the jook, chinese donut, soup dumplings, and pot stickers. Come for the grub, stay for latest in FOB fashions. Speaking of which, the hand-me-down adjustable baseball cap with members-only jacket apparently never goes out of style.
People thought this was:
3.5
Good food most of the prices are really good the portions for the most part are gigantic, 7 dollars for a rice plate loaded with meat. The hot sauce is amazing the Cha Siu is very inconsistent sometimes its amazing sometimes its only ok, open real late thats y i gave it a 4 not a 3 the service is terrible whether you are asian or not. Oh and the salt and pepper dishes are also very good. Good Dim sum and available late night
I ate here a few nights ago and initially thinking back to what we ate, nothing significantly stands out. I don't remember the names of the dishes we had, but we started off with a shrimp dish, that had snow peas and carrots. That dish was really good, this dish definitely stands out. We also ordered fried fish, which was really nummy, but then again I'm kind of biased, I love just about anything fried. Next was a dish that was served in a claypot, which had sauteed eggplant, shrimp and squid; it was all covered in a garlic sauce. We also ordered the clams, which we're okay, nothing really stands out about them. We ordered a couple of other things, that I don't recall eating.
We had a group of ten people and we we're happy that they were able to accommodate us, but the staff was overwhelmed with our large group and kept saying they don't usually have groups this big. In all honesty we could tell they were overwhelmed with our large group, they had to be reminded many time to bring various things.
Over all this place was okay, the food was good at the time, but didn't leave a big impression on me. The service wasn't good at all, but maybe if we had a smaller group, we would have had a different experience.
The menu is pretty good. Not a fan of anything specific yet, clams are good. Food comes quick. Prices are reasonable for the most part.
People thought this was:
I've been here about four times.
Absolutely, hands down one of the BEST hot and sour soup among all of the Chinese restaurants I've been in to in the Bay Area... and that's a lot.
However, their other dishes did not impress me. The walnut prawns were OK.
I've tried frog legs (very chewy) and ostrich meat (just like beef!) here but again, not impressed.
They have interesting rice dishes with "wet" sauce on top of the rice, which I thought was pretty cool.... my hubby says it's too authentic for him.
People thought this was:
This is the best Chinese restaurant in the East Bay. It's a little pricey for Chinese food, but well worth it. It's great for late nights! After a night on the town, myself and all my friends used to come here for our dinner, and it always satisfied our cravings!
TIP: Try the Honey Walnut Prawns!
The service is not the best, as a matter of fact, you would be luck y to see your server twice during the whole meal, but the food is so good, you won't even care that the service is bad!
People thought this was:
The worst customer service EVER! This was our first family dining experience since our move to the East Bay from the SF Peninsula. The staff made my family and I feel unwelcome from beginning to end. Our waitress never smiled at us, spoke rudely, and never even bothered to check on us.
PS
I suspect that we received prejudiced treatment at this establishment. At first, I thought our server was just having a crappy day which would explain the "mean mug" on her face and the harsh tone of her voice. But I later observed (confirmed by my wife) that the same woman was also pleasant and "all smiles" with her other customers....most of whom were Chinese, including one Caucasion party whom they even hooked up with a nice white table cloth upon their seating (why weren't we offered a table cloth?!!). Oh yeah! And the food?? I DONT REMEMBER WHAT WE ATE! Thats how bad the service was.
People thought this was:
I've been here a few times after a night of drinking in the city. This place seems like the only thing open past 10 p.m. on the weekends in the el cerrito/albany area that's close to the freeway. Maybe because I was still buzzed, the food tasted really good at the time however my trip to Daimo last night called for soup where I was somewhat semi-buzzed.
Place was crowded and took quite awhile for our soup to show up.
I just had BBQ pork noodles and it was okay. I added more hot sauce just to give it a kick but still did not satisfy my appetite. I was craving Pho in the first place but the Pho joint in the area was already closed.
If I was going to come here again, it would be with a bunch of friends who would have to drag me here after a night of drinking and force me to order from the menu.
Daimo is GREAT, especially after hours. Got some of the best congee in town. LOve the hours of operation, but service do need to be adjusted.......
Frequented this place for the first time because my sister introduced it to us. We usually eat in the mall at 168 or Coriya. I was kind of hesitant to try this place because I heard from a few people that it was just OK. Actually...the food was pretty good! Good quantity too...but a little bit more on the expensive side for some of the more basic dishes.
This is a great late night place after a night in SF or anywhere.
I was back to visit my folks this past weekend and was asked where I wanted to have dinner. I haven't had Chinese food in awhile so I suggested Daimo. I've always liked their food but the prices can be on a high side.
Service: Pretty decent for a Chinese restaurant.
Food: We went for their special which was abalone and chicken soup. I'm not a fan of abalone but my parents and sister was so they were happy about it. I feel abalone can be too tough and chewy. Anyways, we also ordered the beef simmering hot plate (??), black mushrooms with mustard greens, salty fish and chicken fried rice (my favorite fried rice), and frog legs with snap peas. The dishes that night was okay but I felt it was a bit too salty for my taste.
Parking: Pretty easy but can get tricky because the Chinese supermarket (99 Ranch) is located in the same plaza.
Price: Not too bad but prices can be higher than other Chinese restaurants. Our bill came out to be about $85 for 4 people. I checked the bill to be sure tip wasn't added on. My sis said that they tack on gratuity when it's 5 or more.
People thought this was:
Where can you get real authentic Chinese Food at 2 in the morning? DAIMO of coarse! It's a great place to satisfy the hunger after hitting up the clubs. Service is quick and the food is deliciously good! The last time I was here was last night at about 9pm and I ordered the tomatoe beef over pan fried egg noodles and my friend had the duck noodle soup. Both items were $6.95 each and the tomato beef was enough for the next day. Lots of items on their menu, they provide you with TWO menus.
I'm curious to try their dim sum next time. Dinner for 2, was about $19 with tax and tip.
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Love the menu. Very lengthly. It's the closest place to where I live in San Pablo that I can get… Read more »
In my opinion, Daimo is a restaurant that's hard not to like. The food is on the pricier food, but the quality of the food is good. While the restaurant is always busy, it's easy to get a table. Also, if you ever have late night Chinese food cravings, this place is open late. Also, Daimo has a San Leandro counterpart, but this location is bigger and might have a more expansive menu. It seems like everything I've eaten here is good. Food I particularly love: Peking duck (on the greasier side, swimming in sauce), xiao long bao, pea sprouts with duck egg, congee, lobster noodles, and crab served Chinese style, steamed with sauce sauce, scallions, and ginger. Just thinking about this place makes my mouth water.
I don't get it. Forreals.
The bestest and I dropped by for some to-go, because I had read rave reviews about how fantastic and delicious this place is. We ordered the prawns in cream sauce & chicken in tomato sauce over fried rice, and the braised spinach with preserved duck eggs.
From the beverage menu, he decided on the "assorted fruits ice drink" while I continued to peruse the colorful pictures.
Hmm..."tar & tapioca w/coconut milk".
SAY WHAT?!
Tar. As in...tar?
My curiousity got the best of me, and I asked the waitress what exactly "tar" was.
"TarOHHHHH", she said.
"OHHHHH", I said.
"I'll have that! I love taro".
"No. No more taro".
"Oh. Then may I have the honeydew & tapoica w/coconut milk"?
"No. No more tapioca".
Hmm. I finally settled on a mango margarita (which I was told had no alcohol...umm WTH! Why is it called a margarita then?!) and we waited patiently over 10 minutes for our order.
When we got around to eating, the first thing I noticed was that everything was leaking. The styrofoam box of spinach was immersed in a plastic bag full of green liquid, and the cream & tomato sauce was seaping out the sides. Even the hot chili oil we asked for seemed to have problems staying inside it's plastic container.
Now I understand that spinach tends to get watery, but that only happens if you don't thoroughly dry it before it enters the pan, which I believe a restaurant should be culinarily trained to do. For the amount of spinach in the dish, the quantity of duck egg isn't proportional. The best friend said he tasted a lot of sand too.
The fried rice is a dense concoction of white rice and egg, covered on one side with red orange sauce, and the other, white. Interestingly, the menu claims the red sauce is tomato, but it tasted more like sweet & sour to me. The white sauce was supposedly cream sauce, but suspiciously resembled a corn starch and water mixture. The rice was actually a bit too mushy to be considered fried rice. I would best describe it as porridge consistency, which doesn't really absorb the sauce well.
The bestie believes that no meal is complete or even satisfying without meat. So he began to search our rice dish for the advertised chicken. We were able to locate the prawns (technically, it was shrimp), but after a thorough investigation with much picking and sampling, we were unable to find the chicken.
I gradually got tired of sticking my head in a container of rice searching for the seemingly non-existent chicken, but the relentless bestie continued to explore. Finally, after several more minutes, he found a sliver of chicken.
Mission accomplished.
I guess.
My "margarita" was actually mango juice and milk blended together. Nothing to get your pants in a bunch about. Bestie's beverage was fruit cocktail (does this really count as fruit?) and soda.
I don't know if we just ordered the wrong items, or if this place sucks at to-go, but it was a serious disappointment.
HARSH REVIEW, I know. But taro is my lifelong lover, and if you can't spell his name right, you've offended me forever.
People thought this was:
what's with the three star reviews? look, come by sometime, you'll see the place packed with chinese eaters, young and old, hardly any other people there. so i don't know what misfits are giving such low ratings, but you clearly cannot argue with the natives. if you have any asians in your party, this place will make them feel comfortable.
i also like that their kitchen have chinese cooks. yeah, i bet that'll be a new experience for most of you.
People thought this was:
Been here a couple times with my family and we usually come here for the more informal type of dining experience like "jook, fun. mein". For those who don't know what that means, it's a slang for porridge, wonton, chow mein, chow fun type of meal...
The food is not bad but the value is a little average to me. The prices are a bit higher than I'd like and the portions wouldn't justify the higher price to me...
Foods not bad though so if you are in the area, it's not bad and it opens late so there's a convenience factor...
LATE NIGHT HOURS:
Open Daily from 9am-3am
People thought this was:
Warning: this restaurants charges a mandatory tip. 4 of us had dinner here not long ago. when we got the check, we noticed they had generously given themselves a 15% tip! My sister didn't mention it and handed them a credit card. On the charge slip, the 15% tip is embedded in the food charges (so yes you are paying taxes on it too!). Unknowing patrons will probably add a second tip in the tip line. This is some shady double dipping!!!
Food is decent. Service is ok... but it ain't 30-40% good!
Good food. And it's open till 2 or 3 AM.
HOWEVER, servers aren't so nice...especially when you aren't chinese. They just walk pass you all the time.
AND, I've seen them returning "untouched" rice to the rice cooker.
And I wouldn't go there for dim sum, cuz they don't really have a big menu. And you have to order from the menu...not from the carts.
Table for 20 please? Walnut Prawns.
Yes, Yelpers have a way about things. One is showing up in large numbers- packs. After all of the consumption of liquid goods, hunger kicks in. Walnut Prawns. The thoughts begin...Some place late, something good, who can drive still? So, while a few went one way, a bunch headed to Daimo. Walnut Prawns. And so it began...
Being a novice amongst experts, the party picked and we all pitched in to cover the bill. Walnut Prawns. 3 foods stood out:
Turtle Jelly - interesting. Dark.
Green vegetation - no idea what it was, but I liked it.
Walnut Prawns - holy monkey! Am I simple? Is it crazy to say these are the best ever? Like anyone can even know that! Wow, these are all I care about now. Nothing else exists on the menu to me. Walnut Prawns.
The seating area is big. The servers we ok-ish. Parking was expansive.
Walnut Prawns!
People thought this was:
Not bad, but not great either. Added points for being open really late so it caters to all the drunk people getting out of the clubs/bars around 1-2 AM.
Last time I was here was a while back so I'm not sure if the staff has changed or anything like that. I just remember coming here on a Friday night (I'd say around 9-10 PM) with my (ex) girl and her homegirl. It was pretty packed, as we expected it to be. But we were seated right away, so that was good. One thing's for sure, it gets loud in here when it's packed.
Forgot what homegirl ordered, but I had some fried noodles (forgot what kind). The ex got some veggies and rice, and I forgot what homegirl ordered. Anyway, I don't remember the food being spectacular, but I certainly didn't regurgitate any of it out so that's good. It was funny because I actually couldn't even finish all my food. The ex finished her whole plate, and then killed off MY plate! WTF? lol, it's a bit embarassing when your girlfriend can out-eat you. =\
Bonus points for being right off the freeway for easy access (and for being right next to Pacific East Mall!).
People thought this was:
Although they have veggie items and will make items veggie for you, there are tanks of sea critters that are sadly awaiting their destinies. Just a little heads up. But since most folks who eat here are omnivores, this restaurant is a highly popular eatery.
We went here recently during the week and I was happily surprised at the friendly service -since I had heard otherwise. My dining companions had lemon chicken, noodle-y seafood dish and mixed vegetables. I had a braised tofu with mushrooms. We shared a fried tofu with peppers and a noodle dish with Chinese donut in the center. Thumbs up on all the dishes except for the braised tofu----tasty, just not my thing.
I loved the noodles wrapped around the Chinese donuts---first time I've seen that dish. Yummy, a tad greasy and probably a zillion calories.
I heard this place is insanely busy on the weekends. But I may have to return during the week to have that noodle donut appetizer (sans shrimp flakes) again.
People thought this was:
It's 2 AM. The evening is capping to a close, and after a wonderfully action filled night, we (Rachel H. and Debbie L.) have inebriated munchified bellies that must be satiated. Given the choices in the El Cerrito area, I recommend Daimo since it's open until 3 AM.
This gives us about 15 minutes to be ignored (What? You come to late night Chinese for service? GTFO!), 5 minutes of waiting for our food (Their staff is mighty and efficient), 10 minutes of eating in silence (Only smacking and slurping noises are acceptable), and, oh yes, another 2 minutes to get the bill (They want their money. Go up to the counter and just ask for it). In and out in 32 minutes! A stellar calculation considering I am in no position to make executive decisions.
Given this precise efficiency to filling up your stomach from "I'm going to ralph if I don't eat" to "I'm going to barf duck," I find it difficult so many people hate on Daimo. So...
*Dons on cape and mask* Like a super hero who proudly swells out his chest and does the V pose with his arms, I come to rescue Daimo from all the sad reviews I have seen.
Dun dun nu NUHHHH!!!!!
*Points to the duck* http://static.px.yelp.... Check out the muscular definition of that duck! It looks like a scene out of the movie 1800 abs! That fatty skin is just waiting for you to consume it's 800 calorie per bite goodness! Didn't you want grease to cut the alcohol in your stomach anyways?
*Shoots lasers out of eyes to point at* Honey Walnut Prawns! http://static.px.yelp.... Yes, it's kind of covered in mayo and not what your parents would order, but given the fact that a single jumbo jack has twice as much egg white and oil mixture, these fried prawns are a tasty alternative treat.
*Deflects haterade and produces* Clams with Black Bean Sauce! http://static.px.yelp.... These yummy, succulent, and salty sea creatures were put on this earth for you and me to enjoy. Even pescatarians can rejoice to this dish.
*Faster than a speeding train, CNY is upon us so we eat* Yin Yang Fried Rice! http://static.px.yelp.... My parents used to always order this dish to celebrate an occasion when I lived in NYC, so what better way to ring in the Year of the Ox than introducing the creamy goodness of the shimp side, combined with the sweet tangy tomato flavor of the chicken portion? You simply mix the two together (in your own rice bowl, not in the main dish), and what you have a complex and delicious combination of flavors that should only be shared with people you care about.
*Takes off cape and uses it as a napkin to finish with* Crab and Fish Soup! http://static.px.yelp.... Although this came out first, it should be used as a finishing touch. There were nice crab chunks inside and not much starch to solidify the soup. The fish was a little bit sparse, but I'd rather have more crab in my soup than fish any day!
*Removes super hero mask* Superman antics aside, seriously, this type of feast for late night dining is quite rare. I've been back for regular meals as well, and I've never been disappointed because I know what to expect.
*Puts back on pink tights/speedos and cape* But if you don't know, now you know!!
*Vanishes into the night out of embarrassment because I'm such a geek I used asterisks to describe everything. No thanks to you, Debbie L!*
*shifty eyes*
People thought this was:
I went here this past weekend with Debbie L. and Jason C. I probably should not be reviewing this place because...
1) I was really drunk when I went there.
2) I have no idea how much anything cost because Jason C. paid for everything.
3) I have no idea what the service was like because it all happened in chinese, and again, Jason C. was handling it.
4) I'm not really sure exactly what I was eating.
Even so, I really thought this place was great. It serves chinese food and is open very late (til 3am).
I let Jason and Debbie L. pick all the food because I was confused and felt like a stranger in a strange land. We had...
Clams with black bean sauce - I love black bean sauce, and I feel like clams are sort of an excuse to eat whatever sauce is on them, kind of like asparagus is an excuse to eat mayonnaise. These were very good.
Yin Yang somethingorother - This was something I had never had before. It was a tomato chicken food item and a creamy fish item together in a bowl arranged like a yin yang. My companions showed me how to mix the two items together. I thought it was great with the red vinegar debbie told me to put on it.
Honey Walnut Prawns - I know this isn't very traditional, but it's one of my favorite dishes, and the HWPs here are some of the best i've had.
Fish soup - This was great too. I have very little idea of what was in it.
I was certainly satisfied after all that food, and it's a nice alternative to getting burgers at Nation's or going home and eating leftovers.
Thanks Debbie and Jason for a fun night out and a new cultural experience for moi. You can take me to Daimo and order me lots of mystery food any time you want.
People thought this was:
It's decent - reasonable price and some good homey dishes. I go here often since it's on the way to home, and the place serves good homey dishes - Singapore fried rice noodles, dry salt & pepper pork chop, beef with egg sauce over rice, dry beef chowfun, bbq pork over rice, various congee, etc. The restaurant has fresh fish tanks, so seafood is fresh and decent. But for fresh seafood, I go to another place. Here I'm mostly for noodles and over the rice dishes. (note: the service here is like most Chinese restaurants - not good. Go for food, but not for service nor ambiance. )
People thought this was:
If you like having loads of corn starch, refined sugar, salt, MSG, fried oil, hair, and God knows what else they put in their dishes, then go here. Oh, and you can forget about service even if it's not busy at all, but they will still add a mandatory 15% gratuity fee that you will have pay tax for on top it (tax for gratuity fee and food)!
This place is perhaps run by the shadiest Chinese people. If you need a late night splurge, I strongly recommend Mel's or Korean food over this pile of s**t. If you come here, not only will you pay significantly more, but you will get food that is nearly inedible.
Ken T. said this place is authentic. He must be a ghettofied Asian who has never been to S.F. Chinatown, Socal or Asia in his entire life and probably orders sesame chicken when he does go to a "Chinese restaurant."
I will never be coming to this overpriced Chinese crap of a restaurant ever again. $54 for 3 dishes… Read more »
The food is not good here. Yes it is full of asian people - but what does that really mean? The world is full of asian people. Evidently it means it's full of asian people who like too pay too much for bad food. The service is horible. The duck has no fat rendered off of it - and looks like it would taste good - but really really doesn't. And everything else is full fo corn starch goop. If you want good dim sum go to King Tsin on Solono - they don't have the best service - but the dim sum makes up for it.
3 am!
That's all you need to know about this place!
3 am!
Yes, it's open until 3 am!
No, it's not Taco Bell, McDonald's, Denny's, Ihop, or a diner...it's Chinese food...and it's open until 3 am!
Granted the servers working here at this time are rather jaded, but the food is wonderful when compared to your options this time at night.
My first experience with Daimo was predictably with a bunch of Yelpers late at night. Were many of us inebriated? Perhaps? Were we loud? Quite possibly. Did we take over the restaurant? Of course we did!
Daimo is located in one of the most dangerous daytime parking lots in the Bay Area. Yes the Ranch 99 shopping center in El Cerrito. It's not part of the main strip mall, they have their own building off to the side as you're pulling in. We got 3 of the big tables and already you could see the annoyance running across the faces of the servers here, but oh well...here we come and there's no stopping us now!
Since everyone arrived at different times, we sat however we pleased and ordered food randomly and everyone shared. That's the way it's done! We got a TON of duck, and it was mighty scrumptious if I do say so myself. I believe Donna ordered a set course for our table and it included a clay pot and yummy yummy crab and other such things.
I could ramble on and on, but here's the important stuff in concise list form:
Food good.
Service bad
Prices? Double check your bill at the end.
Good for groups? Yessirre!
Refills on water? No way Jose!
Dim sum? After 10pm!
Take it or leave it. Daimo quite simply is what it is.
People thought this was:
I have been to this restaurants a few times. The food has been consistently good.
Comparing to other Chinese restaurants in East Bay, I would say this is a pricier one, although the dishes are normally (proportionally) bigger. I cannot finish the fried noodle or rice dishes by myself. Why don't they reduce both the price and the amount of food in each dish?
Richmond, CA
Category: Chinese
Richmond, CA
Category: Taiwanese
Richmond, CA
Category: Chinese
San Leandro, CA
Category: Chinese
Richmond, CA
Category: Dim Sum
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