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Harry's Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Chinese Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants Vietnamese Chinese, Breakfast & Brunch, Vietnamese [Edit]
2026 16th StSacramento, CA 95818
Neighborhood: Downtown
(916) 448-0088
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
102 reviews for Harry's Cafe
Review Highlights
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102 reviews in English
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Review from Kachet J.
Sacramento, CA
After months of talking about going to Harry's, me and a co-worker finally made it for lunch!
I am so glad we did. We kind of gawked at a man's plate, who was eating some deliciousness covered in gravy with potatoes and carrots over rice. He informed us that we "weren't going to find a better gravy. Maybe at home."
I knew what I was ordering - Beef Short Ribs over rice. Which is a Fri-Sun special apparently.
He was right. It was absolutely delicious. My friend had eggs and chopped pork over rice, which was also good.
The people working at Harry's are so nice. I assume it was Harry and his wife.
Nice people, good food, clean (but small) restaurant. Can't ask for much more than that.
I'm looking forward to trying more dishes, including some breakfast items. -
Review from lily c.
Sacramento, CA
this is my friend's favorite place for brunch, so we came here for here birthday. she was absolutely right - the french toast was delicious. i'm not usually a fan of pancakes, but theirs were nice and fluffy. i thought it was kind of weird that a chinese restaurant does american brunch, but they did it well!
i'm also a big fan of the oxtail stew here! -
Review from Rob R.
The House Special is still my favorite dish here. It's on the breakfast menu but can also be ordered for dinner - be sure to ask! The combination of cabbage, onions, carrots, ground beef, and bacon surrounding an island of rice covered with two eggs, sunny side up, is delicious! If you're not too hungry, this is also a great dish to split.
I promise to try something new -- next time!Listed in: Best DT Sac Eats
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/27/2008
Don't eat here! There's only about 6 tables indoors (and 4 outside), and I would prefer not to… Read more »
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7/27/2008
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Review from Poonam A.
Came here during a weekday for lunch. It's a small family establishment that has probably about 6 or so tables. The entire time we were here, the tables were full. At one point there were 3 different parties standing against the hallway waiting for spaces to open. Although that makes it seem as if this place must make amazing food, I was kind of let down. We ordered chicken chow fun and pho. The chow fun was really good, but the pho could have been better (broth didn't have a nice flavor). Although I'm giving Harry's a 3, I'd like to go back and try something from the breakfast menu. Stay tuned for the update...
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Review from Tom H.
Sacramento, CA
I love Harry. I wish he was my father. I love going here for his Chicken Curry. He just does it right. When I used to live right across the street, I would come here almost daily and he would make it for me. It's like I don't even need to look at the menu. I would walk in the door, have eyes contact with Harry and then I know exactly what I'm going to have.
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Review from Michael D.
Sacramento, CA
Always Good Food
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Review from Jenn C.
Sacramento, CA
I go straight to Harry's when I start feeling a cold coming on and promptly order the Cold and Flu Soup to go. Slightly spicy (order it extra hot!), vegetable filled goodness, this soup is health and comfort in a bowl. Harry serves it with precise directions: bundle up, eat half of the order, don't drink cold fluids, rest, eat the second portion at the next meal and FEEL BETTER. It may just be wishful thinking, but I swear this soup makes me feel better every time. And it's tasty, too. It doesn't hurt that Harry always serves it with a smile and an earnest "feel better soon" as you walk out the door. Go get it.
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Review from Michael K.
Sacramento, CA
I am going to give Harry's Cafe four stars, though it really should get five stars. I say this because I have only had one opportunity to visit Harry's Cafe, so I reserve the fifth star for consistency. But, in all, the food was delicious, the service friendly, and the atmosphere clean and cool.
I arrived at Harry's in the middle of a Sunday afternoon, and I quickly realized that I was the only patron. This surprised me because of the great reviews I had already read on Yelp. Despite the vague online menus (Harry's does not have a website), I found the menu to be good balance between Chinese, Vietnamese, and American dishes. I, however, came only for two specific items: the pork & shrimp rice noodle bowl and the spring rolls. After waiting for ten minutes--I watched as my food was prepared with fresh ingredients and with care--I took my items home and consumed them without pause. Each bite was just as delicious as the previous bite. The spring rolls came with warm (almost hot) peanut butter sauce: this was definitely an added bonus. And the rice bowl came with lukewarm sauce that sweetened the entire dish. As noted, all the ingredients were fresh and bright.
I will most certainly be returning to Harry's Cafe. After having sought out a decent Vietnamese restaurant in Sacramento, I can happily and enthusiastically report that Harry's competes with some of the best! -
Review from Carla C.
A couple weeks ago - early Saturday morning ... who's open@ 7am for a great breakfast? Called over...got a 'good morning! Harry's Cafe,' and knew I had hit the mark. #1 daughter had not tried Harry's yet, and I've been here only once. Wow! We had a wonderful breakfast and got in some quality knitting time while we waited. Amazingly wonderful pancakes, the option of hash browns, meats, eggs or whatever with those pancakes, tasty coffee, attentive and pleasant service.
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Review from Jenn E.
Elk Grove, CA
Harry's is my and hubby's favorite breakfast spot as restaurant owners ourselves we know how hard it is. Harry and his wife Lynn do an amazing job service is always fast and good the food is awesome and consistent we've had the entire breakfast menu since we found Harry's last year my fav the Chicken and Waffles it comes with the most scrumptious asian gravy I think I could live on this. Were are working on the dinner menu so far the ox tail was mind blowing and I love the tomato beef chow mein some of the lunch/dinner menu items have been a little salty for my taste but I'm also a baby about salt. If you haven't been to Harry's I recommend you try it I'm sure you'll turn into a regular like us
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Review from maria g.
Davis, CA
Harry's is the only place nearest to Davis where I can rely on a good Asian Breakfast. Sometimes a girl just has to have rice with her eggs, you know?
So far, all the Asian/Hawaiian breakfasts I've had here have been delicious. I have been multiple times and I have yet to be disappointed. The waffles here are also super filling. After one I swear you will be stuffed. Portions overall are huge.
I also love the people that work here. It's obviously a family restaurant. I thought it was so cute how our Americanized young server kept bickering with her older mother who didn't speak much English. They weren't really fighting or anything--she was just correcting her mother who kept bringing us juice we didn't order. LOL I thought the old lady was adorable.
There is also lots of parking near the place. Highly recommended. -
Review from J H.
Sacramento, CA
A ilttle pricy, and not very good
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Review from Eric E.
I will definitely return to Harry's.
We had a delicious and well-constructed Harry's Favorite Hong Kong Style Chow Mein. It was like science the way that the hard noodles met the juicy rest and did just that. We also enjoyed the Golden Shrimp, which were actually red, but whatever. Even the tea was good, although I prefer a beer.
Be sure to read the articles posted on the wall. Harry and his family are inspirational. -
Review from Kayleigh M.
Sacramento, CA
Everytime I've been here, the food has been absolutely fantastic. Their sesame chicken is addictive - just that perfect amount of crispy to saucy to tender. And there's something to be said for good iced tea. Some places just can't manage it, and Harry's gets it right, every time.
The service can be ehhhh though, if you come when they're really slow, during the 1 - 3pm hours. It can be a little difficult to get their attention when you want to leave. But they're quick, polite, and holy god is the food delicious. My favourite Chinese place in Sac. -
Review from Julianne G.
West Seattle, Seattle, WA
I'm just wild about Harry's!
I notice a lot of reviewers aren't excited for the Chinese food, I wouldn't know cause I always go Hawiian style.
I get the Hawiian number one, with comes with portugese sausage sauteed with garlicy carrots, 2 slices of crispy spam (I love spam, don't you be hatin'!), 2 eggs (I go for fried hard) and a generous portion of steamed white rice.
I've been here a few times and the service is always very speedy and efficient.
Any hole in the wall on 16th street that can remind my tastebuds of my trip to Maui is a-okay with me. -
Review from Cee C.
Sacramento, CA
Harry's Cafe is definitely one of those chinese places on the top of my list, despite the fact that sactown doesn't really have a variety of good chinese places to go to.
I wouldn't come here for a huge family outing because this place only has a couple tables. But for lunch or a quick early dinner..man this place is gooood.
I would definitely recommend the ox tail or the beef ribs with rice. It comes with potatoes with a succulent rich sauce over white rice. Oh man..talk about my perfect comfort food. Tender, soft, juicy meaty-ness....complete drool status.
Reasonably priced at $8, you get a well-sized plate of food.
AND if you're into Boba, there's a Quickly's right across the street..DESSERT :)
Only draw back is parking can be a pain.. -
Review from Eric D.
Sacramento, CA
Harry's Café... what the heck, I havent reviewed this place yet? why o why?! It's probably because I've been too busy eating here.
Harry's is the best! The food, the atmosphere, the location, it's all really good.
It's prominently located on 16th and easy to find. There is no parking lot, but you can usually find easy street parking.
The owner, Harry is so nice, he usually promptly greets and seats you and quickly brings you water and takes your drink order. If you're on the fence about anything, he'll give you great recommendations.
The food is always so fresh and so tasty! My favorites are the green bean chicken over rice or the asparagus chicken over rice with blackbean sauce... drooool.
Do yourself a favor and start with an appetizer. They are amazing. The egg rolls place in my top 5 in Sacramento (a very prestigious ranking system). I also always go with an iced tea. I don't know why, but they always taste really good here, so refreshing! And the servers are so attentive, as soon as you run low, bam! You have a refilled glass. -
Review from Thomas D.
San Diego, CA
I went there in an exploration for good Pho in Sacramento. Sadly this isn't it. In fact for Pho it was really sub-par. There wasn't a lot of meat, the number of sides to add to the pho was extremely limiting - overall kind of disappointing.
I can't speak to the rest of the food, but it seems like kind of a low end mix of Chinese and Vietnamese food. -
Review from Larry H.
Davis, CA
Harry's Cafe may be small, but packs a hell of a punch. The breakfast here is stellar, and Harry's has the street cred to prove it. Check out their accolades and Harry's story on the wall.
Breakfast is served all day, so just ask for the breakfast menu if that's what you're here for -- I was.
Had myself the signature, Harry's skillet and an order pancakes. They both kicked ass, and I'll be back for more. Harry's skillet came with ham, potatoes, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and two eggs on top of it all. Oh, and there was a hint of Asian fusion with green onions to top it all off. That was cute -- and friggin' delicious!
The pancakes were orgasmic. Light, buttery, and probably deathly. Death by Harry's pancakes would be A-OKAY by me. Pancakes are a must if you're dropping in.
Harry's has a kick-ass breakfast and I'm looking forward to lunch. -
Review from Kari F.
Folsom, CA
Something has to be said for a restaurant owner who takes the time to greet their customers personally.
While the amiable atmosphere lulls you in, the beef chow fun is what ultimately keeps me coming back to this hidden midtown gem. I am primarily a non-beef eater, but the beef in Harrys' beef chow fun is so succulent and the taste so complex that it's what I get every time I return. With most "Americanized" chinese food I find that one ingredient overpowers the rest, you end up inundated by a salty mouth full of oyster sauce, but this is not the case with Harry's. They maintain a perfectly delectable balance between sauces and herbs, meat and vegetable, noodle and general know-how. It's love. -
Review from David D.
Sacramento, CA
Yummy place to get some good Chinese eats and fresh veggies. Plus Harry and Lin are great Folks. Enjoy!!!
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Review from Esther Y.
The reviews made me expect more than I actually got. I should've known not to get the pho...being from the Bay Area, I know good pho, and this wasn't it. It wasn't bad, but it definitely did not taste authentic, and it's pretty pricey too. It had tons of bean sprouts in it already (usually you add those yourself...), I felt like I was eating more bean sprouts than noodles. It also has a ton of onions, which I don't mind but that plus the bean sprouts made my bowl more crunchy than I normally like. It didn't have tendon either!
I saw the waitress walk by with ginormous spring rolls...they were stuffed to the max! I should've had those instead. ;)
I'd be willing to give this place another try and try something else based on some of the other reviews.
Very small restaurant...only a few tables.Listed in: Sac-Town
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Review from Corin C.
Sacramento, CA
I had the chow fun noodles.. they were good, but the most notable thing about the dish was the huge portion size.
My wife as usual found the real gem though. The Shanghai Tofu.. the sauce was amazing.. tofu was soft and silky.. something you don't see too often these days. And plenty of great vegetables on both of our dishes.
If my noodles had come with her sauce.. this place would have been a 5 star.. almost was anyway.. definitely one of Sacramento's hidden treasurers. -
Review from Megan-Bria B.
Roseville, CA
The food isn't....un-delicious. It's actually pretty freakin' tasty, especially for what seems like just another dive chinese restaurant.
Was taken here last week for lunch. After being sat at a cozy little two-top table -- ok ok, it's no white linen place, but I think it adds to it's charm, we were asked right away for our drink requests and handed our menus. Now being the decidedly indecisive (yes, i know it's ironic) girl that I am, rifling through the 5+ page menu was a liiiitle overwhelming. However, I finally ordered the tomato shrimp chow mein.
OHHHH MEIN. I was served with an absolute platter of delicious noodles, with plenty of golden treasures of prawn-sized shrimp and cooked tomatoes hiding in the meal. I'm a fairly hearty eater, however I could barely get half of the plate in my belly. Lucky for me I absolutely ADORE leftovers (one less night to cook!), and this provided at least 2 meals afterward. The chow mein also wasn't too greasy, and the iced tea I washed it down with was super tasty. Also, we got the spring rolls, which were bommmmb.
The service was pretty on-point, prices were average to down-right affordable, and we left with the promise of a massive food coma. Now if only I could convince my boss of the benefits of Company Naptime...Listed in: Best Grub
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Review from Alan W.
Sacramento, CA
I work literally next door to Harry's Cafe, and I've had several opportunities to enjoy their cuisine. Each time I try to get something new and different, and in each case I've been impressed time and again by their friendly staff and the excellent cooking.
Parking usually isn't much of an issue as the left side of the street past the alley is all free parking, but sometimes can be crowded.
I haven't had Pho` that good since I was in college!
Harry himself is amiable and friendly and always willing to help. -
Review from Naida E.
This is my type of place. The owner was present and checking in with me and my date frequently. We ordered Harry's Special Hong Kong Style Chow Mein and a special called something like Golden Shrimp and Broccoli over rice. We also both ordered the Java City Tropical Iced Tea, which was refilled numerous times with know communication on our part. The service was some of the best in Sacramento and the food was inexpensive, fresh, well prepared and very satisfying. I loved reading about "Harry" in the numerous articles posted on the wall, describing his life and rigorous work ethics. I am tempted to get a hair cut from his wife next door.
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Review from Alex S.
Rocklin, CA
There isn't much to be said that hasn't been said already. The food is great and the service is friendly.
When driving, your best bet for parking is on U Street between 15th and 16th. I've always had luck with getting a table when I go for lunch during the week (typically 11:30ish) but I could see how there could be a wait as there is minimal seating inside and only a table or two on the sidewalk.
The menu has many pages packed with options, which can be daunting or exciting depending on your outlook. I've tried many different dishes including sesame chicken, orange chicken, and sweet and sour pork and have yet to be disappointed. Don't let the low prices fool you, the quality is great and the portions are heaping. Be sure to bring your appetite!
If you're in the area, stop by and support this local gem! -
Review from Sissy T.
Sacramento, CA
I have had Harry's Cafe bookmarked on my Yelp app for sometime. We were downtown and were on the hunt for something to eat so, I whipped out my handy phone and checked my bookmarks.
Harry's Cafe came up and we were only a few blocks away. Parked right in front and were greeted right when we walked in. The owners super friendly and nice.
We order general chicken and rice. The dish was served within about 10 or so minutes and when it was placed on the table it was hot! Love hot food!!! They use a mix of dark and light meat and there was great flavor to the dish. Not to sweet and not too spicy, just right. During the course of our lunch the owner came over and started small talk. He spoke of his grandchildren and how much he loves them both.
The food and the service made the restaurant a 5 star for me!! Customer service and good food goes hand in hand for my business. -
Review from Francisco S.
Costa Mesa, CA
Great quality, great service and excellent food!
I visit Harry's Cafe at least once a month whenever I am in the mood for a good non greasy Chinese food or a good tasty Pho. Last visit (yesterday 02/12/2011) I had the rare steak shrimp pho and as usual it was very tasty and abundant. The place is a little bit small so I imagine it gets crowded during rush hours so I always try to get there early to "beat the crowds" and find a table quickly :)
So far my experiences here have been consistently good. The restaurant is always super clean and the staff is always checking your table for refills or anything you may need during your meal. The kitchen is right there so you can see with your own eyes that everything is done at the moment.
Always pay attention to the specials, the golden chicken with broccoli is a must try dish!!! -
Review from benji s.
Sacramento, CA
What is not to like about Harry's cafe? being personally greeted by the owner just shows its appreciation for their customers, not to mention their beef short ribs special is probably the best short ribs you can find anywhere in Sacramento for that price. Imagine 3 huge chucks of short ribs braised in an asian-american fusion liquid with chunks of potatoes and carrots served over a bed of rice if thats not comfort food then i dont know what is.
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Review from Nate M.
Jacksonville, FL
I tried the hong kong style chow mein, which was recommended by Eric E. and Harry himself. it was the best I've ever eaten. The tropical ice tea was very good also. My cousin got orange chicken, which i got the next day along with the Wor wonton soup. I wish they had this place in Florida and delivered.
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Review from MyShawn C.
Sacramento, CA
Last night I had the Shrimp Chow Mein and some fried prawns that were quite delectable The large portion of chow mein could have had more than just 5 shrimp in it but it was still very tasty and satisfying. I ended up walking a total of 11 blocks to get there and it was more than worth it. I will be going back.
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Review from maurice y.
Chicago, IL
Really good chinese food. practically fast food but much higher quality compared to the typical hole in the wall "Expresses, Stars, and Buffets". Stopped through Sac-town on our way down Interstate 5. Bro and I had cravings for chinese food. This was solid, quick, and well-priced for the quality.
If you're looking for the ultra cheap Panda Express or China Star lunch specials, this is priced a little higher but worth it for the higher quality food. -
Review from Corinne L.
Sacramento, CA
(Finishing up a draft from my October 8 2010 visit.)
Harry is very nice and helpful, took my order and answered my questions about the Vietnamese menu items. I want good pho and he may well have it...will have to go back and try it out.
Szechuan tofu and veggies was good - nice amount of kick, generous tofu portion, good blend of veggies.
Reasonable prices. -
Review from J Y.
Honolulu, HI
Harry's Cafe is always at the top of my list of places to eat in Sacramento. Short ribs and stews are amazing! Big servings, great food, friendly service, and nice outdoor dining if you feel like sitting outside. Harry remembers his customers, and always makes you feel welcome. Overall, a great place for a quick lunch with coworkers or a lazy Sunday brunch with friends.
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Review from Kara B.
Sacramento, CA
Harry,
I LOVE you, . . . wifey is .. . no nonsense and is not jealous of you lil' hootchies. . . I'm sure she is used to it.
Such a NICE guy and some damn good food. Whether it be a tasty breakfast, or hectic midtown grub-fest at lunch. Just to sit a and chat it up with Harry is a blessing. . .
Makes me wanna break out in song . . . .
I'm just WILD 'bout Harry and Harry gives me extra dressing. . .
I'm just WILD'bout Harry and Harry speaks in a foreign language to my sexy/beautiful friend . . hey, they really do know each other. . .
I'm just crazy 'bout Harry and Harry makes fun of the "lo fan" that order extra dressing. . . for tha . . . spring rolls, bunn, etc . . . and brings out the BIG bottle of sriracha . . anyway = WE all love Harry! NICE, NICE, guy with some damn Good eats . . whether it be breakfast, lunch or (in your case, dinner . . . you drunkards) dinner.
I frequent, on a regular basis. . . cuz the food is good, and Harry is cool. -
Review from Paul C.
Sacramento, CA
I've been looking at Harry's now for a few months - I drive past it every day and the reviews are pretty good - so I decided to give it a try. Meh. I had the sesame chicken because I saw it recommended in the reviews - I won't make that mistake again. The chicken was fatty and breaded, and the broccoli was overcooked - lunch time broccoli five hours later maybe?
Upsides - convenient and quick. They took my phone order and when I got there 10 minutes later it was on the counter. I hate it when I phone a to-go order in and then have to wait when I get there for the food. The pearl rice on the plate wasn't bad - better than the usual white rice from a take-out like this.
Downsides - otherwise the food wasn't very good. It looked like it was cooked hours ago and then dumped in my tray - the sauce was very thick - like it was old too. There wasn't much interesting about it - just rice, some so-so meat, and a few so-so vegetables.
The price was also high for the food - it was $7.82 for what I thought was a $4.50 meal.
I was surprised - the four and five star reviews made me think I was in for a treat, so I was disappointed. I'll be back at least one more time to give Harry's a try - but two strikes and they're out.Listed in: My muse reviews
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Review from Wilhelm Y.
San Francisco, CA
While visiting Sacramento this morning I decided to let the Yelp search engine find a nice breakfast spot for me, and it came up on Harry's Cafe. Harry's is an example of a restaurant I would not normally visit were it not for good reviews.
I am greeted immediately by the restaurant owner, Harry Luong, who seats me and takes my drink order. The breakfast menu is fairly basic with pancakes, eggs and omelettes and breakfast meat, but the one thing that caught my eye was the fried rice and eggs (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) for $6.95. I ordered it more so out of curiosity. You get a choice of bacon, ham, BBQ pork or Italian sausage as the meat with your fried rice. You also get two eggs cooked to your preference. I took the fried rice with ham and had my eggs scrambled.
The dish is nicely presented. You have a large dish of fried rice tossed together with peas, carrots, lots of diced ham and fresh bean sprouts. The eggs top off the dish. The rice on its own had an interesting spicyness to it, but it was very good and most filling.Listed in: Picky Chinese Eater, Sacramento!
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Review from Brak S.
Sacramento, CA
11 years in Sacto and at last really good chinese food. Thanks to Ally D. for sending me Harry's way. You wouldn't think it'd be so hard to find good food given the rich Chinese history in the region. Sure, I've gone to many of the well received and not-so-well received chinese restaurants in town and always walked away underwhelmed. Well not this time, not at Harry's. The food was fresh, tasty and well prepared. We ordered one special, the garlic green bean chicken, and one standard menu item, shrimp chow fun, and both were excellent. I'm guessing use of fresh ingredients really makes these meals stand out.
But Harry's does have its shortcomings. The condiments are not so good. Not Hot Mustard and Candy Sweet sweet & sour sauce, blech, were major disappointments. No beer. No chopsticks. No fortune cookies. The egg rolls, while again fresh and crispy, just didn't deliver on the taste factor. And the decor is more like a bright lit cafeteria than an eclectic cafe. I'm guessing they cut out all of the fat (little touches and extra expenses) to focus on providing quality food at reasonable prices. I can easily overlook these shortcomings and will return, often, for great chinese food. It's on my way home from work, so this may prove an excellent take-out destination. -
Review from Karen S.
Yeah.
We ordered the chicken in foil, which left a little to be desired.
A plate of chow mein (delicious) with sweet n sour BBQ pork...
and a plate of white rice with mongolian beef.
I like the sweet n sour pork, but it was overly drenched in sauce and the ingredients didn't have that cohesion of flavors that makes it taste like they belong together.
The mongolian beef was very good with plenty of veggies like red onions, green bell pepper etc.
Service was quick and the place seemed clean.
Not overly thrilled about any part of the meal, but wouldn't mind giving it another shot.
