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Jade Garden is well known for one thing: HUGE PORTIONS. They got that part of the "American" Chinese food right. The food here is delicious no doubt, but it doesn't deliver the sophistication of distinctive flavors. But for the price, who am I to complain?!
If you are hungry this is the place to go! I always bring my specials home for another meal. The food here is pretty average, comes with a lot of sauce. If you are willing to pay more, the fish dishes are actually somewhat decent. I also highly recommend the xo fried rice, which packs just the right amount of flavor without the salty overkill.
Overall, this place is the best bang for the buck. If you are dying of starvation or has the urge to indulge in a blissful food coma, this is the place for you.
I really like this place.
We ordered the Green Bean Chicken & added the black bean sauce. Compliments of BK. (yummy)
We also got the shrimp w/ lobster sauce (yummy)
honey walnut prawns (yummy)
salt pepper spare ribs (good)
orange chicken (awesome)
general chicken (yummy)
sizzling rice soup (good)
mongolian beef (okay) little spicy though.
Service was great, they always refilled our water, and were very prompt on anything we needed. I'm always going to try and eat here if it's Chinese food.
People thought this was:
Despite the fact that this place still reminds me of the typical Chinese food in Davis (i.e. Panda Express style food that is shamelessly fried or saturated with some clear gooey glaze), I think it's one of the better Chinese restaurants in Davis.
Be sure to try their hot and sour soup! It's loaded with tofu, egg, sprouts, vinegar, and other things that make it so good...
This is my favorite Chinese place in Davis. I'm from the bay and used to really good Chinese food. Jade Garden is the closest I can find. The food is always prepared quickly and tastes good. The portions are large too. Friendly and fast service.
It's farther from campus and downtown but worth the drive. Lunch specials are about $5 and enought to feed two.
The amount of food that you get with a lunch special here is huge compared to the other Chinese restaurants in Davis. You can almost expect to have leftovers to take home for a good afternoon or evening snack on another day or night. I will go so far to say that you can easily share the special with your friend, significant other, etc because of the large amount of food you get.
I usually order the lemon chicken special and am always satisfied. The chicken is very crispy and I like mixing the sauce with the rice that is served along with the chicken. Another good choice is the chicken with snow peas.
The obvious downside of this place is the fact that this place is somewhat in the middle of nowhere. Downtown is somewhat far away and the campus of UCD is certainly not close by either.
The food here is great most of the time. I would give it 5 stars if they were consistent with the taste of their food. 90% of the time its great but the other 10% it just doesn't have that WOW factor going anymore. O ya get the generals chicken, its the best!
If I had to bring my family to a Chinese place I'd probably have to pick this place. It might not be the best Chinese you've had anywhere but for Davis it's either here or Shanghai Town and they would appreciate the nicer setting at Jade Garden. If you went to a legit authentic Chinese restaurant you would be able to the same dishes for a lot less but since it's Davis they kinda don't have the same access to the asian produce. Well anyways, lunch specials aren't that bad and you can usually split it between 2 people for small eaters. Prepare to pay a little more for the normally cheap dishes at a REAL chinese restaurant.
People thought this was:
This place is very poor americanized Chinese food. You can tell they do not give you the best quality. I really wish restaurants would stop using frozen veggies in their food. You can tell bc the soup and the food has the same peas, carrots, corn combo that looks exactly like what I buy from Safeway. They do have certain dishes that are relatively good, but seem to always leave you with something that resembles MSG-induced thirst.
Personally, I would not return.
I have NO CLUE as to why everyone thinks this place is so great. Given it was fairly busy when my party got there, but it took a while to get seated, we had to ask for teacups since they gave us the teapot only, the rice was dry and the portions were on the fair to small side. We ordered the Green Bean Chicken, Beef with Chinese BBQ sauce, House Special Chow Fun, Black Bean Shrimp and Honey Walnut Prawns, all of which were mediocre except both prawn dishes. However, the portion of honey walnut prawns was exceptionally small and it's pretty hard to make anything with black beans taste bad. PLUS it's hecka far from where I live, so I'd rather get my cheap Americanized Chinese food fix elsewhere.
Note: I did notice fair prices on the lunch menu though so maybe that's why people keep coming back?...
The best americanized chinese food in Davis I've had so far. Better place for chinese in Davis would be Shanghai Town across the city.
Famous for: Best americanized chinese food in Davis
I used to go to Jade when I lived in Greystone.
For lazy college students, it was not too bad.
Satisfying food: check
Cheap: check
grease: double checks
What more do you need?
People thought this was:
Food is tasty here and one of the better Chinese restaurants in Davis (not that there are too many to compare to). There are hits and misses in the dishes. I remember this particular broccoli dish that had way too much gravy but I don't remember what else there was on the plate. I like the seating arrangements. If you're seated in a booth at the back of the restaurant there's a nice separating wall to shield you from the entrance. I like coming here for some familiar food and a nice private setting.
I came here on a date some 2 years ago.
I should have known it would have been bad from the start.
The food was a miss. To me it was worst than Panda Express, now that's pretty bad.
The service was a miss. Where was my tea and chopsticks? I pretty much waited until the end of my meal for utensils.
And the date? Hah, it's definitely something I am NOT going to miss.
The location of this place is so far away from the rest of Davis and with food in the so-so range, I won't be driving out this far to try it again.
People thought this was:
Jade Garden is the best traditional/americanized Chinese restaurant in Davis (that means, excluding HK cafes like Yummy Guide).
Of course, being the best in Davis isn't saying much. But if someone is going to suggest Chinese for dinner, I won't hesitate to encourage the group to pick Jade Garden over anything else.
Honest with you: I haven't actually found an item on the menu that's actually bad.
Some of my favs: walnut shrimp, seafood tofu pot, and best of all: mapo tofu -- this one is GOOD. I actually haven't had a better mapo tofu dish anywhere else, including Sac and SF Bay. Speaking of it, I still miss it now.
On average, this place deserves at least 4-star. Of course, that mapo tofu alone deserves 5-star.
People thought this was:
Great staff and good food. My family comes here all the time and always order the same things because they've never disappointed us. If you like veggies, the western style green beans are good (just tell them you don't want any pork/meat with it.) The deep fried flounder is always a hit.... always! And of course, be sure to get the salty fish fried rice. Or if you're craving items for the Americanized tongue, the sweet and sour prawns is pretty tasty.
This place is much better than all the other Chinese places in Davis, hands down.
People thought this was:
It's good Chinese food for Davis. . . The best. . . no. But pretty good.
Far though from the campus, nice atmosphere, generally good service.
People thought this was:
Meh, It's alright. It's what you expect: Americanized Chinese food. Nothing too special. They have the usual: sweet and soured meats and kung pao whatever. Not too impressed w/ the food or the service.
I feel sorry for you poor kids in Davis. I saw your reviews claiming this to be the "best Chinese in Davis," and decided to go. I didn't realize Chinese food in Davis was in such a dismal state.
Let's start with the setting: plastic booths with zero ambiance. The server didn't say as much as a "hello" when we arrived, or a "thank you" when we left. But hey, that's alright, no need to chat.
The food was incredibly average. Reminded me of what Mr. Chau's would taste like if they used good ingredients. Straight up American Chinese food.
I'll give it 3 stars because the food was functional and well-priced.
People thought this was:
I can honestly say that this is one of the best places in Davis!!! Well, maybe not the best for you, but definitely the best for me. Food was muy delicioso! I would say "delicious" in Chinese since it would be appropriate, but I lack skills in that area. Also kind of sad since I have Chinese blood. But heck, I don't even know how to understand things in Tagalog. Oh well, back to my review.
But yes, food was good. My favorite is the Hong Kong Style pan fried noodles!! They weren't too salty like other places I've had. The walnut prawns were really good too. Man... all this talking about food. I'm freakin hungry again.
They give a good portion of food. Not too much, not too little, but defintely yummy. This place is perfectly quality over quantity. The service is nice, but not perfect when they're busy. If you're gonna order take out, call in first. The wait will seem like forever. And it really doens't help that you're hungry and waiting. But the wait is definitely worth it. Oh man I can't wait to have more.
People thought this was:
I really like this place, food is really good, not the greatest I've had, but well worth the price. Well portioned food, no hint of msg or overly salted food. The have good lunch specials for you also as well.
Only thing that keeps me from giving it 5 is the service is pretty bad here. Not really that they are slow, it's just you get the cold feeling that you are really welcomed too much at times. It's better really for you to order to go. But if you are not really in a jam and willing to look past the cold reception, then do it.
People thought this was:
To me, the key to going to Chinese restaurants (esp. if you're looking for a more "authentic" experience) is knowing what to order. Coming from a traditional Chinese family, I tend to enjoy more homestyle type dishes such as bok choy (or whatever veggie they're offering) with garlic, and steamed fish. Those are both great items here. If you're looking for more of what I'd call "generic" or "Americanized" Chinese food, like general chicken, beef and broccoli, etc. then you get the run of the mill stuff here - same as any other Chinese place in town.
What makes this place stand out for me is that as a customer who has been sporadically coming here for the past 5 years, they always remember me each time. Sure, their service lacks a bit when it's busier. The worst experience I had for Chinese food in Davis was actually at Hunan - the service the last time we went there was pretty much invisible. It was like we were invisible! Anyway, back to Jade Garden. Hella food for a decent price, plus free dessert cuz they recognize me. I can always go there, pay $20-$30 bucks for me and my boyfriend, and get at least 2-3 meals' worth of leftovers. That, to me, is a pretty sweet deal.
Jade Garden. Oh Jade Garden. Why do my bf and I come back to this Americanized Chinese restaurant? Because it's cheap for lunch and they give you a monstrous plate of food. Ha!
Don't expect much when entering this retaurant. The decor is tacky with the pastel napkins and washed out walls. My bf and I always order the lunch special. It's really cheap with prices ranging from $5-$8! Plus, you get a choice of chow mein or fried rice, egg soup, and an eggroll!
My bf always gets the General Chicken, which is pretty good. I tend to order a new item every time I visit here ranging from chicken, beef, and shrimp dishes. I would avoid the shrimp and seafood dishes as the quantity is skimpy. Beef is tender and chicken is cooked pretty good.
My stomach feels like it will explode whenever I go here. Don't be afraid to get a to go box for the leftovers!
Service tends to be in this order: 1) order food; 2) bring food out; 3) receive bill. Don't expect A+ service here.
I came here with a boatload of friends and Jade Garden was able to accommodate us in under ten minutes on a Friday night. Kudos to the staff!
The place has a traditional American Chinese style flair to the restaurant that one can simply sense but by no means indicates mediocrity. My party ordered a total of eight different dishes including a sizzling rice soup, a couple of different meat dishes, two vegetable plates, and a shrimp dish. Generally good food all across the board, save for the fried pork ribs; they were just too salty! However, I certainly suggest the General (Tso) Chicken.
Since this place is prime for families--Asian and Caucasian alike--expect a lot of rowdy kids for better or for worse. Also, expect the occasional big college group coming in on the Friday night. Jade Garden is my first foray into Davis Chinese cuisine, and in the end leaves a surprisingly good taste in my mouth.
I was actually pretty impressed with this place. It's in Davis, so generally, the Chinese food in Davis isn't all that anyway, but I've always liked this place more than others in the city. I used to order those package dinners for $13.95 per person with the bobo plate. But recently I saw the family style (wah choy) menu and ordered from there. What a difference that made! We paid about $40 for 5 dishes and a soup, which isn't bad. Came with a tofu meat dish, veggies, fried shrimp, a fish dish, and 1/2 duck plus the soup. I thought it was pretty worth it and it actually tasted good. In fact, I liked it so much, I went twice in a week. If you go here, you just have to know what to order and not get the usual "American" Chinese food.
People thought this was:
It's been a longtime since I went here, but when they opened in 2002, this was my favorite chinese place in all of Davis. It's a cross between traditional chinese cooking, but with a more modern hongkong style.
Whats so good here?
1) The food is great. From what I remember, it's not overly gressy, and made fresh. I can always see the cooks cut the veggies in the back room.
2) Eggrolls are handmade, and rather tasty.
3) Customer service is top notch and food comes fast. There were times I had to call in and get my food since I had to study. I drove over there and bam! food waiting on the table. Can't get much better than that.
Also every year around Chinese New Year, the owner would always give me a Chinese calender to remind me of the place. :) Oh, those things work alright.. and here is a my payback for that. :)
Two stars for not being the worst place I've eaten cheap Chinese food.
I heard from a friend that Jade Garden is *the* best Chinese in Davis. Eh...
I once read that Chinese food consists of: meat, a vegetable, oil, sugar, soy sauce, and corn starch.
Jade Garden was right on par. The egg rolls were ok, bright red sauce included. Orange beef was so sweet that my teeth hurt. We also has some non-descript Chicken with veggies and sauce dish. It all pretty much tasted the same.
You get hella food, and it's cheap. I guess that's a good thing for undergrads...but some of us have grown-up taste and have eaten in real restaurants before.
This is probably a better choice for Chinese food if you live in Davis.
The food here is OK...it's pretty filling and price is decent. The portions are so big that we always ended up eating leftovers for many days. Try their Pot Stickers and also General Chicken..pretty yummy!
This place isn't that bad but it isn't great. I do think it depends on what you order. When I had traditional dishes when I went with my mother it was pretty good. But when I go with friends and get the generic stuff it is what it is, generic. The thing is thought they do give big portions. I went with a friend and we got the Canton dinner meal for two which was like $9.95 each person. The meal came with egg rolls, foil wrapped chicken, won ton soup, chow mein or fried rice, sweet and sour pork and broccoli beef. Let me tell you that I have a lot of left overs to last me a few meals. So the portion was definately worth the price and then some. But the flavor itself was quite bland. Service was ok they did come by a couple times to ask to refill our water and brought boxes quicks after I asked for them. I would go back here again just can't expect much.
People thought this was:
nothing really special about this place. its just your standard americanized chinese food that's a couple steps up from panda express.
the lunch specials are huge and cheap. no more then $6 and you'll most likely have left overs.
its kinda far from downtown and campus, so its not as busy as other place (aka hunan)
you would think that it has great service, but from my experiences its usualy a hit or miss.
put that all together and compare it with other places in davis, and jade garden is just a lil bit better then average in my book.
I have to say out of all the American Chinese restaurant, this one has got to be the best in Davis. Service is pretty good. Lunch is cheap and comes with Sour and Spicy Soup most of the time. Me like!
People thought this was:
Yes, the best Chinese food in Davis by far.
People thought this was:
disappointed.
The service was horrible! I had to wait a good 15 minutes for my soup--and it wasn't very good. Maybe it was the dishes that we ordered, but it took them over 25 minutes to serve us! I also noticed that the white couple who arrived after us recieved their food long before we got ours! grrrrrr!!!!
I love eating curry so I ordered their curry chicken over white rice (lunch special). The portions were decent but the food was ugh! The curry was watered down and the dish was just overall not very tasty. I couldn't even finish my food.
Overall--the experience was bad--bad service, sucky environment and bad curry. But I'll give them 2 stars for large portions and cheap lunch specials!
Davis, CA
Category: Chinese
Davis, CA
Category: Chinese
Davis, CA
Category: Chinese
Davis, CA
Category: Chinese
Davis, CA
Category: Chinese
The WOW places to eat around Davis. I pick places…
