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Tai-Ho Restaurant
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
20 reviews for Tai-Ho Restaurant
I like Chinese food, but I'm no connoisseur. I give Tai-Ho 4 stars because it's cheap, convenient and DAMN they're fast. I timed them once and here's how speedy they actually are. I sat down at 2:32pm, ordered at 2:33, got my hot and sour soup (which will cure any cold or hangover) at 2:34 and my piping hot meal at 2:36 (I hadn't finished my soup). After drinking a pot of tea and boxing up my leftovers, (the portion sizes are so large I think one menu item could feed a family of four) I paid my $6 bucks and was out the door well before 3:00.
Tai-Ho is cheap and will fulfill any chinese food craving. Plus, you can ask your friends if they want to go have the 'Ho for lunch and it never get's old.
I enjoyed my meal here. The food was "good" meaning that it was americanized Chinese. The flavors melded well, and I didn't get the impression that my sodium levels were skyrocketing, but it was salty like most Chinese.
I've heard this and that about the homeade noodles. We ordered the chow mein and potstickers to get a taste and found them "good". I wasn't blown away by freshness or the skill of the noodle guy, but you could tell the difference from Yu Shan up the street.
Would I go again? Probably not unless it was for the legendary lunch or happy-hour specials. I have yet to encounter these. For convenience and price, Yu Shan delivers for me.
The last time I went there they must have been having a very bad day. The food is back up to it's old standards. My wife went there for a work lunch and suggested we try them again.
No comment on whether they may or may not be using MSG. Without my son we have no way of testing for it, but my wife didn't have her typical mild reaction.
I had the Spicy Seafood Soup Noodles and they were great. I tasted my wife's Tai Ho Soup Noodles and liked it even better.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/25/2007
This used to be one of the best Chinese Restaurants in the area. Their draw used to be the hand made… Read more »
I have been going to this place since I was in high school. Back when it was a dive, it was my favorite places to eat. Since the remodel though, it hasn't been the same. Probably because I've had real Chinese food, not the Americanized version that they offer.
I would have to say though that their lunch special is a good deal for the amount of food you are getting.
The spicy seafood noodle soup dish was the bomb!
The rest of the food was good, but not amazing.
Growing up and having to go to Chinese school I looked forward to two things: talking about Dragon Ball Z and Tai Ho. The restaurant owners at the time were friends of the school and would often bring food straight from the restaurant to after class gatherings. Bless the patient parents because it was always a nightmare trying to corral 20+ screaming and energetic Chinese kids. Most of these children during the normal school week would be tame, keeping to themselves at school and furthering the sometimes obvious schism between them and their classmates. But come Saturday morning when these kids gathered with their brethren, and could speak freely about all things related to Street Fighter and Evangelion, chaos would always ensue.
It was Tai Ho, and only Tai Ho that could bring these children to stand in line, eat plenty of vegetables, and for possibly 10 minutes have complete silence, aside from the munching and crunching sounds of hand stretched noodles and almond fried chicken being ravenously consumed.
A solid three stars fits my Tai-Ho experience. My boyfriend and I enjoyed our 2 person, $28.00 dinner special that included hot n sour soup, pot stickers, Mongolian beef, almond chicken, and white rice.
The hot n sour soup is excellent. I thought it was about as good as it can get. The pot stickers were good, however a bit greasy. The wrapper dough tasted homemade, as did the filling. They seemed as if they were fried in oil that was not hot enough. They were good dipped in soy sauce. The almond chicken surprised me. It was garlicky, flavorful, and highly enjoyable. The Mongolian beef was ok. It had a nice spice, but lacked flavor. Hot tea was served along with.
The service was interesting. The food came out extremely fast, however, our waitress looked pained to be serving us food. She kind of threw the food down on the table and never spoke to us, except to take our order.
The decor was nice, and I thought it was neat that they had the window for noodle-making viewing. I'd like to go back to try the walnut prawns and the chicken lettuce wraps, each listed as house specials.
"Meh" about sums up my meal at Tai Ho. I've never eaten here before, but have heard a lot about their handpulled noodles so we thought we'd try it out. Plus it's pretty close to our house.
We had the noodle special which was crispy noodles with shrimp and chicken and shredded pork in spicy szechwan sauce. Turns out that we're stupid because when the deep friend noodles (the hard kind) came with the meats on top we were both surprised. I haven't seen those kind of noodles since gradeschool chowmein. The pork was fine, just nothing that great and not that spicy. We ordered a side of plain noodles that we tried to spicy up with hot oil and put the meat and shrimp from the other dish on them. The noodles were ok, but not that chewy. I enjoyed them just fine but my dining companion did not.
I think that the key to getting a good meal at this place (Unless you speak Chinese and know what to order) is to get ahold of the green menu that is also in Chinese and Korean. That's where the good stuff like ginger and green onion crab, dry fried string beans and steamed plain buns live. I might give it another try and order from this menu next time.
I eat here often for lunch. The food is good, quick and reasonably priced. A few weeks ago I came with a friend for dinner. We had kung po chicken and shrimp and vegetables, both of which were very good. With rice, a beer and two glasses of wine, bill was about $50.
Not super-fine dining, but good basic Chinese dishes, served quickly and at a reasonable price.
I grew up on this food. All the MSG, sweet & sour sauce, and pot stickers have made me the person I am today!
They still make the noodles by hand - by swinging the dough around, slamming it down on the table, folding and repeating! Now they have a little window where you can watch the guy, but before they would always bring me into the back to let me watch the noodle making guy. I'm not really sure what made my Mom think it was ok to let strangers take me into the back of a restaurant, but she did, and it was pretty damn cool to 8 year old me!
I've eaten here after the remodel and the food seemed just as good to me. Please realize good is a relative term, nope, it's not the best, but I still like it!
Make sure you go around Chinese New Year (mid-February, check the lunar calendar) cause they will give you a zodiac mug! It's year of the pig!!!
I have been going to this restaurant since I was 3 years old, and I keep returning for their fabulous noodle soups. The vegetables, the seafood, the spice, and the noodles are divine.
You can hear them pound the noodles in the back as they make them, and if you ask really nice they will let you watch ^_^.
As much as I am a fan for their noodle dishes I do recommend staying away from their other chinese food. It is usually salty, greasy and rather unappetizing, but please note: I have eaten at Asian restaurants all my life, and it is a daily staple of my household.
Their potsticker shells are handemade, but the meat tastes almost like spam I cannot really identify the taste or texture. (Once again, I'm warning that I am picky.)
If you think of this place as a noodle house though it is a 4 star experience. If you think of it as a place for some mongolian beef? Consider it a 2 star taste.
Note: They have a great price for lunch hour specials.
Portions are good and the prices are about right, I mean compare it to what you get and you'll be full both in the stomach as well as the wallet.
I agree, with another Yelp'er the favors have become more and more, "white bread" over the years. Noodle dishes are good, the service was okay and they have parking so I'll give'm 3 stars for the effort.
If you have a big party they can accommodate with no problem.
I still like this place. Before and after the remodel. The dishes I always ordered have remained the same (i.e., good) through the years: Mongolian Beef, Ja Jang Myun, and Jam Pong (spicy seafood soup with handmade noodles). I rarely come here anymore because it's so out of the way. But I should! I need to stop by again and make sure it's still as good as I remember (it's been about a year since I was here last).
I think the Ja Jang Myun (black bean noodles) was about $6.95. And unfortunately, not on the lunch special, which is only about $5.00 or $5.50. :(
P.S., MSG is what food taste good! I don't believe that people (or at least the vast majority of people) are actually allergic to it. It has been "proven" only by anecdotal evidence, at best, which, frankly, isn't good enough for me. Let's see a reliable and conclusive scientific study published by a reputable medical journal. Then I might believe you non-msg'ers! Plus, MSG is in everything. Not just Asian food.
Very good noodles as far as the rest of the meal it was very good, but not great. You are given choices with a Korean and a Chinese menu.
We shared a Jam bong soup, noodles with black bean paste, Happy Family, shrimp and green onions, sweet and sour pork and Korean sweat and sour beef. It was all tasty and the service was good.
The cocktails were stiff. Definitely check it out.
My family used to frequent this restaurant... right until they remodeled. They used to serve decent chinese food, but they slowly began Americanizing everything to the point that by the time the remodel was done, I couldn't stand how amazingly overflavored all of the food was. The only saving grace remaining for Tai Ho is their noodles, which are still hand-pulled and good as ever. Ever since I had the disastrously over-sweet and pungent sweet and sour pork there after the remodel, I have stayed far, far away from Tai Ho.
So, unless you can stand overly strong flavors and Americanized Chinese food, don't try Tai Ho.
Oh my! What a dive! The only reason I ever go there is because it's right down the street from my work and sometimes a girl just needs some spicy Mongolian beef.
However, one time I found a hair in my order and that was it for me. I can't go back...I just can't!
I'm still a big Tai Ho fan. The remodel a few years back took them from being a dive to a very nice spot to eat. Great lunch specials 7 days a week which is rare. Very fast if not the friendliest service. Fills up on weekend nights so be prepared for a little wait. Recommended!
The Tai Ho has been in Kenmore forever. They remodeled it slowly changed their food (maybe new owners over time?). It isn't that best Chinese food, but it isn't the worst. They have nice homemade noodles that you can see being made, which is always a treat for kids. It is also good for large groups and... it is within walking distance of a pet store AND a tire store?
I like eating here for lunch, but only every so often. The food is really great, but not the best chinese food i have ever had. I know many people who really like this place....but I think it's just okay. The other thing I dont like is the outside of the building misleads the customer to thinking that inside is just as cool and authentic looking. It really is not and the kitchen is very open (like a teriyaki lunch place) and noisy.
I agree with Clint T's review; the food is not as good as it was before the remodel, although their hand-pulled noodles are still excellent. I also don't like the environment as much now. Still, if I'm going to eat Chinese food in the Kenmore area, I will often go here for takeout.