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Taiwan Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Taiwanese Restaurants Chinese Taiwanese, Chinese [Edit]
1306 Lincoln AveSan Jose, CA 95125
(408) 289-8800
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Sun 11:30 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
313 reviews for Taiwan Restaurant
Review Highlights
"My new favorite Restaurant in the Willow Glen."
(in 56 reviews)
"their Honey Walnut shrimp is amazing."
(in 29 reviews)
"Must try the Pineapple Fried Rice."
(in 21 reviews)
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313 reviews in English
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Review from Kerry R.
San Jose, CA
12/28/2011
Some of the best mixed fried rice I have ever had.
I'll also recommend kung pao chicken, pot stickers, chow mein, and spicy peanut pork dumplings.
Sometimes the service is a bit slow, so i pulled a star, but it is a busy restaurant and you should plan accordingly if you are sitting down for dinner.
Whether I go with my girlfriend or family it's always delicious and a great time. Good for takeout, or a sit down dinner.
This is my first review. You're welcome. -
Review from Simone R.
Scottsdale, AZ
1/12/2012
Beef fried in the fish oil....YUCK!
We were craving some great Chinese food and looked for a restaurant close by. We read the reviews on Yelp and while not overwhelming we decided to give it a try.
Disappointed does not even begin to describe our experience. We ordered potstickers, mu shu pork and the Taiwan beef for carry out. The meal cost at $30 and despite asking how many people were in the party they failed to put in any silverware and only two fortune cookies.
The skins on the potstickers were more like pie dough, thick and gummy. They put vinegar in the bag but no soy sauce. We pealed the skin and ate the filling which was on the bland side but ok.
The mu shu was also very bland and watery. It just didn't have much taste. You had to pour the hoisin sauce on it to get it to taste line anything. It was more egg than anything else and the pork was very difficult to find. The pancakes were tortilla I think.
Finally, the Taiwan beef was just disgusting. It was supposed to come with rice - no rice in the bag. The beef was put in a container separate from the sauce. The sauce was orange and smelled acidically sweet. On the sauce I think it just wasn't my style so I can't really say much about it but the beef was a whole different story. The beef was sliced then "battered" and fried. Well what we got was thin sliced beef battered and fried till almost black, dry, chewy and smelling and tasting of fish. We threw it out - it was that bad.
Maybe the experience at this restaurant is much better if you eat in but for take out - take a pass. -
Review from Erik N.
Campbell, CA
12/25/2011
Excellent Taiwanese.
We always order from the specials menu.
They do not take reservations seriously and most of the tables have a lot of traffic around them,Listed in: South Bay Chinese
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Review from Vanessa S.
San Jose, CA
2/6/2012
Taiwan is absolutely amazing! I have been going here for lunch for years and am always happy with the quick friendly service, and of course delicious food. The Honey Walnut Shrimp lunch is by far my favorite, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Recently I decided to try out some new dishes, I tried the Mongolian Beef, Beef Broccoli, and Garlic Chicken all were very good. I will probably stick to the shrimp as my favorite, but you can't go wrong if you decide to try something different. On top of having delicious lunch meals, their Wonton soup is incredible, and Chinese Chicken salad, oo my goodness, it's so good, and BOTH are included with your lunch.
I recommend Taiwan to everyone! -
Review from ed l.
Mountain View, CA
2/5/2012
After seeing favorable reviews here I decide to try out this place. Bad mistake. They dont serve authentic chinese food here period. Two things of note to people wanting to dine in a good Chinese Restaurant.Went you walk in the Restaurant and there is no Asian patron inside and they dont have chopsticks (unless you asked for)but just forks...thats a major clue of staying away. If this is the type of chinese food that you like try Panda Express....same food but cheaper and taste a little better than this place.
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Review from Eric L.
San Jose, CA
2/4/2012
Dinner for 10 of us on a Friday nite. Good service, generous portions, delicious food, reasonably priced. Staff were accomodating. Can't wait for the next dinner with family and friends.
R & G Lee -
Review from Michaela R.
San Jose, CA
12/28/2011
I know everyone thinks they know where to get "the best" Chinese food, but this restaurant really is the best I've ever had (bear in mind I've never been to China). On the weekends you might have to wait to be seated, but that's just because the food is so delicious that everyone wants to eat there! The service is GREAT! Very friendly and very fast. My family has been going here for years and we will continue to go here as long as it is open!
I will admit I haven't tried tons of things on the menu because I always want the same thing every time: pork fried rice, broccoli beef, kung pao chicken, chicken chow mein, and mu shu pork. These items are so tasty that I don't ever feel the need to stray and try something new! Go here, you will NOT regret it! -
Review from Amy W.
CA
12/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I bought into the little blurb under the Garlic Eggplant Noodles on the menu that said it was a SJ Mercury News favorite. To confirm it was really going to be good, I asked the waitress to help me decide between the Garlic Eggplant Noodles and the Pineapple Fried Rice. She told me to definitely try the Garlic Eggplant Noodles and that they were very, very good.
WRONG. Boy, was I disappointed. I didn't enjoy the dish at all. It had a weird sweetness to it and the chopped eggplant added nothing to the dish. It was just a plate of noodles with a goopy sweet and mildly spicy sauce on it. I cut them some slack as I know this is an Americanized Chinese restaurant, but this was just not good.
I don't know what year that SJ Mercury News review was written, but maybe it needs to be revisited. The moral of the story is: don't trust accolades printed on the menu - you never know when it was written. If I had time, I would have studied the other Yelp reviews more closely or I would have seen that this is not a good dish. My boss ordered one of the lunch specials and he also didn't like it at all.
I was also a little confused looking at the menu. Since it is called Taiwan Restaurant I was expecting some more Taiwanese style foods. It looked like a regular Americanized Chinese restaurant. The restaurant is in a great location and is beautifully decorated, but the food was just awful. I'd rather go to Panda Express. -
Review from Lynnae H.
San Jose, CA
12/8/2011
I was so looking forward to a movie and Chinese food...sadly disappointed.
Taiwan was one of my favorite go-to restaurants...key word being WAS. While the potstickers were edible, they were really doughy. But the worst was the Mongolian beef. The beef tasted rancid and the zucchini was raw. Two bites and then $11 bucks right into the trash.
What a complete bummer. -
Review from Courtney G.
San Jose, CA
1/29/2012
My favorite place for Chinese food.
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Review from Paula G.
11/8/2011
I live so close to downtown Willow Glen and wondered why I never stopped by here!
I am not one for Chinese food maybe because I've had one too many Panda Express but I was really craving hot and sour soup one day and yelp'd one close to my house and voila! Landed in Taiwan!
When you first step in, this place is super clean! They have a huge menu so it took us awhile to decide.
Their lunch special ranges from $8-$10 and you get Soup, chicken Salad, and rice. YAY Hot and Sour Soup. Personally, I've never had a bad Hot and Sour Soup. Their Chicken salad is bomb-dot-com. I wanted to take the dressing home and tada... they sell it in a bottle because it's that yum-o-lish!
I ordered the Fresh Cod with Garlic and my BF ordered the Garlic Broccoli Beef. The only thing I hate about asian places is when the viand comes before the freaking rice. JEEZ! I CANNOT eat my main dish without rice! That's my biggest pet peeve... they should know! they're asian serving asian people food. I need my rice!
Ok once we got our rice, we were definitely heading towards food coma heaven. We were eating everything. My food was good, but my BF's broccoli beef was different, the good kind. I ate his dish more than mine.
The one less star was because of the slow service. It took awhile for our meal to come out and we were the 3rd table only there.
I'm feenin' me some chinese tonight. -
Review from Thomas B.
San Jose, CA
1/7/2012
The Best Chinese food in San Jose by far.
Never had a bad experience here. Always good staff, excellent food, and great prices. -
Review from andrea k.
San Jose, CA
12/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food is good... fresh tasting. The service is kind of lame. I feel rushed every time I dine in. I don't really enjoy dining in, honestly, we felt kind of looked down because we had a child with us last time we were there, the servers have not been friendly... we keep going every once in a while because I am particular about Chinese food and I do enjoy their fresh dishes.
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Review from Sarah P.
San Jose, CA
12/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I live in Willow Glen and have been going to this restaurant for years. Great and friendly service always!!! Try the lemon chicken. It's delish!
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Review from Kat M.
San Jose, CA
1/25/2012
Amazing food! A little pricy but sooooo worth it!!
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Review from Joe B.
San Jose, CA
12/30/2011
Negatives: parking is awful (downtown Willow Glen, what do you expect) and it is a bit pricey. Otherwise, this is hands down our favorite chinese food. We've been patrons for about 20 years. Yes, they have switched chefs a few times over the years, and yes, there are "off days" now and again, so they're not perfectly consistent. But over 20 years time, I have to say they are still our favorite. Because of cost, I now get take out from them about 1 time in 4 or 5 when we get chinese (Panda Express is close and less than half the cost), but we still love it.
I used to have an office on Lincoln Ave. for about 12 years, and would go to lunch there with some frequency. Lunch specials are about $7 and are generous. The hot and sour soup is our favorite.
Would give it 5 stars if not for the parking issues and the prices. -
Review from Lily R.
I rarely make it out to the Asian plazas for Chinese food. I used to when I worked near Ranch 99 in Milpitas. These days, when I crave Chinese, I head to Willow Glen and eat at Taiwan!
Everything is pretty SOLID.
Chinese chicken salad is always a hit. Prawns w/ black bean sauce is my fave. Prices are super reasonable and service is great. I even purchased a bottle of their famous salad dressing to eat at home! -
Review from Linny H.
San Jose, CA
12/11/2011
I am Taiwanese and went there once. The food didn't taste like it is from Taiwan. If you would like to try real Taiwanese food, I recommend Mama Chef on Stevens Creek near Bed Bath n Beyond.
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Review from Tanja F.
San Jose, CA
8/23/2011
This is now my favorite spot for eating salad. Yes, I said it! Salad!
I've tried the Honey Walnut Spinach Chicken and the Peanut Sesame Noodle salads. Both were fantastic. The first one had more greens and the seconds had more noodles and veggies. Their noodles are so incredibly tender.
I've also had the garlic eggplant over noodles. I loved the noodles but the eggplant was a little bitter. The Taiwan Crispy beef was nice. We also got a fried rice that I just wanted to keep eating.
My favorite thing about this restaurant is that they do not drown the dishes in sauce. If there is a sauce, it is subtle but you can still taste the primary ingredients that they used to make the dish.... which to me is a sign of someone who really knows how to cook.
The service was good. My drinks stayed full and they were great about checking in on us. The decor as nice. I kept admiring their orange lanterns because they reminded me of monarch butterflies. I loved watching what came out of the kitchen because the presentation was so enticing. I'm a fan of Taiwan! -
Review from misa y.
Campbell, CA
8/17/2011
I have been really lazy about getting on Yelp to write a review for quite some time & my experience with Taiwan restaurant immediately made me think, it's time to go on Yelp.
Because of so many glowing reviews on Yelp for Taiwan, I was looking forward to a good experience & good food. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
I know that this is probably pretty UN-PC, but hey, I'm going to be real right now. You know how "they" say when you go to an Asian restaurant, if you see a lot of Asians eating there, it's probably a good restaurant. This should have been our first clue. Aside from myself, my slightly Chinese boyfriend, and the staff, ALL of the patrons were Caucasian. Maybe this was just a timing thing as I see some good (REALLY good) reviews from the Asian persuasion on here, anyway.
Ok, so let me start with the food.
We started with Wor Won Ton Soup. The minute I took a sip, it just tasted a bit off. Something about it just didn't taste.......right?......fresh? I wasn't sure, but then I noticed that there were NO fresh vegetables in the soup. I'm not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure that the vegetables in the soup were a frozen veggie mix from the store (cubed carrot, peas, green beans, corn). Maybe that's what gave the broth a funky taste. In addition to that, the water chestnuts tasted sour, almost vinegary. The Won Tons were not bad, they were gingery (which I like) & there was shrimp & diced chicken in the soup as well, which was ok. Sadly, the soup was probably the best part of the meal.
For the Entrees, we had Homestyle Ribs, which is one of the "Chef's Specials" and the Sizzling Seafood Plate.
The Homestyle Ribs were just ok, they were very tender & flavorful, but a bit too salty. I would say that the portion was small, but I really didn't want to eat them so I was actually kind of sad that we had to take the leftovers home with us (they're still sitting in the fridge).
The Sizzling Seafood Plate had Shrimp, scallops, and what I think was squid, I couldn't tell, the texture didn't seem right for squid, but I couldn't even guess what it could have been otherwise. There were also bamboo shoots, baby corn, broccoli & carrots. This dish looked good, but was EXTREMELY SALTY. It was nearly impossible to eat a bite without several sips of water and tea and a mouthful of rice. I usually love veggies, but the broccoli and other veggies were just so salty we just didn't bother with them.
On to service:
Overall the service was really good. The servers and other staff were very efficient, attentive and friendly. The only problem we ran into was that right as we received our food, one of the Hostesses (who I am guessing is the owner) asked if we would mind moving to another table. Apparently they needed the space for a larger party. I think if the food had been better we wouldn't have minded so much. They were nice & offered & delivered a complimentary dessert to us at the end of the meal. It was very nice of them to do that.
They brought over their Fried Banana with granulated sugar sprinkled all over them which was ok, but very, very sweet, just a little too sweet.
I'm giving Taiwan 2 Stars for trying, but really, they could do so much better. Still searching for a really good Chinese Restaurant......... -
Review from julie c.
South San Francisco, CA
12/5/2011
Love this place great food everytime very reasonable prices I highly recommend the eggplant noodles in the chef specials and the honey walnut shrimp. The sizzling rice soup is yummy too.
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Review from scott j.
San Diego, CA
11/26/2011
I love their lunch special for Tangerine beef. Very tasty! Service is friendly as well. My favorite Chinese place when I am in Willow Glenn.
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Review from Riki N.
Campbell, CA
8/28/2011
A lot of things are very good at this restaurant, but I have three words to say: Pineapple Fried Rice.
Served in a pineapple. With all kinds of good stuff. Big serving for like $9.95... tastes awesome.
We're a little far to come here frequently, but we still make the visit from time to time. Often quite packed, but service is usually pretty good and the food always is. -
Review from Heaki C.
San Jose, CA
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Review from David M.
Los Gatos, CA
8/5/2011
We were there last night and the food and service again; hit the spot!
Our favorite is Orange Beef, Chicken Chow Mein , Beef Broccoli. Very friendly service.
We wish they were much closer to us in Los Gatos. -
Review from doug s.
San Jose, CA
6/26/2011
Ever go to a restaurant after receiving a RAVE recommendation from a friend only to find that it was just ok? I have to admit my expectations were higher than they probably should've been.
Chinese Chicken Salad recommended by our waitress - just ok
Salt & Pepper Calimari - tasty, a little kick thanks to the jalapeno, tender
Garlic Eggplant Noodles - the menu says it's a SJ Mercury fav - a big plate of mushy noodles with not a lot of eggplant goin on
Filet Mignonw/ Mushrooms - Very tasty but 6 sliced pieces of Filet for $16.95 is not a value meal
Generally speaking there was a consistently & overly sweet flavor to our meal. Not necessarily a good thing.
Service - 5 stars. The waitresses are all super friendly. The food gets to your table fast. Dined here during the Street Fair/Dance and it was packed. Only a reasonable 10 minute wait (they turn tables fast) and the hostess handled the crowd well.
I really WANT to love this place so I'll give it another try. Maybe keep it simple and definitely try the Pineapple Fried Rice. -
Review from vicky t.
First off.. this is a Chinese restaurant.. if you want Tawainese.. go to Sunnyvale or Cupertino
Birthday celebration.. woot!
Salt and Pepper Calamari- super delicious! Light and crispy!
Pineapple Fried Rice.. served in a pineapple.. also delicious
Scallops with Oyster sauce.. also good
Garlic Eggplant over Noodles a lil goopy but lots of kick!
Beef with Broccoli- can't go wrong
Lemon Chicken- also nommy
Honey Walnut shrimp... packages of goodness!! One of my favorites
fried banana with chocolate sauce.. also super light... but nommy
Service
stellar.. waitress was super attentive
order that was wrong was immediately corrected (although correctly written down.. cook error.. no worries taken care of in less than ten minutes)
water and drinks were constantly refilled
Parking
can be a pain but there is both street parking, bank parking a few ways down and a few spaces behind the restaurant
SHARKS sighting?
Apparently some of the guys hang out here frequently....Listed in: ROTD
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Review from Misty J.
10/19/2011
More like 2.5 stars. My friend and I went here for her birthday and while I know we had a nice dinner, I can't remember what I had. I do remember that I enjoyed it and the mixed drink that I also can't remember the name of, but the fact that I can't tell you what my meal was kind of tells me that it's probably not the BEST place ever. I do, however, remember dragging a boyfriend there during the Italian festival. Needless to say, it was impossible to get to, so we ended up at Buca di Beppo. In all fairness, I don't really remember what I had there, either, other than the stuffed mushrooms. Maybe I drank too much that weekend :/
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Review from Monica F.
4/19/2011
I absolutely love dining here at Taiwan!!!
My ultimate must order every time i dine...is the Garlic Eggplant over Noodles....
Thinking there's eggplant as veggie..it's not too bad, right???
NOT....
upon watching the latest season of America's Next Top Model...The girls were surpised by a Nutritionist...and I heard that eggplant actually stores more fat that let's say....a ravioli.
But...their Garlic eggplant over noodles is just too good to stay away from.
Another fave i have here is the Mongolian Beef. Really good kick with all the peppers....
My parents love it here too... definitely good for groups...
prices can be a little more than usual..but worth it...
Service. excellent. -
Review from Alena B.
5/10/2011
This is a favorite of my mom's and I think it's pretty great too. As far as the south bay is concerned, this is the place to go. It's in a great location in downtown Willow Glen.
Why not 5 stars?
Parking can be a problem but you'll eventually find something. The price is pretty high. I cannot think of a higher priced local chinese food location. -
Review from Bob C.
San Jose, CA
11/11/2011
Food is great, service is great, and the flower arrangements are always a pleasure to look at. I've been eating here for over 20 years and I've never had a bad experience. Some favorite dishes: yushiang egg plant, general tso's chicken, pot stickers, hot and sour soup, minced (pick your favorite meat) in lettuce cups, and their family style tofu.
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Review from Samantha L.
San Jose, CA
10/18/2011
This place is amazing!! My new favorite Restaurant in the Willow Glen! Try the Broccoli Beef with Garlic Sauce.
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Review from Alexei P.
Marina del Rey, CA
8/12/2011
I was impressed. Food is fresh and tasty. Service is fast and high quality. The place is clean and nicely decorated. You can really tell that they care about the quality of their work! The kung pao chicken and the sesame seed chicken was delicious: it was just the right amount of crunch, sour and sweet. It was great for lunch and can't wait to go back and try something new.
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Review from Lydia V.
San Jose, CA
9/23/2011
Lunch specials are legit. That's all I've ever been here for. Very fast service.
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Review from Ashley P.
San Jose, CA
8/30/2011
I love this place!! It's a small restaurant but I'm never disappointed when I come here. Their Prawns with Cashews are delish...you have to try it (and I'm not a seafood person). An excellent place to go. I might even have my birthday dinner here. :-)
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Review from Marry J.
San Jose, CA
8/26/2011
This place has excellent ambiance, and really great food. I've only been here a few times but their dishes are so good. The honey walnut prawns are so yummy! it is a little bit pricey though and I've heard it gets really crowded, but I've been here on an off night and it was really chill. And it's really not that greasy at all which is unusual for americanized chineese foods.
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Review from Matt A.
San Jose, CA
8/22/2011
Been coming here on and off for about nine years. Pricey but good sized portions. Yummy dishes. If I had to recommend a few, I would try a Mu Shu dish or the Mongolian Beef. The only thing about this place that I am not the biggest fan of is the lay out. The decor is nice and a little early 80's, but its a bit crammed in there. They do have lots of tables but maybe a little too many. I am a big guy so I prefer a little more elbow and walkway room. Just my two cents. It still doesn't stop me from going back to Taiwan.
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Review from Ronny D.
1/22/2011
Take one star off for calling it Taiwan restaurant and serving American style Chinese food. That's like calling yourself the Steakhouse restaurant and serving....American style Chinese food.
Take another star off for being so American that it has a Sunday brunch menu, with regular menu items, but with champagne served with it. Not really what I look for in any Chinese restaurant.
Aside from that, the food was actually good. The portions were nice, the flavors were good, absolutely nothing to complain about if you know what you are getting yourself into. -
Review from Chris M.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here on a date night with girlfriend. I had the pineapple fried rice served in half a pineapple which was not only a fantastic presentation but a very good dish! Can't remember what she had, but both meals were super tasty! It was surprisingly busy, although died down by about 9:45 when we were ending our meal. Would definitely recommend for families, or a date!
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Review from Nathan W.
Alameda, CA
2/9/2011
This place is awesome...
I had lunch here recently, and was impressed with the whole experience. The entree comes with a wonderful Chinese chicken salad, choice of soup, wontons and rice. That's not bad for $8. Everything was scrumptious, although very Americanized...
The service is polite and efficient. The place gets pretty busy at lunchtime, so keep this in mind. As this was the case, my seating arrangement wasn't very ideal; but I was able to roll with it. I'd definitely come back...
