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Categories: Chinese, Beer, Wine & Spirits, Ethnic Food
2929 N Main StNow, You can buy vintaged wines at reasonable price to take home or enjoy at the restaurant. Please visit the wed site for more information.
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
"This is a Grocery and Herbal Healing Asian Indian Store. The owners are so attentive and helpful. They have helped me with indian recipes…" read more »
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Great place.
The first good Chinese restaurant I have been to that has a wine list I appreciate,
Loved the crispy duck, Mongolian lamb and green beans. Need to work on Xiolóngbo but over all a good experince with nice staf
Stylish restaurant for the area. I wouldn't gave eaten here if they used MSG so I was very happy to learn that they don't use it. That said, althought the menu looked delicious, the food was somehow lacking flavour - and belive me, I never eat MSG, so it wasn't the lack of it to blame. The spicy orange chicken was great, as were the walnut prawns, but the pepper beef was uninteresting.
I'll go here again to try other things off the menu.
The restaurant's interior and exterior are nice and the outside seating looks like it would be great on nice days. The interior was clean, immaculate, really, and the service was fast.
I ordered a variety of appetizers for take out. They told me ten minutes and I arrived (a bit early) in five. Hey, this place is a block from my house, so I could walk two laps there in under ten minutes. Once there, I waited about 20 minutes for my food.
The crab rangoon was cold. The insides had solidified and the case had started secreting grease. Maybe they are tasty when hot, but when they're room temperature, they're bland like particle board.
The calamari was hot and very good. Some of the pieces were chewy, like white steel-belted radials, but most of the pieces were good.
The bowl of egg flower soup was enormous and way to hot. Even after sitting for an hour, I burned the roof of my mouth and tongue.
They asked me if I wanted rice with my meal but neglected to mention it was extra. This is a huge -- HUGE -- pet peeve of mine. If an additional item at a restaurant costs more, the waiter or waitress or whomever answers the phone better tell me there's an additional price or I should be getting it for free. The exception to this is when McDonalds asks if I want fries with that because, you know, ain't nothin' free at McD's but the stink.
Do I see myself going back? Yes. The food being served to people while I waited for my food looked very good. That, and I kind of have a crush on one of the waitresses.
Also, the info on Yelp says they deliver -- they ONLY deliver for catered events, all else is carry-out.
Scoped this place out getting back on the freeway the other day after leaving my girlfriends house. Never noticed it before, so checked out the "Yelps" and we were planning a trip to the CineArts for a movie and I thought we'd try it after the flick. It was 7:30 on a friday and we were able to park right in front (Sweet), and no we didn't make reservations and the place was pretty full but they seated us very quickly.
We ordered the puffed crab app. it was okay, and since it was just the two of us we tried not to over order. We had the Spicy Mango Chicken with Snowpeas, Prawns and green beans in a brown sauce (don't know what that sauce was but it was delicious) and chicken fried rice. It was more than enough for the two of us. We took the leftovers home for the next day. The Spicy Mango Chicken was also very good and not that spicy really. I'd like to go again and try a few other things, but for the most part the service was good and food tasty.
Moved to the Walnut Creek area from San Francisco a short time ago and have been looking for a go-to Chinese food restaurant. For what it's worth, I was a big fan of Eric's Chinese and Jasmine Tea House in SF.
I have tried a few Chinese food places in the area and this is by far the best. The food is very tasty, prices are good, the service is great and the interior is inviting. I cannot say all of those things about other places I have been. I will definitely be going back.
We particularly liked the garlic eggplant.
Fried calamari is really good. Slced lenghtwise instead of crosscut but not chewy.
PRO:
* good Chinese food
* good prices
* friendly service and fast
* parking (limited) in front; much more in back
CON:
* none now, that they're open on Mondays, too
specific food recommendations:
* shrimp fried rice, spicy tofu with pork (my son and cousins love the chicken with lemon sauce but that's just okay to me)
After eating at Yan's in Lafayette for years, and loving the owners and their food, I tried their newer location in Walnut Creek. They did it again! Really comfortable atmosphere, and every dish we tried was better than the last.
It is really hard to find good quality Chinese food! Of course I am no expert, but sometimes I find a good place for lunch and the next time I go back for dinner it's not so good. This restaurant is always good!
You will get to know the owners because they are there to greet you and check in on you while you are eating. If you love fresh, consistenly delicious, very traditional Chinese food please try Yan's at any location!
Came in last night last minute. I mean really last minute since the place we Yelped originally let us down because they werent serving the Dim Sum we wanted so we ended up here after hitting up Yelp on the BlackBerry ;)
ORANGE CHICKEN as suggested by fellow Yelpers and it was prertty good. Even when I got home I threw a couple more down.
GARLIC BROCCOLI was expecting the Chinese style but this was actually really, really, good.
GARLIC EGGPLANT good but nothing to rave about. Wasnt over cooked like some places tend to do.
CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS good but nothing to rave about.
Staff was really friendly, at first kinda slow but it wasnt to much of a big deal. Shot the sh*t w/ the bartender for a min and even though they didnt use 151 in the Mojito I had it was still pretty good! It was cool not to be in the main crowded part of WC for a change. Never woulda gave this place a chance if it werent for Yelp. Looks like pooh on the outside. When you walk in its like day and night!
Hubby and I went for lunch at Yan's today. The place was packed!!! Very good sign...means that the food is good. We thoroughly enjoyed the food.
I love very spicy food and they always make it as spicy as I want it. I wish anyone who loves really good Chinese food would try Yan's. You will not be disappointed. We go there at least once a week and we have never been disappointed!
I actually much prefer the Yan's China Bistro in Walnut Creek, than the one in Lafayette. Tonight… Read more »
Love Yans!!!
The food is fresh and delicious! This is the only chinese place we ever go to. Also the wine selection is off the hook. I don't know of any other chinese restaurant with a full bar and as expansive a wine list (no Salmon Creek wine here). It makes this place good for a quick bite or full on celebration meal.
Our favorites are the Kung Pow Chicken, Sechechuan Chicken, Broccoli Beef/Chicken, and Mu Shu. We weren't big fans of the short ribs, they seemed to be more bones and pepper than anything else, however the chow mein is probably the best I've ever had. Plus, the prices and service are way better than others such as PF Chang/ Uncle Yu.
Honey Walnut Prawns looked much better than they tasted. Portions and quality need improvement.
Fried prawns tasted frozen; Honey walnut prawns, bland and soggy; salt pepper porkchops extremely fatty. When the first bites for both husband and I are each full of fat, it's too fatty. Won't be back.
A friend recommended it for lunch...since i drove all the way up to walnut creek from san jose, i figured there must be something to this place other than being just another chinese place...because i could have just stayed in san jose to eat that kind of food.
Parking for the restaurant is in the back, so don't worry that they only have three spots along the street-front of the restaurant.
I am not a big fan of hot sour soup as a standard appetizer in chinese restaurants, but i'll forgive them for catering to the stereotype that the general masses prefer that type of soup to start out the meal...i think it's yucky regardless of what restaurant serves it.
He had the Spicy Orange Chicken and I had the Fish Fillet in Black Bean Sauce--both from the lunch special menu (both under $8 each).
He was raving about the orange chicken and it was good...not as much batter as other places, and good sized pieces of chicken. Also, unlike most other places, the SPICY orange chicken was actually a bit spicy...not too much, but enough to give it some zing outside of just the light orange taste.
The black bean sauce fish was also quite good. You can't really screw it up, but the sauce was not overwhelming, the fish portion was plentiful, and the veggies were fresh and crisp.
The meal is served with white or brown rice which was a nice touch seeing that i'm trying to avoid the 5 evil whites (white pasta, white rice, white flour, white bread, and white something else).
Overall the place was very clean (miraculously clean for a chinese restaurant), the service was friendly and attentive, and the experience was one of the better ones I've had at a chinese restaurant.
Happy Eating!
We had been here when it first opened. Was impressed back then but was a total letdown tonight.
Appetizer:
Fried Prawns were small and served 4 pieces. Overpriced for what is given.
The BBQ Short Ribs were great. Unfortunately the only highlight of the night.
Entrees:
Salt Pepper pork chop was heavily battered and consisted of mostly fat than actual meat. As I stated in another review, New Lim in Concord has the best Salt Pepper Pork.
Honey Walnut Prawns had no taste. Very bland, loaded with mayo. This dish was the worst out of all.
General Tsao Chicken was average at best. I could have bought Trader Joes Orange Chicken and accomplish this better than this one.
Meal wasnt cheap, so I probably will try other places before coming back here.
If you're looking for authentic Chinese food, don't bother coming to this place. Its Americanized Chinese food. For authentic, go to New Lim.
My fiance and I had dinner here last night. We followed the signs to their private lot and were pleased to find plenty of parking. The entrance is just past their restaurant if you are on North Main heading towards Treat Blvd. There is also a convenient rear entrance so we didn't have to hike around the buildings to get into the restaurant. The first thing I noticed is that Yan's is much larger and nicer than it looks from the outside. We were seated at a table on the side of the restaurant with the bar. I found their speciality drinks to be well priced - my Zintini (green tea liquor and absolute citron) was less than $7.
We ordered the crab and cheese puffs, Mu Shu pork, beef with snow peas and mushrooms, and steamed rice. Everything was delicious and the sauces were good but not too overwhelming. I often find that places will make very thick, strong sauces to cover up lower quality of meat and vegetables. This was not the case at Yan's, and the flavor of their fresh ingredients still came through.
I would definitely consider coming here with a group because they have a nice, mostly enclosed, patio and they offer a banquet menu for $18 a person that includes a variety of entrees.
Ahh, the tastey leftovers! We went to Yan's yesterday for lunch...were trying to decide, Yan's or PF Changs. We were totally impressed. It's not easy to find good chinese food that doesn't cost a fortune like PF. We ordered the lunch specials. I had the Schechuan chicken and she had the shrimp with vegetables. Both were mad with super fresh incredients. The chicken was white meat and very juicy for being deep fried. The sauce was tangy and a little spicey, but some of the best Schechuan I have had in a long time. I am hesitant about ordering shrimp for the first time, but they were very fresh and cleaned properly. The shrimp and veggie dish was very very flavorful! Our total bill game to $8 a piece, you can't beat that for lunch, and I am enjoying both dishes two other full meals the next day! We will definately be back!
I love this place. The lunch special is amazing. For around 7 dollars, you get soup, salad, rice, and an entree. The service is very quick and all the servers have been very nice. I've had the Mongolian beef and pepper beef entrees. They both had a good level of spiciness; my nose was running just a bit by the end of the meal.
So- good, cheap Chinese food. :)
The only good Chinese in the WC. Great bar tender.
Cheap drinks that will knock your sox off.
check yelp for some dim sum recommendations and came across Yan's China Bistro with 4 stars. Tried it today and was very pleased. The decor was nice..perfect for a date, hanging out with friends or family or just picking up lunch. the service was excellent....they even prepare my mu shu beef for me..no other place ever did that! the food was delicious! better deal than PF Chang...food just as good and the prices are way better.
2nd time, better than the first. I found the parking lot in back which was cool cos I went right after work. I got one of my favourites, combination chow fun. I was really good! And they were very nice. This place is a bit spendy, but you get what you pay for and good food coupled with good service is worth the money, in my opinion.
Very friendly and a generous portion of food. I got take-out but the place looks rather posh inside.… Read more »
Order in or take out. Excellent chinese food and service vs others in the area!
Parking can be found behind the restaurant, but not a big deal.
It's a nice little restaurant, clean and warm. Service is very pleasant. The servers are very nice even when I do take out.
Typical items are on the menu, but made the authentic way! I love the chow fun combo, sometimes they make it a tad too oily, but it's filled with flavor. They use a lot of vegetables too. The honey walnut prawns are tasty! Their rice dishes are just right, steamy and not too oily. I'm always satisfied with a lot of their chicken and pork dishes. Not too salty! Their house specialties are a little above average, but well worth the extra money.
I suggest checking out their website, view the setting and menu, then visiting.
Although I've seen them accomodate 15+ in a group, I wouldn't suggest it. Take a couple of friends and enjoy!
This is a very good Chinese Restaurant. I love the mongolian lamb and the Sake is vetty good.
We've passed by this place many times and often wondered where to park. After reading the yelpers' reviews, we found the parking entrance in the back and the entry from the back, past the kitchen and into the dining room. Rather an odd way to enter a restaurant, but oh well, we're here for lunch. The decor is nice and modern and very "hip." Oh, but wait, Asians know that when they are greeted with ice water and fork at the table, it can't be authentic Chinese. Where are my chopsticks and FREE hot tea? Didn't one yelper said that it was like P.F. Changs? And you know that I do not like PF Changs' (one star) . Bingo, a PF Chang clone!
We ordered the salt and pepper pork chops and the shrimp chow mein. Salad and soup were included in the meal. The salad can use more dressing and the soup ( was it sweet and sour soup?) was very peppery and lacked something in the broth to give it more of a flavor.
The pork chops were fried and it didn't even taste like pork ~ we ate a lot of the chops with fat fried in fat, so you can guess it was not the best meal for us. It's interesting that I heard at least 2 other patrons ordering the same entree and asked the waiter if it was a good choice. We should have warned them!
I was rather impressed with the shrimp chow mein with at least 7 shrimps. However, the noodles were a bit greasy for my taste, but for the price, I think it was a fair deal. I luv any noodle dish, but I would rate this mediocre.
BTW, one of the waiters should comb his hair; did he just get out of bed and decided to come to work?
What a waste of $70.00. The staff is really weird here. They hardly speak English which means you have to say what you want over and over until they get what you're saying. We ordered plenty to try and this is what we all collectively thought.:
The crab wantons were definitely not up to par. They came out thin and greasy, with very little filling. The plum sauce tasted like it was from a bottle. The chicken dumplings were real small and reminded me of a bag I have in my freezer. The chicken lettuce wraps were not as good as PF Changs but were decent rendition. The real disappointment was when the main entree's came out. The honey walnut prawns tasted real floury and bland. The Mongolian beef was just spicy and honestly the beef tasted like cheap cuts. The Chicken and green beans dish came out with limp overcooked beans and the sauce tasted like an oyster-mushroom sauce I get in a bottle from the supermarket. Absolutely uninspiring as far as taste goes. The staff made the experience worse. We were done with our food and they brought us the bill. Usually restaurants ask if you would like dessert before bringing the bill. In this case we chose not to even attempt the sweets they finally offered. 4 different people waited on us and all of them seemed clueless of what each other were doing.
Do yourself a favor and go to Uncle Yu's in lafayette if you want pricey but good "gourmet" type Chinese food.
Yan's China Bistro is run by a relative of Martin Yan from "Yan Can Cook."
This is a more upscale Chinese restaurant then you typically see and the prices are very reasonable. Very clean and authentic asian atmosphere with a fresh and variety of choices of food.
Excellent service! Very attentive wait staff.
Very nice looking full bar with granite counter tops and flat screen televisions.
Not too loud or touristy and a great place overall to come and eat. Everything on the menu is great.
Parking available in rear of the restaurant.
This is THE best chinese food I have ever had. We used to live right around the corner from here and now that we live in San Ramon we don't get to Walnut Creek much. We've tried a couple of chinese food places near our house, but none compare. I've never had a bad dish here.
Another YELP driven stop within a short distance from the finance's house. We wanted a little something new and different after 9pm on a weeknight. So, we ventured over to check it out. The YELP reviews were pretty good, so we knew we couldn't go wrong.
First things first, its open late. We like this since we occasionally get carried away with our normal day to day stuff and still want to eat out. Parking is a tiny bit confusing. We were able to get street rock star parking when we went and did not have to find the lot. The lot is actually past the restaurant and behind it. There is an additional access point if you are heading south on main that is before the restaurant that has been chained up. That seems to confuse people.
The restaurant is very cute. The color, the lighting, the art work. I was very tickled to see that they have paintings from my favorite artist, Don Li Ledger all over. I just loved that. We ordered tea, to warm our cold bones, and a couple dishes. We chose a beef and a chicken/eggplant dish. Both were good. I did not love the beef dish, but it was fresh and cooked well.
The service here was PHENOMENAL!!! Never once did my water get below half. Maybe it was because the place was not super busy, but they were just very attentive to the patrons without being intrusive. The staff was very polite and made sure that we were satisfied with our meal and were very curtious on our way out.
I would really like to give this place a 5, and am hoping to upgrade them on a future dining visit. The plates that I chose were not my favorite, so I will have to keep trying them. I think that the experience, freshness of the food, and service are a 5+. I look forward to eating here again soon. Especially since they are so close, reasonably priced and have take out!!!
This place makes some really great beef and broccoli, full flavored, hearty and fresh. You should give some a try and let me know what you think.
Not the best chinese-american food that I've tried, BUT the place is very comtempoary and clean - very important for a good restaurant standards now. Staffs are attentive. Lunch portion is quite big. We order two vegetarian dishes plus my honey walnut prawn, with a side of egg roll. Egg rolls you can tell is house-made, and I like the fact they charge $3 for 2 eggroll so you don't need to order an entree full of appretizers. The portion they give for the lunch special is as big as a la carte with the rice separated, so you don't feel like you are eating at a fast food joint for a combo plate. All the dishes comes with soup & salad, and they don't make you pay $1 or $2 extra if you request brown rice.
Another ++ is, they have a full bar! quite rare to see in chinese restaurant! Decent wine list:)
We arrived with the beginning of the dinner rush, but also just before the dinner rush help, so service was frantic at first. Once the rest of their staff arrived, everything was smooth. The food was well-flavored and plentiful. The seasoning was throughout the dish and not just in flecks, the sauces were balanced with the rest of the meal, and the ingredients tasted fresh and cooked just right.
The spice level on my dish (General Tzo's, up to transliteration) was a little below what I wanted, but it more than made up for it by having a full and rich flavor. My wife's curry dish was HUGE. It lasted for three meals. Again, not too heavy on the curry, but that's how we prefer it.
Given the quantities, Yan's is not expensive. Limiting yourself to proper serving sizes will leave plenty of leftovers. And it's telling that the leftovers did not taste as good as fresh. The sauces and seasonings already were married to the dishes; more time did not bring out more flavors as it does with many restaurants.
Best chinese I have had in the burbs. Not as greasy and definitley more flavorful than most of the stuff you find out here. The eggplant and orange chicken are the best!
This restaurant has a really nice atmosphere to it. They also have a full bar if that is what you are looking for.
I came here for dinner once. The food they had tasted pretty good, though in my opinion, it wasn't something very special. I guess they serve good food, with room for some improvement. Still, I enjoyed my meal here and was satisfied.
It's slightly pricier than your average Chinese restaurant, but the portions they give are pretty decent and more than enough. It's a nice place to try if you are every in the area.
I've been a couple times: Once with a group of people who all ordered dishes and we shared them all. The food was just great. Then tonight, my husband and I went for dinner. We ordered a terrific Chinese Chicken Salad and spicy Mongolian Beef. Of course I ordered a Cosmopolitan. Everthing was excellent. Attentive service, very good food, wonderful ambience. Not only was my Cosmo generous in size, it was small in price $6.75. Forget the parking hassle and wait with PF Chang's, this place is super easy to get in to!
After I posted my original review, the owner contacted me to resolve any issues that I had. I thought that was a very smart move on his part and it showed real concern about his business. This was the first time in almost 400 Yelps that anyone has taken the time to contact me and I am surprised that more restaurants don't display a little more concern about their cyber profile. I know restaurateurs work hard and their livelihood is dependent on their reputation, but us Yelpers are out spending our hard earned dough too, so it is important to have fair and unbiased reviews. At any rate, Yan's is definitely a pleasant restaurant and I plan on returning again.
somewhat upscale chinese place. reminds me a little of pf chang's, but not nearly as crowded as the… Read more »
The parking for the place is a little trying to get to, but once you do, you're all set. I have to say the food here is pretty good. We had the Yan's Banquet Menu and for $18 a person you really get a nice array of different entrees to eat. My personal favorites were the Mongolian Beef, the Honey Walnut Prawns, General Tsou's Chicken (all breast meat, which I liked) and the Happy Family entree. The staff was friendly and the restaurant looked very clean. I can't say what differentiates "authentic" Chinese from "American" Chinese food, but I am very glad I tried Yan's and I will be back for more.
We dined here on 3/22/08.
I was very skeptical to try it but my lawyer recommended it.
The private parking lot is in the back, good thing they have lots of signs. The back entrance is very welcoming. I was a little confused about where the front counter was but as soon as I saw it down the hall and around the wall, it was very clear. We were seated right away and had a lovely window seat. Service was good. I saw a drink at the bar that looked yummy so I asked what it was and the guy seating us said, "Shorry nipple" (at least that's what I heard).. I kept asking him to repeat it and repeat it. Finally the bartender said, "Shirley Temple".
I love the clean dinner ware!!!
We had the Hot and Sour soup to start. Very good.
My boyfriend ordered the Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet. He liked it but I don't like sweet and sour anything so I hated it.
I got the Mango Chicken with Snow Peas... It was very interesting. I thought it was edible, boyfriend hated it. I won't order that again.
We took the left overs home and they didn't taste any better. I don't think my boyfriend finished his left overs, I think he threw it out when I wasn't watching (I don't like to waste food).
When I go back I'm going to order the peppered beef dish and maybe some chow fun or chow mein. I'll try to stick with the common dishes.
I'll write another review then. If I remember, I'll get some pictures too.
Excellent food. However, they do NOT deliver, despite what the overview says. It's worth going in or taking out.
We got take out. It was good.
Although I live within walking distance to Yan's Bistro, for some reason I had just never made it in there until a few days ago. I was initially struck by their wine display in the front entrance--they had a lot of really good stuff, and apparently wine is now available for retail as well. They had a lot of older vintage Napa wines at decent prices. I was intrigued; however, nothing pairs better with Chinese food than beer! The 3 of us were promptly seated in the portion of the dining room with the bar and ordered drinks while perusing the menu: Sapporo for me, a blue Hawaiian for Sarah (she was feeling really girly!), and a root beer for the bf. We decided on food pretty quickly and placed our order. Our appetizer (crab wontons, $6 for 6) came out quickly, but we were all pretty disappointed with it. The wontons themselves were flat, leathery, and greasy, with VERY little crab filling. A unanimous thumbs down. For entrees, the batter on the sweet and sour chicken was light, crispy and very good, and we all enjoyed the moo shu chicken as well. The veggie rice noodles were just ok, as they were heavily flavored with yellow curry, which was fine for me, but not for my bf who has very little tolerance for spicy. The biggest disappointment of the evening was the "Crispy Chinese 5-Spice Duck with Steamed Buns." It sounded so delicious! We were presented with a plate of deep-fried duck parts (legs, thighs, etc.) that were painfully dry and flavorless and devoid of any kind of sauce, accompanied by 4 buns that were tough, dense, and possibly made many hours before service. This dish was such and absolute FAIL that I actually felt bad for the poor duck who had to die for it! When we had finished with the other dishes, the manger cleared our table and asked us if we wanted to wrap the duck, which had obviously barely been touched. We said no, and he made no inquiries as to whether the dish was ok; he simply brought us our bill, seeming unconcerned about the poor destroyed duck. Even thought the moo shu and sweet and sour chicken were good, I highly doubt I'll ever return, since those items are available at any Chinese place. There are too many other great restaurants in the Bay Area to waste my time at a mediocre one like Yan's. For the best Chinese, I'll stick with Cal Wok on Clayton Rd.
Walnut Creek, CA
Category: Chinese
Walnut Creek, CA
Category: Chinese
Pleasant Hill, CA
Category: Chinese
Pleasant Hill, CA
Category: Chinese
Pleasant Hill, CA
Category: Chinese
Some of the places that I have been to and enjoyed…
Some places in WC that I have been. Some good,…
