China Gardens Restaurant (Delray Beach)
***** China Gardens Restaurant, 14400 Military Trail, Delray Beach, Florida 33484 (561) 498-5226.
A number of you guys e-mailed about a “mom & pop Chinese” joint…China Gardens Restaurant, telling me about how good the food was, blah, blah blah. Anyway… last night I gave this joint a shot and “right-you-were”…the food is absolutely delicious.
China Gardens Restaurant is as you would expect, a “hole in the wall” located in a non-descript small South Florida shopping center. Guaranteed (unless you are a recent arrival from Mars) you know exactly what the decor is…what the menu is…and what the price-points and “specials” are.
Now let’s talk food…like I said before, DELICIOUS. Now for the official-results of my “taste test”….wonton soup (A), egg drop soup (A), hot & sour soup (A), egg roll (B+), pan fried dumplings (B+), sweet & sour pork (A+), chicken egg foo young (A), sizzling steak (A), shrimp with vegetables (A), shrimp with lobster sauce (A), roast pork fried rice (B+)…
Now I may-be going out on a limb here, but…my money says that China Gardens Restaurant is probably better than your favorite neighborhood-Chinese joint. Let me go one step further, China Gardens could “make it” in New York City’s Chinatown.
Based on my first outing, I will definitely be back for a second round.
China Gardens Restaurant is open Monday-Saturday 11am-10pm and Sunday 2pm-10pm.
have eaten here many times, real nice owners. very good food, love general tso’s chicken and sweet and sour chicken. good prices.
Hello again Jeff ~
This is our neighborhood Chinese joint and I must agree that the food here is above average. Nothing fancy but the basics are done with quality ingredients. I guess that’s why you end up sitting on chairs out on the sidewalk waiting for a table if you get here any day after about 5:30 PM. Hope to run across you here one day!
Bill from Delray Beach: Just had a chance to read your post.
If you like China Gardens, you’ll like Sieng House (Boca Raton)…check my review 12/6/08. Give this joint a try.
Thanks for reading…
Jeff, i told you the food is as good it gets,I now see you agree. try the lobster with ginger and housin sauce mixed together with the lobster, you die and go to heaven based on my taste buds.. steven h
steven: Just had a chance to read your post. You had a real great pick with China Gardens. Next time I eat there, I will give that lobster dish a try. Thanks again for the tip.
Thanks for reading…
JEFF IF YOU READ THIS, TRY “PEKING TOKYO BUFFET IN DEERFIELD. 1219 SOUTH FLA HWY, OPPOSITE TARGET, THE BEST BUFFET IN SOUTH FLORIDA THAT I HAVE FOUND, WITH A EXTEND SUSHI BAR AND CHINESE FOOD GALORE. GO BETWEEN 5.45AND 7PM FRI – SUNDAY. IT IS CROWDED AND THE FOOD TURNS OVER QUICKLY. ALL FOR 9.99 ALL WEEK. FULL SPARE RIBS,GENERAL CHICKEN, GREAT PEEL AND DIP SHRIMP. OYSTERS, SALAD BAR, TOO MANY TO MENTION. TRY IT STEVEN H
steven: Just had a chance to read your post.
Just so you know, I read every comment posted to this site.
Peking is now on my “to try” list.
Thanks for reading…
P.S LOBSTER SELLS OUT FAST, THEY WILL HOLD IT FOR YOU FOR 1.OO MORE IF U CALL. IF YOU EAT BEFORE 5.45 IT IS USALLY AVAILABLE. STEVE AND KITTY ARE THE OWNERS AND ARE PRESENT EVERY DAY.
This is the best Chinese restaurant in the Boca-Delray area.
Eat here at least once a month.
Lovely owners.
Great prices.
Great food.
Great staff.
Try it you will love it.
based on jeffeats i took food out from China Gardens yesterday. nothing special and they got the order wrong. instead on shrimp with mixed vegertables they sent me vegetables with tofu, yuk!!
the ribs are okay but i wouldnt rave about them.
same goes for weet sand sour pork, egg rolls, tso chicken.
ok bu not worth a special trip.
THOSE WHO TAKE FOOD OUT AND EXPECT THE SAME TASTE AS IF YOU DINE IN. REALLY DONOT KNOW WHAT EATIN IS ABOUT. I NEVER TAKE OUT CHINESE FOOD IT JUST LOOSES AT LOT OF TASTE SITING IN THOSE PAPER CONTAINERS.
Give Uncle Tai’s in Boca a try. They have outrageously good food. http://www.uncle-tais.com
After you eat there I’d like to hear what you have to say about this one.
BARRY,. UNCLE TAI’S IS A CHAIN ATE IN ONE IN TEXAS. CANNOT COMPARE TO CHINA GARDENS OR JEFF OTHER FAMILY REST PICKS. YOU SHOULD TRY ONE OF THOSE
Food B
Service A
jeff, you are waaaay off here. food is maybe fair, that’s about it. silver pond is the best.
I stopped at China Gardens the other night and requested a menu. A gentleman (a customer) was seated therein speaking with a young lady who seemed to be the propietor. The gentleman made reference to his having lived in New York. I interjected and stated, with all due respect, that I have yet to find Chinese food to compare with my home town… New York. Both he and the young lady suggested that I try the food at China Gardens. I did so the next evening and called for a delivery that my mom and I were to share. I live about five minutes away. The delivery arrived one hour and fifteen minutes after I ordered and everything was awful. I wanted to like this place. I am trying to find good Chinese food in Florida. The lemon chicken, while of good quality, was dried out. The Shrimp w/ Lobster Sauce had a very watery sauce which had pieces of shell in it (I kid you not), albeit the Shrimps were ok. The chicken Fried Rice was soggy and tasteless. The boneless Spare Ribs were drowning in grease and were very grisly and fatty. In addition, I ordered an order of Steamed Shrimp Dumplings and they gave me Vegetable Dumplings. I called and they sent me a replacement order almost an hour later and it was the same dumplings. I cut one open and all there was was shredded cabbage. Could this be their Shrimp Dumpling? I didn’t bother calling again. I just put it down to an awful experience. I was so disappointed. I telephoned a friend the night before and I mentioned that I was going to try China Gardens and I had a hunch that it would be good… was I ever wrong!
i love the lobster.
I too am from NY, and after moving to Delray in 96′ began looking for a good chinese restaurant right away as we all do. I got lucky and found China Garden. What we all want is great food, a nice portion, and a fair price. China Garden is 3 for 3. The owners Steve and Kitty are always warm and welcoming dispite being always busy. My take-out orders have always been perfect and when I do eat in the service is fast and friendly. The owners take pride in their business, and it shows. I love eating there and you will too.
At one point and time this was a great restaurant. Unfortunately the last few times I have eaten there the food was horrible and to make matters worse the last time I was there they charged my credit card three separate times. Even when I complained that they made a mistake the manager informed me that it was not his problem and that I should complain to my bank, which I did. I finally got my money back but beware their food is terrible and they will try and over charge your card.
I have been eatinging in China Garden for almost 15 years just about on a weekly basis. The owners Steve & Kitty are 2 of the nicest people you can meet, very pleasent and always accomodating. The place is always crowded and usually there is a waiting line sitting outside, for a good reason.
Overall the food is incredible and the hot and sour soup is the best in all of Florida. My children live in israel and whenever they come to visit, once a year, the first restaurant has to be China Garden. I have tried other local chinese restaurants and none of them compare to China Garden in Delray Beach.
This is one of my favorite Chinese joints in Florida. Never had a bad meal..
I just got my take out from China Gardens.
The spare ribs were disgusting…should be called “fat ribs” as it was dripping in it. Fried rice, egg roll, sweet n sour chicken all horrible. Food was cold and tasted like last weeks creation. I should have listened to most of your reviewers. Even the noodles that come with it were oily.
Since my husband and I have tried every single chinese restaurant there is from Coral Springs to Delray Beach, we have resigned ourselves never to eat Chinese food in south Florida any more. We will wait for our next trip to NYC.
STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE. I ALREADY FEEL SICK!!
Lauren N.:
Just had a chance to read your comments.
I guess you didn’t like the food.
Try Bamboo Wok. It has three locations in your area.
If “this” takeout joint doesn’t do it for you…then I guess you’ll have to wait for your next NYC trip.
Thanks for reading…
They make a delicious lobster Cantonese.
This is one of the best Chinese restaurants in south Florida. Everything they make is delicious. I hand my husband have been eating there fir years.
HIT AND MISS HERE.
SOMETIMES AMAZING AND SOMETIMES MEH.
Jeff,
It’s time for you to re-review this joint.
Ate there last night and the food was not very good. RIBS WERE GOOD BUT THE PAN FRIED DUMPLINGS, FRIED RICE, GENERAL TSO”S CHICKEN AND SWEET AND SOUR PORK WERE BEARLY EDIBLE. LITERALLY NO TASTE.
SORRY WE WENT THERE.
Food is terrible.
Food has no taste.
Took out last night for th first time.
The General Tso’s Chicken was one of the worst I’ve ever eaten. Bland no taste.
The pan fried dumplings were each small one bite items. I have never seen one bite small dumplings. A total ripoff and tasteless.
Egg rolls were good but are very small. I have never seen this size.
Portions are very small.
The chicken fried rice was greasy.
Stay away. This restaurant stinks.
They make delicious won ton soup.
I’m from California, originally from NY & have eaten in the best in ChinaTown,NY. This place has the lobster that was OK, but they can’t even make decent fried rice.
I question your reviews!
Maybe the food went downhill since Jeff was there 7 1/2 years ago or maybe you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Food was delicious.
Reminded me of Brooklyn 1958.
Jeff,
This is one of your best recommendations.
Love their food and their Lobster Cantonese is not to be missed.
Their bbq ribs are amazing.
Their Lobster Cantonese and their bbq ribs are amazing.
Awesome bbq ribs.
This is a real deal Brooklyn Chinese joint. I love eating there.
This joint is the real deal. You’ll swear you’re in a Brooklyn Chinese joint back in 1960.
Based on your column, last nigh my wife and I and another couple ate dinner at China Gardens. All 4 of us are in our late 69s and we were all born in Brooklyn NY.
The restaurant looks just like the Chinese restaurants we grew up with in the 59s and 60s. The food was delicious with the bbq ribs, lobster Cantonese and pepper steak being being outstanding.
All 4 of us have lived in Lake Worth for over 30 years and we agreed that China Gardens was definitely one of the best Chinese restaurants we’ve eaten in South Florida.
New to the area.
Tried China Gardens last night on your say so.
Terrific. Some of the best Brooklyn Jewish American Chinese Food circa 1957 Ive had in Florida. Definitely the best bbq ribs Ive had in the past 29 years of living in Florida.
Last night, my wife and I tried for the first time.
Delicious wonton soup, bbq ribs, pan fried dumplings, roast pork fried rice, pepper steak, and sweet & sour pork.