Lucky Garden
1852 Smith St, North Providence, RI, 02911
Lucky Garden Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in North Providence for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
1852 Smith St
North Providence, RI, 02911 - Phone (401) 231-5626
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Jack C.
Wow. I'm flabbergasted. This must be the definition of a single Yelp star. Wow. The first sign should have been the empty parking lot and the empty restaurant. Honestly, the young man at the counter seemed surprised that we were actual customers. He was friendly, but weird...he claimed that the menu has undergone some changes and a second chef has been hired to ensure their food was "more authentic." Uhhh, so how come you don't know what Fujian fried rice is (it was on their former menu). He recommended Yangzhou fried rice, "classic, you must know it." Yes, we know it, and it doesn't customarily have pineapple in it...and it isn't so ungodly salty. By the way, apparently the second chef is the very young man himself, as we witnessed him cloaked in white in the kitchen after taking our order... The second sign should have been the music, switching from traditional zither, to Michael Jackson, to Jay Chou. Actually, wait, that is pretty typical Chinese restaurant style. It's just so weird when the whole place is empty and that's all you hear. Finally, the waitress sealed the deal. She isn't Chinese, which is odd in a Chinese restaurant, but her demeanor is actually the real problem. You shouldn't say, "You want like a cup? It's only a dollar." when I ask for some white rice. And you shouldn't offer more water when the glasses are visibly empty and in a way that makes us fear to refuse. Most importantly, the food sucks. It isn't just not authentic, it's remotely digestible. Raw onions with sizzling beef that sizzles for 40 seconds...pineapples in the clumpy fried rice....chunks of celery and cucumber with flavorless meat in the kung pao chicken. It's all wrong. And the prices are through the roof for the quality you get. Horrible. Easily in the top 5 worst dining experiences ever.
(1)Linda R.
This is one the worst dining experience I've had in Providence. The restaurant was empty. The service was poor. And the food was not tasty. But it wasn't just the bad food...for some reason the whole dining experience was really odd. Supposedly this place was great years back, but sadly it's not worth visiting anymore.
(1)Roger W.
Lucky Garden and I go back a couple of years. I dig on dim sum, and they had the best dim sum in Rhode Island. Well, not anymore. I was jonesing for dim sum today, and went in for the first time in a couple of months. New owners, new décor, and no more dim sum menu. What? Well, ok, since we drove all the out there, I figure we might as well try it. The menu is a mix of American-Chinese and "authentic Sichuan" style, and while it's a little more interesting than an average American-Chinese restaurant menu, it's not going to cut it when you were hoping for dim sum. Disappointment aside, we tried the boneless sparerib, an order of steamed dumplings, and the spicy garlic eggplant. The sparerib, while tasty, was cold in the middle, evidence that it had been refrigerated and reheated. The dumplings were a little on the thick side. The eggplant, however, was surprisingly good; spicy, and flavorful, and enough for two people to share. Without a dim sum menu, there's no reason to go to Lucky Garden anymore unless you happen to be in the neighborhood and absolutely dying for Chinese food. For now, Phoenix Dragon in Providence is the new winner of the RI dim sum crown by default.
(2)Cory K.
My most recent visit was a bit underwhelming. Nothing we tried was particularly inspired or delicious. My favorite dish- salt and pepper fried squid had no pepper or flavor. Squid tentacles still remain a perfect specimen for frying and at least it wasn't over fried, but maybe the chef is different on Sunday than Saturday... I've also tried their stir fried Malaysian squid because it was a lunch special that I've never seen before. I guess there is a reason for that...it was overcooked, rubbery squid tubes and mixed veggies in a bland sauce. Maybe I'll be back to try that Salt and Pepper squid again- or if I'm really craving a pork bun but I can't recommend going out of your way for this place...even if it's one of the only Dim Sum places around.
(3)William A.
Happy Chinese New Year! Come here once, and you probably won't go anyplace else. Here for New Year cake. I have a few friends from China, this is one of only a few places that they will eat at.
(5)Julie B.
I've ate a lot of Dim Sum in Montreal and always looked for a good one in R.I. I found it! The service was great and the selection was pretty nice, we ordered 7 plate of different dim sum, meat and vegetarian for a total of $22. I've had better, but these are pretty damn good without having to go to Boston. We'll definitely go back and bring friends there. A definite keeper :)
(4)Peggy H.
This place is a hidden gem. Make sure to order from the HK menu. Everything is delicious, but bring a group so you can try a bunch of different things because the portions are huge.
(5)Nicole W.
The food was good and the restaurant seemed clean. However, I was not overall impressed with the food.
(3)Francisca W.
(review dated 8/08): among the few authentic chinese restaurants in RI to begin with (i.e. excluding the takeout "woks"), few have quality food. lucky garden is a happy exception to the rule--i never expected to have such quality in a non-metropolitan city. dim sum is absolutely above par--even better than SOME places in boston. had a few lunch/dinner dishes and rice/noodle dishes over the time; they are authentic (NOT american-style) and mostly thumbs up. they are also very accommodating to non-chinese speakers: staff can handle english, there's bilingual menu (and there's no chingrish in there!) for the chinese dishes, also an "american" menu w/the "woks" food... i even saw they served butter and bread to a pair of american couples last time--in a CHINESE restaurant! so whether you go for dim sum & authentic chinese dishes, or if you suddenly crave a general gao's chicken while in the area, this place is the place to go. p.s. and i am NOT saying this just bc this place is owned by my friend's family. i wouldn't have left a comment at all if it was not meeting my standards.
(5)J C.
Fabulous Dim Sum! Having lived in Vancouver, Canada; Boston & New York City, Dim Sum seems like a life staple to get me through.... So Lucky Garden has become a wonderful place to get my fix. I especially love the xio bao or chinese rice buns and xio mai... yum... P.S. you must try the desert tofu :)
(5)Kristine R.
This family owned Chinese restaurant is the closest thing to "real Chinese food" in the area. None of that preheated fast-food/take-out Chinese food that scatters most of North Providence. As of right now they are undergoing some renovations so I've been deprived of my weekly fix of dim sum, congee and sticky wings w/ oyster sauce for quite some time. *shakes with withdrawals* Let's just say that it better be fricken gorgeous inside when they reopen! But, no for real. I've been going to this place for years and they have always been delicious, dependable and very family friendly.
(4)Thommee H.
It's painful to downgrade the rating. As others have mentioned, new ownership, new style (Sichuan, not Cantonese), no more Dim Sum (the few dumplings we tried, the wrapper was too thick, grainy, and gummy, and the filling was non-descript), 'nuff said.... The search for good Dim Sum in Rhode Island, unfortunately, has begun anew....
(2)John B.
Very bland flavorless food. Was expecting more after reading other reviews.
(2)Francis F.
Fantastic authentic sichuanese food. Lived in china for several years and have been looking for four years for authentic Chinese food in providence. At long last, these guys came along. Superb. Get the chicken in chili oil and the boiled fish in sichuanese chili oil. Really, really freaking good.
(5)Lauren M.
First, the restaurant clearly uses fresh vegetables, which is fantastic. Our dishes were full of carrots, peppers, and celery. However, the negatives outweigh the positives: 1) My husband ordered cashew chicken. It did not come with white rice, which was surprising since white rice seems pretty standard. 2) The cashew chicken was "padded" with celery. Lots and lots of celery, not a lot of cashews or chicken, even though it cost $10.95. 3) The shrimp and garlic sauce was disappointing. The shrimp were large and the vegetables were yummy, but the sauce was disappointing. 4) The fried rice lacked flavor. It had very little pork in it and was a dark, sticky mess rather than what it should have been. 5) The egg roll was red inside! Very odd. Very strong celery flavor. If you love celery, Lucky Garden is for you!
(2)Alvaro P.
poor service and food is tasteless. very mediocre place. we did take-out and and the portions were a decent size but there was hardly any flavor. we called to asked and were told that this is what we paid for (very difficult to communicate). at last we were told to throw the food away...
(1)Kris D.
No migraine chinese food. Yes, I am sensitive to msg, shocking I know. Struggled for years on finding chinese food that I wouldn't regret. Lucky Garden was suggested to me by a friend that also suffers from msg induced migraines. Luckily ; ) Lucky Garden is only a stone throw from my house! On my first visit I treated myself and ate in with hubby. We dived right into the dim sum menu and had mass quantities of hot fresh dumplings, steamed buns and fried noodles to delight our taste buds. On our second trip, we ate in with the kiddos this time and ordered not only too much dim sum but ventured into the traditional chinese menu. Pleased with all our selections besides the fried rice on the traditional menu and still no migraine. I am enjoying take out during our busy week nights. I savored kung po beef last night and sampled from my daughter the shanghai noodles. All very tasty. And don't over look the sweet asian ladies that take care of you, no mess no fuss at Lucky Garden.
(4)Paul B.
Drove 60 miles for which was without a doubt the best meal I've had in a long time. Get pork shank
(4)Athena K.
Unfortunately the new ownership has done away with dim sum. Chef Cam is no longer there (they retired) and the new management specialized in watered -down tea with Americanized Chinese food. There were some authentic options though our waiter was promoting a selection of fried ditties. I was sorely disappointed.
(1)Jimmy C.
Suckkss!! dont order the general tsao's chickk with fried rice.. the rice taste badd!! Alsoo dont order the chicken odon noddles no flavor at allllll!! P.s Im Asian
(1)Joshua A.
Me and fiancé visited his place for the first time today and we were honestly taken aback at how good the food was here. The service was amazing and the food was worth the money. The only reason I'd take away a star would be because of the pricing. The combo platters and certain items were priced appropriately but other things were kind of pricey. Other than that it's worth the trip out here.
(4)Nick M.
I was expecting a decent experience here given the generally favorable reviews. This wasn't the case, at least for me. To start, the interior is drab and run down. Not welcoming from a dining standpoint. The waitresses just stand there and watch you. Too much pressure. The food was bland and flavorless. The steamed pork buns just gave off an unpleasant odor from the steaming. It was off putting. The Siew Mai was completely bland and flavorless. I did like the fact that they handed you a picture book of all their offerings. Pictures were of actual items from the restaurant. All in all this wasn't worth the drive out here. I guess you really do need to go up to Boston to get good Dim Sum.
(2)Robin A.
We were fans of the dim sum and had a good meal under the new ownership. Went back tonight and the service was AWFUL and the food was very uneven. Too bad, because the menu is way more interesting than your average RI Chinese restaurant.
(1)Joey H.
My family and I have been going to Lucky Garden for years, but stopped for a while in favor of spicier fare at Sichuan restaurants. After hearing that Lucky Garden was under new ownership, underwent renovations, and changed to a Sichuan-focused menu, we decided to give it a shot. If you're a fan of sliced celery and julienned carrots, you picked the right restaurant. The spicy boiled fish had 6 pitifully small fish slices over a huge mound of celery and carrot. It's a shame that the decently flavored broth was wasted on such a ridiculous amount of filler veggies. The shrimp with cashew nuts had the smallest shrimps I'd ever seen in any restaurant, not just Chinese. They were roughly the size of pennies, with tons of roughly chopped cucumber and a tiny sprinkling of cashews. They should rename this dish "shrimp with cucumber". The hunan stir-fried pork belly had a decent flavor, but again, there was far too little meat and far too much veggie filler for the price. Calling this food "authentic" is laughable. The flavor is almost passable, but the way they pack every dish with a small mountain of cheap flavorless veggies makes me feel like I got robbed for the exorbitant price. If you're looking for authentic Chinese food, you won't find it here. If you're looking for cheap Chinese food, you won't find it here either.
(1)Beshka C.
Dim sum, yum. The only reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is the dim sum menu is small and on the safer side. Other than that, this place is great. After only going once the ladies remember that I like the chili sauce and now I don't have to ask. I mean, I am spoiled, right. Worth the drive to Johnston.
(4)Beezer C.
Though lots of people are complaining about the change in ownership and lack of dimsum, and though i agree that I miss having a go-to dimsum place, their food is amazing! Really authentic. The pork in garlic sauce cold appetizer brings me back to my childhood, as does the boiled chicken. Fried coconut cream for dessert is excellent, if too rich-tastic at the end of a rich meal. Today was our second visit and we are going to keep coming back.
(5)Lexi D.
Lucky Garden is really a fantastic find. I've been 3 or 4 times and have always been super satisfied with my meal. I usually go for a dim sum brunch on the weekend. Admittedly I don't stray too far off the beaten path--no chicken feet or tripe for me--but what I get is truly fresh and delicious and perfect. My go-to meal is fried ravioli (similar to dumplings, but with a thicker skin), noodles, beef rice rolls, crab rangoons and whatever fresh green vegetable they have on hand sauteed with garlic. They have choi sum on the menu, which is similar to Chinese broccoli or broccoli rabe, but they had chive blossoms as a special last time I was there and they were out of this world! Garlicky, slightly oniony and perfect with the noodles. If you see them you must get them! This place is usually busy, but never really crowded, it's full of families and couples just enjoying a great meal in a relaxing atmosphere. Speaking of atmosphere, there's not much. Lucky Garden is clean and casual, but they're not trying to impress with beautiful decor. They have a lovely waitstaff of elderly Chinese ladies who are always ready with fresh tea and a good recommendation. Don't be afraid to point to pictures of what you want or to ask what other tables are eating, Lucky Garden is pretty inexpensive so it's a great place to be bold and try new things! Also, the egg custard tart dessert is awesome. Finish your meal with that.
(4)Grace R.
We used to come here for our weekly dimsum fix but now, it's totally different which they claim to be a more "focused, authentic Chinese menu". The restaurant had a full renovation with new chairs, tables and a much updated atmosphere. While it has a much nicer and welcoming interior, the staff and menu also had a make over too. The nice grandmas-Cantonese speaking staff are gone. The dimsum chef is gone; hence the traditional "dimsum sheet menu" is gone. They claimed they have a few "dimsum" dishes on their menu but really it's only 3: chicken feet, pork ribs and BBQ pork. We ordered all 3 and they are nowhere near the former dimsum quality. What pushed me over the cliff was the pork ribs came in portion of a super tiny ceramic plate in a metal container and they charge $7.95. You got to be kidding me. We asked the staff why and they pitied us and took off $1. I am not trying to be cheap but a dimsum dish should not cost more than $4 or so. The "chef specials" on the white board during lunch time are 50% off. Their pricing is a little all over the place and is inconsistent. We tried a few other dishes on the menu and they are average. They now conform to what the general public likes instead of sticking to real authentic Chinese/Cantonese dishes. I am saddened by this change.
(2)Sherman Y.
What's wrong with this place? why they keep stressing about the so called "authentic" chinese food? Dose "authentic" mean high priced small portioned funny named so so tasted not our average chinese food? All i know is the lucky garden i loved was gone and i can no longer go there for dim sum or anything! I used to go there hungry and leave happy and satisfied, but i left hungry and angry yesterday! I'm not surprised to see so many reviewers had the same feeling with me after they reopened. To those old lucky garden fans, we might need to drive little further to kings garden in cranston for our dim sum!
(1)Greg T.
Do not be fooled by the older reviews. After several weeks of renovations, Lucky Garden is now under new management. The extensive menus of authentic Chinese cuisine are gone. The dim sum menu is gone. The "secret" desserts that aren't on the menu are gone. Lucky Garden exists in name only. When I asked our sever about a particular item on the old Lucky Garden menu, he responded that the new menu is re-focused on "authentic" Chinese cuisine and "authentic" Chinese ingredients. When I opened the new menu, I quickly realized that this was some sort of cruel joke. Apparently, the new owners of Lucky Garden are somewhat defensive when customers attempt to compare them to their predecessors. As I sullenly ate my vegetable lo mein and picked at nearly inedible scallion pancakes, I knew that this concern about unfavorable comparisons was well-deserved.
(2)ellen p.
Don't bother. New owners and new menu. All the good stuff is gone. So heartbroken. :(
(1)Bethani A.
We can't say enough about the fresh and amazing food at Lucky's. My husband and I always make a point to stop in with family whenever we are visiting RI. The pea-pod shoots and homemade tofu are incredible. We are vegetarians so Amy our favorite server and the chef were nice enough to make the taro root dumplings without the meat, insanely delicious! Every time we go the food is just as great as the last time if not better.
(5)Malinda C.
I wont be back again. YECK YUCK YUCK. Ok here we go. All the fried food was greasy, the oil in the fryolator had not been changed in quite some time just dripping with oil! We ordered mostly dim sum, chicken feet bland, Shi Mi was OK, Pork filled sticky rice buns dripping with oil and pork had a funny taste we did not finish that,,,to scared. Sesame rice balls had very little sesame paste, and we were not even 1/2 way through the meal and they brought out the coconut tabioca dessert that was ok. Pork fried noodles - bland bland bland did i say bland. At the end of the meal she asked us if we wanted to take it home it - we only took 2 fork fulls, we said no it was bland she just came with the check and never offered to credit us. She then took the credit card and dissapeared for what seemed like 20 minutes. We left a $1 tip. SIde note husband is a professional chef and we are in the food business, WE HAVE NEVER sligted anyone on a tip - this was i hope the 1st and last time.
(1)KD S.
I love this place!the fact that this 3mins away from my house is he reason i tried it out. Ita a small gem in this area.the outside might let you think to turn away and try another place but it is worth a try. Very authetic dimsum.i loved the suimai,and hargaw(idk how its spelled but its the shrimp dumpling)my favorite is the beef brisket noodle soup,best tasting in the area.i was a little disappointed with the salt and pepper squid but over all its a very good place.definitely coming here once a week
(4)Audrey C.
Being from Los Angeles . . . I know that the very best most authentic Chinese food can often be found in totally nondescript strip malls, and it just so happens that Lucky Garden is located i one of *the most* nondescript strip malls - cuz I've been there at least a dozen times and still practically drive past it EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Love love love your dim sum. Love love love your so-so-so very authentic Chinese food. Pea Pod shoots . . . YUM, General Gao's Tofu?!?! YES!! Like, I swear fresh silken tofu deep fried but not greasy and so light. So delicious. Your scallion pancake . . . not so much . . . but hey, not everything is gonna be a home run. My friends and I have been making dim sum trips for some time now . . . and they are right up there w/ some of the better places in Boston. No carts, but the food comes out fast and hot. Lucky Garden? Yes. And Lucky Providence - cuz there's finally an authentic Chinese restaurant that is worth going to.
(5)Sweet H.
I loveeeeee this place! I am a student from HK and I have been craving authentic Chinese food since then. I sampled many Chinese restaurants in RI and just keep getting disappointed. I was really craving dimsum until I found this place. I used to have dimsum with my mom every week in different restaurants back home and I can tell whether something is good or not. This place is not the best I ever had, but it is definitely above average. I will give it a 8 out of 10 across all the dimsum restaurants I've ever been. Given its price and variety, it is definitely the best deal. I won't even go to Boston for dimsum anymore. The best (yes I cite form their online menu cause I only know the Chi name): Salt and pepper calamari Fried Taro Dumpling (can't even easily find that back home cause it is old fashion) Fired Sticky Rice Dumpling Steamed To-Fu Wrap Oyster Sauce (Pork) Steamed Fried Dough Rice Rolls Stir Fried Egg Noodle Jelly Fish (challenge yourself!! my American friends loveeee it!) Some of them I don't really like cause I had better Pan Fired Turnip Cake (Not enough turnip) Sticky Rice Bun (not enough flavors compare with others) Steamed Roast Pork Rice Rolls (the beef is better) Clams in Black Bean Sauce (again, not enough flavors) My boyfriend is complaining that I write too much. Time to go =D But I am going this weekend!
(5)Man C.
This is unfortunately not the old Lucky Garden. It's all new ownership. There us no more Dim Sum. Unfortunately it's so far been an abysmal start. I order the VSP rib lunch special and it was literally ONE rib with some white rice. For 8 bucks too. This is a shameless money grab and I will never come back. I miss the old Lucky Garden.
(1)Aina B.
So many dim sum dishes to try! Totally nondescript restaurant in out-of-the-way area- perfect recipe for deliciousness. The black pepper squid was great and the fried pork dumplings were fantastic. Can't wait to try more dishes again.
(4)Len L.
Just got back from a disappointing experience. We had finished a very good meal and were waiting for our check. When our last dish was served. Servers not paying attention gave our dish to someone else. Kitchen does a great job, servers are marginal !
(2)Alma C.
Very good Chinese compared to other Chinese restaurants in RI. I'd be ranking this restaurant higher than a 4 if it were not for the pricing, which is on the higher side of reasonable for the portion size, for example, pea pod leaves entree cost around $14. Still, for me it's worth coming here b/c the food is more authentic than most and the service is attentive.
(4)Yvonne Y.
If this were in other metropolitan areas, I'd give it 3 stars. However, extra star for providing dim sum in RI! Large portion and the food is decent, likely steamed warm from frozen. Great variety of all the basics and even has soy milk (sweet and savory) and congee.
(4)Brian L.
I had dinner here with my fam, and from the outside, it looked like a bum take out restaurant. I was wrong in that regard. It's located a bit away from Providence, but you get to drive through a small neighborhood, which is leisurely. The food is authentic, but does that warrant more stars? Not to me if the food just isn't up to snuff (like Philly/NYC Chinatown). I try to rate by genre - and this genre is sit down Chinese where the prices are between $12 - $16 per dish. We ordered the snow pea tips (not bad, tastes like normal), shanghai choy (I prefer the Shanghai tips, but they didn't have them, this was fine too), beef short ribs with onions (it's sizzling, but didn't have peppers, which is NEEDED, but otherwise, flavorful), fried half chicken (usually one of my fav dishes for some reason, but they added some sort of flavor to it which ruined it for me), and young chow fried rice (eh). Overall, it was a fine dinner, which is 3 star material. Would I go back? Sure, if I were in the Providence area and wanted a sit down Chinese. Would I ever crave it and say "man, I could go for Lucky Garden" - no, definitely not. One note - I do hear the dim sum is really good here, which I feel like I should try. So skip dinner, and come for brunch Sat/Sun and get the dim sum and tell me how it is.
(3)Barbara W.
BEWARE: New owners, new menu, new pricing! All are disappointing, Food is bland, so few spices, however it is high priced. Greeter is loud and overly helpbul. Great decor, but that's about it. Go somewhere else for Chinese food! We won't go back.
(1)Angela D.
Dim sum! In Rhode Island! AMAZING! Came here with my roommate after finding it on yelp. Thanks yelpers for the great advice! The place was pretty legit and had all my faves: siu mai, har gow, footballs, pork buns, turnip cake, sesame balls, shrimp flat noodles, and dan ta. This isn't the best dim sum ever, but it'll have to do. They don't do the traditional cart service, but they have these picture books for you to figure out which dim sum you want. Pretty great. This will be the place I hit up when I need a dim sum fix. If I'm not mistaken, I think they only serve dim sum on the weekends.
(3)Richie R.
I have been going back and forth between 3 and 4 starts. The reason is this: I usually go for dim-sum on weekends, and the dim sum quality is certainly not great. However, there is no other place around here (other than traveling 45 minutes to go to Boston's chinatown) that serves dim-sum that is even comparable. Has things that are good even compared to Boston or New York, but others are disappointing. Try these: -fried tofu with shrimp and scallion - shrimp and scallions, covered in a tofu skin, then fried - crunchy outside, tender inside, delicious! - shao mai - good quality - bbq pork steamed buns - great Avoid these: - vegetable dumplings - bland and soggy - beef tripe/tendon - not cooked right, pieces are too big, chewy and not flavorful enough Just OK: - turnip cake - har gao (shrimp dumplings)
(4)Nai De L.
There may be better Chinese restaurants, and there may be more authentic Chinese restaurants, but not anywhere near convenient driving distance from Providence. So if you want Chinatown-quality Chinese food and you live in or around Providence, for the time being, this is the place to go. Now, for all you "crab rangoon" or "general Tso's chicken" eaters: that's not Chinese food, and this may not be the place that makes these pseudo-Chinese dishes the best, you better go elsewhere. For those of you who enjoy or want to get to know real Chinese food: make sure you get the Hong-Kong-style menu, and the special sheet, and of course the Dim Sum menu. Try things like the jelly fish, which is wonderful on a hot day, or the chicken ginseng soup, or the pork-conch-herb soup, or the ton-bor pork (chinese BBQ), or... ...the list is long, and the food is great. You may have to wait a little bit, because this isn't some chink fast food place, this is real Chinese cuisine, made on premises, not some industrial junk like PF Chang. Real food isn't instant... I was all over Taiwan, in SF, NYC and Boston China Towns, and this place is competitive with all of it. That isn't to say you may end up not liking real Asian food. But don't knock the place because you don't have a palate for Asian flavors, or because you don't get the pseudo-Chinese-American food you expect from having been at other "Chinese" restaurants, or because that sort of food isn't quite as "good" as elsewhere if you do get it: in all of these cases, you're simply at the wrong spot. On the other hand, if you look for real Chinese food, you are at the best spot near Providence. NOTE: there are usually THREE menus in this place: the American-Chinese Menu (what white people are expected to order and like), the Hong-Kong-Style Menu (which you get when they know you like that sort of stuff or show up in company of some Asian people), and the menu with the Chef Specials, plus the daily specials written on the black board near the entrance, and then the Dim Sum Menu. As far as I'm concerned: stick to the Hong-Kong Style Menu, the Chef Specials, the blackboard and the Dim Sum menu. You can safely ignore the American-Chinese Menu, it's not the food you go to Lucky Garden for, and you can get it elsewhere better, if you like that sort of stuff.
(5)Denise P.
Lucky Garden does not serve up MSG and goopy brown sauce-laden food for American eaters (though there is a menu of more typical Chinese-American fare). Make sure you get the Chinese, American and dim sum menus. You will get food that is fresh and well prepared. I often notice workers cutting vegetables and rolling dumplings and won tons by hand in the dining room. Get the tender pea pod leaves in their delicate sauce when in season. The homemade salt and pepper tofu has a slightly crispy exterior and tender, flavorful interior. My mother hates tofu, but will eat this dish. The dim sum menu is full of inexpensive, well-prepared foods. The other thing I love about this restaurant is the service. The owner waits tables and seats guests. She will make good recommendations, remember what you like, and ask how your family is doing. We called for takeout after our son was born and even over the phone remembered his birthday and asked how he was. We feel it is "our place."
(5)Joseph D.
I have drove by this place a hundred times and never stopped in... until recently. Checked it out for lunch on a Saturday to sample their dim sum menu. It was pretty darn good. People definitely do not go in for the decor.. very plain.. old sort of drab interior.. or the atmosphere... it was Sat afternoon, with maybe 3 tables full and there was no background music.. so it was super quiet and a bit awkward.. and the 2 ladies working there were kind of just standing there watching the few tables eat.. but taking all of that into account... The food was good. Thats the message I really wanted to get across. I think we ordered like 10 things. Some I liked, some I didn't. the spring rolls we're tasty, so we're the steamed pork buns, and scallion pancakes. The gyoza weren't bad either. Stopped in a few nights later to grab some take out. The general Tsao's chicken is good, all white meat, fried rice was above average and not greasy at all, and the crab rangoons, well we're crab rangoons.. how can cream cheese, specs of fake crab and delicious fried wonton skins be bad. All in all an above average dim sum and chinese take out place.. definitely my new go to chinese take out joint in the Centerdale area.. sorry Best Eastern
(3)Jennifer D.
Don't believe the hype. The food was bland and uneventful. Save your time and money. go elsewhere!
(1)Neil B.
I have followed this restaurant since it first opened in Warwick many years ago. The chef/owner was very accomplished in Hong Kong, then head chef at Foxwoods. Now I see they have added two additional chefs from China. Also recognized as very accomplished. I took my family to Lucky Garden on New Year's Day for Dim Sum and was very pleased, as usual. I highly recommend the Shui Mai. They are unlike any I have ever had. In addition to daily dim sum menu, there are TWO other menus to chose from. All seems to be authentic China Town Style cuisine.
(4)D. C.
Great Dim Sum spot for a small restaurant. Nothing fancy about this place... just great food. Have been coming here at least once every week or two and have not been disappointed yet. The service can get quite slow during peak hours when it's packed due to understaffing... but that's my only complaint.
(4)Prianna C.
Amazing Chinese food in little Rhode Island...I never thought I could find such great authentic Chinese food outside of big cities! Loving their dim sum, tofu dessert, pepper sauce steak, seafood in birdnest, vegetable dumpling, chicken wings in peking sauce, beef teriyaki, soybean milk, lobster in ginger scallion sauce....the food is just so good that I always order more for next day's lunch! I fould out that the chefs are from 5 star hotels in GuangZhou, China (check out the poster and pictures by the entrance)...even Chef Martin Yan from "Yan Can Cook" recommends thier chefs.... Cannot miss this excellent chinese place when you visit Rhode Island!
(5)Tess W.
I really enjoyed the spicy green beans. Since the man and I eat totally different food...they made up just a plate for me and just a plate for him. He had lobster sauce with shrimps over rice. We shared the dim sum. Shrimp balls and pork balls.
(4)B L.
This is a great place for real Chinese food. I was introduced to Lucky Garden by a friend who is a serious foodie and has lived in Taiwan, and I have had other Taiwanese friends of mine vouch for its quality. Its very nice to be able to get dim sum in the Providence area, and I have yet to be really disappointed by anything that I've ordered here except for the stir-fried noodles on the dim sum menu. The servers are very efficient and friendly, and the kitchen makes a point to vary the menu depending on which vegetables are in season. Their biggest strength is simple stir fried vegetable dishes (try the peapod leaves if they have them), and of course they do a great job with certain dim sum specialties, like their scallion pancake, their har gao, their cha siu bao, and their stuffed eggplant and peppers. The fried homemade tofu is incredible too! I go at least once a month, and I have yet to get tired of it. In my opinion, its the best Chinese in an area where good Chinese is hard to come by. Friends who live in Boston say that it is better than a lot of places they frequent up there too.
(5)Kathy S.
Bad! Flavorless and small quantities. Only tasteful thing I ordered was the egg drop soup! The vegetable low mein was dry & bland...crab rangoon...well only got a spoonful each so still kind of bland. Wont go back. Pricey for no reason especially since noone was friendly or welcoming when I went to pick up order.
(1)Cassie B.
Had heard negative reviews of this place, but they were from so long ago, i decided to chance it. I went down to DC and had Dim Sum, and wanted to see if RI had anything to offer. Lucky Garden is super close to my house, so i dragged my family out to try it, and torture them with chicken feet. Looks kinda dumpy from the outside. Was no one there but staff when we got there around 11:15 on Saturday. Quick service and tea. They gave us a nice little picture book with the ordering menu, so that was pretty sweet. Who doesnt love pictures? Not all the pictures were labeled though. We got about...12 items from their Dim Sum menu, random meats on sticks, pork su mai, dumplings, pork special, turnip cake, and eggplant dish, and of course the dreaded CHICKEN FEET! ewww gross. All in all, there were some really great dishes, and some not so great. The Feet were mostly just weird, not as bad as i was expecting. Also, my mom is a vegetarian, and there were a good amount of things she was able to eat too. I love the sharing aspect of Dim Sum, so this was a really fun time. And its more personable than the huge dim sum places with the push carts where you dont reaaally know what your ordering.
(3)John F.
This place is my favorite chinese restaurant in RI. Dim Sum on the weekend or traditional hong kong menu anytime, also best General Tao in RI.
(5)L M.
Ok, I am from out of state, where high quality Inexpensive Chinese food is abundant and common. So, considering the minimum selection of Chinese food in RI, I suppose this place is actually considered "good" to people who haven't had decent Chinese food. I had a lunch special with fried rice and Kung pao chicken. Does anyone realize that this fried rice was actually about 4-5 days old, and was simply refried over again? The food/vegetables were definitely not fresh. I imagine the best bet would be to order deep fried food as that cannot be pre-made. Good points: The staff was friendly and accomodating and it was cheap.
(1)Kat F.
Excellent dim sum at reasonable prices. The turnip cakes, sticky rice dumplings with pork, and shu mai were good, but my favorite dish was lightly fried fresh tofu with ground pork and vegetables. The service was hectic but friendly.
(4)Laura H.
A friend of mine brought me here over the weekend for dim sum. Everything we tried was good - pork & mushroom congee (my favorite of the bunch), fried smelt, lotus leaf sticky rice (also a favorite) & steamed pork & veggie buns. Will definitely return next time I'm in the area.
(4)Vanessa M.
I love this place! I have been going here for 4 years now. I am particularly partial to the beef lo mein..it is absolutely perfect!! The staff is friendly and service is very good. They don't nag or pressure you, but they also don't leave you hanging. I will admit I'm not a fan of their fried rice, but everything else I have eaten is delicious! Not only is the food great, but you get loads of it for a very cheap price. They are by far my favorite Chinese food place.
(5)Michael C.
Great place for Chinese food, including Authentic dishes found in China / Hong Kong or any major US City. Fast and friendly service at reasonable prices, highly recommended!
(5)Bernie K.
My family and I have been coming here for twenty years. I am from Hong Kong so I know what Chinese food should be like. This is a very good Cantonese restaurant. They do have two different set of menus. One set for American and another menu for Chinese. For those who like the typical Chinese American food like chow mein and chop suey, they can order from the American menu. If you ask for the Chinese menu, which is in both English and Chinese, you can order authentic Cantonese food. My favorite is their Stir Fried Clams in Black Bean sauce. Their House Crispy Chicken and Roast Duck are both very good. The West Lake Beef Soup is excellent. Other favorite of mine are the House Home Made Fried Tofu, Salt and Pepper Pork Chop, Lamb Stew in Clay Pot, Yang Chow Fried Rice. By the way, the owners are brothers. one of them was the chef at a famous Hong Kong Hotel restaurant before migrating here some twenty years ago. Best authentic Chinese restaurant in RI, period!
(5)Paul M.
I've eaten here a couple of times and it gradually became worse and worse the more I tried. The fried rice is stale tasting most of the time and tastes like cardboard and they have successfully made General Tso's chicken that I won't eat. Not only that but when a friend of mine and I ate inside the restaurant (she's a vegan) she ordered a tofu and steamed vegetable platter, the tofu had an egg-like texture and even she despised...best to stay away.
(1)C. S.
Authentic Chinese Food! Great food in family-oriented restaurant,and prices are great! Dim sum is dee-lish, everything is great, but personal favorites are the Stir Fried Noodles (on dim sum menu), fried taro dumplings, steamed rice noodle with shrimp, and the calamari. For lunch or dinner, I recommend Beef Teriyaki, the chicken wings are the best around, beef chow fun, general tsao's chicken, and the fried taro bowl with veggies and seafood! They even offer steamed fish with ginger and scallion. For dessert, the coconut pudding is heavenly -- it melts in your mouth! The food is like Boston's Chinatown (but you don't have to drive the distance!) Everything is fresh and delicious and they offer specials on the board as you walk into the restaurant. Definitely always leaving with a very happy tummy!!! I highly recommend you go and try yourself - five stars!!!
(5)Benjamin F.
best chinese in rhode island, period. if you're not eating off the traditional cantonese menu, you're wrong! the taro duck they have here is absolutely out of this world. it's very well cooked duck and the taro itself is sublime! they are very friendly and speak very good english. if you're in the providence area you owe it to yourself to try lucky garden.
(5)Aina B.
So many dim sum dishes to try! Totally nondescript restaurant in out-of-the-way area- perfect recipe for deliciousness. The black pepper squid was great and the fried pork dumplings were fantastic. Can't wait to try more dishes again.
(4)Len L.
Just got back from a disappointing experience. We had finished a very good meal and were waiting for our check. When our last dish was served. Servers not paying attention gave our dish to someone else. Kitchen does a great job, servers are marginal !
(2)Alma C.
Very good Chinese compared to other Chinese restaurants in RI. I'd be ranking this restaurant higher than a 4 if it were not for the pricing, which is on the higher side of reasonable for the portion size, for example, pea pod leaves entree cost around $14. Still, for me it's worth coming here b/c the food is more authentic than most and the service is attentive.
(4)Beshka C.
Dim sum, yum. The only reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is the dim sum menu is small and on the safer side. Other than that, this place is great. After only going once the ladies remember that I like the chili sauce and now I don't have to ask. I mean, I am spoiled, right. Worth the drive to Johnston.
(4)Lexi D.
Lucky Garden is really a fantastic find. I've been 3 or 4 times and have always been super satisfied with my meal. I usually go for a dim sum brunch on the weekend. Admittedly I don't stray too far off the beaten path--no chicken feet or tripe for me--but what I get is truly fresh and delicious and perfect. My go-to meal is fried ravioli (similar to dumplings, but with a thicker skin), noodles, beef rice rolls, crab rangoons and whatever fresh green vegetable they have on hand sauteed with garlic. They have choi sum on the menu, which is similar to Chinese broccoli or broccoli rabe, but they had chive blossoms as a special last time I was there and they were out of this world! Garlicky, slightly oniony and perfect with the noodles. If you see them you must get them! This place is usually busy, but never really crowded, it's full of families and couples just enjoying a great meal in a relaxing atmosphere. Speaking of atmosphere, there's not much. Lucky Garden is clean and casual, but they're not trying to impress with beautiful decor. They have a lovely waitstaff of elderly Chinese ladies who are always ready with fresh tea and a good recommendation. Don't be afraid to point to pictures of what you want or to ask what other tables are eating, Lucky Garden is pretty inexpensive so it's a great place to be bold and try new things! Also, the egg custard tart dessert is awesome. Finish your meal with that.
(4)Grace R.
We used to come here for our weekly dimsum fix but now, it's totally different which they claim to be a more "focused, authentic Chinese menu". The restaurant had a full renovation with new chairs, tables and a much updated atmosphere. While it has a much nicer and welcoming interior, the staff and menu also had a make over too. The nice grandmas-Cantonese speaking staff are gone. The dimsum chef is gone; hence the traditional "dimsum sheet menu" is gone. They claimed they have a few "dimsum" dishes on their menu but really it's only 3: chicken feet, pork ribs and BBQ pork. We ordered all 3 and they are nowhere near the former dimsum quality. What pushed me over the cliff was the pork ribs came in portion of a super tiny ceramic plate in a metal container and they charge $7.95. You got to be kidding me. We asked the staff why and they pitied us and took off $1. I am not trying to be cheap but a dimsum dish should not cost more than $4 or so. The "chef specials" on the white board during lunch time are 50% off. Their pricing is a little all over the place and is inconsistent. We tried a few other dishes on the menu and they are average. They now conform to what the general public likes instead of sticking to real authentic Chinese/Cantonese dishes. I am saddened by this change.
(2)Greg T.
Do not be fooled by the older reviews. After several weeks of renovations, Lucky Garden is now under new management. The extensive menus of authentic Chinese cuisine are gone. The dim sum menu is gone. The "secret" desserts that aren't on the menu are gone. Lucky Garden exists in name only. When I asked our sever about a particular item on the old Lucky Garden menu, he responded that the new menu is re-focused on "authentic" Chinese cuisine and "authentic" Chinese ingredients. When I opened the new menu, I quickly realized that this was some sort of cruel joke. Apparently, the new owners of Lucky Garden are somewhat defensive when customers attempt to compare them to their predecessors. As I sullenly ate my vegetable lo mein and picked at nearly inedible scallion pancakes, I knew that this concern about unfavorable comparisons was well-deserved.
(2)ellen p.
Don't bother. New owners and new menu. All the good stuff is gone. So heartbroken. :(
(1)Bethani A.
We can't say enough about the fresh and amazing food at Lucky's. My husband and I always make a point to stop in with family whenever we are visiting RI. The pea-pod shoots and homemade tofu are incredible. We are vegetarians so Amy our favorite server and the chef were nice enough to make the taro root dumplings without the meat, insanely delicious! Every time we go the food is just as great as the last time if not better.
(5)Francis F.
Fantastic authentic sichuanese food. Lived in china for several years and have been looking for four years for authentic Chinese food in providence. At long last, these guys came along. Superb. Get the chicken in chili oil and the boiled fish in sichuanese chili oil. Really, really freaking good.
(5)Kristine R.
This family owned Chinese restaurant is the closest thing to "real Chinese food" in the area. None of that preheated fast-food/take-out Chinese food that scatters most of North Providence. As of right now they are undergoing some renovations so I've been deprived of my weekly fix of dim sum, congee and sticky wings w/ oyster sauce for quite some time. *shakes with withdrawals* Let's just say that it better be fricken gorgeous inside when they reopen! But, no for real. I've been going to this place for years and they have always been delicious, dependable and very family friendly.
(4)Thommee H.
It's painful to downgrade the rating. As others have mentioned, new ownership, new style (Sichuan, not Cantonese), no more Dim Sum (the few dumplings we tried, the wrapper was too thick, grainy, and gummy, and the filling was non-descript), 'nuff said.... The search for good Dim Sum in Rhode Island, unfortunately, has begun anew....
(2)Jack C.
Wow. I'm flabbergasted. This must be the definition of a single Yelp star. Wow. The first sign should have been the empty parking lot and the empty restaurant. Honestly, the young man at the counter seemed surprised that we were actual customers. He was friendly, but weird...he claimed that the menu has undergone some changes and a second chef has been hired to ensure their food was "more authentic." Uhhh, so how come you don't know what Fujian fried rice is (it was on their former menu). He recommended Yangzhou fried rice, "classic, you must know it." Yes, we know it, and it doesn't customarily have pineapple in it...and it isn't so ungodly salty. By the way, apparently the second chef is the very young man himself, as we witnessed him cloaked in white in the kitchen after taking our order... The second sign should have been the music, switching from traditional zither, to Michael Jackson, to Jay Chou. Actually, wait, that is pretty typical Chinese restaurant style. It's just so weird when the whole place is empty and that's all you hear. Finally, the waitress sealed the deal. She isn't Chinese, which is odd in a Chinese restaurant, but her demeanor is actually the real problem. You shouldn't say, "You want like a cup? It's only a dollar." when I ask for some white rice. And you shouldn't offer more water when the glasses are visibly empty and in a way that makes us fear to refuse. Most importantly, the food sucks. It isn't just not authentic, it's remotely digestible. Raw onions with sizzling beef that sizzles for 40 seconds...pineapples in the clumpy fried rice....chunks of celery and cucumber with flavorless meat in the kung pao chicken. It's all wrong. And the prices are through the roof for the quality you get. Horrible. Easily in the top 5 worst dining experiences ever.
(1)Linda R.
This is one the worst dining experience I've had in Providence. The restaurant was empty. The service was poor. And the food was not tasty. But it wasn't just the bad food...for some reason the whole dining experience was really odd. Supposedly this place was great years back, but sadly it's not worth visiting anymore.
(1)Roger W.
Lucky Garden and I go back a couple of years. I dig on dim sum, and they had the best dim sum in Rhode Island. Well, not anymore. I was jonesing for dim sum today, and went in for the first time in a couple of months. New owners, new décor, and no more dim sum menu. What? Well, ok, since we drove all the out there, I figure we might as well try it. The menu is a mix of American-Chinese and "authentic Sichuan" style, and while it's a little more interesting than an average American-Chinese restaurant menu, it's not going to cut it when you were hoping for dim sum. Disappointment aside, we tried the boneless sparerib, an order of steamed dumplings, and the spicy garlic eggplant. The sparerib, while tasty, was cold in the middle, evidence that it had been refrigerated and reheated. The dumplings were a little on the thick side. The eggplant, however, was surprisingly good; spicy, and flavorful, and enough for two people to share. Without a dim sum menu, there's no reason to go to Lucky Garden anymore unless you happen to be in the neighborhood and absolutely dying for Chinese food. For now, Phoenix Dragon in Providence is the new winner of the RI dim sum crown by default.
(2)Lauren M.
First, the restaurant clearly uses fresh vegetables, which is fantastic. Our dishes were full of carrots, peppers, and celery. However, the negatives outweigh the positives: 1) My husband ordered cashew chicken. It did not come with white rice, which was surprising since white rice seems pretty standard. 2) The cashew chicken was "padded" with celery. Lots and lots of celery, not a lot of cashews or chicken, even though it cost $10.95. 3) The shrimp and garlic sauce was disappointing. The shrimp were large and the vegetables were yummy, but the sauce was disappointing. 4) The fried rice lacked flavor. It had very little pork in it and was a dark, sticky mess rather than what it should have been. 5) The egg roll was red inside! Very odd. Very strong celery flavor. If you love celery, Lucky Garden is for you!
(2)Alvaro P.
poor service and food is tasteless. very mediocre place. we did take-out and and the portions were a decent size but there was hardly any flavor. we called to asked and were told that this is what we paid for (very difficult to communicate). at last we were told to throw the food away...
(1)Kris D.
No migraine chinese food. Yes, I am sensitive to msg, shocking I know. Struggled for years on finding chinese food that I wouldn't regret. Lucky Garden was suggested to me by a friend that also suffers from msg induced migraines. Luckily ; ) Lucky Garden is only a stone throw from my house! On my first visit I treated myself and ate in with hubby. We dived right into the dim sum menu and had mass quantities of hot fresh dumplings, steamed buns and fried noodles to delight our taste buds. On our second trip, we ate in with the kiddos this time and ordered not only too much dim sum but ventured into the traditional chinese menu. Pleased with all our selections besides the fried rice on the traditional menu and still no migraine. I am enjoying take out during our busy week nights. I savored kung po beef last night and sampled from my daughter the shanghai noodles. All very tasty. And don't over look the sweet asian ladies that take care of you, no mess no fuss at Lucky Garden.
(4)Paul B.
Drove 60 miles for which was without a doubt the best meal I've had in a long time. Get pork shank
(4)Athena K.
Unfortunately the new ownership has done away with dim sum. Chef Cam is no longer there (they retired) and the new management specialized in watered -down tea with Americanized Chinese food. There were some authentic options though our waiter was promoting a selection of fried ditties. I was sorely disappointed.
(1)Jimmy C.
Suckkss!! dont order the general tsao's chickk with fried rice.. the rice taste badd!! Alsoo dont order the chicken odon noddles no flavor at allllll!! P.s Im Asian
(1)Joshua A.
Me and fiancé visited his place for the first time today and we were honestly taken aback at how good the food was here. The service was amazing and the food was worth the money. The only reason I'd take away a star would be because of the pricing. The combo platters and certain items were priced appropriately but other things were kind of pricey. Other than that it's worth the trip out here.
(4)Nick M.
I was expecting a decent experience here given the generally favorable reviews. This wasn't the case, at least for me. To start, the interior is drab and run down. Not welcoming from a dining standpoint. The waitresses just stand there and watch you. Too much pressure. The food was bland and flavorless. The steamed pork buns just gave off an unpleasant odor from the steaming. It was off putting. The Siew Mai was completely bland and flavorless. I did like the fact that they handed you a picture book of all their offerings. Pictures were of actual items from the restaurant. All in all this wasn't worth the drive out here. I guess you really do need to go up to Boston to get good Dim Sum.
(2)Robin A.
We were fans of the dim sum and had a good meal under the new ownership. Went back tonight and the service was AWFUL and the food was very uneven. Too bad, because the menu is way more interesting than your average RI Chinese restaurant.
(1)Joey H.
My family and I have been going to Lucky Garden for years, but stopped for a while in favor of spicier fare at Sichuan restaurants. After hearing that Lucky Garden was under new ownership, underwent renovations, and changed to a Sichuan-focused menu, we decided to give it a shot. If you're a fan of sliced celery and julienned carrots, you picked the right restaurant. The spicy boiled fish had 6 pitifully small fish slices over a huge mound of celery and carrot. It's a shame that the decently flavored broth was wasted on such a ridiculous amount of filler veggies. The shrimp with cashew nuts had the smallest shrimps I'd ever seen in any restaurant, not just Chinese. They were roughly the size of pennies, with tons of roughly chopped cucumber and a tiny sprinkling of cashews. They should rename this dish "shrimp with cucumber". The hunan stir-fried pork belly had a decent flavor, but again, there was far too little meat and far too much veggie filler for the price. Calling this food "authentic" is laughable. The flavor is almost passable, but the way they pack every dish with a small mountain of cheap flavorless veggies makes me feel like I got robbed for the exorbitant price. If you're looking for authentic Chinese food, you won't find it here. If you're looking for cheap Chinese food, you won't find it here either.
(1)Sherman Y.
What's wrong with this place? why they keep stressing about the so called "authentic" chinese food? Dose "authentic" mean high priced small portioned funny named so so tasted not our average chinese food? All i know is the lucky garden i loved was gone and i can no longer go there for dim sum or anything! I used to go there hungry and leave happy and satisfied, but i left hungry and angry yesterday! I'm not surprised to see so many reviewers had the same feeling with me after they reopened. To those old lucky garden fans, we might need to drive little further to kings garden in cranston for our dim sum!
(1)Beezer C.
Though lots of people are complaining about the change in ownership and lack of dimsum, and though i agree that I miss having a go-to dimsum place, their food is amazing! Really authentic. The pork in garlic sauce cold appetizer brings me back to my childhood, as does the boiled chicken. Fried coconut cream for dessert is excellent, if too rich-tastic at the end of a rich meal. Today was our second visit and we are going to keep coming back.
(5)Malinda C.
I wont be back again. YECK YUCK YUCK. Ok here we go. All the fried food was greasy, the oil in the fryolator had not been changed in quite some time just dripping with oil! We ordered mostly dim sum, chicken feet bland, Shi Mi was OK, Pork filled sticky rice buns dripping with oil and pork had a funny taste we did not finish that,,,to scared. Sesame rice balls had very little sesame paste, and we were not even 1/2 way through the meal and they brought out the coconut tabioca dessert that was ok. Pork fried noodles - bland bland bland did i say bland. At the end of the meal she asked us if we wanted to take it home it - we only took 2 fork fulls, we said no it was bland she just came with the check and never offered to credit us. She then took the credit card and dissapeared for what seemed like 20 minutes. We left a $1 tip. SIde note husband is a professional chef and we are in the food business, WE HAVE NEVER sligted anyone on a tip - this was i hope the 1st and last time.
(1)KD S.
I love this place!the fact that this 3mins away from my house is he reason i tried it out. Ita a small gem in this area.the outside might let you think to turn away and try another place but it is worth a try. Very authetic dimsum.i loved the suimai,and hargaw(idk how its spelled but its the shrimp dumpling)my favorite is the beef brisket noodle soup,best tasting in the area.i was a little disappointed with the salt and pepper squid but over all its a very good place.definitely coming here once a week
(4)Audrey C.
Being from Los Angeles . . . I know that the very best most authentic Chinese food can often be found in totally nondescript strip malls, and it just so happens that Lucky Garden is located i one of *the most* nondescript strip malls - cuz I've been there at least a dozen times and still practically drive past it EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Love love love your dim sum. Love love love your so-so-so very authentic Chinese food. Pea Pod shoots . . . YUM, General Gao's Tofu?!?! YES!! Like, I swear fresh silken tofu deep fried but not greasy and so light. So delicious. Your scallion pancake . . . not so much . . . but hey, not everything is gonna be a home run. My friends and I have been making dim sum trips for some time now . . . and they are right up there w/ some of the better places in Boston. No carts, but the food comes out fast and hot. Lucky Garden? Yes. And Lucky Providence - cuz there's finally an authentic Chinese restaurant that is worth going to.
(5)Sweet H.
I loveeeeee this place! I am a student from HK and I have been craving authentic Chinese food since then. I sampled many Chinese restaurants in RI and just keep getting disappointed. I was really craving dimsum until I found this place. I used to have dimsum with my mom every week in different restaurants back home and I can tell whether something is good or not. This place is not the best I ever had, but it is definitely above average. I will give it a 8 out of 10 across all the dimsum restaurants I've ever been. Given its price and variety, it is definitely the best deal. I won't even go to Boston for dimsum anymore. The best (yes I cite form their online menu cause I only know the Chi name): Salt and pepper calamari Fried Taro Dumpling (can't even easily find that back home cause it is old fashion) Fired Sticky Rice Dumpling Steamed To-Fu Wrap Oyster Sauce (Pork) Steamed Fried Dough Rice Rolls Stir Fried Egg Noodle Jelly Fish (challenge yourself!! my American friends loveeee it!) Some of them I don't really like cause I had better Pan Fired Turnip Cake (Not enough turnip) Sticky Rice Bun (not enough flavors compare with others) Steamed Roast Pork Rice Rolls (the beef is better) Clams in Black Bean Sauce (again, not enough flavors) My boyfriend is complaining that I write too much. Time to go =D But I am going this weekend!
(5)Man C.
This is unfortunately not the old Lucky Garden. It's all new ownership. There us no more Dim Sum. Unfortunately it's so far been an abysmal start. I order the VSP rib lunch special and it was literally ONE rib with some white rice. For 8 bucks too. This is a shameless money grab and I will never come back. I miss the old Lucky Garden.
(1)Yvonne Y.
If this were in other metropolitan areas, I'd give it 3 stars. However, extra star for providing dim sum in RI! Large portion and the food is decent, likely steamed warm from frozen. Great variety of all the basics and even has soy milk (sweet and savory) and congee.
(4)Brian L.
I had dinner here with my fam, and from the outside, it looked like a bum take out restaurant. I was wrong in that regard. It's located a bit away from Providence, but you get to drive through a small neighborhood, which is leisurely. The food is authentic, but does that warrant more stars? Not to me if the food just isn't up to snuff (like Philly/NYC Chinatown). I try to rate by genre - and this genre is sit down Chinese where the prices are between $12 - $16 per dish. We ordered the snow pea tips (not bad, tastes like normal), shanghai choy (I prefer the Shanghai tips, but they didn't have them, this was fine too), beef short ribs with onions (it's sizzling, but didn't have peppers, which is NEEDED, but otherwise, flavorful), fried half chicken (usually one of my fav dishes for some reason, but they added some sort of flavor to it which ruined it for me), and young chow fried rice (eh). Overall, it was a fine dinner, which is 3 star material. Would I go back? Sure, if I were in the Providence area and wanted a sit down Chinese. Would I ever crave it and say "man, I could go for Lucky Garden" - no, definitely not. One note - I do hear the dim sum is really good here, which I feel like I should try. So skip dinner, and come for brunch Sat/Sun and get the dim sum and tell me how it is.
(3)Barbara W.
BEWARE: New owners, new menu, new pricing! All are disappointing, Food is bland, so few spices, however it is high priced. Greeter is loud and overly helpbul. Great decor, but that's about it. Go somewhere else for Chinese food! We won't go back.
(1)Angela D.
Dim sum! In Rhode Island! AMAZING! Came here with my roommate after finding it on yelp. Thanks yelpers for the great advice! The place was pretty legit and had all my faves: siu mai, har gow, footballs, pork buns, turnip cake, sesame balls, shrimp flat noodles, and dan ta. This isn't the best dim sum ever, but it'll have to do. They don't do the traditional cart service, but they have these picture books for you to figure out which dim sum you want. Pretty great. This will be the place I hit up when I need a dim sum fix. If I'm not mistaken, I think they only serve dim sum on the weekends.
(3)Richie R.
I have been going back and forth between 3 and 4 starts. The reason is this: I usually go for dim-sum on weekends, and the dim sum quality is certainly not great. However, there is no other place around here (other than traveling 45 minutes to go to Boston's chinatown) that serves dim-sum that is even comparable. Has things that are good even compared to Boston or New York, but others are disappointing. Try these: -fried tofu with shrimp and scallion - shrimp and scallions, covered in a tofu skin, then fried - crunchy outside, tender inside, delicious! - shao mai - good quality - bbq pork steamed buns - great Avoid these: - vegetable dumplings - bland and soggy - beef tripe/tendon - not cooked right, pieces are too big, chewy and not flavorful enough Just OK: - turnip cake - har gao (shrimp dumplings)
(4)Nai De L.
There may be better Chinese restaurants, and there may be more authentic Chinese restaurants, but not anywhere near convenient driving distance from Providence. So if you want Chinatown-quality Chinese food and you live in or around Providence, for the time being, this is the place to go. Now, for all you "crab rangoon" or "general Tso's chicken" eaters: that's not Chinese food, and this may not be the place that makes these pseudo-Chinese dishes the best, you better go elsewhere. For those of you who enjoy or want to get to know real Chinese food: make sure you get the Hong-Kong-style menu, and the special sheet, and of course the Dim Sum menu. Try things like the jelly fish, which is wonderful on a hot day, or the chicken ginseng soup, or the pork-conch-herb soup, or the ton-bor pork (chinese BBQ), or... ...the list is long, and the food is great. You may have to wait a little bit, because this isn't some chink fast food place, this is real Chinese cuisine, made on premises, not some industrial junk like PF Chang. Real food isn't instant... I was all over Taiwan, in SF, NYC and Boston China Towns, and this place is competitive with all of it. That isn't to say you may end up not liking real Asian food. But don't knock the place because you don't have a palate for Asian flavors, or because you don't get the pseudo-Chinese-American food you expect from having been at other "Chinese" restaurants, or because that sort of food isn't quite as "good" as elsewhere if you do get it: in all of these cases, you're simply at the wrong spot. On the other hand, if you look for real Chinese food, you are at the best spot near Providence. NOTE: there are usually THREE menus in this place: the American-Chinese Menu (what white people are expected to order and like), the Hong-Kong-Style Menu (which you get when they know you like that sort of stuff or show up in company of some Asian people), and the menu with the Chef Specials, plus the daily specials written on the black board near the entrance, and then the Dim Sum Menu. As far as I'm concerned: stick to the Hong-Kong Style Menu, the Chef Specials, the blackboard and the Dim Sum menu. You can safely ignore the American-Chinese Menu, it's not the food you go to Lucky Garden for, and you can get it elsewhere better, if you like that sort of stuff.
(5)Denise P.
Lucky Garden does not serve up MSG and goopy brown sauce-laden food for American eaters (though there is a menu of more typical Chinese-American fare). Make sure you get the Chinese, American and dim sum menus. You will get food that is fresh and well prepared. I often notice workers cutting vegetables and rolling dumplings and won tons by hand in the dining room. Get the tender pea pod leaves in their delicate sauce when in season. The homemade salt and pepper tofu has a slightly crispy exterior and tender, flavorful interior. My mother hates tofu, but will eat this dish. The dim sum menu is full of inexpensive, well-prepared foods. The other thing I love about this restaurant is the service. The owner waits tables and seats guests. She will make good recommendations, remember what you like, and ask how your family is doing. We called for takeout after our son was born and even over the phone remembered his birthday and asked how he was. We feel it is "our place."
(5)Joseph D.
I have drove by this place a hundred times and never stopped in... until recently. Checked it out for lunch on a Saturday to sample their dim sum menu. It was pretty darn good. People definitely do not go in for the decor.. very plain.. old sort of drab interior.. or the atmosphere... it was Sat afternoon, with maybe 3 tables full and there was no background music.. so it was super quiet and a bit awkward.. and the 2 ladies working there were kind of just standing there watching the few tables eat.. but taking all of that into account... The food was good. Thats the message I really wanted to get across. I think we ordered like 10 things. Some I liked, some I didn't. the spring rolls we're tasty, so we're the steamed pork buns, and scallion pancakes. The gyoza weren't bad either. Stopped in a few nights later to grab some take out. The general Tsao's chicken is good, all white meat, fried rice was above average and not greasy at all, and the crab rangoons, well we're crab rangoons.. how can cream cheese, specs of fake crab and delicious fried wonton skins be bad. All in all an above average dim sum and chinese take out place.. definitely my new go to chinese take out joint in the Centerdale area.. sorry Best Eastern
(3)Jennifer D.
Don't believe the hype. The food was bland and uneventful. Save your time and money. go elsewhere!
(1)Neil B.
I have followed this restaurant since it first opened in Warwick many years ago. The chef/owner was very accomplished in Hong Kong, then head chef at Foxwoods. Now I see they have added two additional chefs from China. Also recognized as very accomplished. I took my family to Lucky Garden on New Year's Day for Dim Sum and was very pleased, as usual. I highly recommend the Shui Mai. They are unlike any I have ever had. In addition to daily dim sum menu, there are TWO other menus to chose from. All seems to be authentic China Town Style cuisine.
(4)D. C.
Great Dim Sum spot for a small restaurant. Nothing fancy about this place... just great food. Have been coming here at least once every week or two and have not been disappointed yet. The service can get quite slow during peak hours when it's packed due to understaffing... but that's my only complaint.
(4)Cory K.
My most recent visit was a bit underwhelming. Nothing we tried was particularly inspired or delicious. My favorite dish- salt and pepper fried squid had no pepper or flavor. Squid tentacles still remain a perfect specimen for frying and at least it wasn't over fried, but maybe the chef is different on Sunday than Saturday... I've also tried their stir fried Malaysian squid because it was a lunch special that I've never seen before. I guess there is a reason for that...it was overcooked, rubbery squid tubes and mixed veggies in a bland sauce. Maybe I'll be back to try that Salt and Pepper squid again- or if I'm really craving a pork bun but I can't recommend going out of your way for this place...even if it's one of the only Dim Sum places around.
(3)William A.
Happy Chinese New Year! Come here once, and you probably won't go anyplace else. Here for New Year cake. I have a few friends from China, this is one of only a few places that they will eat at.
(5)Julie B.
I've ate a lot of Dim Sum in Montreal and always looked for a good one in R.I. I found it! The service was great and the selection was pretty nice, we ordered 7 plate of different dim sum, meat and vegetarian for a total of $22. I've had better, but these are pretty damn good without having to go to Boston. We'll definitely go back and bring friends there. A definite keeper :)
(4)Peggy H.
This place is a hidden gem. Make sure to order from the HK menu. Everything is delicious, but bring a group so you can try a bunch of different things because the portions are huge.
(5)Nicole W.
The food was good and the restaurant seemed clean. However, I was not overall impressed with the food.
(3)Francisca W.
(review dated 8/08): among the few authentic chinese restaurants in RI to begin with (i.e. excluding the takeout "woks"), few have quality food. lucky garden is a happy exception to the rule--i never expected to have such quality in a non-metropolitan city. dim sum is absolutely above par--even better than SOME places in boston. had a few lunch/dinner dishes and rice/noodle dishes over the time; they are authentic (NOT american-style) and mostly thumbs up. they are also very accommodating to non-chinese speakers: staff can handle english, there's bilingual menu (and there's no chingrish in there!) for the chinese dishes, also an "american" menu w/the "woks" food... i even saw they served butter and bread to a pair of american couples last time--in a CHINESE restaurant! so whether you go for dim sum & authentic chinese dishes, or if you suddenly crave a general gao's chicken while in the area, this place is the place to go. p.s. and i am NOT saying this just bc this place is owned by my friend's family. i wouldn't have left a comment at all if it was not meeting my standards.
(5)Prianna C.
Amazing Chinese food in little Rhode Island...I never thought I could find such great authentic Chinese food outside of big cities! Loving their dim sum, tofu dessert, pepper sauce steak, seafood in birdnest, vegetable dumpling, chicken wings in peking sauce, beef teriyaki, soybean milk, lobster in ginger scallion sauce....the food is just so good that I always order more for next day's lunch! I fould out that the chefs are from 5 star hotels in GuangZhou, China (check out the poster and pictures by the entrance)...even Chef Martin Yan from "Yan Can Cook" recommends thier chefs.... Cannot miss this excellent chinese place when you visit Rhode Island!
(5)Tess W.
I really enjoyed the spicy green beans. Since the man and I eat totally different food...they made up just a plate for me and just a plate for him. He had lobster sauce with shrimps over rice. We shared the dim sum. Shrimp balls and pork balls.
(4)John B.
Very bland flavorless food. Was expecting more after reading other reviews.
(2)B L.
This is a great place for real Chinese food. I was introduced to Lucky Garden by a friend who is a serious foodie and has lived in Taiwan, and I have had other Taiwanese friends of mine vouch for its quality. Its very nice to be able to get dim sum in the Providence area, and I have yet to be really disappointed by anything that I've ordered here except for the stir-fried noodles on the dim sum menu. The servers are very efficient and friendly, and the kitchen makes a point to vary the menu depending on which vegetables are in season. Their biggest strength is simple stir fried vegetable dishes (try the peapod leaves if they have them), and of course they do a great job with certain dim sum specialties, like their scallion pancake, their har gao, their cha siu bao, and their stuffed eggplant and peppers. The fried homemade tofu is incredible too! I go at least once a month, and I have yet to get tired of it. In my opinion, its the best Chinese in an area where good Chinese is hard to come by. Friends who live in Boston say that it is better than a lot of places they frequent up there too.
(5)Kathy S.
Bad! Flavorless and small quantities. Only tasteful thing I ordered was the egg drop soup! The vegetable low mein was dry & bland...crab rangoon...well only got a spoonful each so still kind of bland. Wont go back. Pricey for no reason especially since noone was friendly or welcoming when I went to pick up order.
(1)J C.
Fabulous Dim Sum! Having lived in Vancouver, Canada; Boston & New York City, Dim Sum seems like a life staple to get me through.... So Lucky Garden has become a wonderful place to get my fix. I especially love the xio bao or chinese rice buns and xio mai... yum... P.S. you must try the desert tofu :)
(5)C. S.
Authentic Chinese Food! Great food in family-oriented restaurant,and prices are great! Dim sum is dee-lish, everything is great, but personal favorites are the Stir Fried Noodles (on dim sum menu), fried taro dumplings, steamed rice noodle with shrimp, and the calamari. For lunch or dinner, I recommend Beef Teriyaki, the chicken wings are the best around, beef chow fun, general tsao's chicken, and the fried taro bowl with veggies and seafood! They even offer steamed fish with ginger and scallion. For dessert, the coconut pudding is heavenly -- it melts in your mouth! The food is like Boston's Chinatown (but you don't have to drive the distance!) Everything is fresh and delicious and they offer specials on the board as you walk into the restaurant. Definitely always leaving with a very happy tummy!!! I highly recommend you go and try yourself - five stars!!!
(5)Benjamin F.
best chinese in rhode island, period. if you're not eating off the traditional cantonese menu, you're wrong! the taro duck they have here is absolutely out of this world. it's very well cooked duck and the taro itself is sublime! they are very friendly and speak very good english. if you're in the providence area you owe it to yourself to try lucky garden.
(5)Michael C.
Great place for Chinese food, including Authentic dishes found in China / Hong Kong or any major US City. Fast and friendly service at reasonable prices, highly recommended!
(5)Bernie K.
My family and I have been coming here for twenty years. I am from Hong Kong so I know what Chinese food should be like. This is a very good Cantonese restaurant. They do have two different set of menus. One set for American and another menu for Chinese. For those who like the typical Chinese American food like chow mein and chop suey, they can order from the American menu. If you ask for the Chinese menu, which is in both English and Chinese, you can order authentic Cantonese food. My favorite is their Stir Fried Clams in Black Bean sauce. Their House Crispy Chicken and Roast Duck are both very good. The West Lake Beef Soup is excellent. Other favorite of mine are the House Home Made Fried Tofu, Salt and Pepper Pork Chop, Lamb Stew in Clay Pot, Yang Chow Fried Rice. By the way, the owners are brothers. one of them was the chef at a famous Hong Kong Hotel restaurant before migrating here some twenty years ago. Best authentic Chinese restaurant in RI, period!
(5)Paul M.
I've eaten here a couple of times and it gradually became worse and worse the more I tried. The fried rice is stale tasting most of the time and tastes like cardboard and they have successfully made General Tso's chicken that I won't eat. Not only that but when a friend of mine and I ate inside the restaurant (she's a vegan) she ordered a tofu and steamed vegetable platter, the tofu had an egg-like texture and even she despised...best to stay away.
(1)Cassie B.
Had heard negative reviews of this place, but they were from so long ago, i decided to chance it. I went down to DC and had Dim Sum, and wanted to see if RI had anything to offer. Lucky Garden is super close to my house, so i dragged my family out to try it, and torture them with chicken feet. Looks kinda dumpy from the outside. Was no one there but staff when we got there around 11:15 on Saturday. Quick service and tea. They gave us a nice little picture book with the ordering menu, so that was pretty sweet. Who doesnt love pictures? Not all the pictures were labeled though. We got about...12 items from their Dim Sum menu, random meats on sticks, pork su mai, dumplings, pork special, turnip cake, and eggplant dish, and of course the dreaded CHICKEN FEET! ewww gross. All in all, there were some really great dishes, and some not so great. The Feet were mostly just weird, not as bad as i was expecting. Also, my mom is a vegetarian, and there were a good amount of things she was able to eat too. I love the sharing aspect of Dim Sum, so this was a really fun time. And its more personable than the huge dim sum places with the push carts where you dont reaaally know what your ordering.
(3)John F.
This place is my favorite chinese restaurant in RI. Dim Sum on the weekend or traditional hong kong menu anytime, also best General Tao in RI.
(5)Kat F.
Excellent dim sum at reasonable prices. The turnip cakes, sticky rice dumplings with pork, and shu mai were good, but my favorite dish was lightly fried fresh tofu with ground pork and vegetables. The service was hectic but friendly.
(4)L M.
Ok, I am from out of state, where high quality Inexpensive Chinese food is abundant and common. So, considering the minimum selection of Chinese food in RI, I suppose this place is actually considered "good" to people who haven't had decent Chinese food. I had a lunch special with fried rice and Kung pao chicken. Does anyone realize that this fried rice was actually about 4-5 days old, and was simply refried over again? The food/vegetables were definitely not fresh. I imagine the best bet would be to order deep fried food as that cannot be pre-made. Good points: The staff was friendly and accomodating and it was cheap.
(1)Laura H.
A friend of mine brought me here over the weekend for dim sum. Everything we tried was good - pork & mushroom congee (my favorite of the bunch), fried smelt, lotus leaf sticky rice (also a favorite) & steamed pork & veggie buns. Will definitely return next time I'm in the area.
(4)Vanessa M.
I love this place! I have been going here for 4 years now. I am particularly partial to the beef lo mein..it is absolutely perfect!! The staff is friendly and service is very good. They don't nag or pressure you, but they also don't leave you hanging. I will admit I'm not a fan of their fried rice, but everything else I have eaten is delicious! Not only is the food great, but you get loads of it for a very cheap price. They are by far my favorite Chinese food place.
(5)