Jane F.

We always loved Shanghai Garden. Reliable good food and service. Orange beef with veggies, hand shaven noodles with veggies, chicken with cranberry sauce and popcorn chicken with basil were our top favorites. Service is decent, too. So why 3 stars? 1) Ambience could be better for sure; 2) high prices. We last went there a couple of weeks ago and noticed their new menu books. Upgraded and better than the old ones for sure. And any wise person would know that with revised menu books comes price hike. We didn't remember exactly how much food items used to cost and ordered and ate as usual. When the check came, it was almost $100 for the abovementioned entrees + Mongolian beef and brown rice It may not sound that bad; however, it is quite pricey for Chinese food at a non-upscale restaurant and small-medium size servings. I took home a copy of their new to-go menu and compared it with the old one I have. I was right... Everything increased by at least $1.50, with all of their seafood items starting at $18. Steamed rice got the lowest price hike ($0.50) and brown rice is now $3/person (up from $2). Food is good, yes, but we won't be dining here frequently. August Moon is very good, too, and does delivery.
(3)
Eneri S.

I come here for the steamed dumplings and barley green hand shaven noodles. Both are excellent! But they could add more noodles in the ratio of noodles to vegetables. Service is always good. Ample parking.
(4)
Melissa N.

Although it may seem like another chinese restaurant on the outside, it is a complete unique experience you wont find anywhere else. They treat you with respect and very kind. The food is out and ready to eat within 10 min and is always top quality. My husband and I are sure to go there at least once a week.
(5)
Andy T.

AMAZING FOOD!!! HAND SHAVEN NOODLES ARE INCREDIBLE! You will never eat a better thick noodle again with beef or chicken too! The people are nice and place is clean and not run down at all!
(5)
Jeff C.

3.5 stars but I'm rounding up when comparing it just to other Chinese places. "Americanized" Chinese food doesn't get a whole lot better than this place. The thing I like a lot about this place compared to many other Chinese restaurants is the food isn't overly salty (its salty, but not TOO salty.) Service is good and friendly. The place is huge so never a wait. A little on the pricey side though. Probably the best Hot & Sour Soup you'll ever eat. Only downside to this place, and this isn't necessarily unique to just them, is that many of the dishes have too much sugar in them in my opinion. The sweet sauce on the Crispy Beef and General Tso's Chicken are too examples that come to mind. It's like eating candy to the point the meat is really only there for texture and is completely drown out by the sauce. This is pretty common though amongst Chinese restaurants. But hey, everyone knows us Americans crave our salt and sugar. They have plenty of dishes on their huge menu that are not drown out by the sauce so you can actually taste the meat and veggies. Their hand shaven green barley noodles are excellent! Experiences at a place like this can easily vary wildly depending on what you order. This place is no exception. I think it takes several trips to try a variety of dishes at places like this to form a well-informed opinion. I think even the most jaded diner will find something on the menu they really like. It might just take a little time. There's a relatively new place in town that I'm anxious to try that may win me over for my Chinese craving based on what I've read.
(4)
Jody S.

Ok came here due to everyone's reviews and I have no idea how anyone can say this is good food or they have the best hand shaven noodles. I have had hand shaven noodles at Szechuan Chef in Bellevue and Spicy Talk in Redmond. By far they are the best. I ordered the Hand shaven soup with Chicken and it was a couple noodles, tasteless chicken, and green things that I think was a veggie of some sort. It was blah, I would have rather had Chicken noodle soup out of the can. My friend ordered chicken with vegetables and it was tasteless as well. I will give them a extra star for service. It was good and happy people working there. Really want great Chinese food go to Spicy Talk in Redmond. The BEST ever DAN DAN Hand Shaven Noodle soup ever. They beat any place on the east side and Szechuan Chef in Bellevue is also outstanding and has awesome Hot Pot too..
(2)
Rupali G.

If you love good food and flavors, dont visit this place. You'd rather drive to China Town. After a recommendation, we ventured to Shanghai and was extremely disappointed. Flavorless food and tasted like frozen meats. Much older crowd - 65+. Not for younger people on a Fri/Sat night looking for fun ambiance. Run down outside, pink interior walls, bad furniture. Ordered crab cakes and the waiter forgot. He was polite, but food was disappointing.
(2)
Chuck P.

What a pleasant surprise. We went on Friday night. We had tried to go to Jaks, then a small Italian place down the street, both were nearly an hour wait so we went into Shanghai Gardens and we were so very pleased we did. The vegetable dumplings, general tso's chicken was awesome. My wife liked the honey shrimp and the fried rice was perfect. 5 stars and we will definitely be back.
(5)
Melissa F.

Four stars for the food, three stars for the price. Shanghai Garden is one of the best on the Eastside, and definitely the best east of Bellevue. The hand-shaved/barley noodles are the best! You pretty much can't go wrong with anything you order here. We've tried several dishes, including the Shanghai dumplings (which were okay), and liked everything. Boo on the high prices.
(3)
Naomi o.

Our new favorite Chinese food spot. Yum so good. Love, love the hand shaven noodles and hot & sour soup. Seriously some of the best noodles ever. My husband is super picky about his hot and sour soup, and has had some of the best, says this is up there as one of the best soups. The only thing he hates is the soup spoons. Crispy sweet chili shrimp is yummy too. They even serve hot tea with your meal, free. Very friendly staff! A previous reviewer claimed "They won't allow you to bring outside drinks into the restaurant". I had *bucks and was not turned away.
(5)
Susan E.

Our family loves Shanghai Garden! My son even wants to work there when he's of working age. We've been coming here for over 10 years. The people are friendly and the food is fabulous! We've ordered most everything off the menu and it's all very good. The barley green hand shaven noodles are so good that when my family visits, from MN and OH as soon as they're off the airplane they want to go to Shanghai Garden. I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Melanie B.

This place has been my go-to Chinese for a decade. Seriously, it's just plain awesome. I always do take-out, so I can order plenty and enjoy the next day. I've taken to ordering TWO servings of the barley green pot stickers. You really can't come here and not try them, holy hell they're delicious. The barley green shaven noodles are out of this world, too. So much barley green, I can't help myself. I love the chicken with ginger and garlic as my entree, and I throw in some veggies with my brown rice. Really, really good food. It's convenient, quick to order (for to-go at least, I haven't sat down in there for years), and everyone's so warm and friendly.
(5)
Andrew P.

I'm a big fan. My Chinese friends and colleagues have been taking me to Shanghai Garden in the International Dist. for years. That's testament alone - when your friends from China pick this place over others, it speaks volumes. Service is fast and unobtrusive. Nothing makes me happier than to have this location near my home.
(5)
Kyle S.

Amazing Crispy Chicken in Sweet Chili Sauce, Cashew Chicken, Strawberry Beef, Crispy Chicken in Sweet & Sour Garlic Sauce, Hot & Sour Soup... The list goes on. The staff is awesome as well, very friendly.
(5)
Kathy M.

We ordered Hand Shaven Chow Mein and I thought it was okay. We also ordered Bean Curd with Garlic Sauce. The bean curd was over cooked and there were way too many peanuts. The Sesame Chicken was way too sweet and the sauce was sort of liquidy. The chicken tasted like it came out of a can. The eggrolls and chicken fried rice was delicious, though. I'm very sure we won't be going here again.
(2)
Andrew C.

I've had to mark this place down for two reasons. 1. They won't allow you to bring outside drinks into the restaurant. I don't ever remember being denied entrance into any restaurant b/c of this silly rule. If you just bought a cup of joe, or milk tea as in my case, think carefully before you have your meal here. 2. I've just discovered another local Chinese restaurant that makes this place seem downright mediocre. I won't name names, but you can Yelp to find out.
(3)
Rachel D.

This is by far the best chinese restaurant in the east side, easily. I have been going here since I was a kid when it first opened. Shanghai has never waivered in its standards for quality ingredients and friendly service. You can always count on fresh food and smiling faces! Parking can be hellish on busy nights when the back lot and street are full, but you can park over at front street market and its about 2 minutes walking distance. The food is mouth watering, savory, and absolutely delicious. If you don't like it, you probably have broken taste buds from eating crap for too long. Seriously. My favorite dish is the Crispy Shrimp and Sweet Chili sauce... try it!
(5)
Bill B.

I should have listened to our friends ... the farther away you are from China, the worse the food gets. There seems to be a wormhole on I-90 between Seattle and Issaquah! Maybe we were just really hungry but we decided to give this place a try. Pot stickers = overcooked mystery meat. I think the dough was made by Wrigley's. I'd rather have Spam wrapped in a tortilla. The rest of dinner was so memorable, I've forgotten what we had. Reality was not met with the expectations set in the overpriced menu.
(2)
Alan B.

I have been working in Issaquah for 5 years and today was my first time here. A few of my co-workers has been here before and they liked it. The place is pretty nice. The price for the lunch special is fair, but I feel the regular dishes price is a little high. My co-workers ordered Gen. Tso Chicken and Cashew Chicken launch special and they seems to like it a lot. I ordered something different, Braised Beef with hand shaven noodle soup + 3 stars for the spicy. The beef is nice, shaven noodles are great, and I like the soup. Although the price is a bit high, but I am planning to come back and take my wife with me.
(4)
Corliss P.

Probably the best Chinese food you can get on the eastside! My family gets take out from here from time to time. Their hand shaven noodles are awesome. I also like their Mongolian beef and their honey walnut prawns. Great place to eat before seeing a show at The Village Theatre.
(5)
james j.

What a great meal! It had been awhile and the last time we were there a few years ago, it seemed uninspired and tired. But friends suggested that we give it a renewed look, and bow are we glad we did!! Must be new chef, because everything we ordered off the "featured menu" was full of seasonal vegetables (pumpkin and short ribs? Pumpkin noodles? Yeah!!!) and similarly fresh tasting ingredients. Steamed dumplings were good, brown rice was perfect, sauces interesting. Will most definitely be back sooner! Keep up the fresh ideas!!!
(4)
T. C.

While this isn't the very worst Chinese food I've eaten, I've had some Panda Express (when starvation dictated that it was the best looking option in a mall-type setting) that by far exceeded what we got tonight... First and foremost, the pricing is incredibly steep at $12-17 per entree on average, but the reviews were positive and so we went ahead and wasted $70. We decided on some pretty standard dishes just to test the waters and compare and here's the epic fail on each: Broccoli Beef - seriously, you're getting just that...broccoli and beef. No real flavor to enhance the veg or meat. The weak and runny sauce is a joke, and there's not even any coloring on the meat to suggest some searing in the pan. Szechuan Chicken - ummmm, did someone confuse this with another dish in the kitchen? There wasn't much besides chicken in the container, a few pieces of red bell pepper and some water chestnuts. The sauce was a little sweet but mostly just sour. Like a really bad tart sweet and sour, sans breaded meat. There was ZERO heat to this. My husband joked that the $12 cost all went towards the fancy cut of the two carrots we got thrown in as garnish. UGH. Sesame Chicken - What? Really?!? This was definitely sweet and sour chicken (only not pink/red) and sprinkled with sesame seeds. And there was nothing but chicken and two small pieces of broccoli in the entire container. The sauce was both runny and goopy at the same time (yes, its possible) and the flavor was just an overpowering YUCK. Once again, no heat to this what-so-ever. Chicken Chow Mein (with the special handcut noodles) - I don't even know what to say about this really. The sauce, which it desperately needed, was all over the bottom of the bag when we got it. It might have been really good, had the sauce been over the noodles, which by the way were 3/4 inch wide and resembled a really thick papardelle - in case you might be expecting the Americanized chow mein. This dish had the most potential based on flavor, even though it was disgustingly greasy. That said... I wouldn't come back here. Not ever. Not even if your favorite Chinese Aunt said it was the closest thing to the food she grew up with. :/
(2)
Nik L.

Shanghai Garden is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. Their hand shaven chow mein with shrimp is incredible, along with their barley green hand shaven chow mein. So savory and delicious, it will be your new obsession once you try it! They also have amazing pan fried meat dumplings, barley green dumplings, and sugar pea vines. The waiters and owners are very friendly, they have just been quite busy lately because of the review in the Seattle magazine. I have been going to Shanghai Garden with my family for years, and it is a fun place to bring kids. I now come with my friends all the time and it is always wonderful.
(5)
Kevin W.

One of the best Chinese restaurants I've tried in the Seattle area. I'm from San Francisco, so I've been spoiled there. But when it comes to fresh delicious variety, Shanghai Garden hits the spot. I just went here on my birthday, and I had a great time stuffing myself. I am fortunate to live so close to this place. Shanghai Garden is located on Front St. in the heart of "old downtown Issaquah." There's a slight backup during rush hour on Front St. all the way from the Front St. exit on weekdays and weekends, but be patient and you'll still be there in few minutes after you get off the exit. There is plenty of parking because they have a side lot and a public parking area in the back. The restaurant is clean and very spacious. There are tons and tons of tables so I doubt you will have to wait at all to be seated. There is also plenty of staff, so service should not be a problem. Many have average english-ability, but be patient and basic and they should understand you. The menu has a wide variety of Chinese and "Shanghai" dishes. We are always a fan of the sweet and sour beef/pork/shrimp. We Chinese say that this restaurant has good "wok power" meaning that they have the technique and power to cook and fry foods quickly while retaining a lot of flavor. This is especially apparent in the sweet and sour garlic beef because the beef is quick fried then tossed again in a wok with the sour sauce. Their tofu dishes are also very good and filling. The "Happy Roll" dish is very filling - chicken, mushrooms and veggies wrapped in tofu skins, then smothered in sauce and served on a mini wok with a flame to keep it very hot. Their noodle dishes should not be passed on either. All their noodle dishes are flavorful and plentiful, and we particularly like the 'rice noodle cake' dish which is thinly sliced rice noodles sauteed with chicken and some squid in a soy/oyster sauce. It can't be a Shanghai style restaurant if they didn't serve some kind of dumplings. We had the "Little dragon dumplings" many times here and they are always juicy and flavorful. On this occassion they also served a small dish of spicy garlic sauce, which I assume was to be eaten with the "Happy Roll," dish, and boy was this sauce good. Very garlicy, yet sweet/sour and a bit of spicy kick. The food came out blazing fast after we ordered it - literally about 3 minutes after we finished ordering. Expect nothing less from a Chinese restaurant! I wonder which restaurant pumps out food faster...Shanghai Garden or Cafe Ori... My only complaint is the prices. Being from San Francisco, I'm used to these dishes being priced about $1 to $2 less, but the prices here are acceptable, considering there aren't many options for good Chinese food in the area. Choose Shanghai Garden for all your Eastside Chinese food needs, or when you're on the way back from Snoqualmie - guaranteed to fill and warm you up.
(4)
Scooby W.

Finally some good Chinese food. Not the best interior design but who cares. The food was great. We had the Dumplings, House Hand Shaven Noodles, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Sesame Chicken and House Fried Rice. Yes, it was enough food to feed an army. Highly recommend it. For ambiance, I will take it to go and eat on the deck while enjoying the view.
(4)
Quintin D.

I'll make this short and sweet... Must order: Hand-shaven noodles, grape chicken, strawberry beef (or fish). And bring an appetite! Everything else that I've ordered has never failed to satisfy.
(5)
Dave L.

We love this place. Try the handshaven barley noodles. They are unreal.
(5)
Matt F.

Best Chinese food in Seattle! A great, family owned and run, local Chinese restaurant! The hand shaven noodles are a must, and their Beef with Oyster sauce is out of this world! The prices are a bit high, but the food is worth every penny!! Enjoy!
(5)
Crysta L.

Service wasn't so great -- we went on a Saturday or Sunday around 11 and isn't wasn't very busy but you would have thought it was since the dervice was so slow. One of our dishes actually arrived after we had finished eating, we actually assumed that they had forgotten it. The Hot and Sour soup is unique, doesn't taste like your traditional Hot and Sour soup (had more of a vinegar tasting base to me). We ordered a couple chicken dishes, also, that were good - just can't remember exactly which ones (one might have been general tso's). Avoid the vegetable pot stickers/gyoza -- they smell like grass and are definitely not good. Overall it was average.
(2)
Nancy A.

II've eaten lunch here several times. Every time the food is fresh, delicious, fast, and reasonably priced. They don't use msg and the wait staff is friendly and very helpful. Enjoy!
(4)
B B.

Delicious! I have been there a couple of times and am never dissapointed. good, well priced food and excellent service. If only I could find a chinese place this good and reasonable near me!
(5)
Christy M.

We just ordered a ton of takeout from here yesterday - which we "imported" to our side of Puget Sound and had re-heated in the microwave for dinner (I know, kind of sacrilege) .... but nevertheless, the food was really tasty, the staff couldn't have been friendlier and the price was more than right! Really liked the Shanghai dumplings and sauce - we look forward to eating there again!
(4)
Bjorn E.

News flash of the day...we have good Chinese food in Issaquah! It's been an Asian themed week for our work groups, and I decided to give Shanghai Garden another try. I had a lunch special there once, and was pretty underwhelmed. Today we decided to go with the chicken with hand shaven chow mein, and I was impressed. I'm pretty well versed in the hand shaven world of Seattle, and while this is no 7 stars pepper, it was alright for a one horse town. It wasn't spicy at all, so we kicked it up with some Siricha and chili oil. The flavors were there before adding the spice, and the hand shaven noodles were really fresh. We also had the pan fried meat dumplings, which were basically steamed dumplings that were finished in the pan to give them a crisp bottom. Another solid dish, and the dipping sauce was a sweet garlic blend with vinegar and jalapeno. Not traditional, but a nice compliment to the dumplings. Bravo Shanghai Garden, we will be seeing you again soon!
(4)
Daniel J.

Good food, good service, convenient location, okay ambiance. The food was well prepared and very tasty. A great place to take the family or friends. Probably not a good place to impress a first date. The cost was high enough that I won't be going back too often but I will go back.
(4)
Julia P.

The only time I've ever been disappointed in Shanghai Garden is almost every Monday night when I think "I don't want to cook dinner, I'm getting noodles!" and I remember that Monday is their day off. My standard order looks like steamed or pan fried dumplings, combo friend rice, kung pao beef and, the thing I look forward to the most, chicken hand shaved noodles. These noodles are to DIE for. I could easily eat the whole thing by myself, if my husband would allow it!
(5)
Chris P.

Although the company was great, and the service was top notch I thought the food was just kind of 'meh'. I ordered a crab stuffed baked avocado I thought would be pretty good and then the mushu pork.
(3)
Nick G.

MmmmMMMmm. So after reading multiple reviews on Shanghai Garden via Yelp I decided to give it a try. My initial judgment of any Chinese restaurant is the percentage of actual Chinese people eating at the restaurant. There was maybe 1 Chinese person eating at the time and that was my girlfriend. Fortunately it didn't matter too much as the food was surprisingly GREAT. We ordered some shrimp dumplings and some of the house noodles and we were all LOVING it. As a family we typically go out for dim sum after church on Sundays so we have our preferred styles when it comes to Chinese restaurants and Shanghai Garden did not disappoint! Will definitely be coming here more often.
(4)
Lindsay T.

Outstanding service and amazing food, had the general tsaos and my hubby had chicken in garlic sauce. Neither was soggy or the least bit bland. We will be back
(5)
Scott B.

This is a perennial family favorite. Great Ma-Po Tofu when I am feeling like an authentic peasant, and great Orange Chicken when I am feeling American. My wife and daughter love the Mushu.
(5)
Ryan H.

Super good chinese food. Quick, hot, fresh and homemade. And didn't break the budget. I had their 'speciality' and it was a great dish of these really thick noodles. Highly recommend. As others have said, it's interior is a bit drab, but who cares you're there to eat.
(4)
Paula K.

Best Chinese food I've had. The dumplings (pot stickers) are more like meatballs - I have had the regular and the green barley and they are equally as delicious, please don't deprive yourself of an order! Flip to the back of the menu and try the hand shaven barley green noodles, they are amazing! I also see a lot of tables ordering soup so next time that is on my list. Portions are very good size, my Mom ordered the sweet and sour crispy chicken and it was enough for 4 people. Service is hit and miss but the food is so good I can overlook that part.
(5)
Jeanco L.

It is not good! It is not the real Chinese dishes! Never eaten Chinese dishes bad like this!
(1)
YT C.

GREAT SERVICE + unique Chinese food. Whether you're Asian or not, you will enjoy the authentic Chinese food and service ! The waiter was so thoughtful and friendly, that I thought Nordstrom got into the Chinese food business. You may see there's another Chinese around the corner - Mandarin Garden. I suggest you NOT go there but choose Shanghai Garden.
(4)
Angie K.

My visiting family wanted one last meal with me before the long road trip home. With many of my go-to Issaquah restaurants closed on Sunday at 3:30pm, I turned to Yelp for some help. Shanghai Garden sounded promising and we made our way there for dinner. Our group of 7 had the following items: - Shanghai dumplings - Asian crab cakes - Salt and Pepper Squid - Braised Spareribs with Green Onion - House Special hand shaven Barley noodle - Sauteed snow peas with mushrooms - Crispy Chicken with Strawberry sauce Our waiter kept harping on us to order more food and I'm glad we stopped where we did. For a family of big eaters... we didn't finish a single dish. I don't even know where to begin... Crispy Chicken with Strawberry Sauce Ok, I would ordinarily stay away from a dish like that. But a fellow Yelper recommended it so we gave it a try. Um... let's just say it was deep fried cubed chicken with a watered down Smuckers strawberry jam sauce. It was served with 3 frozen (yes, frozen, meaning rock hard and frost still covering them) strawberries. The frozen strawberries caused the sauce to thicken to a goop and the chicken to get cold. It was sickeningly sweet and ridiculously gross. If you like orange chicken, just stick with that and don't stray to other fruity flavors. Asian crab cakes The description sounded good but the actual dish was less than inspiring. Think paper thin crab cakes the size of a dollar pancake. Who makes crab cakes wafer thin??? I think they just took frozen crab paste, flattened it out, deep fried it, and served it with a chili mayo sauce. And charged $12 for the pleasure of eating it. Shanghai Dumplings You know it's a bad sign when Dad bites into his dumpling, spits it out, and smells it. He said it smelled rotten... then that it smelled very strongly of pork. Since the dumplings are made with pork, we call ate our dumplings. Bad call. It most definitely smelled like pork... the day before you throw it away. The remaining dishes were ok at best. The hand shaven noodles are truly fresh with the chewy goodness of homemade noodles. The dish itself was bland and uninspiring. With our meal rounding out to over $120, it was a meal that was painful to eat and painful to pay for. All in all, stay away from this restaurant! I know it's suburbia Chinese food, but c'mon people, there are plenty of restaurants that can serve up a tasty meal without killing your wallet. And we didn't even talk about the aftermath... let's just say my parent's 4+ hour road trip home required more than a few rest stop breaks. And I had the pleasure of going home and feeling nauseous for the rest of the night and into the next day. If you want bland, expensive food that gives you the runs, go to Shanghai Garden. Otherwise, go enjoy some of the other great food Issaquah has to offer!
(1)
Patrick B.

Avoid during the holidays. The food is pretty good, but not great. We've tried Shanghai Garden three times over the holidays and the wait has been long and the service has been both slow and poor. Today we waited 1/2 hour for a table, 10 minutes for menus, and the had part of our order slowly brought to us over the course of 1/2 hour. Nearly every item we had to request twice. After nearly an hour and three requests our main entrees still hadn't arrived so we asked to have them boxed up to go. They apologized and offered us fried ice cream but we didn't want dessert - we wanted dinner. Some places are worth the wait. Not here.
(2)
Linda L.

Overall: This place is ok...if you want a bout of food poisoning Considering most people rant and rave about Shanghai Gardens... I couldn't wait to try it. I initially gave this place 2 stars, but it's now going to be 1 - it gave me diarrhoea and the cramps. We were greeted with a large fish tank at the entrance with a few colorful fish swimming around in it, including two clown fish - I guess we've found Nemo and his mate! We were seated promptly. The restaurant looked kinda empty despite it being 6:30 pm. A huge pot of tea arrived at our table as we were getting comfortable and delving into the six page menu. The tea was amazingly weak and I couldn't make out what it was. Eventually we ordered the Shanghai steamed dumplings, house special hand shaven noodles (with prawns, squid and chicken), sizzling beef platter and one serving of brown rice. We were TOLD that the dumplings would take a bit longer. Before we could say "Jack Flash", our mains arrived. Let me break this down: - House special hand shaven noodles, despite all the rants and raves about these noodles, they were nothing to write home about - my mother can make these. They were thick-ish noodles of 1cm wide and about 1-2mm thick in longish strips, it came with exceedingly salty scrambled eggs and the squid and prawns were overcooked and rubbery. But in general the dish was well seasoned, but very oily. - Sizzling beef platter, this as the name suggests was quite big - it is a P-L-A-T-T-E-R. It came with its own warming/heating thingy-me-jig. The beef was tender and not tenderized with cornstarch - evidence of the "GOOD WOK POWER" (or maybe it was just tenderized with potato starch?), the broccoli was crunchy and fresh, the sauce was quite sweet but had a general good, well-bodied flavor and was thickened with corn/potato starch. - Brown rice, this looked very peculiar - it looked like they had scraped it off an old pot of white rice and colored it or something. It was irregular and uneven in color, although it tasted ok - I really couldn't make out what it was. It did have the appearance of the Tsuru Mai California brown rice (found in Uwajimaya), but who knows? - Shanghai steamed dumplings - what a disappointment! Eight of these precious little things came in a steamer insert. They arrived late as we were finishing out mains, but we were TOLD. I picked one up and could tell that there was very little filling inside. The pastry was thick and had no "chewy" texture as I'd hoped for. On biting into a little bundle of "joy", I was greeted with a load of juice. The meat itself was well seasoned, however, it was very soft and had no texture. On eating my second and third dumpling I realized that the "juice" that came out of each dumpling was liquid fat (you can see it). These dumplings were without a doubt made from very fatty meat, seasoned, then placed into their skins/wrappers - when cooked the fat then comes out of the "meat" and leaves that "juicy" or fatty pool. Eurgh. The good thing about this place is that they don't knowingly add any msg seasoning (other than what is included in soy sauce etc). This was very true - I'm very msg sensitive, on tasting an msg-dish I get this horrid dry yacking feeling on my tongue, this was not the case in any of these dishes we had. The service is quick, efficient and not intrusive. The restaurant is large for the location and is spacious, you can't hear other people talking and the music isn't too loud. Our bill came to $41.40 (including tax and tips). I really would have loved to love this place, it's a short walk from our house - but sadly I don't think we'll be going back. In general, the food was ok but was cooked in loads of oil and not what I'd expected. It is such a shame...
(1)
Andrew R.

Chinese food in the United States is all hit or miss, and anyone will tell you that it's mostly miss. I've been to China and Taiwan and I've had bad Chinese food in both of those places not to mention right here in Bellevue.Chinese food is best in China, but the right mind, tools, and a good staff can make it work in any suburban strip mall. When you find a place that has that most elusive of all things, good Chinese food in Factoria, it is a cause for celebration. Shanghai Garden is one of those oases one only finds after years of searching in the desert. Their Kung Pao chicken is superb (an excellent barometer, in my opinion, of most Chinese kitchens) -- just enough peanuts, spicy, flavorful and plenty of it. (Generous portions are de rigueur.) If you've gotten this far in the SH Garden page, you've probably seen the highlighted buzz word "hand-shaven noodles." I am here to tell you that this Google algorithm stuff is to be believed because the hand-shaved barley noodles are perfection. are a speciality all around China, and to find, for such reasonable prices, genuinely (hand shaven) noodles is a treat. Another treat not to be missed are the , i.e. potstickers. They are made using the same hand-rolled barley dough that is used in the noodles. You will pour a little of the black sauce with a chili floating in it on top, take one great chopstickful, and never look back. If you have any inclination to Chinese food (and who doesn't?) and you live within 50 miles of the I-90 Richards Rd./ Eastgate exits you must try Shanghai Garden. And don't worry: the prices are so super low (a typical order of KP chicken, , and -- a lot of food and more than enough for two -- is less than $25 not incl. tip) it doesn't matter how much gas you burn getting there.
(5)
Josh B.

Superb Chinese food. Tastes different than most Chinese restaurants I've been to in the states. 'Homemade' hand shaven noodles. Atmosphere could be better. Service has been good and bad.
(4)
Alaya C.

Mmm... Fat baozi style dumplings, skin thick enough not to break, but thin enough for a delicious texture in your mouth. Thick chewy noodles that are perfectly flavored. Delciously sticky rice, tender juicy chicken and great sauce. This is the place for a Chinese fix in Issaquah/Sammamish. The place is so good the Anti-MSG God works here. (Actually IDK if they have MSG. You get the point) Just walking by the place gets your hunger attached like a drug addict. High as b... Nevermind. Just go there. Make sure you get a lot of variety! Shanghai Garden!
(4)
Geoff R.

There just aren't many Chinese restaurants that you can take someone who gets migraines from MSG to, and this is definitely one of the few out there! We regularly go as a family, and end up taking several containers of left overs home with us to enjoy the next day. The shanghai dumplings cooked pot-sticker style are good, they are definitely juicy inside so be careful. Our usual dishes are the Triple-delight, crispy cranberry shrimp or chicken, house special fried rice and the dumplings :) we will pick one or two other dishes at random to fill out the variety. We have never had a bad meal there, and yes, sometimes the service is a little chronologically challenged, but they have always been friendly and have good service and warn us if something is going to take longer than the other items we order.
(5)
Scott O.

In the pantheon of Seattle-area Chinese restaurants, I give Shanghai Garden big points for quality, fresh and consistent fare and just the right balance of professional and friendly service by career serving staff. Somehow, they've managed to bring the right balance of city-quality dining to a suburban small-town environment. I have been coming here since the mid-90s, pretty much soon after they opened, so I'm not kidding when I say they are consistent! Yes, they have beef and broccoli and other suburban classics. But they also feature hand-shaved noodles, shrimp with pea vines and dishes such as pork with dry tofu and leeks. The menu is mostly Taiwan-meets-America, so there is a freshness & lightness to the cooking, just no stinking tofu (as far as I know.) Each and all are cooked with care using fresh, quality ingredients. The lunch menu is a great value and worth the trip from my downtown Bellevue office. All in all, recommended for nearly any occasion, anything from a date to dinners with friends & family to out-of-town guests.
(4)
Jason M.

Great Chinese food in Issaquah! The hand shaven noodles are supreme and the moo shoo is also great. My personal favorite are the barley green pot stickers. I've been coming here since it opening and it continues to impress.
(5)
missy c.

We came here for lunch earlier this week and was greatly disappointed because the reviews for this place was so high. I got the schezuan chicken and my BF got the mongolian beef. We were surprised to see that on our plates were really small portions of what we actually ordered and came with items that were were not expecting, like fried fish and pickled cucumbers. The beef was ok but the chicken was too sweet. The prices were on the high side for lunch specials and their dinner prices didn't look any better. We will not come back here because there are too many other places to try out.
(1)
Roslynn M.

Cashew chicken, spicy cucumbers, & hand shaven barley noodles.
(4)
Jane J.

We had a very disappointing dining experience. The same basic sauce was served on each dish. There were very few vegetables and they were soggy. The service was indifferent and we left feeling regret that we wasted our money and time. Fool me once...
(1)
Corene C.

The great test is loving a place and then going back and loving it even more. Well - we went back...tried more delicious dishes and we are still in love with Shanghai Garden! The green 'healthy' noodles are wonderful - just order them.
(5)
Christina G.

Nom Nom! This place is good! I have been to the Issaquah location and to their location in the International District - both are great. I took one of my foodie friends with me that isn't crazy about Chinese food, and she loved it too. The sauces are not too thick/sticky and I've never left there feeling like I OD'd on MSG. Hand shaved noodles are to die for, seriously. So, so, good. The chicken in sweet chili sauce is amazing, and the chicken is not over-breaded. The dumpling appetizer is great - I could practically drink the dipping sauce it is served with. The orange beef was a delightful surprise and might just be my new go-to dish there. The only downside is that it seems a little expensive, but I must say, it is worth the extra couple of dollars.
(4)
hongman l.

First time visit - food's good, albeit pricy. We ordered fried bean curd with chef's speceal sauce and a dish of veggie fried rice. The tofu dish definitely did not seem like it was worth 10 dollars; it only came with a plate of 10 big pieces of tofu and a small bowl of sauce on the side. We thought there would've been other things on dish, but nope. The fried rice seemed standard, but good; not worth 10 bucks tho. Waitress was nice ... perhaps even over eager to serve for more tip. It seemed like she was at our table every few minutes to fill our water. It could be that we were pretty much the only ones left before closing that night. I'd come here again to try a different dish.
(4)
Michael P.

Best Chinese close to Issaquah. Friendly staff, great food, good prices, especially for lunch.
(5)
Julia Z.

Their hand-shaven noodles are really good, though not as good as the Shaghai Cafe in Factoria. Vegetables here all really fresh, and the chef clearly pays attention to ingredient quality. We've never had anything that wasn't just perfectly bright and vibrant if it was supposed to be, and I appreciate that. I have lots of friends who love this place like no other and it's definitely miles above the average greasy-spoon American Chinese place. The decor and service are better than average too. Parking can be difficult here in the smallish lot that they have and then the public lot behind them is available too but is often nearly full as well. This is a minor annoyance and if you go during the week it should be OK.
(4)
Jen S.

Mmmmmm. Hand shaven noodles (barley version or regular) are worth the drink. Orange beef, grape chicken or strawberry chicken may sound weird but are so delish. Love the potstickers & dumplings too. Haven't had a bad meal here.
(4)
James K.

We ordered 8 dishes and unfortunately none of them were good, and most of them were over priced. Maybe they had a really off day, but this place appeared to be a bad Chinese restaurant. I was embarrassed when I left this place with my family and friends. Just goes to show me that 4 Yelp STARS in Issaquah can't be trusted every time.
(1)
Greg T.

Excellent... the first thing to know about all the Shanghai Gardens (Issaquah, Seattle, Factoria) is that the food comes exceptionally fast. The whole meal typically arrives hot, fresh, and delicious in 5-7 minutes. This is not the place for a leisurely Chinese banquet... It's the place for a quick, satisfying meal. Everything is good, but our favorites are the pot stickers, Kung Pao Chicken, Pea vines with bean curd sheet and mushrooms, the hand-shaved noodle dishes, Crispy fish in chili sauce, the stir fried meats in Szechuan garlic or black bean sauce, the whole fish dishes. Also, the portions are big.
(4)
Brian H.

The service was good. The food was passable. The menu was deceiving. When we placed our order from the lunch menu, we were told that the lunch menu is invalid on weekends, meaning it costs more and doesn't come with soup or rice. Why did they give us a menu that's not valid? Why did they wait 15 minutes to tell us that it's not valid? Seems like a variation of bait and switch. I will not be back.
(1)
Jean-Paul D.

Stopped in for a quick lunch on our way back home. Heard good things and tried the following dishes: Mongolian Beef- Kung Pao Chicken and the House Shaven noodles . Dishes came out super fast and all three were delicious. Unlike most Chinese restaurants the flavors were delicate and the proteins were actually cooked well, of good quality and not just coated in sauce. I would recommend the noodle dish which I had as a stir-fry the flavor of the garlic sauce was an delight. I will definitely be back on my next passage !
(4)
Teressa L.

Another one of our last minute decision dinners let us here. It's on the main street going through Issaquah, but we found street parking right outside. Inside we were greeted warmly and offered table or booth. While several others eating, there were still plenty of table/booth choices. There is another side to the place as well. Not being from the Seattle area...meaning my background of asian food is very limited...I was really clueless about the menu. Some things were obvious, but there was a lot we had no idea what it was. However, the young man serving us was very good about my questions. And for one meal offered to take out the chili sauce so my very picky eater would like it. And that meal ended up being our favorite of the night! We loved the dumplings. Amazing. Could come eat just though. Delicious! The tea they served was good. I don't normally care for that type of tea, but I had multiple cups. The portions were decent. We got 3 meals for our family of 4 and we still had some leftovers. We also had white rice with our meal. The meals were tasty, not overly spicy, and the meats tender. We were pleasantly surprised how much we enjoyed this place. Our server was great and the other servers didn't hesitate to fill up water or answer a question if we had one. Super nice people. We will be back and perhaps get more daring and try the unknown on the menu. But I gotta have those dumplings first....
(5)
Jen L.

I came here for just dessert with a friend, because this is the only place I know that offers fried ice cream in an egg roll, which is what I was craving. The waitress was friendly although we were only there for dessert. We arrived around 8pm after dinner, and the place was pretty empty with just one table. The last time I was here was several years ago, and I don't remember ever seeing this place busy, though it may be the timing, as I am usually there around 8pm. I don't remember how the food is at this place, but I do plan on coming back to try the food considering the friendly service.
(4)
Katie S.

Only place I ever go for Chinese food! Service is excellent and the food is even better. Great for big groups or just you and a date. I always get the hand shaved noodles with chicken, General Tsao chicken, and bbq pork fried rice.
(5)
Elina K.

I've written a review about Shanghai cafe because I thought that specific restaurant was my favorite of the Shanghai's but I decided to finally try the Issaquah location out since its way closer to me. Honestly the food was pretty much the same but the service was 94727385832737 times better! They were actually very polite when I ordered on the phone and when I got to the restaurant to pick up, they immediately greeted me, struck a conversation while I waited for the food, and even gave me all the hot sauces, soy sauce, silver wear, and fortune cookies to go which the other places don't do!!! My new favorite place to get my favorite hand shaven barley green noodles
(5)
Sandra L.

We ordered take out last night: Green Barley shave noodles with chicken, Szechuan wontons, and Moo Shu Pork and pancakes. I was disappointed with the barley noodle dish, it definitely lacked salt, and the noodles weren't hand shaven like they use to be. I didn't like the Szechuan spicy sauce on the wontons, but my spouse thought it was okay, the Din Tai Fung version of this dish is a lot better. I won't order that again. The Moo Shu dish and pancakes was okay, but they must have changed chef's cause it use to be one of my favorites at this restaurant. Service was very good. Prices at this Chinese restaurant are a bit higher than other Chinese restaurants in the area.
(2)
Michael B.

Everything on their menu is good - my favorite being the honey walnut prawns. One of the best ones I've had and you get a pretty decent portion. It is a little bit on the pricey side but a nice treat every now and then. Haven't eaten in the actual restaurant, always get take out. The staff is always very nice and there are a lot of tables inside. Neat fish tank to entertain the kids. Shanghai Chow Mein is also really good with the shrimp - lots of flavor! There seems to always be a couple parking spots in the side alley right by it, so keep in mind since Front Street can be a little hard to find parking sometimes.
(4)
Courtney L.

The hand-shaven noodles here are the BEST. It's basically Chow Fun, but tastes similar to the fried noodles at Din Tai Fung - what an amazing combination! Unfortunately the portion sizes are smaller than expected for the price. Our table of 10 ordered two orders of the hand-shaven noodles, but that still didn't go around the table so we had to get a third. The portion of beans was also pretty small and too salty for my liking. My mom only got two beans! Usually at other restaurants we have leftovers, but every plate was clean by the end of the lunch. Except for the noodles, there is nothing special that distinguishes Shanghai Garden from other Chinese restaurants in terms of flavor. The service is always great though - the waiters are friendly and attentive. They brought out our orders quickly and with a smile.
(3)
Jennifer L.

Really enjoyed my meal here. Loved their Hot and Sour soup.
(4)
Sarah M.

I've adopted this place as my new local favorite. I always leave here feeling stuffed to the max. The restaurant is located in downtown historic Issaquah - they have parking on the side of the restaurant which I've never had a problem finding. The inside is very cute - I think it's hilarious that as art, they have pictures of their food but in frames. We started with the hot and sour soup which is really different from most that I've had - you can taste an overwhelming amount of sesame oil but not in a bad way. It's also a bit peppery. Tasty though. We then had the pork steamed dumplings. We were warned that we had to wait 15 minutes for them...and I'm glad that we did. They were hot but incredibly fresh and came with an awesome ginger soy dipping sauce. For the main entrees, we had beef with broccoli, black bean chicken and the barley green hand shaven noodles. I LOVED the barley green hand shaven noodles. The green kind of freaked me out at first but they are incredibly good. I'd order them again. It was probably my favorite entree out of everything we ordered. The broccoli beef was also really good. I liked the broccoli better than the beef - the beef was a little fatty but the sauce was thick and sweet which I loved. My last favorite entree was the chicken in black bean sauce. The chicken had too much basil for me and really dominated the flavor. The servers were all really sweet and were really on top of things like clearing plates and refilling water. Can't wait to come back!
(4)
Jeff H.

I was referred to Shanghai Garden by a friend who lives in the area. My benchmark for any Chinese restaurant is to test their General Tso's chicken. Yes, I know it's not a "real/authentic" Chinese dish, but it's my barometer (much like a spicy tuna roll when having sushi). The General at Shanghai was good, but it sadly seemed to be a bit under seasoned. It lacked the "punch" I've become accustomed to. That said, the portion was massive (which was good as I was ravenously hungry). I'd come back for another visit if I was in the area to see if I could get my General with a little more heat next time. I think Shanghai has great potential, and I'm interested to see if it'll be able to fully realize that promise someday soon.
(3)
Amy W.

Truly I love this place. Service is always prompt & friendly, and I've gotten to know the owner, Betty. Food is wonderful (as it is in the I-District location). Among my favorites are cashew chicken, three-ingredient sizzling plate, and especially, the homemade barley green noodles. Also love the chicken corn soup (smallest size is for 2). Just great Chinese food with a healthy twist. Absolutely my favorite in 2 states (Cali/WA).
(4)
Wei H.

Don't go if you are looking for real Chinese food. This is a typical American chinese restaurant with some good reviews. I ordered sweet sour spareribs, a very traditional and classic shanghai style course and general tsao chicken a very typical American Chinese course. Neither of them are even closer to what they should be. Totally disappointed...
(1)
Lorrin C.

Had to come into Issaquah for a new headlight and wanted Chinese food different from our usual hang out. This was it. The place is kept spotless as evidenced by the gal not only wiping the tables down with sanitizer but the chairs as well. I wonder if the younger generation has taken over. The staff has a good positive attitude even after the folks at the next table complained about their garlic chicken wings being too garlicky. The food was good. We had chicken corn soup. Ordered two cups and the waiter said for $2 more we could get a bowl which was five servings. Soup was fine. They had a pork belly dish which was not the kau yuk I seek but it was tasty. The veggie dish we had was ok but I would get something more robust next time. The bean curd roll in the hot pot was good as usual. In all, we enjoyed our meal. The one complaint I have is we were in the side room and it was too dark to read the menu. I basically knew what I wanted but did pull out my phone so I could use the flashlight ap. Also, I like to have my dishes come out closer together and rice should be one of the early on things. That's it for this report.
(4)
Nikki N.

One of the best wonton soups we've ever had! Stopped in based on the yelp reviews, and definitely didn't regret it. The Shanghai Dumplings were a little more doughy than we're used to but still delicious. We also had the dry sauteed string beans and the triple delight, both of which were amazing. Service was stellar; our water glasses were always full but not in an intrusive way. Thanks!
(5)
Reena E.

I like trying all kinds of food specially Asian, specifically Chinese. I read the reviews on this place and my friend and I decided to try it, since many others rated it pretty high. When we went in, first impression was good. The restaurant was clean and the staff was friendly. Since it was lunch, we went for the lunch special. Service was so quick - but way too quick, I think the food was just reheated. I could tell the rice was not fresh. Yes, can't be picky about the rice, but when you can tell that it was cooked hours earlier and reheated several times, then there is a problem. I was pretty excited about this place, but I think the experience was bad enough, I will not be going back there again. :-(
(2)
Alice G.

This restaurant is a true gem. The people who run it and the servers are fabulous. They are professional and truly always happy. The hand-shaved noodles are delicious. This place always shines.
(5)
Evon S.

Came here for lunch today for the first time in years during a visit from out of state. Shanghai Gardens has long been my favorite Chinese restaurant, and today it didn't disappoint. We started with the delectable vegetarian hand shaved noodle soup. The meat options are good, too, but don't underestimate how filling the veggie version can be! The broth alone was simply fantastic. Great start. After soup the wife and I had a lunch portion of the Mongolian beef (perfectly cooked with really tasty Shanghai noodles - she loved it!) paired with my all-time favorite dish anywhere: sweet & sour pork spare ribs. Omg, those spare ribs. I could write a song extolling their delicately crispy exterior, the heavenly texture, or even the perfectly balanced sauce that inevitably smothers my rice, but I'll spare you. Instead, you should go there right NOW and order your own little plate of heaven.
(5)
Wing L.

Americanized shanghai food, giant portion, taste good but quite oily~ Pros: Good flavor and big portion. Drunken chicken appetizer is awesome! I love how they use chicken thigh but not rough chicken breast which makes this dish very smooth, silky and delightful. Cons: Their xiao long baos and steamed dumplings are incredibly large. Would love to see them to be made in a more delicate way. The pan fried vegetables are always way too oily. I have to use water to degrease them before eating and I can see how much oil is floating on top of it. * Be sure to order the meat on bone for the 3-cup chicken. It makes a huge difference. It's much more smooth, flavorful and delightful than having rough and coarse chicken breast meat
(4)
David G.

Hand shaven noodles were great, as seen in yelp reviews. The kids loved the two large fish tanks and the food.
(5)
George M.

Stopped for lunch after a walk through Issaquah downtown with the kids. The place was empty except for a couple tables. We ordered the house special fried rice with the house special hand shaven noodles. Both of the dishes came out quickly and were cooked well. Service was excellent and both dishes tasted great. Will definitely come back. Highly recommend
(5)
Rachel D.

I have been going to Shanghai Garden since they opened in 1996- I was 9 years old. The food has consistently been amazing and worth the asking price. The service is always good. I never have to worry about flagging someone down. Some of the entrees can be pricey if you're going alone, but the lunch specials are a great option in that case! Some of my favorite dishes through out the years: Barley Green Pot stickers- these things are addicting, simply delicious. They come with a dipping sauce that is equally to die for. Crispy Shrimp in Sweet Chili Sauce- I have had this dish at other Chinese restaurants but it is NEVER as good. The breading is so light and the sauce is perfect House special fried rice- Most Chinese places have this dish, but Shanghai doesn't skimp on it. You get TONS of protein in it, so delicious! Shrimp with sweet pea vine- this dish is super healthy, very flavorful, and a really good way to balance out heavier dishes you may get. Fried icecream- ... Um. Just get it. Eat it fast. So good. Also, most people working there speaking English, Mandarin, and Cantonese- and speak it well! Highly recommend this place for gourmet Chinese food lovers!
(5)
Kenny C.

One of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the west coast for sure. I really like the steamed juicy dumpling and the hand shaved noodles. Make sure the dumpling cools down before you take a bite. It's really hot.
(5)
Shanna M.

Been there done that. Food is more on bland side, won't come back again. Great service though.
(2)
Lexy W.

My favorite Chinese restaurant. Noodles are not to be missed and the service is friendly and super quick. Both International District and Issaquah locations are good.
(5)
Marie A.

Great food especially the sweet and sour chicken.the noodles are good too. Everything tastes very homemade. So great. Will come again
(5)
Mary T.

Meh, at best. Very disappointing. I'm new to the area and was looking to enjoy a good Chinese take out. Seeing a lot of great Yelp reviews, I decided to try this place. When I arrived, I admit that the atmosphere looked nice (hence the greater than one star). It was very spacious, albeit not very busy. Maybe that was a sign... When I got my order, I noticed they charged me $3 for a pint of rice. I was shocked to find out that when the guy on the phone asked me whether I wanted white rice or brown rice, it wasn't him asking for just my preference, like ALL the other Chinese restaurants around the country where I've eaten. No, he was trying to milk me for more money. He never told me that they charge extra for rice! When I challenged it at the cash register, a woman, who I can only assume was the manager, took over the conversation. She said everyone who eats there knows the rice isn't free. I said that I just moved to the area and didn't know. She asked if I didn't want the rice, but what the heck is Chinese food without rice?!? She didn't even try to make me feel like a welcome customer by offering to take the charge off just this once, since I just moved here. I decided that despite their poor customer service, maybe their food would make up for it... It didn't. I got home and opened the vegetable dish - which was drowning in over a half a cup of water. (Don't they even try to drain it before serving it?) I was really looking forward to the General Tao's chicken, which I've eaten at every single Chinese restaurant I've ever been. It had a star on the menu, meaning it was supposed to be spicy. It was completely mild! Yes, I counted 15 WHOLE chili peppers in the dish, but someone needs to teach the chef that they need to cut/crush or do something with the chilies to get the hot oil out of them. Heck, drizzle chili oil or mix chili pepper spice in the sauce. This dish had no kick whatsoever, and there's no way I'm eating whole chili peppers just to get it. On top of all that, I woke up in the morning with a bellyache. Had the food been at least decent, I may have given them a second chance with the rice mislead. Unfortunately, three strikes is enough.
(2)
TigerAl S.

Food is decent but the service is not good. I went in right before 2pm and got told that they were closed from 2-4pm (the menu says that their lunch hours end at 2:30pm). Someone came in after me and he was told that it was fine. I ordered a lunch item, the server brought me white rice instead of the brown rice that I ordered then took 10 minutes to replace it. He also charged me $3 more for brown rice instead of the difference between the two because it was included in my meal. I think $15 including tip is too much for an average Chinese combo meal with server attitude. I will go over to my favorite place on Gilman next time.
(2)
Ben S.

Came in at 9 tonight, an hour before they close. Young man really seemed angry we came in, seating us without saying a word. Hot and sour soup tasted like hose water, food was tasteless and service was beyond horrible.
(1)
Stefan H.

Went there for lunch. Service was really good and good food. Nothing heavenly but defiantly best Chinese cuisine I have had on east side.
(4)
Jen C.

Hands down the best Chinese food I've had in a long, long time, and the very best in Issaquah! Looking for Chinese and going based on the great reviews, we tried this place for the first time today, and wow. Really. So much food ordered and yet we literally ate every last bite! It was delicious. Since it was our first time here, we went with safe choices and had the almond chicken, house fried rice, crispy beef with vegetables, hand shaven noodles with chicken, and pan-fried pot stickers. Everything was scrumptious down to the last bite. The hand shaven noodles were our favorite and simply perfect. So flavorful and, unlike many other Chinese food restaurants, every dish had a unique flavor rather than just tasting like grease. Really friendly, attentive, and quick service to boot, this place is a must-go. Still thinking about those noodles... nom nom.
(5)
Stephen H.

The food is good. The service is such that I'll never eat there again. I've eaten in the restaurant and gotten takeout occasionally for years. Last week I battled rush hour traffic in Issaquah to order several takeout dishes. ( If you've ever tried to drive down Front Street at 6PM you know it can be a nightmare, i.e. 15 minutes to go four blocks) When I got home I realized that the restaurant had failed to include sauce or pancakes with the mu shu pork, effectively ruining the dish. I called immediately. The staff member took my name, number, and assured me that I'd receive a call and that I could return to get a replacement when it was convenient. I never received a call but today I was in the neighborhood and dropped by in the expectation of picking up a replacement to take home for lunch. The hostess attempted to give me two containers and plum sauce and four pancakes. I explained that I expected to receive the entire dish, not simply the missing parts from a week before, she indicated that it was "policy" not to replace the dish. Frankly I don't know what sort of wacky business "policy" would lead a restaurant to lose a long term customer over refusal to replace a missing dish but Shanghai Garden apparently believes it's a reasonable one.
(1)
Mishy S.

Barley green hand shaven noodles!! :D Everyone loves them. They are not highly seasoned or anything, so it's more of an appreciation of the noodles themselves that make them awesome. It's a great place for above-average Chinese food on the Eastside, though it can be somewhat expensive. In general, I prefer going into Seattle for Chinese, but this can do the trick when I'm too lazy to get in the car and cross the bridge.
(4)
Cody B.

Some of my favorite chinese food around
(5)
Nancy C.

Pleasantly surprised! Really thought it was going to be old school Chinese but it isn't. We showed up about 15 minutes before closing time and we asked if it was to late to get dinner (there was nobody in the restaurant) - the waitress said no problem you just need to order in the next 15 minutes. We started with the won ton soup (excellent), then had the Shanghai fried dumplings (very good), onto the house hand shaven barley noodles w/ veggies/egg (hands down the best dish of the night! however the portion is small and the price is high!) along with crispy beef w/ orange sauce (good) and white rice. It was pretty pricey for a Chinese restaurant but the food was really good and the service was great. I would definitely eat here again if I was in Issaquah and craving Chinese.
(4)
Casey A.

Not sure if we just ordered the wrong items or what, but we found this place to be intensely...adequate. Expectations were probably too high due to the raving here on yelp, I suppose. Absolutely nothing wrong with the shaved noodles or whatever the other entree we ordered was, but...I dunno...seemed like typical family Chinese restaurant fare to me. Probably I'm just a food snob jerk who lived in Seattle too long to appreciate whatever it is everybody loves about this place. *shrug*
(2)
Tim J.

Having been here as my 5th visit, awesome food as I expected. Friday night we had the Tofu appetizer and it was what we would say in Hawaii...Onolicious. Just found out they make it on Friday and Saturday only.
(5)
Heather G.

This place has excellent food and very friendly service. I occasionally work at The Village Theatre near the theatre and many of their staff and actors frequent the restaurant - and those who do love it! Hand Shaven Green Barley Noodles is a favorite among many of us who go. The Crispy Chicken with Sweet and Sour Garlic sauce is SO DELICIOUS and flavorful. Lemon Chicken is also super good. Chicken Fried Rice is also fantastic and you can order it with brown rice! All thought it's a bit pricey, it's always worth it.
(5)
Hannah G.

The best Chinese restaurant in existence. Make sure to order the hand shaven noodles (either the house special, or barley green), house special fried rice, and barley green potstickers. If your friend Sean tries to order Strawberry Chicken as his choice, mock him endlessly for ordering the worst dish on the menu (tbh it's still pretty good though)
(5)
Rob W.

Very similar to the kind of Chinese restaurant you'd find in Seattle's International District, but in downtown Issaquah! They have large round tables which are great for large groups, although I was comfortable dining there alone. Salt and pepper squid and steamed dumplings are great appetizers... you should definitely also try the handmade green barley noodles.
(4)
Kenny C.

One of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the west coast for sure. I really like the steamed juicy dumpling and the hand shaved noodles. Make sure the dumpling cools down before you take a bite. It's really hot.
(5)
Shanna M.

Been there done that. Food is more on bland side, won't come back again. Great service though.
(2)
Lexy W.

My favorite Chinese restaurant. Noodles are not to be missed and the service is friendly and super quick. Both International District and Issaquah locations are good.
(5)
Marie A.

Great food especially the sweet and sour chicken.the noodles are good too. Everything tastes very homemade. So great. Will come again
(5)
Mary T.

Meh, at best. Very disappointing. I'm new to the area and was looking to enjoy a good Chinese take out. Seeing a lot of great Yelp reviews, I decided to try this place. When I arrived, I admit that the atmosphere looked nice (hence the greater than one star). It was very spacious, albeit not very busy. Maybe that was a sign... When I got my order, I noticed they charged me $3 for a pint of rice. I was shocked to find out that when the guy on the phone asked me whether I wanted white rice or brown rice, it wasn't him asking for just my preference, like ALL the other Chinese restaurants around the country where I've eaten. No, he was trying to milk me for more money. He never told me that they charge extra for rice! When I challenged it at the cash register, a woman, who I can only assume was the manager, took over the conversation. She said everyone who eats there knows the rice isn't free. I said that I just moved to the area and didn't know. She asked if I didn't want the rice, but what the heck is Chinese food without rice?!? She didn't even try to make me feel like a welcome customer by offering to take the charge off just this once, since I just moved here. I decided that despite their poor customer service, maybe their food would make up for it... It didn't. I got home and opened the vegetable dish - which was drowning in over a half a cup of water. (Don't they even try to drain it before serving it?) I was really looking forward to the General Tao's chicken, which I've eaten at every single Chinese restaurant I've ever been. It had a star on the menu, meaning it was supposed to be spicy. It was completely mild! Yes, I counted 15 WHOLE chili peppers in the dish, but someone needs to teach the chef that they need to cut/crush or do something with the chilies to get the hot oil out of them. Heck, drizzle chili oil or mix chili pepper spice in the sauce. This dish had no kick whatsoever, and there's no way I'm eating whole chili peppers just to get it. On top of all that, I woke up in the morning with a bellyache. Had the food been at least decent, I may have given them a second chance with the rice mislead. Unfortunately, three strikes is enough.
(2)
TigerAl S.

Food is decent but the service is not good. I went in right before 2pm and got told that they were closed from 2-4pm (the menu says that their lunch hours end at 2:30pm). Someone came in after me and he was told that it was fine. I ordered a lunch item, the server brought me white rice instead of the brown rice that I ordered then took 10 minutes to replace it. He also charged me $3 more for brown rice instead of the difference between the two because it was included in my meal. I think $15 including tip is too much for an average Chinese combo meal with server attitude. I will go over to my favorite place on Gilman next time.
(2)
Ben S.

Came in at 9 tonight, an hour before they close. Young man really seemed angry we came in, seating us without saying a word. Hot and sour soup tasted like hose water, food was tasteless and service was beyond horrible.
(1)
Stefan H.

Went there for lunch. Service was really good and good food. Nothing heavenly but defiantly best Chinese cuisine I have had on east side.
(4)
Jen C.

Hands down the best Chinese food I've had in a long, long time, and the very best in Issaquah! Looking for Chinese and going based on the great reviews, we tried this place for the first time today, and wow. Really. So much food ordered and yet we literally ate every last bite! It was delicious. Since it was our first time here, we went with safe choices and had the almond chicken, house fried rice, crispy beef with vegetables, hand shaven noodles with chicken, and pan-fried pot stickers. Everything was scrumptious down to the last bite. The hand shaven noodles were our favorite and simply perfect. So flavorful and, unlike many other Chinese food restaurants, every dish had a unique flavor rather than just tasting like grease. Really friendly, attentive, and quick service to boot, this place is a must-go. Still thinking about those noodles... nom nom.
(5)
Stephen H.

The food is good. The service is such that I'll never eat there again. I've eaten in the restaurant and gotten takeout occasionally for years. Last week I battled rush hour traffic in Issaquah to order several takeout dishes. ( If you've ever tried to drive down Front Street at 6PM you know it can be a nightmare, i.e. 15 minutes to go four blocks) When I got home I realized that the restaurant had failed to include sauce or pancakes with the mu shu pork, effectively ruining the dish. I called immediately. The staff member took my name, number, and assured me that I'd receive a call and that I could return to get a replacement when it was convenient. I never received a call but today I was in the neighborhood and dropped by in the expectation of picking up a replacement to take home for lunch. The hostess attempted to give me two containers and plum sauce and four pancakes. I explained that I expected to receive the entire dish, not simply the missing parts from a week before, she indicated that it was "policy" not to replace the dish. Frankly I don't know what sort of wacky business "policy" would lead a restaurant to lose a long term customer over refusal to replace a missing dish but Shanghai Garden apparently believes it's a reasonable one.
(1)
Mishy S.

Barley green hand shaven noodles!! :D Everyone loves them. They are not highly seasoned or anything, so it's more of an appreciation of the noodles themselves that make them awesome. It's a great place for above-average Chinese food on the Eastside, though it can be somewhat expensive. In general, I prefer going into Seattle for Chinese, but this can do the trick when I'm too lazy to get in the car and cross the bridge.
(4)
Cody B.

Some of my favorite chinese food around
(5)
Nancy C.

Pleasantly surprised! Really thought it was going to be old school Chinese but it isn't. We showed up about 15 minutes before closing time and we asked if it was to late to get dinner (there was nobody in the restaurant) - the waitress said no problem you just need to order in the next 15 minutes. We started with the won ton soup (excellent), then had the Shanghai fried dumplings (very good), onto the house hand shaven barley noodles w/ veggies/egg (hands down the best dish of the night! however the portion is small and the price is high!) along with crispy beef w/ orange sauce (good) and white rice. It was pretty pricey for a Chinese restaurant but the food was really good and the service was great. I would definitely eat here again if I was in Issaquah and craving Chinese.
(4)
Casey A.

Not sure if we just ordered the wrong items or what, but we found this place to be intensely...adequate. Expectations were probably too high due to the raving here on yelp, I suppose. Absolutely nothing wrong with the shaved noodles or whatever the other entree we ordered was, but...I dunno...seemed like typical family Chinese restaurant fare to me. Probably I'm just a food snob jerk who lived in Seattle too long to appreciate whatever it is everybody loves about this place. *shrug*
(2)
Tim J.

Having been here as my 5th visit, awesome food as I expected. Friday night we had the Tofu appetizer and it was what we would say in Hawaii...Onolicious. Just found out they make it on Friday and Saturday only.
(5)
Heather G.

This place has excellent food and very friendly service. I occasionally work at The Village Theatre near the theatre and many of their staff and actors frequent the restaurant - and those who do love it! Hand Shaven Green Barley Noodles is a favorite among many of us who go. The Crispy Chicken with Sweet and Sour Garlic sauce is SO DELICIOUS and flavorful. Lemon Chicken is also super good. Chicken Fried Rice is also fantastic and you can order it with brown rice! All thought it's a bit pricey, it's always worth it.
(5)
Hannah G.

The best Chinese restaurant in existence. Make sure to order the hand shaven noodles (either the house special, or barley green), house special fried rice, and barley green potstickers. If your friend Sean tries to order Strawberry Chicken as his choice, mock him endlessly for ordering the worst dish on the menu (tbh it's still pretty good though)
(5)
Rob W.

Very similar to the kind of Chinese restaurant you'd find in Seattle's International District, but in downtown Issaquah! They have large round tables which are great for large groups, although I was comfortable dining there alone. Salt and pepper squid and steamed dumplings are great appetizers... you should definitely also try the handmade green barley noodles.
(4)
Jane F.

We always loved Shanghai Garden. Reliable good food and service. Orange beef with veggies, hand shaven noodles with veggies, chicken with cranberry sauce and popcorn chicken with basil were our top favorites. Service is decent, too. So why 3 stars? 1) Ambience could be better for sure; 2) high prices. We last went there a couple of weeks ago and noticed their new menu books. Upgraded and better than the old ones for sure. And any wise person would know that with revised menu books comes price hike. We didn't remember exactly how much food items used to cost and ordered and ate as usual. When the check came, it was almost $100 for the abovementioned entrees + Mongolian beef and brown rice It may not sound that bad; however, it is quite pricey for Chinese food at a non-upscale restaurant and small-medium size servings. I took home a copy of their new to-go menu and compared it with the old one I have. I was right... Everything increased by at least $1.50, with all of their seafood items starting at $18. Steamed rice got the lowest price hike ($0.50) and brown rice is now $3/person (up from $2). Food is good, yes, but we won't be dining here frequently. August Moon is very good, too, and does delivery.
(3)
Jeff C.

3.5 stars but I'm rounding up when comparing it just to other Chinese places. "Americanized" Chinese food doesn't get a whole lot better than this place. The thing I like a lot about this place compared to many other Chinese restaurants is the food isn't overly salty (its salty, but not TOO salty.) Service is good and friendly. The place is huge so never a wait. A little on the pricey side though. Probably the best Hot & Sour Soup you'll ever eat. Only downside to this place, and this isn't necessarily unique to just them, is that many of the dishes have too much sugar in them in my opinion. The sweet sauce on the Crispy Beef and General Tso's Chicken are too examples that come to mind. It's like eating candy to the point the meat is really only there for texture and is completely drown out by the sauce. This is pretty common though amongst Chinese restaurants. But hey, everyone knows us Americans crave our salt and sugar. They have plenty of dishes on their huge menu that are not drown out by the sauce so you can actually taste the meat and veggies. Their hand shaven green barley noodles are excellent! Experiences at a place like this can easily vary wildly depending on what you order. This place is no exception. I think it takes several trips to try a variety of dishes at places like this to form a well-informed opinion. I think even the most jaded diner will find something on the menu they really like. It might just take a little time. There's a relatively new place in town that I'm anxious to try that may win me over for my Chinese craving based on what I've read.
(4)
Jody S.

Ok came here due to everyone's reviews and I have no idea how anyone can say this is good food or they have the best hand shaven noodles. I have had hand shaven noodles at Szechuan Chef in Bellevue and Spicy Talk in Redmond. By far they are the best. I ordered the Hand shaven soup with Chicken and it was a couple noodles, tasteless chicken, and green things that I think was a veggie of some sort. It was blah, I would have rather had Chicken noodle soup out of the can. My friend ordered chicken with vegetables and it was tasteless as well. I will give them a extra star for service. It was good and happy people working there. Really want great Chinese food go to Spicy Talk in Redmond. The BEST ever DAN DAN Hand Shaven Noodle soup ever. They beat any place on the east side and Szechuan Chef in Bellevue is also outstanding and has awesome Hot Pot too..
(2)
Rupali G.

If you love good food and flavors, dont visit this place. You'd rather drive to China Town. After a recommendation, we ventured to Shanghai and was extremely disappointed. Flavorless food and tasted like frozen meats. Much older crowd - 65+. Not for younger people on a Fri/Sat night looking for fun ambiance. Run down outside, pink interior walls, bad furniture. Ordered crab cakes and the waiter forgot. He was polite, but food was disappointing.
(2)
Chuck P.

What a pleasant surprise. We went on Friday night. We had tried to go to Jaks, then a small Italian place down the street, both were nearly an hour wait so we went into Shanghai Gardens and we were so very pleased we did. The vegetable dumplings, general tso's chicken was awesome. My wife liked the honey shrimp and the fried rice was perfect. 5 stars and we will definitely be back.
(5)
Eneri S.

I come here for the steamed dumplings and barley green hand shaven noodles. Both are excellent! But they could add more noodles in the ratio of noodles to vegetables. Service is always good. Ample parking.
(4)
Melissa N.

Although it may seem like another chinese restaurant on the outside, it is a complete unique experience you wont find anywhere else. They treat you with respect and very kind. The food is out and ready to eat within 10 min and is always top quality. My husband and I are sure to go there at least once a week.
(5)
Andy T.

AMAZING FOOD!!! HAND SHAVEN NOODLES ARE INCREDIBLE! You will never eat a better thick noodle again with beef or chicken too! The people are nice and place is clean and not run down at all!
(5)
Melissa F.

Four stars for the food, three stars for the price. Shanghai Garden is one of the best on the Eastside, and definitely the best east of Bellevue. The hand-shaved/barley noodles are the best! You pretty much can't go wrong with anything you order here. We've tried several dishes, including the Shanghai dumplings (which were okay), and liked everything. Boo on the high prices.
(3)
Naomi o.

Our new favorite Chinese food spot. Yum so good. Love, love the hand shaven noodles and hot & sour soup. Seriously some of the best noodles ever. My husband is super picky about his hot and sour soup, and has had some of the best, says this is up there as one of the best soups. The only thing he hates is the soup spoons. Crispy sweet chili shrimp is yummy too. They even serve hot tea with your meal, free. Very friendly staff! A previous reviewer claimed "They won't allow you to bring outside drinks into the restaurant". I had *bucks and was not turned away.
(5)
Susan E.

Our family loves Shanghai Garden! My son even wants to work there when he's of working age. We've been coming here for over 10 years. The people are friendly and the food is fabulous! We've ordered most everything off the menu and it's all very good. The barley green hand shaven noodles are so good that when my family visits, from MN and OH as soon as they're off the airplane they want to go to Shanghai Garden. I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Melanie B.

This place has been my go-to Chinese for a decade. Seriously, it's just plain awesome. I always do take-out, so I can order plenty and enjoy the next day. I've taken to ordering TWO servings of the barley green pot stickers. You really can't come here and not try them, holy hell they're delicious. The barley green shaven noodles are out of this world, too. So much barley green, I can't help myself. I love the chicken with ginger and garlic as my entree, and I throw in some veggies with my brown rice. Really, really good food. It's convenient, quick to order (for to-go at least, I haven't sat down in there for years), and everyone's so warm and friendly.
(5)
Andrew P.

I'm a big fan. My Chinese friends and colleagues have been taking me to Shanghai Garden in the International Dist. for years. That's testament alone - when your friends from China pick this place over others, it speaks volumes. Service is fast and unobtrusive. Nothing makes me happier than to have this location near my home.
(5)
Kyle S.

Amazing Crispy Chicken in Sweet Chili Sauce, Cashew Chicken, Strawberry Beef, Crispy Chicken in Sweet & Sour Garlic Sauce, Hot & Sour Soup... The list goes on. The staff is awesome as well, very friendly.
(5)
Kathy M.

We ordered Hand Shaven Chow Mein and I thought it was okay. We also ordered Bean Curd with Garlic Sauce. The bean curd was over cooked and there were way too many peanuts. The Sesame Chicken was way too sweet and the sauce was sort of liquidy. The chicken tasted like it came out of a can. The eggrolls and chicken fried rice was delicious, though. I'm very sure we won't be going here again.
(2)
Andrew C.

I've had to mark this place down for two reasons. 1. They won't allow you to bring outside drinks into the restaurant. I don't ever remember being denied entrance into any restaurant b/c of this silly rule. If you just bought a cup of joe, or milk tea as in my case, think carefully before you have your meal here. 2. I've just discovered another local Chinese restaurant that makes this place seem downright mediocre. I won't name names, but you can Yelp to find out.
(3)
Rachel D.

This is by far the best chinese restaurant in the east side, easily. I have been going here since I was a kid when it first opened. Shanghai has never waivered in its standards for quality ingredients and friendly service. You can always count on fresh food and smiling faces! Parking can be hellish on busy nights when the back lot and street are full, but you can park over at front street market and its about 2 minutes walking distance. The food is mouth watering, savory, and absolutely delicious. If you don't like it, you probably have broken taste buds from eating crap for too long. Seriously. My favorite dish is the Crispy Shrimp and Sweet Chili sauce... try it!
(5)
Bill B.

I should have listened to our friends ... the farther away you are from China, the worse the food gets. There seems to be a wormhole on I-90 between Seattle and Issaquah! Maybe we were just really hungry but we decided to give this place a try. Pot stickers = overcooked mystery meat. I think the dough was made by Wrigley's. I'd rather have Spam wrapped in a tortilla. The rest of dinner was so memorable, I've forgotten what we had. Reality was not met with the expectations set in the overpriced menu.
(2)
Alan B.

I have been working in Issaquah for 5 years and today was my first time here. A few of my co-workers has been here before and they liked it. The place is pretty nice. The price for the lunch special is fair, but I feel the regular dishes price is a little high. My co-workers ordered Gen. Tso Chicken and Cashew Chicken launch special and they seems to like it a lot. I ordered something different, Braised Beef with hand shaven noodle soup + 3 stars for the spicy. The beef is nice, shaven noodles are great, and I like the soup. Although the price is a bit high, but I am planning to come back and take my wife with me.
(4)
T. C.

While this isn't the very worst Chinese food I've eaten, I've had some Panda Express (when starvation dictated that it was the best looking option in a mall-type setting) that by far exceeded what we got tonight... First and foremost, the pricing is incredibly steep at $12-17 per entree on average, but the reviews were positive and so we went ahead and wasted $70. We decided on some pretty standard dishes just to test the waters and compare and here's the epic fail on each: Broccoli Beef - seriously, you're getting just that...broccoli and beef. No real flavor to enhance the veg or meat. The weak and runny sauce is a joke, and there's not even any coloring on the meat to suggest some searing in the pan. Szechuan Chicken - ummmm, did someone confuse this with another dish in the kitchen? There wasn't much besides chicken in the container, a few pieces of red bell pepper and some water chestnuts. The sauce was a little sweet but mostly just sour. Like a really bad tart sweet and sour, sans breaded meat. There was ZERO heat to this. My husband joked that the $12 cost all went towards the fancy cut of the two carrots we got thrown in as garnish. UGH. Sesame Chicken - What? Really?!? This was definitely sweet and sour chicken (only not pink/red) and sprinkled with sesame seeds. And there was nothing but chicken and two small pieces of broccoli in the entire container. The sauce was both runny and goopy at the same time (yes, its possible) and the flavor was just an overpowering YUCK. Once again, no heat to this what-so-ever. Chicken Chow Mein (with the special handcut noodles) - I don't even know what to say about this really. The sauce, which it desperately needed, was all over the bottom of the bag when we got it. It might have been really good, had the sauce been over the noodles, which by the way were 3/4 inch wide and resembled a really thick papardelle - in case you might be expecting the Americanized chow mein. This dish had the most potential based on flavor, even though it was disgustingly greasy. That said... I wouldn't come back here. Not ever. Not even if your favorite Chinese Aunt said it was the closest thing to the food she grew up with. :/
(2)
Nik L.

Shanghai Garden is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. Their hand shaven chow mein with shrimp is incredible, along with their barley green hand shaven chow mein. So savory and delicious, it will be your new obsession once you try it! They also have amazing pan fried meat dumplings, barley green dumplings, and sugar pea vines. The waiters and owners are very friendly, they have just been quite busy lately because of the review in the Seattle magazine. I have been going to Shanghai Garden with my family for years, and it is a fun place to bring kids. I now come with my friends all the time and it is always wonderful.
(5)
Daniel J.

Good food, good service, convenient location, okay ambiance. The food was well prepared and very tasty. A great place to take the family or friends. Probably not a good place to impress a first date. The cost was high enough that I won't be going back too often but I will go back.
(4)
Julia P.

The only time I've ever been disappointed in Shanghai Garden is almost every Monday night when I think "I don't want to cook dinner, I'm getting noodles!" and I remember that Monday is their day off. My standard order looks like steamed or pan fried dumplings, combo friend rice, kung pao beef and, the thing I look forward to the most, chicken hand shaved noodles. These noodles are to DIE for. I could easily eat the whole thing by myself, if my husband would allow it!
(5)
Corliss P.

Probably the best Chinese food you can get on the eastside! My family gets take out from here from time to time. Their hand shaven noodles are awesome. I also like their Mongolian beef and their honey walnut prawns. Great place to eat before seeing a show at The Village Theatre.
(5)
james j.

What a great meal! It had been awhile and the last time we were there a few years ago, it seemed uninspired and tired. But friends suggested that we give it a renewed look, and bow are we glad we did!! Must be new chef, because everything we ordered off the "featured menu" was full of seasonal vegetables (pumpkin and short ribs? Pumpkin noodles? Yeah!!!) and similarly fresh tasting ingredients. Steamed dumplings were good, brown rice was perfect, sauces interesting. Will most definitely be back sooner! Keep up the fresh ideas!!!
(4)
Chris P.

Although the company was great, and the service was top notch I thought the food was just kind of 'meh'. I ordered a crab stuffed baked avocado I thought would be pretty good and then the mushu pork.
(3)
Nick G.

MmmmMMMmm. So after reading multiple reviews on Shanghai Garden via Yelp I decided to give it a try. My initial judgment of any Chinese restaurant is the percentage of actual Chinese people eating at the restaurant. There was maybe 1 Chinese person eating at the time and that was my girlfriend. Fortunately it didn't matter too much as the food was surprisingly GREAT. We ordered some shrimp dumplings and some of the house noodles and we were all LOVING it. As a family we typically go out for dim sum after church on Sundays so we have our preferred styles when it comes to Chinese restaurants and Shanghai Garden did not disappoint! Will definitely be coming here more often.
(4)
Lindsay T.

Outstanding service and amazing food, had the general tsaos and my hubby had chicken in garlic sauce. Neither was soggy or the least bit bland. We will be back
(5)
Scott B.

This is a perennial family favorite. Great Ma-Po Tofu when I am feeling like an authentic peasant, and great Orange Chicken when I am feeling American. My wife and daughter love the Mushu.
(5)
Ryan H.

Super good chinese food. Quick, hot, fresh and homemade. And didn't break the budget. I had their 'speciality' and it was a great dish of these really thick noodles. Highly recommend. As others have said, it's interior is a bit drab, but who cares you're there to eat.
(4)
Paula K.

Best Chinese food I've had. The dumplings (pot stickers) are more like meatballs - I have had the regular and the green barley and they are equally as delicious, please don't deprive yourself of an order! Flip to the back of the menu and try the hand shaven barley green noodles, they are amazing! I also see a lot of tables ordering soup so next time that is on my list. Portions are very good size, my Mom ordered the sweet and sour crispy chicken and it was enough for 4 people. Service is hit and miss but the food is so good I can overlook that part.
(5)
Angie K.

My visiting family wanted one last meal with me before the long road trip home. With many of my go-to Issaquah restaurants closed on Sunday at 3:30pm, I turned to Yelp for some help. Shanghai Garden sounded promising and we made our way there for dinner. Our group of 7 had the following items: - Shanghai dumplings - Asian crab cakes - Salt and Pepper Squid - Braised Spareribs with Green Onion - House Special hand shaven Barley noodle - Sauteed snow peas with mushrooms - Crispy Chicken with Strawberry sauce Our waiter kept harping on us to order more food and I'm glad we stopped where we did. For a family of big eaters... we didn't finish a single dish. I don't even know where to begin... Crispy Chicken with Strawberry Sauce Ok, I would ordinarily stay away from a dish like that. But a fellow Yelper recommended it so we gave it a try. Um... let's just say it was deep fried cubed chicken with a watered down Smuckers strawberry jam sauce. It was served with 3 frozen (yes, frozen, meaning rock hard and frost still covering them) strawberries. The frozen strawberries caused the sauce to thicken to a goop and the chicken to get cold. It was sickeningly sweet and ridiculously gross. If you like orange chicken, just stick with that and don't stray to other fruity flavors. Asian crab cakes The description sounded good but the actual dish was less than inspiring. Think paper thin crab cakes the size of a dollar pancake. Who makes crab cakes wafer thin??? I think they just took frozen crab paste, flattened it out, deep fried it, and served it with a chili mayo sauce. And charged $12 for the pleasure of eating it. Shanghai Dumplings You know it's a bad sign when Dad bites into his dumpling, spits it out, and smells it. He said it smelled rotten... then that it smelled very strongly of pork. Since the dumplings are made with pork, we call ate our dumplings. Bad call. It most definitely smelled like pork... the day before you throw it away. The remaining dishes were ok at best. The hand shaven noodles are truly fresh with the chewy goodness of homemade noodles. The dish itself was bland and uninspiring. With our meal rounding out to over $120, it was a meal that was painful to eat and painful to pay for. All in all, stay away from this restaurant! I know it's suburbia Chinese food, but c'mon people, there are plenty of restaurants that can serve up a tasty meal without killing your wallet. And we didn't even talk about the aftermath... let's just say my parent's 4+ hour road trip home required more than a few rest stop breaks. And I had the pleasure of going home and feeling nauseous for the rest of the night and into the next day. If you want bland, expensive food that gives you the runs, go to Shanghai Garden. Otherwise, go enjoy some of the other great food Issaquah has to offer!
(1)
Patrick B.

Avoid during the holidays. The food is pretty good, but not great. We've tried Shanghai Garden three times over the holidays and the wait has been long and the service has been both slow and poor. Today we waited 1/2 hour for a table, 10 minutes for menus, and the had part of our order slowly brought to us over the course of 1/2 hour. Nearly every item we had to request twice. After nearly an hour and three requests our main entrees still hadn't arrived so we asked to have them boxed up to go. They apologized and offered us fried ice cream but we didn't want dessert - we wanted dinner. Some places are worth the wait. Not here.
(2)
Linda L.

Overall: This place is ok...if you want a bout of food poisoning Considering most people rant and rave about Shanghai Gardens... I couldn't wait to try it. I initially gave this place 2 stars, but it's now going to be 1 - it gave me diarrhoea and the cramps. We were greeted with a large fish tank at the entrance with a few colorful fish swimming around in it, including two clown fish - I guess we've found Nemo and his mate! We were seated promptly. The restaurant looked kinda empty despite it being 6:30 pm. A huge pot of tea arrived at our table as we were getting comfortable and delving into the six page menu. The tea was amazingly weak and I couldn't make out what it was. Eventually we ordered the Shanghai steamed dumplings, house special hand shaven noodles (with prawns, squid and chicken), sizzling beef platter and one serving of brown rice. We were TOLD that the dumplings would take a bit longer. Before we could say "Jack Flash", our mains arrived. Let me break this down: - House special hand shaven noodles, despite all the rants and raves about these noodles, they were nothing to write home about - my mother can make these. They were thick-ish noodles of 1cm wide and about 1-2mm thick in longish strips, it came with exceedingly salty scrambled eggs and the squid and prawns were overcooked and rubbery. But in general the dish was well seasoned, but very oily. - Sizzling beef platter, this as the name suggests was quite big - it is a P-L-A-T-T-E-R. It came with its own warming/heating thingy-me-jig. The beef was tender and not tenderized with cornstarch - evidence of the "GOOD WOK POWER" (or maybe it was just tenderized with potato starch?), the broccoli was crunchy and fresh, the sauce was quite sweet but had a general good, well-bodied flavor and was thickened with corn/potato starch. - Brown rice, this looked very peculiar - it looked like they had scraped it off an old pot of white rice and colored it or something. It was irregular and uneven in color, although it tasted ok - I really couldn't make out what it was. It did have the appearance of the Tsuru Mai California brown rice (found in Uwajimaya), but who knows? - Shanghai steamed dumplings - what a disappointment! Eight of these precious little things came in a steamer insert. They arrived late as we were finishing out mains, but we were TOLD. I picked one up and could tell that there was very little filling inside. The pastry was thick and had no "chewy" texture as I'd hoped for. On biting into a little bundle of "joy", I was greeted with a load of juice. The meat itself was well seasoned, however, it was very soft and had no texture. On eating my second and third dumpling I realized that the "juice" that came out of each dumpling was liquid fat (you can see it). These dumplings were without a doubt made from very fatty meat, seasoned, then placed into their skins/wrappers - when cooked the fat then comes out of the "meat" and leaves that "juicy" or fatty pool. Eurgh. The good thing about this place is that they don't knowingly add any msg seasoning (other than what is included in soy sauce etc). This was very true - I'm very msg sensitive, on tasting an msg-dish I get this horrid dry yacking feeling on my tongue, this was not the case in any of these dishes we had. The service is quick, efficient and not intrusive. The restaurant is large for the location and is spacious, you can't hear other people talking and the music isn't too loud. Our bill came to $41.40 (including tax and tips). I really would have loved to love this place, it's a short walk from our house - but sadly I don't think we'll be going back. In general, the food was ok but was cooked in loads of oil and not what I'd expected. It is such a shame...
(1)
Jeanco L.

It is not good! It is not the real Chinese dishes! Never eaten Chinese dishes bad like this!
(1)
Andrew R.

Chinese food in the United States is all hit or miss, and anyone will tell you that it's mostly miss. I've been to China and Taiwan and I've had bad Chinese food in both of those places not to mention right here in Bellevue.Chinese food is best in China, but the right mind, tools, and a good staff can make it work in any suburban strip mall. When you find a place that has that most elusive of all things, good Chinese food in Factoria, it is a cause for celebration. Shanghai Garden is one of those oases one only finds after years of searching in the desert. Their Kung Pao chicken is superb (an excellent barometer, in my opinion, of most Chinese kitchens) -- just enough peanuts, spicy, flavorful and plenty of it. (Generous portions are de rigueur.) If you've gotten this far in the SH Garden page, you've probably seen the highlighted buzz word "hand-shaven noodles." I am here to tell you that this Google algorithm stuff is to be believed because the hand-shaved barley noodles are perfection. are a speciality all around China, and to find, for such reasonable prices, genuinely (hand shaven) noodles is a treat. Another treat not to be missed are the , i.e. potstickers. They are made using the same hand-rolled barley dough that is used in the noodles. You will pour a little of the black sauce with a chili floating in it on top, take one great chopstickful, and never look back. If you have any inclination to Chinese food (and who doesn't?) and you live within 50 miles of the I-90 Richards Rd./ Eastgate exits you must try Shanghai Garden. And don't worry: the prices are so super low (a typical order of KP chicken, , and -- a lot of food and more than enough for two -- is less than $25 not incl. tip) it doesn't matter how much gas you burn getting there.
(5)
Josh B.

Superb Chinese food. Tastes different than most Chinese restaurants I've been to in the states. 'Homemade' hand shaven noodles. Atmosphere could be better. Service has been good and bad.
(4)
Alaya C.

Mmm... Fat baozi style dumplings, skin thick enough not to break, but thin enough for a delicious texture in your mouth. Thick chewy noodles that are perfectly flavored. Delciously sticky rice, tender juicy chicken and great sauce. This is the place for a Chinese fix in Issaquah/Sammamish. The place is so good the Anti-MSG God works here. (Actually IDK if they have MSG. You get the point) Just walking by the place gets your hunger attached like a drug addict. High as b... Nevermind. Just go there. Make sure you get a lot of variety! Shanghai Garden!
(4)
Geoff R.

There just aren't many Chinese restaurants that you can take someone who gets migraines from MSG to, and this is definitely one of the few out there! We regularly go as a family, and end up taking several containers of left overs home with us to enjoy the next day. The shanghai dumplings cooked pot-sticker style are good, they are definitely juicy inside so be careful. Our usual dishes are the Triple-delight, crispy cranberry shrimp or chicken, house special fried rice and the dumplings :) we will pick one or two other dishes at random to fill out the variety. We have never had a bad meal there, and yes, sometimes the service is a little chronologically challenged, but they have always been friendly and have good service and warn us if something is going to take longer than the other items we order.
(5)
Scott O.

In the pantheon of Seattle-area Chinese restaurants, I give Shanghai Garden big points for quality, fresh and consistent fare and just the right balance of professional and friendly service by career serving staff. Somehow, they've managed to bring the right balance of city-quality dining to a suburban small-town environment. I have been coming here since the mid-90s, pretty much soon after they opened, so I'm not kidding when I say they are consistent! Yes, they have beef and broccoli and other suburban classics. But they also feature hand-shaved noodles, shrimp with pea vines and dishes such as pork with dry tofu and leeks. The menu is mostly Taiwan-meets-America, so there is a freshness & lightness to the cooking, just no stinking tofu (as far as I know.) Each and all are cooked with care using fresh, quality ingredients. The lunch menu is a great value and worth the trip from my downtown Bellevue office. All in all, recommended for nearly any occasion, anything from a date to dinners with friends & family to out-of-town guests.
(4)
Jason M.

Great Chinese food in Issaquah! The hand shaven noodles are supreme and the moo shoo is also great. My personal favorite are the barley green pot stickers. I've been coming here since it opening and it continues to impress.
(5)
missy c.

We came here for lunch earlier this week and was greatly disappointed because the reviews for this place was so high. I got the schezuan chicken and my BF got the mongolian beef. We were surprised to see that on our plates were really small portions of what we actually ordered and came with items that were were not expecting, like fried fish and pickled cucumbers. The beef was ok but the chicken was too sweet. The prices were on the high side for lunch specials and their dinner prices didn't look any better. We will not come back here because there are too many other places to try out.
(1)
Roslynn M.

Cashew chicken, spicy cucumbers, & hand shaven barley noodles.
(4)
Jane J.

We had a very disappointing dining experience. The same basic sauce was served on each dish. There were very few vegetables and they were soggy. The service was indifferent and we left feeling regret that we wasted our money and time. Fool me once...
(1)
Corene C.

The great test is loving a place and then going back and loving it even more. Well - we went back...tried more delicious dishes and we are still in love with Shanghai Garden! The green 'healthy' noodles are wonderful - just order them.
(5)
Christina G.

Nom Nom! This place is good! I have been to the Issaquah location and to their location in the International District - both are great. I took one of my foodie friends with me that isn't crazy about Chinese food, and she loved it too. The sauces are not too thick/sticky and I've never left there feeling like I OD'd on MSG. Hand shaved noodles are to die for, seriously. So, so, good. The chicken in sweet chili sauce is amazing, and the chicken is not over-breaded. The dumpling appetizer is great - I could practically drink the dipping sauce it is served with. The orange beef was a delightful surprise and might just be my new go-to dish there. The only downside is that it seems a little expensive, but I must say, it is worth the extra couple of dollars.
(4)
YT C.

GREAT SERVICE + unique Chinese food. Whether you're Asian or not, you will enjoy the authentic Chinese food and service ! The waiter was so thoughtful and friendly, that I thought Nordstrom got into the Chinese food business. You may see there's another Chinese around the corner - Mandarin Garden. I suggest you NOT go there but choose Shanghai Garden.
(4)
hongman l.

First time visit - food's good, albeit pricy. We ordered fried bean curd with chef's speceal sauce and a dish of veggie fried rice. The tofu dish definitely did not seem like it was worth 10 dollars; it only came with a plate of 10 big pieces of tofu and a small bowl of sauce on the side. We thought there would've been other things on dish, but nope. The fried rice seemed standard, but good; not worth 10 bucks tho. Waitress was nice ... perhaps even over eager to serve for more tip. It seemed like she was at our table every few minutes to fill our water. It could be that we were pretty much the only ones left before closing that night. I'd come here again to try a different dish.
(4)
Michael P.

Best Chinese close to Issaquah. Friendly staff, great food, good prices, especially for lunch.
(5)
Julia Z.

Their hand-shaven noodles are really good, though not as good as the Shaghai Cafe in Factoria. Vegetables here all really fresh, and the chef clearly pays attention to ingredient quality. We've never had anything that wasn't just perfectly bright and vibrant if it was supposed to be, and I appreciate that. I have lots of friends who love this place like no other and it's definitely miles above the average greasy-spoon American Chinese place. The decor and service are better than average too. Parking can be difficult here in the smallish lot that they have and then the public lot behind them is available too but is often nearly full as well. This is a minor annoyance and if you go during the week it should be OK.
(4)
Jen S.

Mmmmmm. Hand shaven noodles (barley version or regular) are worth the drink. Orange beef, grape chicken or strawberry chicken may sound weird but are so delish. Love the potstickers & dumplings too. Haven't had a bad meal here.
(4)
James K.

We ordered 8 dishes and unfortunately none of them were good, and most of them were over priced. Maybe they had a really off day, but this place appeared to be a bad Chinese restaurant. I was embarrassed when I left this place with my family and friends. Just goes to show me that 4 Yelp STARS in Issaquah can't be trusted every time.
(1)
Greg T.

Excellent... the first thing to know about all the Shanghai Gardens (Issaquah, Seattle, Factoria) is that the food comes exceptionally fast. The whole meal typically arrives hot, fresh, and delicious in 5-7 minutes. This is not the place for a leisurely Chinese banquet... It's the place for a quick, satisfying meal. Everything is good, but our favorites are the pot stickers, Kung Pao Chicken, Pea vines with bean curd sheet and mushrooms, the hand-shaved noodle dishes, Crispy fish in chili sauce, the stir fried meats in Szechuan garlic or black bean sauce, the whole fish dishes. Also, the portions are big.
(4)
Brian H.

The service was good. The food was passable. The menu was deceiving. When we placed our order from the lunch menu, we were told that the lunch menu is invalid on weekends, meaning it costs more and doesn't come with soup or rice. Why did they give us a menu that's not valid? Why did they wait 15 minutes to tell us that it's not valid? Seems like a variation of bait and switch. I will not be back.
(1)
Kevin W.

One of the best Chinese restaurants I've tried in the Seattle area. I'm from San Francisco, so I've been spoiled there. But when it comes to fresh delicious variety, Shanghai Garden hits the spot. I just went here on my birthday, and I had a great time stuffing myself. I am fortunate to live so close to this place. Shanghai Garden is located on Front St. in the heart of "old downtown Issaquah." There's a slight backup during rush hour on Front St. all the way from the Front St. exit on weekdays and weekends, but be patient and you'll still be there in few minutes after you get off the exit. There is plenty of parking because they have a side lot and a public parking area in the back. The restaurant is clean and very spacious. There are tons and tons of tables so I doubt you will have to wait at all to be seated. There is also plenty of staff, so service should not be a problem. Many have average english-ability, but be patient and basic and they should understand you. The menu has a wide variety of Chinese and "Shanghai" dishes. We are always a fan of the sweet and sour beef/pork/shrimp. We Chinese say that this restaurant has good "wok power" meaning that they have the technique and power to cook and fry foods quickly while retaining a lot of flavor. This is especially apparent in the sweet and sour garlic beef because the beef is quick fried then tossed again in a wok with the sour sauce. Their tofu dishes are also very good and filling. The "Happy Roll" dish is very filling - chicken, mushrooms and veggies wrapped in tofu skins, then smothered in sauce and served on a mini wok with a flame to keep it very hot. Their noodle dishes should not be passed on either. All their noodle dishes are flavorful and plentiful, and we particularly like the 'rice noodle cake' dish which is thinly sliced rice noodles sauteed with chicken and some squid in a soy/oyster sauce. It can't be a Shanghai style restaurant if they didn't serve some kind of dumplings. We had the "Little dragon dumplings" many times here and they are always juicy and flavorful. On this occassion they also served a small dish of spicy garlic sauce, which I assume was to be eaten with the "Happy Roll," dish, and boy was this sauce good. Very garlicy, yet sweet/sour and a bit of spicy kick. The food came out blazing fast after we ordered it - literally about 3 minutes after we finished ordering. Expect nothing less from a Chinese restaurant! I wonder which restaurant pumps out food faster...Shanghai Garden or Cafe Ori... My only complaint is the prices. Being from San Francisco, I'm used to these dishes being priced about $1 to $2 less, but the prices here are acceptable, considering there aren't many options for good Chinese food in the area. Choose Shanghai Garden for all your Eastside Chinese food needs, or when you're on the way back from Snoqualmie - guaranteed to fill and warm you up.
(4)
Scooby W.

Finally some good Chinese food. Not the best interior design but who cares. The food was great. We had the Dumplings, House Hand Shaven Noodles, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Sesame Chicken and House Fried Rice. Yes, it was enough food to feed an army. Highly recommend it. For ambiance, I will take it to go and eat on the deck while enjoying the view.
(4)
Quintin D.

I'll make this short and sweet... Must order: Hand-shaven noodles, grape chicken, strawberry beef (or fish). And bring an appetite! Everything else that I've ordered has never failed to satisfy.
(5)
Dave L.

We love this place. Try the handshaven barley noodles. They are unreal.
(5)
Matt F.

Best Chinese food in Seattle! A great, family owned and run, local Chinese restaurant! The hand shaven noodles are a must, and their Beef with Oyster sauce is out of this world! The prices are a bit high, but the food is worth every penny!! Enjoy!
(5)
Crysta L.

Service wasn't so great -- we went on a Saturday or Sunday around 11 and isn't wasn't very busy but you would have thought it was since the dervice was so slow. One of our dishes actually arrived after we had finished eating, we actually assumed that they had forgotten it. The Hot and Sour soup is unique, doesn't taste like your traditional Hot and Sour soup (had more of a vinegar tasting base to me). We ordered a couple chicken dishes, also, that were good - just can't remember exactly which ones (one might have been general tso's). Avoid the vegetable pot stickers/gyoza -- they smell like grass and are definitely not good. Overall it was average.
(2)
Nancy A.

II've eaten lunch here several times. Every time the food is fresh, delicious, fast, and reasonably priced. They don't use msg and the wait staff is friendly and very helpful. Enjoy!
(4)
B B.

Delicious! I have been there a couple of times and am never dissapointed. good, well priced food and excellent service. If only I could find a chinese place this good and reasonable near me!
(5)
Christy M.

We just ordered a ton of takeout from here yesterday - which we "imported" to our side of Puget Sound and had re-heated in the microwave for dinner (I know, kind of sacrilege) .... but nevertheless, the food was really tasty, the staff couldn't have been friendlier and the price was more than right! Really liked the Shanghai dumplings and sauce - we look forward to eating there again!
(4)
Bjorn E.

News flash of the day...we have good Chinese food in Issaquah! It's been an Asian themed week for our work groups, and I decided to give Shanghai Garden another try. I had a lunch special there once, and was pretty underwhelmed. Today we decided to go with the chicken with hand shaven chow mein, and I was impressed. I'm pretty well versed in the hand shaven world of Seattle, and while this is no 7 stars pepper, it was alright for a one horse town. It wasn't spicy at all, so we kicked it up with some Siricha and chili oil. The flavors were there before adding the spice, and the hand shaven noodles were really fresh. We also had the pan fried meat dumplings, which were basically steamed dumplings that were finished in the pan to give them a crisp bottom. Another solid dish, and the dipping sauce was a sweet garlic blend with vinegar and jalapeno. Not traditional, but a nice compliment to the dumplings. Bravo Shanghai Garden, we will be seeing you again soon!
(4)
Jean-Paul D.

Stopped in for a quick lunch on our way back home. Heard good things and tried the following dishes: Mongolian Beef- Kung Pao Chicken and the House Shaven noodles . Dishes came out super fast and all three were delicious. Unlike most Chinese restaurants the flavors were delicate and the proteins were actually cooked well, of good quality and not just coated in sauce. I would recommend the noodle dish which I had as a stir-fry the flavor of the garlic sauce was an delight. I will definitely be back on my next passage !
(4)
Teressa L.

Another one of our last minute decision dinners let us here. It's on the main street going through Issaquah, but we found street parking right outside. Inside we were greeted warmly and offered table or booth. While several others eating, there were still plenty of table/booth choices. There is another side to the place as well. Not being from the Seattle area...meaning my background of asian food is very limited...I was really clueless about the menu. Some things were obvious, but there was a lot we had no idea what it was. However, the young man serving us was very good about my questions. And for one meal offered to take out the chili sauce so my very picky eater would like it. And that meal ended up being our favorite of the night! We loved the dumplings. Amazing. Could come eat just though. Delicious! The tea they served was good. I don't normally care for that type of tea, but I had multiple cups. The portions were decent. We got 3 meals for our family of 4 and we still had some leftovers. We also had white rice with our meal. The meals were tasty, not overly spicy, and the meats tender. We were pleasantly surprised how much we enjoyed this place. Our server was great and the other servers didn't hesitate to fill up water or answer a question if we had one. Super nice people. We will be back and perhaps get more daring and try the unknown on the menu. But I gotta have those dumplings first....
(5)
Jen L.

I came here for just dessert with a friend, because this is the only place I know that offers fried ice cream in an egg roll, which is what I was craving. The waitress was friendly although we were only there for dessert. We arrived around 8pm after dinner, and the place was pretty empty with just one table. The last time I was here was several years ago, and I don't remember ever seeing this place busy, though it may be the timing, as I am usually there around 8pm. I don't remember how the food is at this place, but I do plan on coming back to try the food considering the friendly service.
(4)
Katie S.

Only place I ever go for Chinese food! Service is excellent and the food is even better. Great for big groups or just you and a date. I always get the hand shaved noodles with chicken, General Tsao chicken, and bbq pork fried rice.
(5)
Elina K.

I've written a review about Shanghai cafe because I thought that specific restaurant was my favorite of the Shanghai's but I decided to finally try the Issaquah location out since its way closer to me. Honestly the food was pretty much the same but the service was 94727385832737 times better! They were actually very polite when I ordered on the phone and when I got to the restaurant to pick up, they immediately greeted me, struck a conversation while I waited for the food, and even gave me all the hot sauces, soy sauce, silver wear, and fortune cookies to go which the other places don't do!!! My new favorite place to get my favorite hand shaven barley green noodles
(5)
Sandra L.

We ordered take out last night: Green Barley shave noodles with chicken, Szechuan wontons, and Moo Shu Pork and pancakes. I was disappointed with the barley noodle dish, it definitely lacked salt, and the noodles weren't hand shaven like they use to be. I didn't like the Szechuan spicy sauce on the wontons, but my spouse thought it was okay, the Din Tai Fung version of this dish is a lot better. I won't order that again. The Moo Shu dish and pancakes was okay, but they must have changed chef's cause it use to be one of my favorites at this restaurant. Service was very good. Prices at this Chinese restaurant are a bit higher than other Chinese restaurants in the area.
(2)
Michael B.

Everything on their menu is good - my favorite being the honey walnut prawns. One of the best ones I've had and you get a pretty decent portion. It is a little bit on the pricey side but a nice treat every now and then. Haven't eaten in the actual restaurant, always get take out. The staff is always very nice and there are a lot of tables inside. Neat fish tank to entertain the kids. Shanghai Chow Mein is also really good with the shrimp - lots of flavor! There seems to always be a couple parking spots in the side alley right by it, so keep in mind since Front Street can be a little hard to find parking sometimes.
(4)
Courtney L.

The hand-shaven noodles here are the BEST. It's basically Chow Fun, but tastes similar to the fried noodles at Din Tai Fung - what an amazing combination! Unfortunately the portion sizes are smaller than expected for the price. Our table of 10 ordered two orders of the hand-shaven noodles, but that still didn't go around the table so we had to get a third. The portion of beans was also pretty small and too salty for my liking. My mom only got two beans! Usually at other restaurants we have leftovers, but every plate was clean by the end of the lunch. Except for the noodles, there is nothing special that distinguishes Shanghai Garden from other Chinese restaurants in terms of flavor. The service is always great though - the waiters are friendly and attentive. They brought out our orders quickly and with a smile.
(3)
Jennifer L.

Really enjoyed my meal here. Loved their Hot and Sour soup.
(4)
Sarah M.

I've adopted this place as my new local favorite. I always leave here feeling stuffed to the max. The restaurant is located in downtown historic Issaquah - they have parking on the side of the restaurant which I've never had a problem finding. The inside is very cute - I think it's hilarious that as art, they have pictures of their food but in frames. We started with the hot and sour soup which is really different from most that I've had - you can taste an overwhelming amount of sesame oil but not in a bad way. It's also a bit peppery. Tasty though. We then had the pork steamed dumplings. We were warned that we had to wait 15 minutes for them...and I'm glad that we did. They were hot but incredibly fresh and came with an awesome ginger soy dipping sauce. For the main entrees, we had beef with broccoli, black bean chicken and the barley green hand shaven noodles. I LOVED the barley green hand shaven noodles. The green kind of freaked me out at first but they are incredibly good. I'd order them again. It was probably my favorite entree out of everything we ordered. The broccoli beef was also really good. I liked the broccoli better than the beef - the beef was a little fatty but the sauce was thick and sweet which I loved. My last favorite entree was the chicken in black bean sauce. The chicken had too much basil for me and really dominated the flavor. The servers were all really sweet and were really on top of things like clearing plates and refilling water. Can't wait to come back!
(4)
Jeff H.

I was referred to Shanghai Garden by a friend who lives in the area. My benchmark for any Chinese restaurant is to test their General Tso's chicken. Yes, I know it's not a "real/authentic" Chinese dish, but it's my barometer (much like a spicy tuna roll when having sushi). The General at Shanghai was good, but it sadly seemed to be a bit under seasoned. It lacked the "punch" I've become accustomed to. That said, the portion was massive (which was good as I was ravenously hungry). I'd come back for another visit if I was in the area to see if I could get my General with a little more heat next time. I think Shanghai has great potential, and I'm interested to see if it'll be able to fully realize that promise someday soon.
(3)
Amy W.

Truly I love this place. Service is always prompt & friendly, and I've gotten to know the owner, Betty. Food is wonderful (as it is in the I-District location). Among my favorites are cashew chicken, three-ingredient sizzling plate, and especially, the homemade barley green noodles. Also love the chicken corn soup (smallest size is for 2). Just great Chinese food with a healthy twist. Absolutely my favorite in 2 states (Cali/WA).
(4)
Wei H.

Don't go if you are looking for real Chinese food. This is a typical American chinese restaurant with some good reviews. I ordered sweet sour spareribs, a very traditional and classic shanghai style course and general tsao chicken a very typical American Chinese course. Neither of them are even closer to what they should be. Totally disappointed...
(1)
Lorrin C.

Had to come into Issaquah for a new headlight and wanted Chinese food different from our usual hang out. This was it. The place is kept spotless as evidenced by the gal not only wiping the tables down with sanitizer but the chairs as well. I wonder if the younger generation has taken over. The staff has a good positive attitude even after the folks at the next table complained about their garlic chicken wings being too garlicky. The food was good. We had chicken corn soup. Ordered two cups and the waiter said for $2 more we could get a bowl which was five servings. Soup was fine. They had a pork belly dish which was not the kau yuk I seek but it was tasty. The veggie dish we had was ok but I would get something more robust next time. The bean curd roll in the hot pot was good as usual. In all, we enjoyed our meal. The one complaint I have is we were in the side room and it was too dark to read the menu. I basically knew what I wanted but did pull out my phone so I could use the flashlight ap. Also, I like to have my dishes come out closer together and rice should be one of the early on things. That's it for this report.
(4)
Nikki N.

One of the best wonton soups we've ever had! Stopped in based on the yelp reviews, and definitely didn't regret it. The Shanghai Dumplings were a little more doughy than we're used to but still delicious. We also had the dry sauteed string beans and the triple delight, both of which were amazing. Service was stellar; our water glasses were always full but not in an intrusive way. Thanks!
(5)
Reena E.

I like trying all kinds of food specially Asian, specifically Chinese. I read the reviews on this place and my friend and I decided to try it, since many others rated it pretty high. When we went in, first impression was good. The restaurant was clean and the staff was friendly. Since it was lunch, we went for the lunch special. Service was so quick - but way too quick, I think the food was just reheated. I could tell the rice was not fresh. Yes, can't be picky about the rice, but when you can tell that it was cooked hours earlier and reheated several times, then there is a problem. I was pretty excited about this place, but I think the experience was bad enough, I will not be going back there again. :-(
(2)
Alice G.

This restaurant is a true gem. The people who run it and the servers are fabulous. They are professional and truly always happy. The hand-shaved noodles are delicious. This place always shines.
(5)
Evon S.

Came here for lunch today for the first time in years during a visit from out of state. Shanghai Gardens has long been my favorite Chinese restaurant, and today it didn't disappoint. We started with the delectable vegetarian hand shaved noodle soup. The meat options are good, too, but don't underestimate how filling the veggie version can be! The broth alone was simply fantastic. Great start. After soup the wife and I had a lunch portion of the Mongolian beef (perfectly cooked with really tasty Shanghai noodles - she loved it!) paired with my all-time favorite dish anywhere: sweet & sour pork spare ribs. Omg, those spare ribs. I could write a song extolling their delicately crispy exterior, the heavenly texture, or even the perfectly balanced sauce that inevitably smothers my rice, but I'll spare you. Instead, you should go there right NOW and order your own little plate of heaven.
(5)
Wing L.

Americanized shanghai food, giant portion, taste good but quite oily~ Pros: Good flavor and big portion. Drunken chicken appetizer is awesome! I love how they use chicken thigh but not rough chicken breast which makes this dish very smooth, silky and delightful. Cons: Their xiao long baos and steamed dumplings are incredibly large. Would love to see them to be made in a more delicate way. The pan fried vegetables are always way too oily. I have to use water to degrease them before eating and I can see how much oil is floating on top of it. * Be sure to order the meat on bone for the 3-cup chicken. It makes a huge difference. It's much more smooth, flavorful and delightful than having rough and coarse chicken breast meat
(4)
David G.

Hand shaven noodles were great, as seen in yelp reviews. The kids loved the two large fish tanks and the food.
(5)
George M.

Stopped for lunch after a walk through Issaquah downtown with the kids. The place was empty except for a couple tables. We ordered the house special fried rice with the house special hand shaven noodles. Both of the dishes came out quickly and were cooked well. Service was excellent and both dishes tasted great. Will definitely come back. Highly recommend
(5)
Rachel D.

I have been going to Shanghai Garden since they opened in 1996- I was 9 years old. The food has consistently been amazing and worth the asking price. The service is always good. I never have to worry about flagging someone down. Some of the entrees can be pricey if you're going alone, but the lunch specials are a great option in that case! Some of my favorite dishes through out the years: Barley Green Pot stickers- these things are addicting, simply delicious. They come with a dipping sauce that is equally to die for. Crispy Shrimp in Sweet Chili Sauce- I have had this dish at other Chinese restaurants but it is NEVER as good. The breading is so light and the sauce is perfect House special fried rice- Most Chinese places have this dish, but Shanghai doesn't skimp on it. You get TONS of protein in it, so delicious! Shrimp with sweet pea vine- this dish is super healthy, very flavorful, and a really good way to balance out heavier dishes you may get. Fried icecream- ... Um. Just get it. Eat it fast. So good. Also, most people working there speaking English, Mandarin, and Cantonese- and speak it well! Highly recommend this place for gourmet Chinese food lovers!
(5)

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Address : 80 Front St N
Issaquah, WA, 98027
Phone (425) 313-3188
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Shanghai Garden

80 Front St N, Issaquah, WA, 98027

Shanghai Garden Menu

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