Sumptuous food and delightfully casual warm and welcoming staff! Hot and sour soup is a standout-- with giant tender pieces of chicken and lush soft tofu and thick peppery broth. Relaxed ambiance comfy booths. A really delightful and refreshing place to get Chinese food in a cozy and casual environment. They were kind to me I was tired and lingered a while, re-inflating! read more

California Wok - Delicious Hot and sour soup with tender juicy chicken! So filling! - Chinese Near Me - Encino, California

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Tried California wok on a last minute whim. We definitely showed up within their last hour of being open so the restaurant was mostly empty. The waitstaff was friendly and poliete especially when we were wrapping up and they clearly wanted to finish closing the resturant, which I understood. We tried the Mongolian Beef and the chicken with Broccoli. Both were quite good. No issues just straight up traditional american chinese dishes. I did find it a bit funny that the booth seats are covered in fabric with all of the states names on them, also it definitely seems like this place has been around for a while, but in a good way. The restaurant has a lived in feel to it and to have food coming out even close to close that was as delightful as our order was is a sign of a place with great staff and good food. I want to come back and try more of the menu but hopefully earlier in the day. read more

California Wok - Mongolian Beef - Chinese Near Me - Encino, California

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Things are changing here! Growing up it was my favorite restaurant. Now it's really falling apart. The lady with the glasses who works here was annoyed I asked for sweet and sour sauce. Then another time when I asked her for more crispy wontons that we are served as an appetizer, she didn't even respond. She just walked away and when she came back, I made sure to thank her and smile, but she really didn't seem thrilled. Also, each time after someone leaves, they clean the tables with a very strong smelling chemical product, and the smell lingers in the air , it's really overpowering. The menus are also extremely greasy and sticky to the touch. The food itself was good, my go to is the Chefs Special Shrimp, a crispy fried shrimp dish, covered in a sweet and lightly spicy sauce with steamed broccoli. The wonton soup is also very flavorful and I always ask for extra wontons added the wontons have a very savory and Taky flavor as they are filled with pork and ginger and they come with lots of yummy veggies, like spinach, mushrooms, slices of chicken breast and shrimp. The reason I keep returning is because the food is really good. Although certain menu items like the orange chicken have completely changed flavor over the years. Whats definitely a huge turn off is the not great service here and also the sticky and dirty decor. It's definitely not a welcoming ambience read more

California Wok - Chinese Near Me - Encino, California

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Food was just okay -- dim sum was average, and the hot and sour soup tasted truly terrible, like straight up OFF, like something in it had rotted. We sent it back, which I almost never do. Ambience is just fine, more fast casual -- they should turn off the needlessly bright overhead blue lights in the evening, they have nice warm ambient lights that are spoiled by their overhead lighting. Service was fast and good, added a star for the excellent staff. All in all, just a kinda below average place. read more

This was my first time here, and I had mixed feelings about my experience. I ordered the vegetable chow mein, which was only okay. The spicy orange chicken was good, and it came with fried rice and a salad. I also tried the paper chicken, which wasn't bad. However, my biggest disappointment was with the fried chicken wontons. They were hard overcooked and had no meat inside. read more

California Wok - Chicken wontons - Chinese Near Me - Encino, California

The food is good but the restaurant is so ran down definitely needs work which kind makes it a turn off to go too

Unfortunately the delivery was not good, stop using Grub Hub, they really ruin your food. Nothing was hot, we had to reheat everything and they didn't deliver the Hot and Sour Soup. Which was the item we were really looking forward to. When we contacted Grub Hub the only option they offered was a refund for the soup. We will not order from you again because of the delivery option. read more

Food was fantastic, service great. Ambiance was chill and kick back. The first but not the last time for sure!! read more

California Wok - Everything was amazing!! - Chinese Near Me - Encino, California

Food was good. It was a group of 6, we ordered quite a few plates to share and taste. It was a little confusing because when the food came out we were not told what was what. No biggie, we asked and they told us. Very attentive. They even gifted us some dessert to try, which was appreciated. I do have an observation: the place is nice and a bit on the smaller side, we sat by the door since it was 6 of us and needed space, while waiting for our food they took out the trash, they rolled it out through the main door and it left a smell that took some time to go away. I would encourage them to wait if there is customers eating or about to eat, I'm not sure if there is back door to use or not. We opened the door and it helped to have the smell subside, other than that detail, the food was good and staff had great customer service. read more

My one star is for both California Wok and Gribhub. First off our order never showed up. Not CW fault but the idiot drive left our food at the neighbors back gate ?!?!?!? Second the order from CW was hella skimpy. Large soup to feed 2-4 barely fed 2. No protein at all. Nothing but cheap vegetables. Very disappointing. Then the low cal chicken and vegetables with extra chicken....No extra chicken very small order. Again very disappointing. Our order with delivery fee tax service fee and driver fee almost 70 bucks. Fxck Grubhub and Fxck CW. I'll pick up from somewhere else. read more

We've been coming here for many many years. It's becoming increasingly difficult to continue to be loyal. The quality of the food keeps getting worse! And then on Christmas Eve I ordered takeout that was supposed to be ready at 5:00. At 6:45 I finally got my food. Terrible!! read more

I gave them a 3 star rating, not because of the price or the taste of the food because let me tell you it was delicious and semi good portions. Not too much nor too little. I am giving them the 3 star review because of the guy who delivered my food, he demanded cash tip. I told him I could only leave it on the card he said no, no you give cash. Stood there, I had to go ask a coworker for cash. I am great a tipper but don't demand it when it's a choice not an obligation. Plus, that's why we tip online because sometimes we don't carry cash. I will definitely not be ordering for delivery ever again! Which is a bummer to their business because that's the main source I use to get lunch or dinner. read more

The food used to be so good here! We've been ordering from them for over 20 years and I'm so disappointed. The fish with black bean sauce (one of my all-time favorites) was so salty I could barely eat it. The tofu in sweet and sour was chewy and the sauce was gummy like in a cafeteria. Someone new must be running the place! read more

I've been searching high and low for great Chinese food in the Valley, and California Wok exceeded all my expectations! Absolutely delicious food -- flavorful, fresh, and best of all, no MSG. Huge thanks to Chloé for the fantastic service and to the courteous, speedy delivery person. I'm over the moon! Thank you for being so wonderful and for making such amazing food. You've earned a loyal customer! read more

I ordered takeaway tonight, and then they recommended my new dish its called House special chicken. It looked very delicious and tasty so bomb It was really delicious. very recommend！！！ read more

California Wok - House special chicken - Chinese Near Me - Encino, California

I used to drive all the way to Torrance to go to this restaurant called Seafood Port but daaaaaaaayum! This restaurant blew me away! First off, the place is super clean, chill vibe. The food was impressive. The salt & pepper pork is a must try! I'm so stuffed and it won't cost you an arm and a leg like other Chinese restaurants. The service was exceptional! Yuliya is the best! She went above and beyond! Looooove this restaurant!!!!!! read more

Food is authentic Chinese style. Portion are good. Parking is convenient and FREE. The interior needs updating.

Anytime I'm in the Encino area especially during lunch hours I'm here, the food especially the lunch special price is amazing for the quality and amount of food you get, basically cost me around 20 bucks for lunch plate with soda. It's an older mom and pops Chinese restaurant which makes it that much yummier. I can't recommend this place enough especially if you get what I got. California WOK needs its community support so go out here and show yours, you won't regret it I promise. read more

California Wok - Kang pao lunch special with friend rice option, half eaten - Chinese Near Me - Encino, California

The people who run this restaurant are always without fail nice - and genuinely so. The prices are fair. The armosphere is homey. And the food is excellent. We've been eating at California Wok for years and have never been disappointed. read more

Excellent food and great service! The staff was friendly and made sure everything was perfect. Highly recommend this place to everyone.

There are people yelling at each other in Chinese (mandarin?) from the kitchen. That's a good sign. The food was fresh, the ingredients fabulous. The simple chow mein was silky good! The soups, especially the hot and sour, deep, dark, umami, and yummy! The service was fine, the best part being the friendly young woman who took our order and the equally friendly dude bussing tables. read more

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The restaurant is tucked away, almost hidden, even though right off of Ventura Blvd. The owner of the building should fix the awnings as all the business in the building have torn awnings, making the building look abandoned. I hoped the restaurant would make a better impression. When I walked in, the host was very attentive, the inside of the restaurant was clean and had indoor/outdoor seating available. Booths and tables. I sat at a booth that had newer cushions. One of the booths, the cushions were almost worn out. The wait staff was attentive and quick, taking my order. The food arrived quickly and hot. I had the sweet and sour shrimp, the chicken chow mein, chicken dumpling and egg drop soup. Everything was delicious with good portions. Enjoyed the meal and even had more for later. Great hidden gem for quick lunch. read more

My family loves California Wok, my wife and I used to live in Sherman Oaks and went all the time, we don't live as local anymore but whenever we're in the area we try to stop in and grab a bite. The food is delicious, the staff is friendly, and I would recommend them any day. read more

CA wok provides authentic Chinese food in Encino. My favorite items are the nutritious soups and crisp chicken wings with jalapeños. They deliver promptly with attention to detail. read more

Love this place for the famous orange chicken that I have had for well over 25 years and counting. Things have definitely Changed since long ago but not the food read more

Disappointed. The food had no taste. I ordered the wor wonton soup which was bland. I also had the cashew chicken. The chicken was cheap and all in all..a waste of money. I won't be going back. read more

This is for delivery only. My favorite items here are the wonton soup, all the soups are so good, . Orange chicken. Moo shu chicken, chicken and vegetable. If you live in the area, delivery is fast and everything arrives Very hot and delicious. I recommend it for delivery. read more

We always ordered from this restaurant for so many years. The food was amazing, and healthier than most Chinese restaurants. Well something has horribly changed. First of all they gave us the wrong order, which did not resemble the dish we ordered. The shrimp shu mi had a piece of shrimp on it was a sliver of shrimp on top.Underneath it was a mixture of something and shrimp taste. The house fried rice was mediocre. For what they charge that is unacceptable. The egg rolls were greasy and soggy. All this cost more than $100. My guess is that then changed owners or chefs. NEVER GOING BACK!!!! read more

The website isnt the easiest to maneuver, but once your order is placed, the delivery time is on piint. Food quality and taste are good

Great food great service. Fast delivery. The quality of food was A+ very tasty. The people were very friendly.

This spot was good enough for takeout. It lies somewhere between Panda and your local quick service, hole-in-the-wall, qualitatively. For convenience, you can order delivery or pickup online and the site is pretty easy to use. Thankfully, they keep the interface up to date. The price for all six items was a tad hefty, but it'll provide leftovers for at least a few subsequent meals. My wife ordered the spicy dried string beans and salt/pepper squid - neither really lived up to their names. The squid tasted a notch on the old side apparently and the string beans were too steamed (not only resulting from the takeout container) to qualify as dried. But they tasted fine going down, everything considered. My faves from the other items were the curry fried rice and the szechwan beef. The pineapples in the rice were nice, ripe chunks - a great touch. And the beef (and chicken) came in just the right fashion, being sauced up. But the meat and veggies were still present. More sauce than protein can be considered a crime. California Wok has a fairly extensive menu, so we'll likely try other items to establish some go-to's. read more

California Wok - Black pepper chicken(small); curry fried rice; veggie chow mein; salt & pepper squid; spicy dried string beans; szechwan beef (small) - Chinese Near Me - Encino, California

Got the orange chicken last weekend because I just didn't wanna cook! As usual, it was DELICIOUS Thank you California Wok for being consistent read more

What makes this Chinese Restaurant better than all the other Chinese Restaurants in the Valley area of Lake Balboa is that this Chinese Restaurant has DIM SUM!!! Lots of Dumpling varieties. This restaurant also has a lot of Variety in the Menu too. My favorite dishes are the Chow Mein, I like how you use the thin noodles & do the Crispy "Bird Nest" style to those Chow Mein. Restaurant environment: plenty of room, good parking space, excellent service. Now for further suggestions to improve your restaurant, since your menu includes Dim Sum, could you please do like a "Traditional Chinese" Dim Sum serving way? In other words, server with cart with those Dim Sum Cylindrical Steam Plates & do it during "Traditional Dim Sum Serving Hours" of morning until Lunch period. As for Dim Sum, please also include Chicken Feet in your Dim Sum Menu. It's great to have a Dim Sum place in the valley, that way I don't have to commute & stuck in traffic all the way to Alhambra or Chinatown to get Dim Sum. Though, I feel the Dim Sum could have been better in terms of able to compete with the Alhambra Dim Sum or Chinatown Dim Sum by try to make it more "Traditional Dim Sum" if you can. Overall, great Chinese Restaurant. Definitely will be returning in the future for more. 4/5 from me. read more

Delicious, great ambiance, and friendly staff. Always drive by this place on Ventura blvd and so happy to have tried it tonight. read more

California Wok - Chinese Near Me - Encino, California

I am in California on business trip. My business partner wanted Chinese food. Wow, we got so lucky that we stopped at California Wok. Great Food, Great Service, Great Dining Room. Great Experience!!! I highly recommend California Wok!!!!! Woody - from Georgia. read more

First time coming to this restaurant as my wife who is Chinese(Cantonese) found the food very favorable! And prepared very well service was absolutely amazing! Food came out fast and fresh! Will definitely come back! Glad they are not to far from where I live! Thankyou! read more

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Delicious food and great service They are so nice Been going for years Only I will eat Chinese food read more

These reviews are amusing - they run the gamut don't they? So, who do you trust, who do you believe? Well, me, of course. So, what do we have here. We have a restaurant that leaves flyers in your mailbox, which is why I ordered from them. I like a nice flyer and I'll sometimes take a flyer on a flyer. So, I ordered through either Postmates or Grubhub, can't remember which. So, whichever it was, the first thing you should know is that although you're paying the Postmates or Grubhub fees, they have nothing to do with it after passing along the order. The delivery itself is from the restaurant, so I suppose one could save a bit of dough just calling them. But I had one of those 25% off deals so that basically covered the fees. Anyway, to make a long story long, I ordered the orange chicken (extra crispy) and the cashew chicken. It arrived right on time, which was nice, and it was till hot despite traveling from Encino to Sherman Oaks. I began with the cashew chicken because who doesn't? I found it a bit flavorless, and yet I kept eating it and enjoying it, so go know. Then I tried the orange chicken - again, a bit bland, but I kind of enjoyed it, too. It's not Genghis Cohen or anything, but then what is, but it's certainly better than Panda Express and those kinds of jernts. I'll return and try other things. I ordered the small of each dish, but the "small" portion is actually quite a bit of food. I haven't had much luck with edible Chinese food in the Valley, so I'm happy to know about this place. And there you have both the high and the lowdown. read more

We ordered take-out from California Wok (July 2023) after receiving an ad in the mail and after reading glowing reviews... Those who gave this place a 5-star review clearly haven't had good food.. The fried chicken wontons were a HUGE disappointment. At first we thought they were something they just give to the table... they were thin and crispy but not worth $10. The steamed shrimp dumplings were okay....the shrimp were overcooked. The hot and sour soup was SO oily I only had a spoon full before I immediately said "absolutely not". It's really strong with flavor and just not for me. The sesame beef was actually pretty good! I wish they gave more broccoli and that they cooked the broccoli in the same sauce. It did give a weird film feeling in my mouth afterwards. The beef chow fun was also pretty good! I liked the bean sprouts for the extra crunch. I wish it was saucier but overall good (it was like a wanna-be pad-see-ew) The sesame balls were also okay. Came hot, tasted good. read more

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Outstanding food! We typically order three dishes from a new restaurant but this time only two. Orange beef is something I haven't seen on a menu since I left Seattle 18 years ago. It was incredible! So much better (IMHO) than orange chicken (less breading so it tastes lighter than the chicken). I also ordered orange shrimp. I realize that's not the best way to sample a restaurant but it sounded good and I wanted it so I ordered it. Wow! Every bit as good as the beef. The shrimp wasn't breaded at all and the tails had been removed The order was ready when I arrived and the person was very friendly. Highly recommended and I would love to come back read more