Was craving American Chinese food and decided to finally try John Chu's family restaurant. Very classic American Chinese food, but slightly elevated. The inside is bright and roomy. Service was very good. Always checking on us to see what we need and removed empty dishes. We didn't get to see but my friend said they have a banquet hall upstairs and you can pre order roast duck. For the food, we tried a few classics, and I think the hot and sour soup is a must try. Parking was pretty easy. Lots of spots in the back. Also the restaurant is close to Trader Joe's and Safeway. Nice way to get groceries done after dinner. read more

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3.5 Basic family style Chinese restaurant. They had lobster and Beijing duck so I'm not a hundo what region of food this is all supposed to be... In fact I think a lot of it was Americanized Chinese. The food wasn't anything super special but it was solid and nothing was bad. Apparently the chef/owner is pretty famous and the restaurant has had many famous visits over the years. They do have a full bar which is pretty uncommon for Chinese restaurants There is also a lunch special. I'd say dishes are basically 20$ which isn't cheap. Overall solid American Chinese spot that is maybe more akin to pf Chang's but with more authenticity and some authentic staples. Execution is solid but wouldn't make a detour or anything to try again read more

Chef Chu's - Chinese Near Me - Los Altos, California

Chef Chu's is an experience! I wanted to give the out-of-town friends a look at a Bay Area OG, one known for introducing Chinese American cuisine in the 1970s. They had an excellent time and loved meeting the celebrity chef who came around to a few tables at peak dining hours to shake hands and take photographs. He even let us know that the Beijing duck format will be changing to the thin pancakes. as opposed to the more filling steamed buns currently being served. Although there isn't anything especially groundbreaking or nouveau about the restaurant these days, it's a comforting classic that will always have a place in everyone's hearts. read more

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Chef Chu started back in 1970 and still continues to serve amazing Chinese food! Each dish that we ordered had a different flavor and sauce with it. My favorites were - wonton in peanut sauce, kung pao chicken, prawns in hot garlic sauce and clay pot basil chicken. We were upstairs where all the large parties with lazy Suzy tables were there - the waiter was amazing kept being super efficient and taking orders without writing anything down! Wow he seemed in his 60 to 70 age group - amazing memory :) We had a birthday and they got a mango serbet with a candle - very sweet. read more

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Came here after helping some friends move so we had worked up an appetite. We called ahead to set a reservation and I would highly recommend doing so as they were quite busy. When we showed up. We were quickly greeted and sat down and they brought some tea for us to try. All of our food came out quickly and was prepared very well. We liked the many of the options were easily shareable. The restaurant has a good ambience, albeit on the louder side. Side so if you want to come here for a quiet evening to set your expectations. We would definitely come back here again to try more of their food as all of their dishes were very yummy! read more

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Finally tried this place at lunch with a colleague. I am prefacing this by saying we only tried a few dishes so will return to try more. Service here is outstanding. We were sat quickly without a reservation during the week and every person working was attentive and helpful. Our waters were refilled frequently, tea was checked to ensure we had plenty and was still warm, hostess brought us our drinks so we were happy there. The ambiance was busy and active. A bit loud but tables were quite full. We ordered the potstickers as a starter. They were nice big and juicy. I ordered the lemon chicken and white rice for lunch. The lemon chicken was dry and the sauce didn't taste like traditional lemon sauces I've had. The rice was a bit hard but edible. My partner had a chicken salad and she seemed to enjoy it. While I was disappointed in my selection hoping it was a one off. They also do not have fried rice which is my favorite. Overall good restaurant just need to fine tune their rice and lemon chicken. read more

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Had dinner at Chef Chu's with my coworkers, the service and the food were both excellent! I highly recommend coming here with a big group to taste as much of the large menu as you can. Recommend the tangerine chicken and a mai tai. Excited to try this place again in the future! read more

Chef Chu's - Mai Tai - Chinese Near Me - Los Altos, California

A little on the oily side but pretty good in general. Between all we ordered, Mongolian beef and kung paw chicken were our most favorite and Almond chicken was the less favorite. Service was good too. read more

Chef Chu's - Mongolian beef , prawn with vegetables, Rainbow Fish Fillets, Chow Mein, Almond Chicken, Classic Kung Pao Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Los Altos, California

We've been coming to Chef Chu's for years, but our recent visits have been a bit disappointing. We ordered the Chicken Salad and noticed the dressing recipe seems to have changed; it's moved from a sweet-and-sour profile to something more savory. It's still good, but I personally preferred the original version. Since we didn't pre-order the Peking Duck, we went with the Tree Smoked Duck. Unfortunately, it didn't taste fresh and felt like it had been sitting out for a while. The accompanying buns have also decreased in size, and when we asked for two more, our waiter took quite a while to bring them. They had clearly been microwaved, as the texture was tough and rubbery. On a high note, the Sichuan Village Style Clay Pot with beef was excellent and remains a highlight of the meal. read more

Chef Chu's - Chinese Near Me - Los Altos, California

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I love Chef Chu's!! Went with some friends to have dinner over the holidays and it was great. We called ahead earlier during the day to make reservations. Once we got inside, we let them know we had reservations and we were seated right away. The restaurant has seating on both the first and second floors, and it was my first time being seated on the second floor. We ordered a few things: the tangerine beef, crispy noodles, hot and sour soup, and the chicken salad. Everything was so delicious and I the chicken salad was so refreshing. My friend who doesn't even like salad said it was really good. The tangerine beef was also sooo good and will be part of my usual order from now on. We wanted the chow fun too, but they were sold out which was understandable cause our reservation was an hour before they closed. Can't wait to go back again! read more

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If you want a class Chinese food experience, Chef Chu's is the final boss. PS: you're thinking of getting the Beijing Duck, you have to call ahead and reserve a table and the duck ahead of time. Rare lot parking as well. If you're waiting for a table, check out the celebrities who have been there and the Crazy Rich Asians poster by the restrooms (Chef Chu's son directed the movie). As for the food, hot and sour soup tastes exactly the way it should be: hot and sour. Some white pepper and vinegar makes it a bit more sour which can cure most hangovers. We also got the char siu bao, but if you're getting the Peking Duck, the char siu bao is a bit repetitive in terms of taste profile. As for a cold appetizer, the pickled cucumber spirals are great. Very similar to the Din Tai Fung version if you've had that. A bit more tart at Chef Chu's if that's your thing. The Beijing duck came out and was prepared in front of us which was a unique experience. In our opinion, half a bao, some duck meat, couple pieces of the crispy duck skin, some shredded scallion, and a dollop of of the hoisin-esque sweet bean sauce. The eggplant side dish was also very flavorful. It's deep fried and marinated in a garlicky sauce--great option for vegetarians. Other dishes we ordered was the sichuan-style clay pot chicken and the chow fun with beef. The clay pot chicken didn't really stand out to me in terms of unique flavor, but the chow fun was very good and was a table favorite with no leftovers. read more

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People throw out the word institution to describe restaurants much too easily but Chef Chu fits the bill. It's been serving American palate friendly Chinese food since 1970 (!!) Ridiculously large menu. Some highlights: Prawns in lettuce cups: Chef Chu's had them before PF Chang's and these are better. Chicken and veggie version available. Salmon with spicy black bean sauce: THE signature dish (IMHO). Really good flavors and just a hint of spice. Miso sea bass: it's a little too sweet for me but nicely cooked (steamed?) Egg rolls vs pot stickers? Pot stickers are better, no debate. Hot and sour soup: they claim this is the best in town. It's definitely really good. Kung pao chicken: first place I ever tried this dish and it's better than other Americanized places that make it too sweet. General chicken: the sauce doesn't work for me. It's trying to do a sweet and sour thing but there are too many conflicting flavors Chef Chu prawns: this is prawns two ways and both work with polar opposite flavors Sichuan beef: only beef dish I like. Yu Shang pork: the ginger and garlic balance each other out nicely. Generous amounts of bamboo shoots and mushrooms. Garlic string beans: yum! Fried rice and chow mein: not my thing but guests always seem to like these. Try the wide noodle chow fun for something different Service is fine, if not a bit perfunctory. Place is huge with several rooms read more

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My thoughts: This is a traditional classic Chinese restaurant that is been around the bay area through out the up and down of the economy. And any restaurant can survive the harsh business world is A OK in my book. Plus they do serve good food and maintain a reasonable price. Here is my scoring card for this restaurant: 1) Location: ( 5 Point ) - Great location for customer to see and find. Great parking for street parking and back side with parking lot parking. 2) Decoration : (2 Point) - They still have the original decoration. Clean but not up to date. 3) Price: ( 4 point)- The price is competitive but still a little bit pricey compare to other same stars and type food they serve 4) Quality and Taste : ( 3 point)- The quality is ok, food taste is good and portions are average . 5) Type of cuisine standard : ( 4 point) - The style of Chinese food they serve is pretty close to the way it was prepare in China. Not bad! But some dishes did have slightly modify to cater the customer's need Overall it's not bad and I thinks it's great to give it a try and let me know what you think. Go foodies Total max is 25 Score 18 Stars = 72% round up to 3 stars read more

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Decent Chinese food but not overly authentic. I think the experience matches the Chinese experience but the taste might be a little off on some dishes. The food was solid but I think in the Bay Area, there are better Chinese restaurants. They have the classic dishes and they do some of them well. We liked the mapo tofu, Mongolian beef and string beans. The chow mein came out like lo mein (not sure if our waiter misheard our order?) and the fried rice was decent but nothing special. The parking lot is plenty large with spaces all around the building. They quoted us with a 30-40 minute wait but sat us within 5. Service was okay but I wouldn't recommend bringing your own wine. The $15 corkage fee seems low until you realize they don't do anything but open the bottle (aka they don't pour the wine for you) and may bring white wine glasses for red wine. Might be more worth it to try one of their cocktails? Decent experience and there are a couple dishes I'd reorder but I might try another place first. read more

Chef Chu's - Chow Mein / 名色炒麵 ? Ma Po Tofu / 麻婆豆腐 Classic Mongolian Beef / 蒙古牛肉 - Chinese Near Me - Los Altos, California

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Came here on a Saturday evening and it was almost packed but was able to get seated right away(for 2). Server was very attentive and kept us updated with our food. Ordered 1 appetizer(Hot wings) and 2 entrees(Chefs special chow mein and general chicken). All were very good and flavorful. Everything tasted fresh and cooked just right. Kind of pricey compared to other Chinese restaurants but was good to try at least once. read more

Chef Chu's - Hot Dragon Wings (8) / 炸龍翼 - Chinese Near Me - Los Altos, California

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We were greeted and seated immediately at a comfortable booth, shortly after they opened. Chef Chu's hasn't changed much over the years and has been around for so long for good reason. The beef in a clay pot was delicious and spicy. The crystal prawns in lettuce cups were excellent. The lettuce was so fresh. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. read more

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We've had work lunch catered by Chef Chu's before but I've never had the chance to enjoy a meal at the restaurant until recently! It was such a treat! This upscale restaurant serves all of your favorite Chinese food restaurant, all the classic dishes you would normally order and elevates them to a 10. Peking duck, needs to be ordered in advance, offered us the most delicate and juicy bites of duck, scallions, and plum sauce. The vegetables were crisp, the meat was tender, every dish was off the charts! You can't go wrong with any of the dishes you order here. The kids will enjoy it. This place is great for large groups, with banquet style seating and a private room upstairs. read more

Chef Chu's - Peking duck! - Chinese Near Me - Los Altos, California

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So I have been going to Chef Chu's ever since I was a child...and that was a long time ago. My mom passed away a few months ago and we had her memorial/birthday lunch at Chef Chu's and it put a smile on my face remembering how special it was when we would go there. I remember my mom would always tell me to have restaurant manners and if we were going to fancy place we better act like it. The food is great every time and what makes it more special now, is that I get to bring my daughter there and tell her she needs to have restaurant manners. The staff has always been so kind to us and you never leave there hungry. Not only do I love Chef Chu's for the food, but for the memories of how special it is to eat there. read more

Chef Chu's - Thank you Larry for all of the lollipops and smiles. We had a wonderful dinner! - Chinese Near Me - Los Altos, California

Do not miss the deco. Newer restaurants cannot afford them anymore. Some of the wood carvings are probably museum grade. We seldom came. Thought to be too "Americanized" and too high-end. It was, and still is, one of the few that's higher end enough to host formal parties. Daughters teased me, "You are now also Americanized." Well, I am also better afford this place now. Order from the Special section of the menu. You can't go wrong. If you wish to have Peking Duck, you must order a day before. To us, the "shrimp taco" 蝦鬆 is a must-have. They minced shrimp and other ingredients and served on a lettuce leaf like a taco. You eat it with your hand also like-wise. It is also the only restaurant, that I know of, that offer this dish. It is still "Americanized", but that does not mean the dishes are not delicious. read more

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+ Chinese American food is generally fresh, well cooked, above average quality. Small criticism that many dishes taste the same. While high quality food can be subtle in taste, some days the food here is just a little bland. ++ Always a warm and personable welcome by son Larry at the host stand (and more often than not, Chef Chu will make the rounds in the dining room and ham it up. Hospitality shines! - BUT the environs need a major rehaul. The decor hasn't been updated or seemingly cleaned in years. The carpet is kind of scary, and some of the corners are full of dusty tchotchkes. Banquet seat cushions often have remains of prior meals. I stopped going in person because it is icky. The chef will tell you he loves working, "Why should I retire? I'm making tons of money!" Please, invest a little and make your customers feel welcome by improving the cleanliness and comfort. Some anachronisms like phone reservations and no online ordering are charming, but the state of the dining room is not. With an update, this place would be an absolute jewel in Los Altos. read more

Came in to see if the restaurant was worth the hype and left pleasantly surprised! On a Saturday around 12:30pm, the restaurant was extremely packed. We got the last parking spot in the main lot, but there's a large lot behind that with additional parking. We were also lucky enough to snatch the last available table without having to wait. The interior of the restaurant is decorated with Jon Chu's accomplishments, which was super cute. We ordered the four seasons cold plate, black pepper steak, and chao ma mian (jjampong noodles). The four seasons cold plate is much larger than what's advertised in the photo on the menu. It came with marinated cucumbers, bamboo shoots, vegetarian goose, and pickled tomatoes. The tomatoes had a sugar plum taste, which was so unique to me - I've never had pickled tomatoes before. The cucumbers were also a hit, super refreshing with a kick of spiciness and garlic(?). The jjampong/chao ma mian was packed with more seafood and chicken than I had anticipated. The broth was on the spicier end, but really warm and flavorful. I'm a sucker for a good jjampong, and it's always a delight to see it on the menu at a Chinese restaurant. The noodles were chewy and absorbed the broth well. The black pepper steak was tender and well seasoned, with the sweeter tangy sauce contrasting the black pepper. I liked how the mushroom, string beans, and onions absorbed the flavor as well. The portions here were honestly bigger than expected, the server was very friendly and attentive, and the food was Chinese-parent approved! Their signature cocktails look fancy - would love to try next time :) read more

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Overall: not a place we would go back to. It is very pricey. And the food quality and quantity does not match the high price. They also do this strange thing with how they charge for a dish. Normally, the price listed is for a single plate of the dish and they bring the dish to the table for you to divide up. But, with Chef Chu, the price is for a dish for four people. So if you have 6 people, they charge you 1.5 times the price. They divide the dish for you and bring you out individual small plates. We were not a fan of this method. -Famous chicken salad: 3/10. Think basic lettuce and chicken with a dressing. -Steamed Chilean sea bass with ginger and green onions: 6/10. $50 for a single fillet was absurd. The taste was fine but the portion was so small. -Garlic pea sprouts: 6/10. A bit on the oily side. -Peking duck: 5/10. $80 for classic peking duck and $100 with the duck bone soup add on. Price wise it is comparable to other places. But, we found this duck to be too fatty. read more

Chef CHU's! I vow anytime I'm in the Bay I'm stopping by the Chu's cause they do it up fr! The ambiance is family/celebratory vibes, the staff are amazing and always attentive and lively! Was here for Christmas linner (lunch/dinner) in 2024. Had the MuShu for the first time....delectable! You could never go wrong with Chef Chus Famous Chicken Salad! It's light, fresh and oozing with flavor. We also had the lemon chicken, the BBQ pork bun and house chow mein! All out of this world! Get here FAST! read more

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This is our family's favorite spot for birthdays and special occasions. I've been coming here my whole life, and it is always delicious. My favorite is when Chef Chu is there; he always comes and greets his patrons. He is also a fantastic chef, so we feel lucky when he's there to make our meal just a little more special. His family also manage the restaurant, and they are so kind and hospitable. Some of our favorites are Hunan chicken, Mongolian beef, Cashew Chicken, and the whole sea bass. read more

Re-affirming that this place is still an institution serving high-quality food! The restaurant is full of regulars and staffed with veterans who are quick in service and god at remembering faces. I get the kung pao chicken just about every time I come, but everything is good! Our last visit was New Year's Eve and it was packed - it was worth the wait, but next time we'll make a reservation :) read more

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Their Mongolian beef and combo fried rice are amazing and I can't wait to eat them again. I was a bit dissatisfied with the chicken - overall good place read more

Always love Chef Chu's for small or big family gathering feeling like eating at home!

I have been to chef Chu's a while ago and it's a decent spot and didn't think it was exceptional. The food was okay so I don't understand the good reviews. They get super busy, and it's on the pricy side. I have only taken it to go from here and never ate there so can't comment much on anything else besides food for to go orders and felt it was just okay. I did have high hopes given the high ratings read more

PEKING DUCK!!!! Decided to make a reservation for Chef Chu's after hearing about it for a while but never gone. You can call a few days in advance to make a reservation and you need to reserve the peking duck at least 1 day in advance. Showed up a bit earlier than they opened so we were wandering in the parking lot but got let in early because the waiter saw us LOL. Parking lot is limited but if you go early it should be ok and there's other shopping centers nearby. Pretty standard chinese restaurant decor with lots of movie posters/articles as the owner's son directed Wicked and Crazy Rich Asians. I think the only thing that's worth getting here is the peking duck. The duck was smokey, super juicy, skin super crispy, and deboned!!! Probably the best duck I've had in the bay. The other items were okay, not really worth the price tag. Seems like there are a lot of regulars so they get the special attention. Didn't feel like service was all the great for us. Would only come back for the peking duck! read more

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Short Story: A fancy Chinese restaurant with a rich history! Long Story: I came here on a Saturday morning around 11am with a reservation. It's a small parking lot so you'll need to manage around. We were promptly seated and given menus. We already pre-ordered 2 Peking duck (one for here and one to-go). We also got a few smaller dishes such as wood ear mushrooms, wonton soup, cucumbers, etc. The service is really good and the chef will come out to have a conversation with each table. He's really friendly and will tell you all about the history of the restaurant, his family, and his connection to the famous Crazy Rich Asians movie! Verdict: I'm going back! read more

Great food! Especially walnut shrimp, string bean and mapo tofu. Expensive but worth it. read more

located along el camino real on the corner of san antonio rd in los altos...two levels of dining space...probably was once a grand chinese restaurant with banquet spaces decades ago...old, but still seemed moderately busy on a saturday afternoon...walls are adorned with few celebrities and politicians which adds to the old school charm...6 adults and 1 child...browsing menu and finding quite extensive...a little of everything from whole fish and peking duck to general tso chicken and sichuan beef...took some time deciding because of the long list of choices...decided on simple hot & sour soup to start which the waiter adjusted the price to serve 7 bowls $22.43...crispy sichuan beef $23.95 and general tso chicken $22.95 for something for the child to eat...both were quite mild and leaning on the sweeter glazed side...sichuan string beans $20.95 for our vegetable dish which was again mild, but good....combination chow mein $19.95 was typical and seasoned right...wanting a whole fish and waiter immediately suggest fried with spicy sichuan garlic sauce $55.95 (large)...wasn't spicy at all, and again leaning on the sweeter side...made the mistake of ordering mostly fried with similar flavor notes...probably should have insisted on the braised whole fish as originally intended...about $234 total after tax and tip for just the right amount of food for 6 adults and 1 child....food was good at reasonable prices...portions are not too big for the dishes... read more

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Food was excellent. We were a party of 5 and were given a table fairly quick. Service was top notch. Price is high but worth the money

If you're looking for a neighborhood gem that consistently delivers comforting, flavorful Chinese dishes, this spot is the one. I've been coming here for years, and it has fully earned its place on my "never-fail favorites" list. I always start with the wonton soup--a must-order. The wontons have perfectly thin wrappers encasing juicy pork, and the broth is that combo of light, clear, and flavorful. Simple, soothing, absolutely delicious. The minced chicken in lettuce cups is another go-to. The filling is savory, aromatic, and packed with texture; wrapping it in crisp lettuce makes every bite pop. Truly one of the best versions around. For mains, the General Tso's chicken and pork fried rice hit all the nostalgic notes--classic, satisfying, and consistently well-executed. Pro tip: ask for their house chili oil. It's fragrant, spicy, and takes everything up a level. The basil garlic chicken clay pot is a standout: savory, aromatic, and rich without being heavy. I've also tried the beef clay pot, which has a fantastic flavor profile--deep and comforting --but the beef itself leaned a bit too chewy for my taste. Still worth a try if you prefer a firmer texture. Service here is always quick, friendly, and efficient, making it an easy choice for both dine-in and takeout. Bottom line: this is the kind of local Chinese restaurant you can rely on--comforting classics, flavorful standouts, and warm, speedy service. A neighborhood treasure. read more

Delicious Peking Duck! This place was super super busy for the holidays; will need to place order in advance Beautiful interior and full of holiday vibe! I'll be back to try their other dishes another day :) read more

Chef Chu's - Peking Duck includes sauce and sliced green onion and lotus buns ~ yum yum says Monster! Chef's kiss - Chinese Near Me - Los Altos, California

My family has been going to this restaurant for years!!!! Always great service and delicious food! My favorite is the Chinese chicken salad and beef chow fun! Super big portions! These days we've been getting our food to go and the portions are huge!!! We are eating Chinese food for days! read more

Ordered take out on weeknight. It was ready on time. The ambiance in the restaurants seemed nice - lots of seating and the restaurant was quite busy. Parking is a bit of a mess. Now to the food. We had the bbq pork buns (just okay, the bun vs. meat ratio was way off, barely any meat in either of them which was a surprise given the price point), vegetarian "goose" (tofu sheets wrapped with shiitake. This was also just okay - not even close to what mom used to make - the mushrooms seemed sparse and lumped into one area vs being layered throughout. Had left overs of this, and it actually tasted better the day after), hot and sour soup (solid) and then the Hong Kong style crispy noodles which were decent and flavorful. Would give it a 3.5 if that was an option. read more

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Nice Chinese restaurant with good service. The food here is pricier than other places so you're paying for the name and the experience. The BBQ pork appetizer (4/5) was good. I just wish they had this as an entree instead of a small appetizer. The garlic string beans (3.5/5) were fresh and cooked well. I prefer mine to be more peppery, more garlicky though. The fried rice (4/5) was good too, no complaints. The general chicken (3.5/5) was good but wasn't spicy at all. To me the stand outs were the Hong-Kong Style Crispy Angel Hair Noodles (4.5/5) and the Candied Pecans with Jumbo Prawns (5/5)!! You get a good amount of vegetable in the chow mein which I love. The prawns were a good size, had the perfect crunch, and had amazing flavor as well. Overall glad to have finally tried this place! read more

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If you want Chinese food in a fancy environment this is the place. The service is great. Great to go for special occasions or if you are hosting someone special. We went at a friends invitation for their special occasion. They had a good choice of vegetarian dishes and I stuck to the kung pan tofu and noodles. Both were extremely good and the best part is that they are shareable plates and so didn't get too full trying to finish or take out a doggie bag. Planning to go again soon as the number of vegetarian friendly Chinese restaurants are dwindling. read more

This restaurant has been there more than 55years in bay area. It has kept its reputation and is going strong. We went on a Wednesday night for dinner and it was at 80% capacity and there were multiple to go orders. We got hot and sour soup which was decent and quantity was good for a cup. The main course - Kung pao chicken and hong Kong style crispy angel hair noodles were tasty. The quantity was less for its price. We added their chilli oil as we needed a kick. Overall great experience, good Chinese food option. Service was good and restaurant is kept clean. read more

Chef Chu's - Hot and Sour Soup / 酸辣湯 - Chinese Near Me - Los Altos, California

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