I do like their food. Gr8 ' Quick Walk - In Steam Table Type thing. Just ordered again via Doordash which is a Gr8 and Very Convenient Food Delivery App. To-day - I ordered the 1 Entree Combination Plate. Weird that with the 1 Entree Combo Plate - the App. only gives us w Drink Choices " Snapple or Arizona Iced Tea. No Option for Coke, Diet Coke or SPRITE like with the 2 Entree Combination. They do a Gr8 Job all - IL-all , but their online Menu can be terribly confusing though. Under ' Food Choices ' instead of CARB. CHOICE they call it First Protein. 2nd Protein are Meats. Other than Minor App. MENU TUNE-UPS...All should be Well. Too one has to Scroll from " Down to Up " esply. on the 2 & 3 Item Combo Dishes. Workers are ALWAYS Very Polite for an Asian Fast Food Joint !!! Recommend !!!!! read more

The food just about average. They used to be better but they've give down hill. They get only two because the to go combo packaging they now use are MUCH Smaller than the average packaging you get at other to-go chinese places. They are ripping off their customers. Bad move Chefs! read more

Chefs Chinese Food - smaller packaging = less food. - Chinese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Man, I was looking forward to this. My dad and stepmom got some takeout of this place and heard that it was pretty cheap, now normally to me that's either a good or bad thing but I wanted to give this place the benefit of the doubt. And oh man was I disappointed. The noodles were fine. I did find the meat dish to have some pieces pretty soft and slightly tough at the same time. The fish had this weird aftertaste that felt like it was trying to be a meat dish and it doesn't blend very well. The rice is also decent but also leaves some things to be desired. read more

I went to a Funeral today which was on San Pablo. After the service there was a Repass to feed family. I said " No thank you". Then I drove to El Cerrito Plaza to Chefs Chinese food to feed my pain. Mind you I live near Alameda, so you know the service and the food must be good! I'm usually buying to go! read more

Whether to go or dining with a group, or at the counter, our go to Chinese place when in Albany/El Cerrito!

I've been here twice recently, and both times the food was extremely salty. I used to enjoy the flavors here, but the seasoning seems to have changed. After eating, I felt very thirsty. I'm not sure if there was a change in the chef or cooking style, but I hope they can adjust the seasoning and bring back the original taste. read more

Chefs Chinese Food - Basil fish and skinny fried rice - Chinese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

If you are looking for a quick Chinese food place to get take out at El Cerritos, this is not a bad option. They are located in the same plaza as Trader Joe's. Similar to Panda Express ordering, you pick your carbohydrate: fried rice or thick noodle or thin noodle; then you pick an entree. You are in and out unless they ran out of the dish that you want and needed to wait for them to cook more. There are tables inside the restaurant that you can sit as well. read more

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I love Chefs. I go any weekend that I'm in town. My experience regards the Take Out Section, though I almost always eat inside at the counters. The value is great, as the portion sizes are hearty, and the service is quick (you rarely have to wait for an item to be refilled and if you do it's a short wait). The food is delicious. It could be a little more consistent. The ambience is relaxed, with pleasant music played at a low volume in the background. I like sitting at the counter because there's always room with extra space for stuff to do, and I can people watch out the large windows. The business is located in a large shopping center and it's convenient to other errands if you have them. My only gripe though also has to do with location. Unfortunately some sketchy people roam the sidewalk in front. They don't make me feel unsafe, just detract from the dining experience. Some people smoke nearby or right In front, and since Chef's always keeps its doors open it can drift in. One time a lady came in and was blatantly asking customers for money, and the staff did nothing about it. I'm definitely a fan despite these issues, I just wish that aspect was better. I usually get a 1 item combo with a couple of Spring Rolls, and it's a filling and satisfying meal. read more

Chefs Chinese Food - #2 combo, with half and half Chow Mein and Fried Rice, and Sweet & Sour Pork and Honey Sesame Chicken for the entrees. - Chinese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

This was my 1st time here and I got the 3 express combo. My plate was full and the food was good. There was no line and we were able to get in and out quickly. The inside was quiet and wasn't too full. I'll definitely come back again when I'm in the area. read more

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I've lived in El Cerrito for quite some time and I also knew about Chef's Chinese Food being a to-go gem in the Plaza buttttt had no idea they did indoor dining with a full and extensive menu! Heading to Trader Joe's with the baby, we peaked inside just to see what the options were to-go and noticed a few people sitting for early dinner. My husband and I were both equally surprised and thought, why not try it! There was a woman hand rolling fresh egg rolls, and the staff was so kind to us/the babe. He was quite the hit! We ordered potstickers, honey sesame chicken, garlic string beans, and BBQ pork chow mein. Solid all around! The potstickers were juicy, honey sesame chicken (what seems to be a popular entrée here) was filled with chicken breast meat/lightly breaded and fried in a semi-sweet sauce, the garlic string beans were fresh and crisp (such a great value for the mound of greens), and the bbq pork chow mein was an instant classic. We're a family that loves our noodles and this was a standout favorite. Affordability, friendly service, plenty of parking in the shopping center, ability to knock a few other errands off your list being so close to grocery/pet/retail stores, and overall quality food tucked away in a small yet gracious spot. Looking forward to coming back to try their lunch specials and of course, pork buns! read more

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I usually grab lunch here because I'm nearby. It was only 30 minutes after they opened, so I figured the food would be fresh. But nope, it was yesterday's leftovers! The sweet and sour pork was freezing cold, chewy, and tasted like fish. I have a feeling they microwaved whatever was left from the night before and served it to everyone the next day. I should have known better than to keep buying when I saw the lady look at a piece of sweet and sour pork, examine it, and then push it aside before serving the rest of my food. After she finished, she went back to the sweet and sour pork with tongs, picked out the piece she pushed aside, and took it to the back. When she came back, she was telling the guy in her language something about the sweet and sour pork because she pointed at it. read more

Love the owners, very friendly hard working couple. The place is convenient and my family loves their Honey Sesame Chicken.

I have been coming here since I was a kid and have never had one bad experience. The food is always affordable and tastes good. The crab fried rice is probably my favorite thing on the menu and every time I order they are very generous with the crab meat. Glad this place has stuck around as long as it has. read more

Still my goto spot because its the closest decent Chinese food to me. However, im giving 3 stars because the lady (i think she might be the owner) is not only rude to customers but she is so rude to her workers. And she talks down on them in front of customers. I feel bad for the workers. If i wanted some really good chinese food ill just drive over to Asia Delight in San Pablo. Not only are the containers bigger but portions are too. read more

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Went to catch a quick dinner. The place was cleaned, but we sat at the window bar seats and not all the way into the restaurant so I can't talk about that area since we went there so late. The staff giving the food was nice and the amount of food was decent. Unfortunately I was so hungry that I didn't get a photo, but I devoured my food so it was good! read more

I am an Albany resident, and I'm posting this as a serious warning. After eating food from this establishment yesterday, my son suffered severe food poisoning and had to be rushed to the emergency room. It is absolutely negligent to serve contaminated food of such poor quality. I am already in the process of taking legal action regarding this incident. Please, stay away from this place and protect your family. read more

Cute restaurant with a quick take out line! Amazing Chinese food. Fast service and they fill up your plate with as much food as they can!

The owners who run this place really, really know how to cook. There's the kind of food you want to eat, e.g., Chinese, Japanese, etc., but then, more importantly is how skillfully the food is prepared and how tasty it is. Chef's is among the best in the Bay Area when it comes to good cooking. Nothing fancy, just really good cooking and fast service to boot. read more

This restaurant has terrible customer service and seems like they don't really care whether you get all your take out food that you pay for or not. But they will certainly charge you full price. I will absolutely never order from this place again. Terrible terrible terrible. read more

The chowmein is one of the better ones I've had in the past year of the takeout -- easily the best in terms of sear/ wokhei -- with a good sear aroma on the chicken, and a decent sear on the noodles itself. Definitely miles ahead of all those saucy wet lo-meins trying to pull off a "chowmein" on me. The texture of the noodles itself is decent but nothing to write home about -- it's no handmade noodles, but it's no worse than most others anyway. The wonton soup was pretty delicious with a flavourful savory chicken broth and, in my opinion, tons of pork wontons -- there were ten of them; I'm used to receiving little more than half of that. The veggies in the soup rounded out the flavors and nutrition of the soup as a whole. I think people compare it to a Panda Express, but I loved what I had and the wok hei of the chowmein cannot be denied! read more

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Fool me once shame on them, fool me twice shame on you, you dont be fooled again. Dont let them serve you dry food from the bottom pile, youll be in the right to send it back for something else or refund. I informed her that the food was too dry on the bottom and not servable needs to come out, instead she offered to replace my food and mixed the chicken tray instead of taking the old out on the bottom. happened to me more than 3 times already im done here. Moving on to other places just not here. read more

Been going to Chefs for decades. I love love love their food. Service is quick and efficient. Their lunch specials are a very good value. Ambience is nice. They keep the front door open which can mean that the dining room is cool when it's cold outside. The only thing I wish would change is their efficient server never smiles, ever!!! It's sad when cliches fit. I will still be a regular. read more

Great food, friendly service. Been coming here 15+ years. Met the owners, nice people. Very consistent with recipes .

Solid Cantonese plate lunches and takeout. Honey sesame chicken and broccoli beef move fast as does the chicken wings and the fried fish. You choose one, two, or three entree selections with noodles or fried rice per takeout box. The steam table is replenished quickly and fresh food disappears just as swiftly. Recently, they opened the eat-in section. Many-a-Cal student take a break for a meal. Polite and brisk cashiers are no-nonsense. read more

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phenomenal no questions no complaints thjs is amazing go there now great interior 100/10 food great food fresh and paccccked GREAT CHEAP PRICES workers so nice and sweet and funny not racist too great service tbis is just amazing food so good i ate it before i could take a picture just trust me this place is so goated read more

Chefs Chinese Food - great - Chinese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I'm am so sick of this place either the restaurant Dine in side is open for business or not! This is the third time I've been there and no help is available for lunch how are you going to run a business with no help? So disappointed once again read more

We've been going to chefs for over 25 years. Always great food and service. The owners are very kind and always accommodating with our kids' food allergies. read more

Over years I didn't find place better then this one . and it has been 15 years to be exact . Still going all the way from Sacramento just to get their Chinese honey chicken :). Love it guys, great service! Keep it up for many more years. read more

Chefs Chinese Food - Small family mill on my plate is a part of it . - Chinese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Located next to Trader Joe's in El Cerrito Plaza, this fast-casual Chinese restaurant has finally re-opened their dine-in area post-pandemic. We usually see a line out the door during weekends, although ordering can be done either through GrubHub, phone, or in-person. They don't have a separate line or designated area for online pick-ups, so I find myself resorting to waiting in line just to pickup an order I already placed online. Service here is cold but efficient. It's important to check your orders before leaving, because they have handed me the wrong orders on several occasions. They're also a bit stingy on things like napkins if you ask for them for more than the 1 they provide. The food here is filling, and their quantities are pretty generous. Price point is cheap, however the food quality is not the best. Some of the food has clearly been sitting under a hot plate for awhile, and the overall quality is a bit on the greasy side. read more

I retried this takeout restaurant. The food has improved since my last experience. The sit-in restaurant reopened. The noodles were well seasoned. I found the basil fish made with better fish and crisper veggies. The pork chops were delicious and the fried chicken was crispy and the meat was well seasoned. read more

Just going to say this fast... The NEW crews behind the counter as servers has not been great since the original ladies that were there before. My order for order ahead take out was 3X in the past couple of months..! The portions are way smaller and they don't seem like they're really paying attention and just don't care. Hoping the owners see this post and want to make some changes .... Miss the former ladies ! The were awesome ! read more

There was a bug in my food I probably wouldn't come back here just make sure you look through your food before you eat it

Chef's has reopened for indoor dining! I learned that from Lori, who seems to know everything. Nina and I had lunch here today. The interior is largely unchanged and looks and feels just as it did before, aside from a neko cat inspired split curtain screening off the bathrooms. No need to change anything else. I remembered to bring my reading glasses to be sure I could read the menu. Our server was Denise and she was wonderful, warm, attentive and helpful. I ordered salt and pepper prawns, which I have been hankering for. Nina ordered a chicken dish w/ vegetables. I can't remember the exact name. The lunch special came w/ a choice of soups and I had just been telling Nina about how wonderful their hot and sour soup was, so we both chose that, as well as salad. The main came w/ a choice of white rice, bbq chicken fried rice or chow mein. We both were interested in brown rice, which they used to offer but Denise didn't think it was offered anymore because it wasn't ordered enough, which makes sense. We commiserated about that, since we all like brown rice. When the soup came it was wonderful. Nina and I both loved it. The salad came next and it was different than I remember, the dressing lighter. I liked it a lot. The salt and pepper prawns were as wonderful as ever and the fried rice was very good, the bbq chicken looking and tasting like bbq pork. I cleaned my plate and enjoyed everything. Nina took home some leftovers, as she has to watch her salt intake and it tasted salty to her. I think she said it had oyster sauce in it. This way she can spread it out. Denise carefully boxed it up for her. Alan and I used to eat here regularly and it's so nice to be able to do so again, although I know I will still call in for takeout too. read more

This place hits the spot if you're in the mood for Chinese food. I got the #1 combo which is the 1 entree with either chow mein or rice. I got chow mein with orange chicken. The portions are so generous. For the price of ~$8, it is indeed worth it. If you're ordering something with seafood, it is going to be an extra $1.50. They don't really have a dine in but they have outdoor seating. The wait can be a bit since they're busy with online orders and in person orders. Prices are pretty good considering all these price increases! They also accept card and Apple pay :) Definitely recommend this spot for anyone in the EC area! read more

Chefs Chinese Food - Orange Chicken - Chinese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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After my post about being charged three times for my takeout, Chefs withdrew two of the charges.

Door dash is prioritized over walk in customers. I ordered what was fresh on the steam table and watched the food prepared and put aside for the dasher. I waited 15 minutes for broccoli beef because it was scooped up and set aside for pick up. 3 other customers waited along side me. No apologies given. Service sucked. When I finally asked for a refund I was handed my order which was sitting on the counter. The result was cold food. Btw, their cold egg rolls are terrible read more

I used to live next to the El Cerrito Plaza 20 years ago and Chefs was my Chinese food place. Where I would regularly get takeout or bring my parents. Visiting my folks I thought it would be fun to get takeout, for old times sake. It has changed a lot, not just due to Covid. I preordered but when I got there, it wasn't clear if I waited in line for the buffet table? (In case this happens to you, just go right up to the cashier) Got the food home and everything was pretty good. Crab wontons, potstickers, honey walnut shrimp, fried eggplant. Seems like portions are smaller and overall food is more like buffet quality than made fresh. read more

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Came to Chef because my wife is pregnant and baby wanted Chinese food and they are the best and the service is fast and friendly and hade the best service from Winnie she was really great at taking my order and was super patient with my wife and she came and cleaned the table bye the window and I was very impressed and greatly appreciate for that read more

Chefs Chinese Food - #3 plate was delicious - Chinese Near Me - El Cerrito, California

This place is very good and the price is right. The portions are huge to the point I've been getting the small individual orders. But the fried chicken wings with jalapenos is sooo yum. I've only done take out . The servers are very friendly. read more

Can't go wrong with authentic Chinese fast food here. It's very delicious. The only complaint we have is the Asian lady who serves food at the counter. She is very rude and always raises her voice at the customers. I know it's her personality but you are in customer service so atleast try to be a little more polite if you can. Hoping the nice owner reads this and have a talk with her. Otherwise everyone there is so nice and food is amazing! read more