I came here a while ago and remembered liking the pho, so I came back. It did not disappoint! I know it doesn't say it's a Viet restaurant, but it's definitely one of my top pho spots. I did try the cheese Wontons too, and appreciated that they were of the smaller variety. The ambiance feels like what I used to see in old movies for a Chinese restaurant, and I really enjoy that. Service was very good, everyone was very nice and attentive. read more

China Chef - Pho Dac Biet - Chinese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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China Chef is one of those neighborhood spots you can always count on. The food is consistently delicious--the hot and sour soup is perfectly balanced, the orange chicken is crispy with just the right amount of tangy sweetness, and the chicken lo mein is hearty and flavorful. Portions are generous, prices are fair, and the staff is welcoming every time. It's casual, comfortable, and feels like part of the community. Whether you're grabbing takeout or sitting down for a meal, you'll leave satisfied. And if you like your food with a kick, just ask your server--they can make it extra spicy. A true St. Paul staple. read more

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First off, I would rate China Chef a 4.5, but since I can only do 4 or 5, I defaulted to a 5 because we like going here. The staff is always friendly and quick! We always get the House Egg Rolls. Their egg rolls and crispy and flavorful, especially dipped in the fish sauce. The Pho is also a great go to! The broth is really good and the meats are all tender. They also have a great Vietnamese Egg Roll Salad. Everything tasted fresh and it's topped with their House Egg Rolls, marinated pork, and fish sauce, which is a perfect blend of flavors. Is it our favorite pho, no. Is it a great place to get a pho fix, absolutely! read more

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My friend and I went here for some pho on a rainy day and it hit the spot! Service was quick and we had a great time. Lots of parking spot and seating in the restaurant. Portion was big and it was delicious! We also got Hot Braised Chicken Wings to share and those were also delicious! read more

China Chef - 2 Pho Dac Biet - House Special and Hot Braised Chicken Wings - Chinese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

So this place was recommended to me by my coworker. I had doubts because it's new ya kno. MaAaan the customer service was amazing, my order was taken right away and my food was on my table within 10 minutes. The pho was so good that I didn't even have to put all of the other condiments in it. #Bomb And don't let me get started with the Salt & Pepper Squid! Flavor in every bite for both dishes. As for the ambience of the restaurant... it was nice, not too much just simple and welcoming. read more

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First time calling to do take out. Staff was friendly and helped explain their menu. I called at 7:15pm, didn't realize they closed at 8:30pm. I got there 50 minutes before they closed and seemed they were closing early. Had the closed vibe. Aside from that the food was quite good. I was pleasantly surprised for being a small place I didn't know what to expect. Flavor of the food was great and the portions were decent. For the sesame chicken combo it was $17.50. The chicken portion was a little small for being the main course. But there still was decent amount of food. Single Beef Low Mein was not a combo for $12.50, good portion. Shrimp spring rolls were $7.50. They were not supposed to be cut, they accidentally did that. But overall delicious meal and would like to try going there for a sit down experience next time. I recommend a try! read more

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Best pho place, definitely my go to. Small business and owner is always there being lovely

We ordered for pick up and the food hit the expectation of an average Americanized Chinese meal. We appreciated the multiple options within the combination platter. Between this and an order of wontons split between 5 people, this plate was plenty for two adults. Note - the menus/pricing listed on Yelp is out of date (as of 9/2023). For updated pricing, check out their website. read more

China Chef - M-3 : Sesame Chicken Dinner Combination Platter with egg roll, fried rice, and chicken chow mein - Chinese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

my girlfriend and I used to eat a couple times a month at China Chef prior to Covid. We loved the buffet. For the first time in 6-7 years I ordered a takeout and will never eat there again or ever recommend this place. my girlfriend agrees We were looking forward to it. What we found was both dishes we 95 pct vegetable with little seafood or meat. The price was outrageous for what we got and my girlfriend mentioned it wasn't even flavor full. This place has really gone down hill in the quality of food read more

We just are here last night and I'm so mad.... At myself for not coming here sooner! I have been looking for Chinese food like this since I moved here from Los Angeles and have been consistently disappointed. But we finally have our go to spot. I tried the combo with kung pao chicken, lo mein, and fried rice, while my husband had the pho and a side of spring rolls. Sam, our waiter, was great! Super efficient and friendly. Food came out fast and was full of everything that I have been missing- lots of flavor, fresh and plentiful vegetables, and the meat was tasty and well cooked. Prices were reasonable and the portions were big. On the way out we chatted with Tim and the other owner (I can't recall her name). Really such nice people. I can't wait to go back and will be taking family when they are in town! read more

China Chef - Chinese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

In all honesty, I think the vermicelli noodle was oka. It could have been better. The beef had its own flavor and it threw the fish sauce liquid off. The beef was very saucy so that why it threw the dish off. Some of the eggroll was burnt so it taste like burnt eggroll shells. The salty and spicy squid was very good. However, the batter was very overpowering the squid. The chicken was very good, but i thought it would be more spicy. It wasnt spicy at all, if they tell you it's spicy, don't believe them. It is actually super sweet. The pho was pretty good, it had a beefy broth and not too water down. The pho was not a disappointment! The service was oka, it could had been better, but we got seated in the far corner. read more

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WARNING : Poor service I've been here twice and I don't think I'll be coming back. Even if the food is good the poor service is atrocious. When I walked in I had to wave to an employee who was in the kitchen in order to sit down. Should have been a sign for me to walk out. Then I ordered our food and this other table got their food before we did. After being here for the second time - I noticed that the servers will avoid you at all costs so they don't have to deal with upset customers. Also the kitchen seems to be disorganized and have no concept of appetizers and when things should come out. I literally heard my order yelled at 4x and nothing came out. Again - not the servers fault but the management seems to be lacking. Kitchen is slow and appetizers will not come out on time. Food may be amazing but just don't come unless you have time to waste. read more

Our family got China Chef takeout today for the first time. We'll be back! We ordered dumplings, cream cheese wontons, and egg rolls to start. All of them were amazing, but the dumplings were a standout. Fresh and flavorful! I want to try the egg rolls in a bun salad next. For my main, I got the pho with veggies. I have a HIGH bar for pho, and this one met or maybe even exceeded it. The broth was rich and flavorful, but not oily. The veggies were fresh. The noodles were cooked perfectly. And it really hit the spot. 10/10, whew. So good. My family got mushroom fried rice, a shrimp stir fry, and I think chow mein (that was supposed to be mandarin chicken, but I think we got the wrong box - only reason for a one-star deduction). Overall, I would recommend this for takeout. Maybe next time we'll dine in! Glad it's local. read more

China Chef - Clockwise: Mushroom fried rice, dumpling, cream cheese wonton, egg roll. - Chinese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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China Chef has the best Pho on this side of town. The broth is seasoned perfectly and they are generous with their portions. My husband and I are able to share a regular sized Pho with some left over. read more

I don't understand how this place has the ratings it does?! Meat was old and gross not edible. Had to throw everything out. Ate the egg roll but it was super greasy. Beef fried rice could have been ok but the meat tasted old/off. General Taos chicken was super dry and the texture was off like it had been sitting around for a while. Don't waste your money here. read more

The pho is great and love the bean sprouts in the fried rice. Always super friendly at checkout

The BEST Hot and Sour soup I've ever had. Lemon Chicken, chef style is also great. BEST egg rolls around.

The food I got was M-6 I now know why this place is bad. Thought the rice would come in it's own bowl but it didn't. The kung pao chicken was even kung pao chicken like yo come on man. I rather eat the king pao chicken at Panda Express. The fried rice was super plain no taste at all! The chicken chow mien was just covered in celery which was super nasty and that was all I tasted because it was mixed in with everything! Didn't finish my plate! Tried it and that was it hence why there's still a lot of food on the plate. First and last. read more

China Chef - M-6 kung pao chicken, fried rice, and chicken chow mien - Chinese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Spicy vegetable fried rice, general tso's, cream cheese wantons and the pho is some of the best in the twin cities. This place is a family favorite and the owners family and staff are fantastic. Want the best server...just ask for Sam! read more

Clean and well organized. Staff are friendly and helpful. Extensive menu and lots of local people eat here. Lots of windows so it is a bright place. They seem to have a large number of takeout orders too. We like the food and will be going back. read more

Probably the best Chinese food this side of town. Always busy whenever we stop by for pickup. Haven't been disappointed yet.

Fiance wanted to try a new Chinese place and China Chef ended up being the one he chose to try. We drive this place almost daily and it is always packed, so it was only logical that this would be our pick for last night's dinner. What we ordered: Cream Cheese Wontons (1), Sweet and Sour Chicken (1), and Chicken Fried Rice (1). Price? .... Drum roll... $26.00!!!!! I was SUPER impressed with the Sweet and Sour Chicken. However, I wish they would put pineapple chunks in the sweet and sour sauce. The chicken is very good cuts of chicken breasts that have been deep fried. The Chicken Fried Rice was also very good except they put in these long, clear, crunchy, and skinny veggies (I forgot the name) and there is a lot of them. Unlike most places, China Chef added actual normal shaped cuts of chicken breast. - which we really liked. I just wish they would of added more veggies like peas and chunks of egg in with the fried rice. Finally, the Cream Cheese Wontons. They were small, bite sized for one order I think 10 came in there. To me, the wontons we're pretty average. They offer take-out, dine-in, and all you can eat. My family decided to go with take-out. The food was ready by the time the phone answerer stated. The food was delicious but nothing that really "blew me put of the water" or nothing stood out drastically that would compell me to leave a 5 star review. However, I do recommend China Chef to anyone that likes Chinese and is craving GOOD chicken. But beware- they don't say the price over the phone when ordering and this is a more expensive Chinese restaurant. 4 stars. read more

Great for a quick bite. The pho was decent and the salt and pepper squid was the best. Service was fast and nice!

I typically have a great experience and come here for pho over the other nearby places. The servers are very attentive and old asian lady is super nice. I took my wife here last night for dinner and wanted her to try their pho. We were served chunky and chewy noodle pho. Noodles were overcooked and kept breaking. There were a handful of noodle chunks sticking together. It was like I eating twizzlers. I showed the server the noodles and he agreed feeling super embarrassed. I had taken 3-4 bites. I asked for a new bowl and he took my bowl back into kichen. He comes back out with the same bowl and states the owner is in a bad mood and the owner, assuming he is also the cook, refuses to make me another bowl. Server told me he could not help me and that I was stuck with the bowl. I was in total shock. I disputed my bowl with the nice lady and after 3-4 attempts, she took ONE bowl of pho off my bill. I left the restaurant hungry and super disappointed. I wont be coming back for awhile. read more

Hands down - this is my favorite Vietnrestaurant- awesome Pho, fried chicken wings! My mom had the Vietnamese egg roll salad which is really good too. read more

China Chef - Pho beef - Chinese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Still the best and my favorite spot for take out food. Highly recommend their spring rolls!

I've been eating here for at least 25 years and it is hands down my favorite Chinese restaurant. Their Pho is to die fo, their egg rolls are perfection and their cream cheese wontons will blow your mind. I have yet to try something I didn't like. read more

I come here for my Pho fix. The Pho taste great and the service is good. Haven't tried any of the other foods besides the sesame chicken but the place is ok. Dining area is clean and the bathrooms are also clean! Will have pictures to show... read more

China Chef - Sesame chicken - Chinese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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My beef chow fun didn't amaze me that much. Neither did my husband's general tsos chicken, which he ordered basically every time for Chinese food. Might try their pho next time we order. They did a good job complying with the precautions. read more

China Chef - General Tsos chicken - Chinese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Sesame chicken with Fried Rice was delicious and flavorful. Beef broth for Pho was tasty. Staffs were courteous.

I've always drove by this restaurant and I've never tried it. However, when a friend suggested that it's good, I thought I would give it a try. About two weeks ago a friend said that the beef chow fun and sesame beef was good from China chef. They ordered two half trays of each dishes I listed. I thought the amount was good and the food itself was good. So with that, it swayed me to order a half tray for a party I was doing. Just recently on Sunday (4/8/2018), I thought I would order the sesame beef for my family birthday party. I ordered a half tray and it costed me $48. Not only that, the amount was not justifiable as I've seen before (mind you that was the week prior.) I think there is inconsistent amount of food they put into the food trays. In addition, when I came to pick up my order I waited 20-25 minutes until it was ready; I called ahead of time to place my order. I was expecting to wait 10 minutes. I'm not sure if I would return to this restaurant to order any food trays in the future. I might come back to try the other dishes. read more

Had the Vietnamese Vermicelli Combination Salad. Not bad. A bit too much beef sauce on the beef. Missing a piece of lime. Noodles were too small. Otherwise pretty good! read more

China Chef - Vietnamese Vermicelli Combination Salad - Chinese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

This is probably my favorite Chinese restaurant in town! Pho, fried cheese and all sorts food are just so good. The owner of the restaurant keeps the very authentic flavor from Asia. Anytime when you stop by maple wood, this place can be your go to place:) read more

China Chef - Chinese Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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The food is ok I guess I've had pho here multiple time and multiple times I have to remind myself the noodles are too starchy overall it's ok. read more

This is my absolute favorite Chinese restaurant! They have the best egg rolls, phó, and entrees. We frequently get take out and they are always fast, accurate, and delicious! read more

I have eaten at this place many times. The chinese food there is A-OK (3 stars), but the pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) is "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" (5 stars). When you first walk into this place, it isn't the greatest appeal. The tables and chairs are worn. My wife and I decided to go for the buffet the first visit there. The food had been sitting out for awhile, and the dishes were just soaked in sauce. Some of the dishes had been refilled, and those were much better, however, it still lacked quality overall. While we ate the buffet, we noticed everyone around ordering or eating pho. It was quite strange to see. The next few times we went, we got the pho. It was amazing. I have eaten pho at a lot of places around the city, but this place is definitely on the top of my list! The broth is very well seasoned, rich, and flavorful. I don't even need to add the hoisin, fish sauce, etc.; however, I do add spice (chili oil or Sriracha). The portion size comes in Regular and Jumbo. I tend to eat a lot and the Jumbo goes beyond satisfying my hunger. The price for it is very good. The service here is great. They are attentive and very nice. My wife and I now go there almost every week, just for their pho. There aren't many good pho places on this side of town, so I am glad I found this gem. read more

Went in on a Sunday afternoon with my boyfriend. The place was less than half full. Was seated right away, but the wait for our food took awhile. This was my second time there (my first time, I ordered one of the pho bowl. The broth was a bit salty but nothing a few condiments couldn't fix) so I decided to try something else. Ordered a small hot and sour soup, and the vermicelli combo salad (which was beef and eggroll). I'm not sure if it's an everyday thing, since I don't eat there daily or maybe the chef was having an off day but the hot and sour soup came out to be extremely salty with a bit of sweetness. Nothing close to being hot or sour. Maybe I didn't read the description well on the vermicelli salad but all there was in the bowl was the vermicelli rice noodles, less than a handful of lettuce and basil and the sauteed beef and eggrolls. It was a bit disappointing since I usually like bean sprout, carrots, and green onion in my vermicelli salad also, otherwise the noodles and beef were cooked perfectly. The sauce for it was decent (more salty than sweet, probably because it's meant as a fish sauce), and the portion was pretty good. The eggrolls stuffing was a good ratio of bean threat noodle and meat, however it did come to be salty also. My boyfriend had the lake tung ting delicacy and pho combination (jumbo size). The lake ting ting delicacy was pretty good and not at all over salty or under flavored, although it was suppose to come with a side of rice, which they didn't inform us that they were still in the making of it, until I asked. The pho broth was a bit bland this time. Overall, if the food didn't consist of so much salt, I'm sure it would've been more enjoyable. It's not a place id choose as a go to, but I'll return to try other dishes, and hopefully it'll be a better experience then. read more

Nothing else matters other than their beef fried rice and eggrolls! A little pricy for the eggrolls but worth it! So if ur in the mood for those two items it's good to go. read more

The food was very good. I had the General Tsos Chicken. It wasn't as fully flavored as other restaurants but it had good veggies mixed in like broccoli and mini corns. I liked the addition. I did NOT like that it was $12.95. This is much higher priced than your competitors! Since it was my first visit, I wanted to try it to see if there was a reason it was so expensive. I also tried the sweet and sour chicken. This was $9.95. Smaller portion and average price. It was very good with green pepper and onion mixed in. I highly suggest the recipe adding pineapple as it is very good with sweet and sour chicken. The wontons were a good value. You get 10 for $5.50. Service was okay. Our waitress delivered items timely and refilled our drinks when needed. Here is a tip: Do not take my glass! I still want to continue drinking from it while you are getting my refill and I don't want my glass mixed up with someone else's. The host was an older gentlemen and very kind and gracious. We had a little conversation and he made for a good first and last impression. Lastly, there is a small tray at each table with sauces. They weren't wiped off and were sticky. These containers should be wiped off everyday to prevent spreading germs. read more

I've had a lot of Pho, and I'm picky. I will occasionally drive forty five minutes past a dozen other other places to come here. I love this place. read more