The best Chinese spot on this side of the hill! If you live in Aptos or anywhere in Santa Cruz County, you need to check out Four Streams Kitchen. I've been looking for a solid go-to Chinese takeout spot for a while, and this place absolutely knocks it out of the park. Do yourself a favor and order the Szechuan Boiled Fish (Sichuan Shui Zhu Yu). It is insanely flavorful, perfectly spicy, and easily one of the most legit, authentic Chinese dishes I've had in the area. If you prefer the classic American-Chinese comfort staples, those hit the spot too. The Kung Pao has the perfect balance, the potstickers taste completely house-made, and my family is obsessed with their chow mein.  The ingredients are always fresh (especially the veggies and seafood, try the fried prawns!), and the staff is incredibly kind and accommodating. Great portions, amazing value (especially the lunch combos). read more

I would give this 3 1/2 stars. It was the first time ordering last night through DoorDash. First, I will say that in the Aptos area this is far better than anything in this town, and way better than Panda Inn. I probably should have just picked up the order because $80 for Chinese food for two people is a bit steep and honestly ridiculous. The first negative thing is the fact that we ordered pork fried rice and ended up getting the fried rice but with chicken instead so OK, edible, but there is something about pork fried rice that I really like so that was disappointing. Also ordered their vegetable green bean with garlic sauce dish, and the green beans were cooked nicely although a side order of green beans for $16? Yes, I made the decision to order simply because I wanted a veggie with the rest of the meal. I ordered a chicken breast dish that was coated in some sort of a Panko-ish crunch. That was good although I wasn't expecting it to be fried. When you're hungry, you just eat it anyway... Truth. also had the potstickers which were typical nothing special, although they did serve it with some sort of a hot pepper sauce, which was good although the seeds in it were quite tough. They also pack a little container of what looked like white vinegar weird not at all like what you would normally have. We will probably try again as we explore the menu, but I will definitely pick up next time. Oh and finally with an order that clearly served two people they throw in one fortune cookie. How cheap is that? Jury is still majorly out on this place, but just wanted to share for now. read more

Unfortunate. This was my first time sitting inside and it was not good. The smell of smoke is awful and made it hard to focus on the food. The fried rice was... okay. Plain, but hot and filling. The Mongolian beef was a train wreck. The beef was chewy and sparse, the onions were basically raw. read more

Four Streams Kitchen - Mongolian beef, shrimp fried rice - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California

***Overall: 3.75 stars*** Service: 5 stars We were seated, served, and tended to right away. Excellent! This smiley lady checked on us and kept an eye on us the entire time we were there. Facility/Location: 5 stars Everything about the facility and location is 5 stars -- from the restaurant being easy-to-find in Aptos Village, parking is ample, restaurant space is large and clean. Even the ambiance has just enough decor to whisper "Chinese restaurant" so they didn't need to put the description into the name. Decor was simple and looked family-owned. Menu/Price: 4 stars A decent menu with reasonable prices. I like that they offer lunch specials, but it doesn't say anything other than a lower price, so I guess that just means you get rice and the dish for a slightly discounted rate? It'd have been nice to get a side with it, like potstickers or a salad and a drink. Some authentic Chinese dishes aren't on the menu, but then again, this is also the first Chinese restaurant menu I've seen that is in all English, so perhaps that gives me a hint why. Food/Flavor: 3.5 stars The food came out super fast and it tasted good, though the noodles lacked flavor. My daughter had to add salt to hers and I reached for the spicy chili -- both things were uncommon actions by both of us! Other than that, the food tasted good and was freshly made. We did like that food and plan to order from there again. read more

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Jessie D doesn't know how to order real Chinese food. You don't go to an authentic Chinese restaurant and order American Chinese food which is not authentic Chinese food from China. More people order Chinese food from here than all others in the area BECAUSE it is authentic. If you want to start off with an amazing dish order the Sichuan boiled fish and a bowl of white rice. Eat them together in your mouth. You won't be disappointed. Americans don't now that boiled food in other countries is 5 star, packed full of flavor and makes meat melt in your mouth. By the way, vegetables should be crunchy, not mushy. Asians know how to cook food. read more

Four Streams Kitchen - Sichuan boiled fish. Delicious! - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California

The food was good. We had take out do service was gine. Could not be better - well parking the area can be a bit tough.

We saw this place on Yelp and decided to try it. Every dish we ordered was delicious and we were well taken care of. We ordered chicken salad, sweet and sour pork, shrimp in lobster sauce, bbq pork chow fun, eggplant, and rice. The colors on the vegetables were so beautiful and vibrant. It's one of the best Chinese food places we've eaten at, and we've eaten at a lot of them. read more

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Attended in person for lunch. This restaurant has no personality, no atmosphere whatsoever. Wait person did not smile, seemed very bored. The food was bland and unappealing. Nothing was done to make the dish appealing to eat. Just a pile of white rice and some steamed chicken with green veggies. No attempt to make the dish look appealing or appetizing. The food tasted just " ok". Not worth the effort to go there or the fairly high cost for what you get. First and last time my family will go here. read more

I think this place is really good. Very clean inside, all the good stuff on the menu. Very kind service. We got the sesame chicken, potstickers, and beef chow mein. I recommend for chinese take out in the area. read more

Four Streams Kitchen - No Sesame Chicken left. - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California

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Food is tasteless! No seasoning or flavor! We ordered kung pow combo, hong kong style chow mein & mu shu pork. Would never go back. Owners mingled and tried to be inviting while food was being prepared. The owner was personable but came of as a kook with his half cocked baseball cap. Didn't eat much since it was the worst chinese food we have ever experienced. Took home leftovers so as not to offend owner but dumped in trash when I got home. Please don't waste your money or time on this place. I wish we would have known but yelp said good place to go. read more

This place is a reprise of Uncle Kwoks, which used to be in the same location. I recognize some of the people and it feels quite the same. Solid menu offerings. Had the eggplant with spicy garlic sauce and mushu with vegetable/tofu. Hard to find this kind of food anywhere around this area. I will definitely be back! One more thing... They used to use homemade pancakes for the mushu now, they use the more prepackaged type but still very decent. The staff are friendly and the place seems pretty clean read more

5 Stars for the hot and sour soup I've tried a few other things on the menu, but was not impressed. The hot and sour soup is very good. read more

The noodles were soft and overdone. Instead of fully cooking the noodles and then warming them before serving them, the kitchen should cook the noodles slightly underdone, then they will be still firm when warmed and served to the customer. read more

Take out so minimal service but food was ready when I got there and was hot. Pretty empty for Friday at 6:30pm. Combo chow fun had little protein. A bit bland. Garlic sauce broccoli was good. Combo appetizers were a bit dry. Mushu chicken was ok. I'm sure they do some dishes well but haven't found this dishes over 2 visits. Not many Chinese options in Aptos so no competition. read more

I thought I already rated this restaurant. Again, my husband and I have enjoyed many meals there, both in the restaurant and Take Out. The food is very good, the service (Paul) is excellent and the atmosphere is very comfortable. I would definitely recommend it to others. Anne Young read more

Absolutely phenomenal service and food. Food comes fast, and tastes great. Spicy actually does have spice in it!

Amazing schezwan food. The boiled fish has soooo much flavor. It is going to make you go back again and again and again. Love the vegetable stir fry, tofu salt and pepper... yum! it's not your run of the mill Chinese food. A humorous host, very good service, easy parking in a great spot in Aptos. But none of that would really matter. Because you'll go back just for the food. Wow! We have gone back half a dozen times and it's stellar. Give them some love. You won't be disappointed if you crave authentic schezwan cuisine. read more

We ordered to go. Food was delicious and fast service very friendly. Next time we'll eat in so it's warmer and tastier. We had walnut shrimp, brown rice and special chow mein with Hong Kong style noodle. Will definitely return! read more

Stopped by here with a few friends, and we were all super happy with everything we got. We ordered the crab rangoons, Szechuan boiled fish, walnut shrimp, sweet and sour pork, and snow pea, mushroom, and bamboo shoot dish. Everything was seasoned really well, and I was honestly surprised at how authentic their boiled fish was - it was everyone's favorite. It wasn't super spicy and had a nice subtle mala flavor, highly recommend trying it if you go here! There's a good amount of fish and veggies in the dish itself, and along with the savory thick broth, it goes really well with a bowl of white rice. The veggies were also really good, and the snow peas were cooked perfectly as they still had a nice crunch. Service was also nice, and the ambiance was relatively quiet and peaceful. The food came out pretty quick, too. Great mom and pop shop! Overall, we'd definitely come back here next time we're in Santa Cruz, especially for the boiled fish, snow peas, and to try their other things! read more

Four Streams Kitchen - Szechuan Boiled Fish - definitely get this - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California

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The dumplings were perfect especially with the hot chili sauce. They were not overly cooked which is an art. However, the mushroom chicken was slimy and the chicken was of poor quality. Yes I would recommend it but ask them about the chicken read more

Food was felicitous and crispy. Service was quick. Ambiance was traditional. Definitely some of the best Chinese food in the area.

This is our go to Chinese spot in the area. It is somewhat off the beaten path but for those of us in Aptos a while, they took over a previous Chinese food place, I forgot the name, maybe Uncle Kwoks? It is in the same shopping center as Showtime Pizza and UPS. The food is always good and the front counter is attentive and patient as we made a decision and asked some questions the first couple of times we went. The restaurant is much cleaner than it was as the former place and lighting is also better. We used to go to Golden Fu Wah nearby so if this is closer to you too, this place has a very similar flavor profile. I do think this place has better service and the place is aesthetically appealing than the previously mentioned establishment. Our favorites have been Mongolian beef, Kung Pao Chicken, and for the kids, lemon chicken. We have also enjoyed chicken chow mein, combination chow fun and the sesame balls. read more

Friendly, quick service food arrived very quick Top favorites: Szechuan boiled fish / snow peas -bamboo shoots- mushrooms / crab Rangoons Wanna highlight the Szechuan boiled fish - soft tender not too strong overwhelming Szechuan chili numbing feeling, yummy flavor goes well with rice Clean bathrooms and overall nice peaceful vibes Sorry we ate all of the crab Rangoons and walnut shrimps before taking a photo read more

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We have dined here for years. It is hit or miss, the past few times there have been several issues with our food. Bland, wrong items. We ordered vegetable fried rice and received fried rice with egg in it only. I ordered chicken chow mein, and it had a very strong fish flavor. We ordered Kung chicken that basically came with celery, peanuts, and onion, Very little chicken. The service is fine. Friendly staff but when we tried to call to get help no response, or the call ends. It is very unfortunate because in the past, the food was top-notch. hopefully they will get it together as there is not many Chinese food restaurants in Aptos. read more

I tried this restaurant for the first time, and I found the food to be super yummy! The vegtables in the veggie fried rice were fresh, crunchy and delicious. The sweet and sour chicken was tasty with just the right amout of tangy. The food prices are nice as well. read more

Got take out, combo chow mein, pork egg foo young and scallops with vegies. Chow mein only 2 shrimp and not much protein, egg foo yung sauce tasty, small portion, short on scallops also. Not sure I will return, maybe to try a cheaper lunch special. Place only had one table for dinner read more

I found an old metal staple in my fried rice. At first, I thought it was a rock because it was so hard when I bit down, but it turned out to be a staple. I'm very thankful my toddler wasn't the one to find it or, even worse, swallow it. This is a serious safety concern and shows poor quality control. Unfortunately, I won't be returning. read more

The food was ok but, what I didn't understand was the price! The total online when I was ordering, came out to about $43. At the final checkout, the order was nearly $60!! It wasn't worth $60 for 3 items! read more

Serviceable, albeit very bland, Chinese food in a comfortable, clean, homey setting. Nothing to get excited about, either positive or negative. I could pick apart the dishes I ate, but why bother? FSK is in Aptos. If you want authentic, excellent Chinese food (regional food!) drive over the hill. The food here is more like the stuff I remember from the old days in San Francisco's Chinatown, where small, family-run diners served up Chinese-American food -- ample and satisfying and underflavored. Comfort food. Lunch plates include two sesame balls filled with sweet bean, for dessert. That's a nice touch! A caveat: The host/server (owner?) thinks he has a dry wit, but to me his joking comes across as overfamiliar and rude. A big turn off, to this older woman. He might be wise to save the jokes for repeat customers. Read the room. Would I go back? Maybe. But if I do I will definitely be dipping into the chili crisp jar! read more

Having eaten here twice, I would describe the fare as typical. Nothing too amazing but for what it is, works well as a simple gathering spot. The dishes are well prepared and not skimpy. Food came fairly quickly and service was great. I did enjoy the WonTon soup. Nice soft WonTons and shrimp that was fresh. Host cracks some great straight faced jokes! How I miss the days when Chinese Restaurants had an ambience! read more

Best Chinese food in Santa Cruz hands down! The owner is the funniest, sweetest person in the world! I love coming here to support him and his business because he makes everyone feel special! The interior is clean and spacious, making it a perfect place to bring big groups! The food itself is delicious and flavorful. The pork chow mein is my personal favorite but everything that I have tried here has been delicious. read more

Good cheap Chinese spot. Good lunch specials. Good spicy hot and sour soup. Friendly wait staff

I was craving Chinese food so ordered from here. Definitely scratched the craving! I will say some dishes were disappointing (the crab rangoon I definitely wouldn't get again, both the dish itself and the sauces were quite strange), but overall really solid and happy with the meal! read more

Friendly, clean and spacious. Food is Fresh and delicious. Worth giving this delightful place a try. read more

Four Streams Kitchen - Shrimp and vegetables - Szechuan Near Me - Aptos, California

Ate here for the first time today. The garlic green beans were delicious and crunchy and a large portion left plenty to take home. The host was friendly and had a delightful sense of humor. I am looking forward to my next meal here. read more

This place gets major kudos not just for how delicious their food is, but for their ABOVE AND BEYOND customer service!! Awhile ago, I ordered Four Streams on DoorDash. It was taking forever for the food to arrive (I'd like to note that usually I don't have problems with DoorDash) but this time around, the dasher hadn't gotten to the restaurant and I had placed the order shortly before Four Streams closed. Eventually I get a call from a DoorDash number and I assume it's the dasher explaining why he's late, but it's actually a woman calling from the restaurant. Her name was Mei and she said they had closed, all the workers were waiting to go home, she had contacted the dasher (who had told her he would be there in two minutes) and 15ish minutes had gone by without anyone there to pick up the food. I told her to just close up and to not worry about waiting for the dasher anymore, to tell everyone to go home. She asked where I lived, I told her, Mei said that I was on the way to her house and that she would drop off the food. I told her that wasn't necessary, she insisted and said she didn't want the food to go to waste. I gave her my address and shortly after she delivered the food herself!! I had ordered vegetable chow mein, lemon chicken, and the egg rolls. This was my first time trying their food and OH MY it was so good!!! I will continue to support this restaurant not just because their food is amazing but because they deserve it :) Thank you to all the employees who stuck around late, and a BIG THANK YOU to Mei for saving the day and going out of your way to deliver the food yourself! Do yourself a solid and get hooked on this place, you won't be disappointed. read more

I am very impressed with the high quality of their food Mushu Pork A winner Will be back for more

Tiny place with great service and food. We especially loved their crispy duck, although everything we've tried in our three visits has been delicious. We're going back often read more

Beware!!! DO NOT EAT INSIDE!!! We sat down a party of 6. We were handed menus and they took our order pretty fast. After 30 minutes we still haven't received any food. Finally 10 minutes later they gave us appetizers. The portions are all very small. We finished it right away and waited another 40 minutes for the entrées that came one at a time 10 minutes apart. Meanwhile we saw people ordering to go food and left quickly. They were prioritizing the to go orders. There were also only 3 other tables that were getting very upset they weren't being served as well. This was the worst experience I have ever had in a Chinese restaurant. We left very upset, had to pay the entire bill and kids were still hungry from their small portions. read more

Took the family for Christmas dinner and it was amazing. There were nine of us and an infant, and everybody ordered something unique that they liked. I highly recommend the lemon chicken, the ginger chicken, and the Szechuan noodles. The staff is very friendly and very quick to bring out all 10 entrees. I would give them 10 stars if I could! read more