Went here for dinner tonight and was not impressed at all. Ordered general chicken, extra spicy. When I came out I wasn't spicy and it was ice cold. I told them to take it back because it was cold and when they brought it out they had just thrown the plate in an oven or microwave, it was all soggy and gross. I will never be going back again. read more

This is the best Chinese food in the area. Been coming here with my family for many years. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and very comfortable. The food is always amazing. Best egg rolls, crab puffs, and sesame chicken. read more

Don't walk into Gen Hoe expecting a more modern Chinese restaurant setting as you may find more common in Chicagoland- being that Geneva is a bit out of the way, the surrounding area capitalizes on a more more down-to-earth setting with the exception of some new establishments. Gen Hoe, however, (as the waiting staff will tell you) is a decades-old business; its dark room, hanging lanterns and artfully folded fabric curtains harking back to the older 1960s-70s generational feel. One can also expect the cooking techniques to be straight out of that time frame as well, and boy, is the menu extensive! You'll want some time to absorb all your choices. I had tastes of two dishes at opposite ends of the meal spectrum- one sesame chicken and their black mushrooms with tofu dish. Flavor-wise, the food is not bad; definitely better than anything you would get at your local sketchy strip-mall Chinese joint, but there is room for improvement (As for the black mushrooms specifically, I honestly could not tell if they were truly dried and revived, or simply straight from a can, which may explain the strange bitter taste of them). A big plus though, and I must stress this- Gen Hoe uses less much starch and MSG than a lot of Asian restaurants I could compare them to. That's the mark of a winning chef! I may have to drop in again to size up the seafood next time I'm in Geneva, which, on a side note, everyone should stop by and visit if you're ever in the area. read more

I have been going to Gen Ho for over 30 years. The food and the portions are always very good. Most of the servers here have been here a very long time and service is always very good. I still enjoy coming here and glad to see they are still open after all of these years. read more

Excellent Chinese Restaurant with authentic food and very good service. I had the Mongolian beef which was very good with fresh ingredients and plenty of heat. We've eaten there several times and gotten take out as well. When we we're given our left over doggy bags I was pleased to discover they gave us extra rice so no one was short changed. read more

I dont understand why people think the food here is good. I got the chicken in garlic sauce and it tasted like nothing. Should be able to taste the ginger and the garlic and a hint of sherry, but no, no taste but salt and heat. the broccoli I added was overcooked and mushy. The potstickers were average, but there was no dipping sauce to go with them, so kinda dry and bland. I was here before and had the same experience, so I need to remember not to come here in the future. read more

So we were trying to find a nice sit-down Chinese restaurant for lunch with Maureen and Erin, and Nan suggested Gen-Hoe. This should be a slam-dunk since we've eaten there a couple of times in the last year or two, and the food has always been good. Today, we had a waiter that was somewhat underwhelming. It's not that he was rude, or that he was unresponsive, no. He was on top of things, and I like that. What's not to like about a server who takes your order and brings hot food to the table? Well, you can take laconic too far, I guess. I suppose it would be different if the food had been great, but it was just OK. So when the food is just OK you might be more likely to find fault with the service. I ordered the mushroom beef, and was disappointed that the mushrooms tasted like they were out of a can. Really, the barbecue pork appetizer was better than the main course. Maureen's meal was so spicy that she sent it back. Nan liked her meal, but chose to not take any home, and that says something too. So overall it could have been better. It might be a while before we go back to Gen-Hoe. read more

Been ordering from here for several years and food is usually very good. Yesterday we ordered Orange Peel Shrimp, requested it crispy. Got soggy tasteless shrimp in a watery sauce. Beef Egg Foo Young had no flavor at all, fried shrimp that we ordered crispy was wet and soggy. Ordered 3 fried rices and all were tasteless. Almost $60 and tonight it goes out to the possums and raccoons. Very disappointing since the food is usually delicious. read more

My food had two dead bugs in it. Never ordering from here again. I gave this place another chance and regret it now

We went here on a Thursday evening and were surprised to find the restaurant at least half full, primarily with older couples and families. We were both entertained and serviced by a wonderful waiter who sang - literally - when asking if we wanted a drink before dinner. He was extremely attentive and friendly; if this review was based on service alone, it would be a different story entirely. However, this review is also based on the quality of the food. You're not going to find authentic Chinese food prepared with the freshest of ingredients here. The chicken egg rolls were crispy but salty. The potstickers were well done but a bit lacking in flavor. And the chicken with broccoli was compiled with that rubbery chicken we all know too well, alas. It was the last dish that was most disappointing, as the sauce was alright at first, but when I got toward the middle of the dish, it became a soupy mess. On top of that, the standard rate for our entrees was $12.25 when really, they should have come in around $7.00. Simply put, it should not cost two people $62 (with tip) to dine at a Chinese restaurant in the Chicago suburbs. read more

Gen Hoe prides itself on its hertiage, that it has been here since 1969. I believe them, as the decor and furniture are perfect period pieces. Perfectly comfortable but tired. Service was a bit odd; we were questioned three times as to why we didn't want another beer (driving), which was not appreciated. The pot stickers were fine, but the hot and sour soup was glutenous. The szechuan chicken was really bland. The worst Italian places cover everything with red sauce, and the worst Chinese restaurants serve everything with an insipid brown gravy. It was a 70's restaurant serving unrefined 70s take-away food at restaurant prices. Skip it. read more

It is beyond me how this place stays in business. I will start by saying the food is good. And that's the ONLY reason why I was willing to try again today, only to have another bad experience. We used to order carry-out from here on a regular basis. Then last year something seemed to change. Ordered some sort of chicken dish. Except when we got home, there was no chicken in the dish. I called, spoke with the owner, who gave me some sort of lame excuse about how they couldn't read the order in the back. Whatever, I didn't feel like driving back there so she told us she'd keep our name on file (must be a rather large file) and no charge for next time. Didn't order for a while after that, but decided to try again. Ordered beef fried rice with extra egg. Got home and this time there's no beef. Called them, spoke with the owner again and was told the order was for egg fried rice. Nope. It wasn't. Went back with the fried rice and got a refund. So today it's about six months later. Our anniversary and my husband says I could really go for Gen Hoe. I told him to go this time. He just got home. We open the bags and....one of the items we ordered isn't in the bag. This really can't have happened again. Except it did. The moral of the story? The food is good, but the service isn't worth the aggrevation. Save yourself the headache and try the re-opened Szechwan in St. Charles. The new restaurant is completely renovated - modern, clean. And the service is great. read more

I went to Gen-Hoe in January of 2022 for dinner with my wife. After eating and receiving the bill I presented a $25 gift certificate that a friend gave me in April of 2021. After receiving the gift certificate restaurant staff, a dark haired older woman, told me the gift certificate would not be honored. I asked her why? She responded by saying the issue date was not completed on the certificate. I asked her if she believed the gift certificate was fraudulent? She stated that it looked authentic. It had the Gen-Hoe emblem on the front and stamp on the back. I asked her if it was not fraudulent why she would not honor it? She would not reply. I then spoke to another employee, an older bald man. He looked at the gift certificate and said he would not honor it. I asked him why and he would not reply. I continued to ask both employees questions and they would not respond. They both became angry and acted in an unprofessional manner. I will never go to Gen-Hoe again. After leaving I contacted the person who gave me the gift certificate and told her the story. She was embarrassed and apologize. She said she would never go to Gen-Hoe again. She has been a regular customer and has had family gatherings at Gen-Hoe in the past. Gen-Hoe has lost customers as a result of their actions with how they responded to this matter. I caution anyone to think twice prior to purchasing a gift certificate from Gen-Hoe. Questioning staff in this instance was met with unprofessional behavior and an angry unreasonable response. I will never go to Gen-How ever again. Geneva has some fabulous dining establishment. In my opinion Gen-Hoe is NOT one of them. I would give them ZERO stars if it were possible. read more

I consider myself a VERY experienced "dim-summer", being Cantonese (dim sum is Cantonese) and a Hong Kong (somewhat native). I moved out here expecting to be in Chinese food wasteland but was ASTONISHED when I recently did a little Yelping to learn that there exists cha sui bao in the suburb of Geneva, only 10 mins from where I reside today! HOLY HELL where have I been for the last year and a half? I went on the eve of Chinese New Year and the restaurant was in celebration - with traditional Chinese New Year treats laid out at the front for everyone to take. (fried gluten sesame balls, New Year candy, etc). A nice touch. OH before I forget, there are no high chairs here. luckily we keep a portable one in the car. Their dim sum menu is surprisingly very extensive with fulfilling all my expectations from a choice point of view. I always judge a dim sum recipe on a select few dishes: Har gow (steamed shrimp dumpling) Sui mai (steamed pork dumpling) lo bak goh (pan friend turnip cake) fung tsao (chickens feet) Overall conclusion? GOOD ENOUGH!!! all of them were pretty decent - the chickens feet didn't meet my expectations (not braised long enough maybe?) but the turnip cake was well done but could have been a little more "turnip-y". Har gow and sui mai was standard, nothing special but definitely filled my void. Very excited that with a new baby coming, I don't have to drag my family out to Chinatown for dim sum anymore...! read more

In my opinion Gen Hoe is the best Chinese food restaurant in the Fox Valley area. Excellent ingredients, great flavors friendly people.

New in the area too.. and after driving by this place a few times...i just wanted to check it out.. wasn't sure about eating there, cause number one, they are only open for diner, so the food doesn't get much ''turnover'' so not sure about it's freshness as i ofter see only a few cars in their driveway..most of the time. Well I walked in there.. the lady at the cash register was on the ''phone''.. i stood there for 10 minutes, she never aknowleged me or look at me ...she just totally ignored me.. i then went to check the dining room .... there was like 4 servers and the same thing. How rude????? So within those 10 minutes I had already decided that i WOULD NEVER eat there and that I would go spend my hard earned money somewhere else!!! No but i mean ''really"????????? i guess they DON'T need costumers .. and they just don't care.. no wonder the parking lot is emplty all the time... now I know why.. keep on treathing your potential costumers this way and soon they'll have their door closed ! AWFUL! read more

There's honestly no way for me to caution you properly. The food was bland and flavorless, the temperature is hot or Antarctica, the decor is old and dirty. The worst part by far was our waiter. I don't want to assume the staff was all the same, but our waiter was sincerely the worst I've ever had. He barely checked on us and when he did he walked by murmuring something that was barely coherent. He was constantly rushing to other tables and avoided us and came and dropped our check off without bothering to ask us if we wanted anything else, which we did. The only positive was the manager. She was very sweet and I won't take that away from them. I will not be returning and would strongly advise against going there yourself. read more

It always amuses me when a waiter takes the order and does NOT write it down, of course the fact that he looked like a Chinese Elvis did not help. We ordered a plate of pot stickers and they were HUGE - perhaps too big for an appetizer, but they were good. I would prefer a sauce on the side but we made do with soy sauce. Next we had hot and sour soup - a bit unorthodox - it was orange ie tomato based. Ehh! Skip it. For the main course we tried the sweet and sour chicken - enough to feed a family of four. The chicken was coated in something akin to a donut. So if you like that kind of thing go for it. We also had a beef and scallop dish that was supposed to be spicy - it was good but was not spicy at all. Lastly we ordered chicken with peanuts also supposed to be spicy, there was only about 4 peanuts and again not spicy. Chinese food seems to be a personal thing. This was not a place we would go back to BUT the place was clean, the service was attentive and other than forgetting the drinks our server remembered everything else. The main courses were okay, not great and not bad. As we search for the kind of Chinese we prefer we will keep you posted. read more

Lived in Geneva over twenty years and have not yet stopped in. Our family will not be back. The seating is terribly cramped the food would not fit on the table and the booths offer no privacy for conversation. The service was confusing we had no idea if our waiter got our order and he definitely made us feel as if we were a nuisance. Nothing about our meal was flavorful or fresh. The food was bland and the meat tasted like it was out of a can and the sauces from a jar. We never throw food away but we threw out of leftovers and picked up a pizza on the way home. read more

Gen Hoe was quite the delightful time for the past 20 or so years. Unfortunately, the shrimp in my dish was so poopie (as in literally, extremely not de-veined) that I was completely turned off from eating it. The only bad time, was this last time. So it gets 3 star! The Pepper Steak and many other dishes are amazing. Triple Fire Joy Chow wasn't on the menu last I was there but they make it a so good. I love the little outfits and Barry loves the fantasy aspect of the hostesses as well which adds to the ambience. Lastly, it can be a party there. The appetizer sampler comes with a little fire for grilling up your meats. After about 12 drinks (cuz the have a bar!), I tried to cook up a shortbread right there at the table and the host became very irritated at the fire I almost started, but rightfully so! read more

I have been coming to Gen Hoe since the 70's. It was the first place I had Chinese food from. To be honest it use to be the best place in the burbs to get Chinese. Now I have to say not so much. Not that I found a place I like better just that it's hit or miss with them now. There isn't any consistency in the food any more. I loved their egg rolls. I would get extra and eat them cold out of the fridge. Now out of the last 4 visits, twice there was so much vinegar that's all you could taste. Last night the Gen Hoe fried rice was so dark and so salty it was terrible. The Mongolian beef use to fill the container now your lucky if it's 1/2 way full. I understand that times evolve but I would rather get what I pay for. Prices keep going up but the quality is dropping. I'm thinking it's time to find a new Chinese food place. Sorry Mrs Lee. read more

Man!! this was formerly a 4 Star, borderline 5 star Chinese place! Idk what happened?? The food and service has gotten unbearable! We used to frequent this place for many years until a recent experience. I ordered several dishes (General Tso Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Empress Beef, Beef Skewers, Crab Rangoon, Egg Rolls and BBQ Fried Rice) coming out to just over $80 ($90 with tip). Upon returning home we realized they had forgotten our egg rolls (not too big of a deal but this was the 2nd consecutive time this had occurred, I guess I should have checked?) Anyways we just go on eating as we were all hungry. We started eating, I kid you not, all 3 food dishes were pretty much completely bland. Really no flavor at all. Then the fried rice was just as bad. Hardly any BBQ Pork to speak of. The only really good items were the Crab Rangoons and the Beef Sticks. Usually we don't call but pretty much the whole meal was terrible so we called to complain. My wife must have gotten the lady manager/owner who basically said we were lying ("honesty is best policy" she kept saying) and that $80 wasn't that much money for food. Now we live 30 mins from the restaurant but the manager said the only way to get our money back was to drive right then and there back to the restaurant and to bring the crappy food with. Needless to say we weren't gonna do that as we still had to figure out what we were gonna have for dinner. Never Again. read more

We travel a little out of our way, maybe 10 miles, to come here for dinner a couple of times a month. The food is pretty good! The eggdrop soup is dark and tasty. Every entree has been good. There are usually more people at Gen Hoe than other places, which tells you something. They appear to do a brisk takeout business. The decor is a little dated, but the restaurant is clean. The service is usually good, although our most recent visit was really slow and on a nite they weren't as busy. I can't give it 5 stars because it's not as good as a place in Naperville I used to go to and my standard for Chinese restaurants is Chinatown in San Francisco. (The Best!!!) Gen Hoe compares favorably with restaurants in Chicago's Chinatown! This is one of the best choices in the area. Enjoy! read more

The wait wasn't long. But, when we were seated, no waiter arrived till about 15 minutes later. The food was semi decent but utensils and plates looked sketchy. It just didn't seem clean to me. I don't think I would ever go back. read more

We order carry out, so i can't speak to the service inside. I can tell you that this is the best option for Chinese in the area that we have tried. The portions are obviously larger than needed, so we always have leftovers. The crab rangoon - or I think they call them Crab Puffs - ARE AWESOME. I love the almond crunchy cookies you get with your order. We have ordered the sweet and sour chicken which is good for little ones, and the sesame chicken, also really good. I have noticed they are really shy with the spice on the dishes marked spicy though. I ordered orange chicken and then General's Chicken and neither had any spice to them at all. So maybe you have to ask for the spice to be added or something. But I mean, zero spice and both ordered on separate occasions. It's expensive, but you get a lot of food to eat over a couple of days, so it works itself out. It's a far drive for us, but we make it, in the absence of anything good that is more convenient. read more

After moving South and spending far too many years living in Atlanta eating barely edible Chinese food, we recently moved back to the Chicago area and were told to try Gen Hoe. OMG! It wasn't a dream, all my memories of Chicago area Chinese restaurants were real and I'm so glad to be back from what felt like a long prison sentence! Gen Hoe is the real deal. Excellent soup, and egg rolls the size of small logs! Hot mustard that will light up your sinuses (as it should). Main course was also excellent and the portions were huge. Mai Tai was perfect. I haven't seen or tasted anything like this in over 20 years! They even serve the almond cookies after the meal like I remember. Thanks Gen Hoe! I'm so glad to be back in the Chicago area not only for the great pizza / beef / sausage / etc., but also the wonderful Chinese food! Highly recommended - Cheers! read more

Worst food I ever had. Orange chicken had to be thrown away not eaten. The meat was spoiled and had that distinctive bad meat flavor. Either was just old or sat out on the counter since morning for the lunch menu. Usually orange chicken that is deep fried is crispy but this was limp and soggy. Also had pork fried rice that had almost no pork and was mediocre tasting. Will never eat there again. read more

Best place. ever. I mean very authentic and stuff. U should get the fried rice and Szechuan green beans. It's great!

Gen Hoe is a excellent place to go for Chinese/cantonese cuisine! Serve is great but my MOST FAVORITE PERSON THERE IS TOM! He is an excellent server!!!! So kind and hardworking!!! read more

Gen Ho simply makes THE best Chinese food in the Fox Valley. It is the best of the bunch. They started out at a little hole-in-the-wall strip mall just east of here (Tia Maria's is there now). Gen Ho's egg rolls are the best I've ever had and they're a meal unto themselves. For a treat, we get a half dozen of them and some house stir fried rice; it's more than enough for two full dinners and a hearty lunch or snack. Personal favorites are the Mongolian Beef, Gen. Tsao's Chicken, sweet-sour shrimp (they're HUGE!), and chicken Almond Ding. The Mongolian beef and Gen. Tsao's both have a decent amount of heat and are very tasty, unlike some places that seem to have just two generic gravies and that's it. The hot & sour soup has a nice heat as well. The food is always fresh; vegetables have a nice crisp snap when you bite into them, not limp and mushy. Dinner and take-homes are always accompanied by almond cookies and fortune cookies. The owner (Mrs. Lee) is frequently on-site and visits with guests. The waitstaff is very attentive (all are Asian) and friendly. Prices might seem a bit high but the portions are very generous and there's always something to take home for an enjoyable snack later. Gen Ho is is simply a great place to go for a great Chinese meal. read more

A better than average Chinese restaurant with some quirks. The food is good. Really good. But they will refuse some credit cards, a fact that is not posted on their website. So if you're going for a pickup order remember to bring cash, because they won't take contactless payments, or apple cards. read more

Delicious food and great service. Best egg rolls I've ever had. Family owned, you could tell.

Dim sum in the Fox River Valley: I'll take it! Some of it was clearly previously frozen and reheated, overall, generally fared well. I liked the old style pedestal serving dishes. Pricey yes, but think about the time involved in driving down to Chinatown and do your cost-benefit analysis. I have no doubt the rest of the menu should be good, not just for the egg roll and fried rice crowd, but even the authentic Cantonese/Toisanese (country Cantonese) dishes too: noodles, meat and fish dishes. Our host, a nice Cantonese lady, was quite charming, which reminded me of the impeccably dressed, similarly charming, and late Sam Moy, owner of the great Hi Howe at Peterson and Cicero which closed in the late 90s. Gen Hoe may be one of the last of the chop suey palaces, which were popular from the 1950s-1970s, as the children of the owners were either raised to do other things (not restaurant work) or due to the hardship of running a restaurant, just have no inclination for it. I can think of maybe only three or four other places like Gen Hoe in the Chicagoland area. When this generation decides to retire, so goes a historically important American food way of the 20th century. And that is a loss, not something to be celebrated. read more

I must be honest and say that I have only eaten in Gen Ho one time- normally my family (and now my spouse and I) order take out and drive a ways to Geneva to pick up our food. I absolutely love the egg rolls at Gen Ho- they are the best I have ever had, and often they are all I eat. My husband loves the sweet and sour chicken and Mongolian Beef (for those who like spicy). They are always speedy with the orders, pleasant when we pick up, and have never made a mistake in all of the years we've been ordering from them. I love this place- and I will always come back for more! read more

I have honestly been going to this place my entire life. I love it. It is one of those places that never changes. The interior decorations have changed a bit over time, but the food has stayed exactly the same. I notice some updates to the menu (like bubble tea) but that's about all. My family knows Mrs. Lee and she is always very sweet when we come in. If she sees it, she always makes it a point to stop at our table and say hello. She seems to really love what she does there, and I think it's evident in the food. I have been to hundreds of Chinese restaurants, and I have only found maybe one (in San Diego) that even comes close to the quality that you would find at Gen Hoe. As far as egg rolls go - no one even comes close. Some of my favorites: Sweet & Sour Chicken, Chicken w/Peapods, Crab Puffs, Pepper Steak, Pork Fried Rice, and Egg Rolls. Yes, the prices are a bit high but the portions are HUGE. Also, you get what you pay for. read more

Forever this is the best food in town and the staff and owner is great. Today my husband and I were at lunch and a freak snaffo happened and the ventilation kind of blew up. The owner replaced our food and would not let me pay or even tip waiter. Very gracious and such kindness. Did I say the food is great too? It is. I've been going there since the 1990's read more

1st time at Gen Hoe. Went for lunch during the week. Not busy. Got seated right away. Ordered Mongolian Beef and for me personally it was too much veggies and not enough beef but still very good. The beef fried rice was AMAZING! Fresh, filling...I wish I had ordered more! Veggie rolls were very good. Service was great. We will return and try new dishes. read more

Gen Hoe Restaurant - Mongolian Beef - Chinese Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

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Authentic. I've had moo shu pork, pork chop suey, egg foo young, ......it's all been good. Great staff. Owner is there regularly and checks on every, she is a wonderful lady. read more

Ordered carry out again from GenHoe. The food was just okay. The wife made them check the order before she left. Guess what, short as usual. No white rice. Mrs. Lee why can't you people get the carry out orders right? 30 years we've been ordering and 30 years the orders are screwed up. We've been through numerous price increases without any improvement in service. Come on.....please get it right., read more

Reception and service akin to our Asian heritage... We invited and met friends there... thank you for exceptional service... food was an experience for us and friends!! read more