A true hidden gem of San Gabriel Valley, a little unassuming hole-in-wall in a strip mall, that serves THE BEST Taiwanese minced pork rice this side of the Pacific Ocean. The house special dry noodle is also a winner. Same taste and flavors as before the pandemic shutdown, welcome back!!! (The name "Good Shine" is an English homophone of the Chinese word for hometown/home country with nostalgic connotations.) read more

Good Shine Kitchen - Minced pork rice + stewed egg - Chinese Near Me - Monterey Park, California

Have been her for over 8 years and my favorite family owned business. But went in yesterday and the owner changed. Same menu different taste seems like you want to keep the old customers but please do your homework first. It's completely different. If the cook doesn't know how to cook the dishes from before, TAKE THEM OFF THE MENU! It feels real bad when you are expecting something and it's different. read more

The low down: Bad service, good food. Quality varies. Quantity meh. Intro: Good Shine has been a staple of Monterey Park aka "Little Taipei" for 4+ decades. The restaurant has endured and changed hands multiple times but the flavor hasn't changed much. Most likely the original owner had good notes. What happened: Having missed this restaurant since pre-pandemic, I was delighted to see the restaurant still operating. I went to the restaurant hoping to reminisce the good flavor. I ordered 3 dishes (pork fried rice to test the cook's technique, stir fried pork stomach to see if the cook had the right style of knife technique for the ingredients, and finally thick bonito soup with squid. The pork fried rice was spot on with great wok chi (a flavor and aroma created when oil is cooked at extreme high temperature to stir fry ingredients). The rice was chewy and not jasmine rice which is the correct Taiwanese style. The stir fried pork stomach used sesame oil and ginger which was great but the owner used precut canned bamboo shoots instead of hand cut, and the stomach pieces were cut too thick but the flavor was overall satisfying when eaten with rice. The thick starchy bonito soup with squid smelled and tested correct however was missing cilantro and basil on top and the squid was post processed with fish paste and then cut into small uneven pieces. I was thinking this is not bad except for the squid soup and reflected to the female owner that the squid pieces were on the scarce side. She strongly defended her dish saying all squid pieces are of equal amount, and she didn't cheat me. Thinking she didn't really see the amount, I wanted show my side of the argument so I took out all the pieces of available squid and put them in a small rice bowl in order to show her it really wasn't a lot. She proceeded to lecture me about the hardship of keeping business afloat and how she is there to make money not charity. Without asking, took my bowl from my table proceeded to show other tables the amount asking them to pass judgement on whether that was fair, before lecturing me again about price vs quantity. Honestly, a sorry but we'll try harder next time or well I'm sorry that's how we present the soup in this restaurant would have suffice. I didn't pay to have a lecture on restaurant economics for 15+ minutes. 5 stars for surviving pandemic, -1 star for wrong squid soup, -3 star for owner's response and attitude towards customer. read more

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Can't believe that I never tried this small restaurant in the past 10 years I have been working in Monterey Park! They just open from 6 pm to 11 pm from Wednesday to Saturday, that's why many people miss their opening hours. A friend of mine brought me here last week, then I went 2 more times in a week and brought my friends too. It's a new discovery for us! The first time I went because I was craving for stinky tofu. Their deep fried fermented tofu was stinky but not so serious. I believe everyone can stand for it. :) Xiaolong Boa was juicy! They were steamed after you ordered. Be cautious it's really hot! I personally don't eat intestines but my friends said it's clean and yummy. The pork liver fried rice was a surprise! Chinese says "wok qi" (the food has special favors if it's stir fried by high heat) and this fried rice has it! Ladies eat less rice or carb nowadays, but all of us kept refilling it. Compared to this fried rice, the noodle soup and 3 favor stewed chicken were just so so. It's a really small restaurant and capacity is only 25 people. They also have many to-go orders, so be prepared to wait a little bit. But the serving is good. They are very friendly people. There's laundry next door and parkings are limited. Carpool if you can. And CASH ONLY! read more

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New owner new style but I like it. Good service, good price, and good food especially their handmade noodle and dumplings are must try!

Came here for a late night weekday dinner, there aren't many late night options in the area, but I'm glad I found Good Shine! It's a really hole-in-the-wall spot, hidden away in a small strip mall with only a handful of tables. The interior feels super dated, but you're definitely not coming here for the decor. Service was super friendly and attentive, felt like your mom or aunt was serving you food. There's a great variety of Taiwanese dishes here, we got the popcorn chicken and Taiwanese beef noodle soup, both were super tasty and filling. Portions are on the smaller side for the price, but the quality was definitely there. Cash only, so make sure you have it on hand! All in all, a great place for a delicious, quick, no-fuss dinner. read more

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I've driven but this place for over a decade or so and never had the change to try it. It is nestled between V P Tofu and a Laundromat - they are a mom and pop Taiwanese place. They are cash only and the food may take a bit of time since its a 2 person team (at least for when I went) but the food is delicious! I loved their fried intestines and their pork over rice. Will definitely be back to try other items. read more

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The food was OK. The stinky fermented tofu is really stinky. I mean, prepare yourself. I didn't order it, but other people did and I could barely stand being in the restaurant. All the other food was just OK. read more

Their oyster pancake is one of the best that I could find in LA (the original dish would come with the sauce on top), the texture is perfectly crisp and their oyster tastes very fresh. They dumplings quality is good as other restaurants. They service is friendly and attentive. You would be greeted by their special hot tea on the house. Parkings are available in the plaza. Must try! read more

Good Shine Kitchen - Oyster pancake - Chinese Near Me - Monterey Park, California

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Gave them another chance recently. Maybe it was bad luck several years ago, but I can eat here again. I really liked the chicken with sesame sake soup. I also had the shrimp bi-hun fried noodle (rice vermicelli) read more

Simple, good home cook food! The oyster pancake had the crispy edge I personally enjoy, and the flavors for both the pancake and the sha cha beef were just right. Extremely kind service, and a cozy small hole in the wall space-- can't go wrong with coming here and enjoying some good food both by yourself and with friends :) read more

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The food is good and has a homemade quality to it. Cash only and has good prices for what you get. I got shredded chicken and xiaolongbao, both were flavorful and authentic. Also very friendly service. read more

I've been going to Good Shine for two years now. I absolutely love this place, it's small but warm. The owner always welcomes you with a smile and pay attention to details and things a customer might need. I've tried most of the food and all of them are amazing. They picked the best ingredient, cook with care for the customers, making sure it's healthy, tasty, and a wonderful dining experience! read more

Good Shine Kitchen - Chinese Near Me - Monterey Park, California

Food: Oyster Pancake Stinky Tofu House Special Dried Noodles Parking: Private lot Verdict: The oyster pancake and stinky tofu were really good. The oyster pancake tasted like the ones you get at the night markets in Taiwan. The stinky tofu was great as well especially when you eat it with the pickled veggies and the sauce. I would skip the house special dried noodles though. It was kind of bland. Overall a great place to satisfy cravings. read more

We discovered this hidden gem on our morning run. Sadly they were not open until 6pm so we had to starve till then. When we arrived, they had covid safety procedures in place. When ordering, they have a table blocking the entrance & you have to order from outside. Looking at the inside, it was very clean. The lady who attended us was very friendly & gave us good recommendations & what not to order. We tried ordering the fermented tofu & she warned us it was something we shouldn't get as we wouldn't like it for it being our first time. We took her word for it & later when we looked it up, we were glad we didn't order it lol. Kung Pao Shrimp - It had peppers, onion & peanuts . It was very tasty & flavorful. The shrimp was also very good. Surprisingly this dish wasn't oily like in other places. Also decent portion size Shrimp Pancake -This was really tasty & flavorful. The sauce itself was flavorful & not spicy. It definitely complimented really well. The inside of the the egg had lots of shrimp & some type of veggies. I would definitely come back for this one. Three flavor Stewed Chicken -What can I say about this dish? I looked it up before I ordered as I never heard from it before. It was so flavorful, full of flavor and chucks of chicken with this homemade sauce. It had chunks of whole garlic and ginger which I love! Those two ingredients are my favorite in a dish. By far the best dish I ever had. One thing to note is that this dish has a lot of bones with the chicken. And if you aren't a fan of whole garlic than maybe don't order this dish. Order with rice! Roasted Egg -Nit sure if the egg was roasted but it was simple and marinated with a sauce sauce base. Good with rice. Fried dumplings -Pretty good dumplings. Juice and flavorful. Can't go wrong as an appetizer for the family or for yourself, if you don't want to share. read more

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i liked the food, it was not expensive. although it takes a bit for it to be made cause there's like 1 or 2 people making and serving the food. family owned i think. read more

I am so happy that this place survived the pandemic, it's a small mom and pop shop in a small plaza with a laundromat and Vietnamese tofu store in Monterey Park. They used to open late like past 12am, that's why they have a dish called the Midnight Pot. I think their hours have changed since but nonetheless I am grateful that they keep serving homestyle Taiwanese food. If you're hungry late at night and nothing is open, this place is the spot to go for a beef noodle fix, popcorn chicken, stinky tofu, and some satay beef rice that is just amazing. Overall, this place is cash only and is very small hole in the wall with some booths on both sides. This place fills up quick towards the end of the night but I always see people order takeout due to the space. This place is downright cozy and great to feast in. read more

I love this place!!! Super delish! Mushroom minced pork rice & fried intestine were the best! Popcorn chicken & sesame oil chicken soup were good too. Will come back to try out others. read more

Good Shine Kitchen - Chinese Near Me - Monterey Park, California

I was reading their review while I waited for my food. I can see what people are talking about with facial expression of people who work here. But one thing I will say is I like their food even for a first timer. And usually, authentic food comes with authentic service. I ordered steamed stinky tofu instead of fried. It was great. I asked for cabbage to be cooked soft. It came perfect and very tasty. It is a cash only place. I am satisfied. Will defiantly come again. read more

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A great place to get some authentic Taiwanese dishes. It's amazing how only 2 people could attend so many tables of customers without lengthy delay of orders. The host was very courteous, friendly, and served us hot tea quickly as we sat. The host gave very good service and frequent provided us updates of our order. Wish they open up more days and longer hours. Will go back again, often, and recommend everyone to try. read more

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Came on a Saturday night at 7pm. They had two tables, one waiting and one table already had food. I came in to order for takeout. Lady at the register was taking a phone order. She tells the person over the phone that their order will take an hour. Once she's finally done (it took a while) I told her I'd like to order for to-go and asked how long it would take. Lady said "It's gonna take very long. Over an hour." And then she proceeded to take the order from a seated table that JUST came in (showed up after me). It seems like this place prioritizes dine-in. Good luck if you're gonna order takeout. Prepare to plan your meals and call in an hour before for even dishes like rice with minced pork. I understand they might be short-staffed but they didn't seem THAT busy. Also it's Saturday night and there's literally one cook and one lady doing everything. Sorry but I'm not gonna wait an hour for a takeout meal when I'm already at the store and they decide to serve dine-in guests first. read more

Good late food snack! I work graveyard and I was craving Chinese food specifically Shrimp Fried Rice. Lunch time was 1:30am so I called and luckily they were able to put in my order. Upon arrival which was like 1:50ish I found out they didn't even make my food yet, I was a little irritated bc I was on a time limit BUT they were super quick to whip up my food. Like by the time I walked to my car to wait for my food they brought my freshly made fried rice! Understandable bc it was close to closing time so they didn't want to make food until I was there to pay for it. So I get it. Nice sized shrimp, not the the small kind most places use and there was a good amount of shrimp pieces in my rice. Def hit the spot!!! read more

Omgosh! They are open again! Everytime I pass by here it was always closed so to see it open and finally come back here to eat, it was awesome! I remember my mom, brother and I would use to come here all the time when when we were kids. The owner is this Chinese lady with her husband. Now it seems that the cook isn't the husband anymore but a younger Chinese guy.(maybe the son?) Anyways, we ordered the pork rice burger (aka pork rice bowl) and it was good. It reminded me of my childhood and how I used to love eating this rice dish. I do wish that they would have added a hard boiled egg into bowl, just like how it is in Taiwan. I also liked the fried intestine because it was crispy. We also ordered the oyster pancake and let me say that I loved it! The sauce was so good and the oysters didn't have a fishy taste to it. I usually don't order the oyster pancake because it's either too fishy or slimy. I thought they cooked it perfectly and it tasted really good. I will be coming back for more because this little spot is like comfort food for me. read more

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The food was great! The meat was well seasoned and the rice was fluffy. The service was pretty good. The server sat us down quickly and brought us menus and tea. The ambiance was like a small cafe. I definitely recommend giving this place a try. I will be coming back soon. read more

Good Shine Kitchen - Minced pork with rice. On the menu it's called pork burger with rice - Chinese Near Me - Monterey Park, California

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I really like this spot for late night munchies. Everyone else and their mommas are on that JJ Cafe hype, but I personally would rather come here for the Taiwanese food. It's definitely hit or miss with some people which I think is generally true for Taiwanese food (some people just ain't gonna like some of the weird ingredients and "night market" style of flavor), but I really think the food here deserves at least 4 stars in terms of authenticity. I've tried almost all the different fried rices, house noodles, and miscellaneous appetizers and they're all winners in my book. The quality is very consistent. Some of my usuals include: beef fried rice, shrimp fried rice, house special dry noodles, minced pork rice, and pork belly rice. They also serve really authentic Taiwanese stuff you won't find in a lot of places like oyster pancake and oyster noodle. If you're into that stuff whenever you visit Taipei, definitely try it here too. read more

I came in to try to order to-go. The waitress asked me if I was ordering to go, and I said yes. She said nothing else and proceeded to serve guests their food. A group came in, and she seated them. She passed me several times before she said something I couldn't make out. I asked her to repeat herself. She said to-go orders take a long time and pointed to all the tables. It was her subtle way of saying I don't want to serve you. I never in my life ever encountered such blatant discrimination because I was not the same Asian as she and anyone else in there. It's sad to come back to visit what used to be my home and get treated with such disrespect. read more

They get 3 stars for the amazing service and the fact that it is open so late! Food-wise is really just a 2 star, or at least what I got was... Oyster omelette: A popular item here. This was actually very decent...and well, I didn't get sick off the oysters like I did at Simbala so that's a plus right there! Ratio of egg-corn/tapioca starch was definitely more on the starchy side...not many veggies, but still a solid dish when you got that craving. Intestine hot pot: Not a whole lot of intestine and the tiniest little cubes of pork blood...with a handful of tiny cubed tofu. Not worth it...DO NOT GET. And the sauce had a greasy after-feel...? Yea, don't even think about this. Beef noodle soup: It's OK for late night grub. It doesn't even compare to Bull Demon King or Simbala, but like I said, where else can you find this at 2am at night? Can't complain too much! I love the service really because of one lady...she was all smiles and kind the entire time, and she even allowed a late customer to buy something to go even though it was after closing time--very sweet! :) Anyway, mediocre food and old, old place...but late night Taiwanese grub so HELLL YES! read more

Good Shine Kitchen - Oyster pancake - Chinese Near Me - Monterey Park, California

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The owner of the restaurant is such a nice person that she treated us with nice greetings and awesome services. I dare to say that the food is the top tier of Taiwanese food in town as someone who tried pretty much all of the Taiwanese food in LA, and it's in such a reasonable price. Definitely worthy to visit if you're around Monterey park. read more

Good Shine Kitchen - Chinese Near Me - Monterey Park, California

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Amazing to see only a 2-person crew in this business that all orders did not delay very long. Many authentic Taiwanese flavored dishes to try. Delicious food. Definitely recommend & will return more often. read more

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Sesame oil pork liver soup is bomb! They definitely are generous on the wine in it. Pork kidney has a strange chemical taste and so just don't order it, and you are good to go! read more

Good Shine Kitchen - Chinese Near Me - Monterey Park, California

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Very good place for curing nostalgia for Taiwanese food! Nothing fancy, just some simple good food. It's tricky to order when you first see the menu, how can a chef possibly to be at 100+ dishes? Always ask the waitress (I suspect owner or co-owner) and she will recommend what the chef is good at. read more

As mom and pop as it gets, this place is an essential Taiwanese late night diner. They sure know how to make you feel right at home and it's ideal for drunk people in the 626. Oddly enough though I rarely see drunk people here. I usually get the same stuff every time: lu rou fan, fried intestines, oyster pancakes, or whatever else sounds good to me on their menu. A lot of people like their sesame oil chicken soup, but I don't particularly care for it. Their lu rou fan's pork is minced rather than the typical lardon-like cut. Love that they add mushrooms to it for a different texture and flavor because the dish can start to feel one dimensional at other places. Their oyster pancake is one of the better ones around. The fried intestines are dank, you can order them extra crispy if that's your thing. Service is great, boss lady here is funny, charming, and cool. Interior is a bit small and can only hold maybe 7 or 8 parties max. Rarely see a line though. I personally aspire to own a late night diner someday so the way this place can make you feel welcome is goals to me. Sure as hell will be back. read more

Good Shine Kitchen - Lu rou fan, added the egg. - Chinese Near Me - Monterey Park, California

Nice place for transitional Taiwan food ~ and they close late ( at 2 pm) it's good for the person out of party!!! I have bee here couple times , the food is delicious and little bit expensive ; the chicken soup will be the best choice in there ! It's really bad that they don't have restroom !!! read more

Good Shine Kitchen - Chinese Near Me - Monterey Park, California

The restaurant is a small spot and not necessarily the best parking lot for ease of access. The lady working the front was nice and attentive, considering we were the only ones there at first. They do a large amount of To Go, I noticed. We had the Oyster Pancake, Pork Intestine Noodle Soup and Crystal Noodle Soup with Duck. I am not a fan of Oysters, so I will not critique this, but my cousin did say it was good. The noodle soups were well seasoned and flavorful. Just a warning, if you order the Duck in your soup noodles, be careful of shards of Duck bone from being chopped. I know this can happen when chopping up fowl with whole bones and I'm not holding that against them. Just glad I knew of this ahead of time. read more

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We ordered 5 dishes, and 5 dishes were all good! The mom and pop running this were amazing, like a Taiwanese mom making sure you were comfortable and enjoying the food. Great hospitality! read more

12am at night craving for some good fried pork intestine and noodle soup. Browsing over Yelp and found this place. Definitely won't disappoint you and the food is so comforting. Late night snacks must come place. read more

Good Shine Kitchen - Oyster noodle soup and Pork Intestine - Chinese Near Me - Monterey Park, California

Many moons ago I went here on new years eve with my family. We were hungry and this place used to be open 24/7/365. I remember getting the meatball soup and it was delicious. I went back few times after to get the same dish. I recently came here again because I was craving for some meatball soup. I was surprised to see the place looked different. The worker said that they remodeled it 5 years ago. Ordered fish ball bi-hun, meatball bi-hun and chicken chop suey. Meat ball bi-hun: not as good as before. Fish ball bi-hun: not as good as meatball bi-hun. Chicken chop suey: looked kinda weird because they chopped it julienne. I am used to seeing bigger pieces of veggies and meats on chop suey. Overall it was a friendlier, nicer and cleaner place compared to before. I used to like going here for the food even though it was not a pretty place. Now the place is prettier but the food is not as tasty. I do want to go back again and try the other stuff on the menu though. 3 stars!! Good Shine Kitchen is almost yummylicious!! read more

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Have you ever noticed that you live so very close to a particular restaurant or diner but you always go way outta you way to find food in other areas constantly???? I must think that if I cross south of the 10 freeway I will be sucked into a strange Asian vortex or something. I mean it might as well be Thousand Oaks cause I sure don't travel to Monterey Park enough for someone who loves Chinese food, I just stick to my SG stomping grounds. This place is literally 1.5 miles from where I have lived for about 5 years now and just when we decide to move it is discovered, WTF?!?! It is so hard to find good places to eat after 10 P.M. that are not Denny's or JITB. Well other than my few late night go to places like Sunday Bistro http://www.yelp.com/biz/sunday-bistro-alhambra and Lu's Garden http://www.yelp.com/biz/lus-garden-san-gabriel I have very little selection. I was pleased to have finally experienced this place which I am told has been there for like 20 years. We had the "Burger" rice and shredded chicken rice plus some fried fish paste and hot tea. For Chinese names see Debbie Y. review.....remember although I front like I am Chinese, I AM still a whitey and besides my spelling sucks in both English and Chinese...Just Sayin'.(*** Side note Debbie you don't have to log into my account and fix my grammar like you usually do it is part of my yelp appeal I think.) Although there are only 6 tables with 4 seats each it is a good spot which is open til 3 a.m. on weekdays and 4 a.m. on Fri and Sat so go here for late night Taiwanese Grub!!!! read more

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Love this place the food is good comfort food and the nice waitress I do recommend the intestines Yumm!

OMG! I've been to this restaurant so many times but I'm finally writing a review. It has to be the epitome of mom-and-pop Taiwanese restaurant. It is next to a laundromat! It fairly small inside with only a couple of tables so please no huge groups. The menu is laid out right on top of the wall with pictures so even if you don't speak or read chinese you can point to it. I love the fried rice they make here and the fishball soup taste so good on a cold winter night. Just writing this makes me want to go pay them a visit after work today. If you like Taiwanese hole-in-the-wall type of places this is one you should check out. The beef noodle soup was basic but you're talking to a guy who flew to Taiwan to try out all the local beef noodle joints. Good Shine Kitchen is a great laid back place to eat a good meal if you don't mind the smell and tight space. read more

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