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    Gum Kuo Restaurant

    3.9 (1.2k reviews)
    ModerateCantonese
    Closed 8:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Gum Kuo Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    GUM KUO RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Shrimp rice roll
    Taylor N.

    Quite literally my favorite, most reliable Chinese food spots ever. My family has been coming here since I was like 8 years old and have seen this restaurant stay consistent over all those years. Their menu is extensive but every dish I've tried over the years has exceeded my expectations. Our favorites are: Shrimp rice rolls, beef chow fun, beef fried rice, salted fish and chicken fried rice, cha siu rice bowl, and the roasted duck wonton noodle soup! The service is always great, many of the people working there have been working there since I was a kid. It's usually pretty full, but easy to get a table if you're 2-4 people. Located inside the plaza and looks/feels nostalgic every time I come in. Would highly highly recommend this place if you're ever in the area!

    beef fried rice
    Caden L.

    I love Gum Kuo, it's a staple in Chinatown and affordable! If youre looking for cheap eats, Gum Kuo is the place! It's a no frills hole in the wall type of establishment. The service is fast despite it being busy. I come here pretty often whether it's for take out or dine in. My go to dishes are their beef fried rice, wontons, and their congee! They have many options for fried rice and congee, you cant go wrong with any of them. The portion size for the fried rice is big, i usually make two meals out of it. The congee has a nice consistency, it's not watery and not too thick. It tastes rich and comforting. Pair it with the chinese donut and it's a match made in heaven. The wontons here are the best in Chinatown! The wrapping is nice and silky and they do not skimp on the filling. Each wonton has their own shrimp! It's cooked to perfection, each bite is bouncy and delicious!

    Donna T.

    Always a solid spot for affordable, comfort Chinese with generous portions. We frequent this spot and opt to go here over other similar restaurants in the area whenever we're craving stir fry, congee, or steamed rice rolls. The rice rolls are chewy and fresh. I'm a fan of their bbq and clay pot rice dishes as well. Some items I do prefer to get at other spots in Chinatown. I wouldn't expect much in terms of warm service but they are quick and the value of their food justifies the no-frills vibe. The only downside is that they tend to close pretty early but we've arrived as late as 30 mins before closing and have still been served. Gum Kuo continues to be a staple in my Chinatown rotation.

    Soy sauce noodles
    Jeremy D.

    Located on the first level of the Renaissance plaza. Hole in the wall, run down, no frills Chinese restaurant. Another classic in Oakland Chinatown known for staples like porridge, soy sauce noodles, rice rolls, duck and bbq pork etc. For years, my comfort go-to's are pork meatballs / fish fillet/ chicken and mushroom porridge. Ask to add ginger for that extra texture and flavor. They tend to run out of things at the end of the night ie ho fun and fried Chinese donut.

    Pork spare rib rice bowl
    Cathy H.

    My family comes and gets takeout from here regularly. It's cheap and delicious! The char siu rice bowl is $7.50, super filling and yummy. It comes with a few broccoli and jasmine white rice. You can also get any of their cooked foods on top of rice for the same price. I tried their pork spareribs and it was really good. Our family also gets the roasted duck, fried pork, and chicken here. In general, their Chinese BBQ is amazing! There's usually a line out the door here so be prepared for a little wait. It's a fast casual spot you can eat at but most people get takeout.

    Duck wonton noodle soup
    Christine B.

    Had a lovely bowl of duck wonton noodle soup the other day. Service was quick and friendly - no complaints there. The wontons were perfect and had a good piece of shrimp in them with a peppery pork filling. Roast duck has a nice meat to fat ratio. Small hole in the wall in Chinatown.

    Roast Duck Wonton Noodle Soup
    Derek S.

    Came by for lunch the other day and it was a tasty experience. There are a couple queues upon arrival, one for dining in, and another for take-out. Parking is available in the underground garage or on nearby surface streets. Started off with the roasted duck wonton noodle soup and it was excellent! There was a super generous portion of roasted duck that was meaty, super flavorful, and tender. The wontons were fragrant and tasty too. The noodles were decent and the broth was tasty. The entree came with a couple stalks of vegetables too. Food was served in a matter of minutes! ~$19/head after tax and gratuity for lunch.

    Preserved Egg & Pork Jook
    Allan Y.

    I don't go to Oakland Chinatown a lot and when I do this is the spot I always stop at for either breakfast or lunch. I've been coming for years and today is no different. It's never a disappointment here. Got the Preserved Egg & Pork Jook and BBQ Combo with Roast Duck & Pork. Both are my go to here. Still the same great flavor and mouth watering!!! Service also still the same, friendly and fast.

    Honey walnut shrimp, beef chow fun, seafood fried rice
    Michael McDonald T.

    Whenever friends visit, Gum Kuo is the first stop -- it's the perfect introduction to Oakland Chinatown. The menu is huge, but everything we've tried has been solid, hearty, and packed with flavor. The jerk chicken & Chinese sausage clay pot is pure comfort food, especially alongside the ying yang fried rice, which is creamy and rich in the best way. The beef chow fun and seafood fried rice are classics done right, and the honey walnut prawns hit that sweet, crunchy spot. For something lighter, the duck wonton soup really stands out -- clean broth, tender duck, and plump wontons. The pork rice rolls are silky and addictive with soy sauce, and the black bean noodles bring a savory kick to round things out. Fast service, big portions, and no-frills vibes -- Gum Kuo always delivers. A Chinatown staple that keeps me coming back.

    Alice K.

    Located in Renaissance Plaza on Franklin St side. Walk up and see roasted ducks hanging in window. Order to-go BBQ takeout at front. Credit card $10 minimum. Sit down booths available on side/back. Saw some elderly couples enjoying traditional breakfast. You can call ahead to reserve duck, especially for big quantities or end of day orders when may be running low. Friend recommended as good roast duck place so got two, one Peking ($36.95) and one traditional Cantonese ($34.95), for an office lunch later in day. Unfortunately waited 3 hours before eating so the skin was not as crisp anymore. Good flavor, not super salty. Although I asked for a fatter duck, the ducks I received were on skinny side (hence 4 stars). Forgot to take picture at beginning so only got the aftermath (looks like coworkers mostly ate it!)

    Winnie V.

    Went to the dentist for a filling on Saturday morning and had my mouth numbed, so what to eat but porridge! When I think of a porridge spot in Oakland Chinatown, the first place that comes to mind is Gum Kuo! I feel like it's such a classic, and one of the view spots that have been around forever and is still open. Though I actually haven't been too many times! We ended up getting an egg and beef porridge, a fish fillet porridge, a duck cherng fun, and a beef cherng fun. The best was def the beef porridge. Nice and smooth and well seasoned. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed by the fish porridge. I thought they would use basa fillets, but they used a different type of fish with the skin on, so it ended up being much more fishy than I like. The duck cherng fun was unique, and I liked the flavor combination of the roast duck and rice noodle roll, but the cherng fun itself could have been more soft and smooth. The beef in the beef cherng fun tasted a bit off... Overall, I'd go back for the beef porridge and maybe the duck cherng fun if I'm in the area and have a numb mouth again ha!

    Baked pork with Peking sauce
    Glenn L.

    Sunday afternoon after the lunch rush was a nice quiet time. We had to have the roast duck, the seafood crispy noodles, the Peking spare ribs, and beef chow fun. The food was great! The crispy noodles really stand out here, as does the roast duck.

    Reina L.

    Talk about a good deal!! The wontons taste exactly like I remember from when I was a kid coming here after chinese school. The meal is perfectly balanced with some veggies, noodles, and protein (the pork and wonton) and the portions are pretty generous for the price! Service was fast as well.

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    Gum Kuo Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Gum Kuo Restaurant

    What’s the bunguts on the menu?

    It's usually the large intestines and rectum of the pig

    What time does dimsum end?

    They do not serve dim sum here.

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    Ming's Tasty Restaurant

    Ming's Tasty Restaurant

    4.3
    (708 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Ming's seems like an establishment for dim sum in Oakland, and I am glad I finally got to try it…read moreout. The building itself is so unassuming, you'd never expect a great dim sum place to be here! Came on a Saturday mid-afternoon, and fortunately, did not wait too long for a table. My partner and I definitely ordered TOO much for just us two, but we wanted to try an assortment of things! The standouts were their rice noodle roll w/ crispy shrimp, siumai, and hargow. Their siumai and hargow were so plump and juicy! Usually they're tiny at dim sum spots. Everything else was good as well! We even took some home to our families. My parents really enjoyed their chicken feet too! Service was amazing and fast. They are so kind! I get why Ming's is people's fave.

    I just came back from traveling to Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Taiwan for 5 weeks. When I ate dim sum…read morein Guangzhou( where dimsum actually originated ), I actually missed Ming's Tasty! I tried multiple dim sum restaurants all over China and I really am so Thankful that we have Ming's tasty in the Bay Area, especially the East Bay. You don't even have to travel to Asia to enjoy authentic dimsum! Must try 燒賣 ( pork dumpling) 糯米鸡 ( sticky rice lotus leaf wrap) 流沙包 ( savory, sweet salted egg yolk buns) 叉燒包 ( bbq pork buns) 豉汁蒸排骨 ( steam spare ribs with black bean) 蝦腸粉 ( shrimp rice roll) 鹹水角 ( savory, sweet fried dumplings ) 風抓 ( chicken feet) 香芋椰汁甜點 ( taro, coconut pudding )

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    Ming's Tasty Restaurant
    Snowy Baked BBQ Pork Bun
    Snowy Baked BBQ Pork Bun
    Interior Glimpse

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    Interior Glimpse
    Flower Lounge

    Flower Lounge

    4.2
    (337 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    === Mei passed away 7/6/26. Absolutely crushed. ===…read more My dad and I have been coming here for years. Just found out that Mei lost her battle to cancer last week. If anyone has news about a memorial, whether it already passed or any news about it, would love to know.

    I have been going to Flower Lounge since I moved in the neighborhood and there is no replacement…read more I always get the same thing, the Mongolian Beef lunch special and I have never wanted for anything else. I have tried other dishes when my Mom gets them and they are always great, but let me say without doubt, they make the best Mongolian Beef I have ever tried, & Mongolian Beet is the dish I always order at different restaurants because I want to see if anyone else can even match Flower Lounge but none have, not even close, Flower Lounge food is better by a long way. I always get it with their Fried Rice and it always makes two meals for me so I'll get lunch and dinner. On top of this the staff is always above and beyond friendly. My mom hasn't been in that place for ages but the lady still asks how's she's doing. She found out I like the chili pepper oil and ever since she always makes sure to stuff a bunch in the box for me, I don't even have to mention it. On top of that she occasionally throws in free soup for myself and my mother, and I'm not even a weekly customer. The only negative thing to say about this place is probably that the restaurant itself looks a little beat up and dingy but honestly with everything else I could care less. Good food and good people, and good prices. I'm actually only writing this review because I want to get some of their food but they're not open for another few hours. They deserve all the best praise. 10/10

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    Flower Lounge
    Chicken chow mein
    Chicken chow mein
    Perfectly packaged for catering to go.

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    Perfectly packaged for catering to go.
    Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood Restaurant

    Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood Restaurant

    3.3
    (1.7k reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$

    My family and I haven't been back here in years and upon arrival, it was very crowded. However, I…read morewas shocked to see that their number system is very well-organized. They separate parties by # of seats so each category on the TV moved at its own pace. It was also useful to have the TV showing our numbers, because the mic they use to say it is hard to hear. The dim sum was yummy! We did wait until the end of our meal for the peking duck because they did not write it down and we didn't realize until the end. Overall, this place is always a must visit with the beautiful view!

    I was a bit skeptical coming here after seeing the low reviews, especially since it's right by the…read morewater with amazing views. I was worried it might be one of those gimmicky spots with overpriced, low-quality food, but I was totally wrong. Upon entering, you can tell this is the kind of restaurant where people host weddings, birthdays, and special events. They even have private rooms you can book with karaoke! They also showcase their crabs and lobsters in tanks at the front, which looked incredibly large and fresh. Similar to another reviewer's comment, there wasn't a hostess available when we walked in, but someone came by quickly and seated us after only a couple of minutes. We were so happy to be seated right by the window, though honestly, most perimeter seats seem to have a great view. We enjoyed our meal as the sun set, and I'd highly recommend arriving or making a reservation about an hour before sunset to fully enjoy the vibe. They have a massive menu with plenty of traditional Southern-style Chinese dishes and dim sum options, so it took us about 10 minutes to finally decide what to order. I'll start with the mentaiko seafood fried rice, which was something I hadn't tried before, but I love anything mentaiko. The fried rice came out as a generous family-style portion. It wasn't bad, but I do think it could have used more seasoning - like a lot more seasoning. More mentaiko, more seafood, and stronger salty-savory flavors would have done the dish justice. As is, it's probably a good option if you're sharing with a young child. The crab crystal dumplings were a nice step up from traditional har gow, which I enjoyed. The salt and pepper fried tofu was exactly what I was hoping for: crunchy and salty on the outside, light on the inside, and not too filling. The squid and green beans from the specials menu were a bit of a gamble, but they turned out delicious. I'd definitely order that dish again. We also noticed they have a weekly specials menu that changes every day, and we're already planning to come back--specifically on Thursday because that menu looks delicious. Overall, Hong Kong East Ocean exceeded my expectations. The ambience and view were breathtaking, the service was efficient, and the food was delicious. I know some people mentioned the pricing being high, but I actually thought it was very reasonable for what it is. Compared to Chinese restaurants in downtown Berkeley, you're paying about the same, but the food is better and the view is unmatched.

    Photos
    Pretty dining area
    Pretty dining area
    Shrimp with walnut in mayonnaise
    Shrimp with walnut in mayonnaise
    Panorama View

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    Panorama View
    Shooting Star Cafe

    Shooting Star Cafe

    3.3
    (1.7k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I have been here so many times so I'm surprised I haven't written a review yet…read more This place is quite a quintessential restaurant to eat at in Oakland Chinatown. They are open late and have plenty of seating and a huge menu to select everything you'd want. This time around we got mixed fruits in a crepe, strawberry ice cream with an eggette, ovaltine, milk tea and a baked chicken and rice to go for tomorrow's lunch. The desserts were decent and tasted like what you'd think they'd taste like. The drinks were soothing and the baked chicken and rice was the star of the show. It was savory with every grain of rice not going to waste with how delicious it is and the chicken was oh so, tender. The baked rice dishes are where they're at. The duck roll was also perfection. The duck was tender and the roll was crispy and chewy. Yummy! They have a $10 minimum spend per person so plan accordingly!

    It's a nice quick bite to eat. It's more for catering and…read morelarge families to dine in. I have never dined inside because the chairs for Togo and waiting area are always filthy. I've gotten orders to go from here for 5 years plus. I started with the rice plates (mediocre, like I said quick bite) then I found their appetizer duck rolls (the ish)! I ordered them for every meal after that. Then I found they had a delicious coffee and tea combo (I thought I was the only one doing that...lol)! Once again delicious every time. At first I thought it only came in one size (large cup) then one day I ordered and then person gave me a small cup and I didn't remember if they charged me the same. Then I went back again and said large cup and they seemed surprised I even knew there was a difference (that was weird AF...like you know what weird). So I l've spent some time now saying Large cup and hopefully will continue. The issue is now that the last time I ordered my delicious duck rolls and a coffee and tea combo, my coffee came hot and wonderful (almost too hot) and my ducks rolls came cold! Literally like it came from thawing and they forgot to "cook it!" Ugg ewwwwwww I ended it microwaving one and eating it that night. My plan had been to eat one night and save the other anyway. Ended up heating up the other one a couple days later on my stove top. I love cooking so this wasn't a huge issue, but wow what a serious mistake! Or was it...? Idk at this point. I give restaurants 3 chances especially when they're doing at least two items correctly. This restaurant is one of the busiest in downtown Oakland and I commend them for being around this long and servicing both China Town and the rest of Oakland. Will be back, just thought yall should know! Until next time!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Popcorn Chicken
    Popcorn Chicken
    Chinese Yam Goji Berry Steam Black Chicken @lesminaddio

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    Chinese Yam Goji Berry Steam Black Chicken @lesminaddio
    Yung Kee Restaurant

    Yung Kee Restaurant

    3.9
    (296 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I walked by for lunch today and was surprised it was closed. Checking Yelp, it is confirmed. What a…read morebummer - one of the few authentic, old school Chinese restaurants is gone. Thank you for the great food, feeding me at least twice a week post-COVID almost every single week.

    1/18/2025 Time: 3:30 PM 53° Cool, sunny…read more Oakland Chinatown has its Chinese Lunar New Year Bazaar this weekend. After walking around to visit the many vendors, I decided to have lunch at Yung Kee on the corner of 9th & Webster Streets. One of my friends has dined here and recommended this restaurant for lunch. After perusing the menu, the choices were narrowed to chicken congee or shrimp and scrambled eggs over rice. The congee would have been good and the weather was cool. However, the last time I had shrimp and scrambled eggs over rice was at a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco near my job in the Civic Center area over 12 years ago. Eats: shrimp and scrambled eggs over rice and a pot of hot tea. Drizzled with some soy sauce, my dish was delicious. The hot tea was perfect, flavorful and soothing when I drank about 5 cups. This was total comfort food and beverage that I almost doze off in the restaurant. For $15, it was a good deal. The only drawback was one of the employees was mopping the floor when I was eating my lunch. I will return in the future to have lunch again. I might even order food to go for dinner.

    Photos
    Yung Kee Restaurant
    Duck and Steam Chicken with the Ginger Sauce over Steam Rice. (To-Go Order)
    Duck and Steam Chicken with the Ginger Sauce over Steam Rice. (To-Go Order)
    Yung Kee.

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    Yung Kee.

    Gum Kuo Restaurant - cantonese - Updated July 2026

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