i think this place used to be a pizza restaurant or something because i could tell there were still…read moresome flyers or signs that indicated that it was - but anyways this is a great spot for cheap eats and easily accessible in this college town right by UVA. i was in the area and was hungry for some lunch and thought this place would be an authentic place for chinese dishes and it did not disappoint. i ordered fried dumplings and cold noodles. the dumplings were flavorful and crispy and the noodles were a good texture - not to chewy accompanied with the same sauce as the dumplings. my bf got the beef noodles and was impressed by the quality and the taste. we also came around lunch time and went for the lunch special! overall, i would recommend this place and support this family operated business for their tasty food and quick service!

Came here after a late night out, and this place did not disappoint!! Food came out quickly and hit…read morethe spot! I tried the teriyaki chicken and loved it :) the workers were so nice too! There isn't a ton of seating inside, but there are tables outside if you can't find a spot indoors. Def would recommend coming here after a late night (or really any other time haha)!

The best Chinese restaurant in the greater Charlottesville area since the reopening this summer…read more2026. The previous owner ran it into the ground since buying it from Peter Chang, but now the original owner is back. We have had two family banquets here over the past month and they were fabulous. The sleeper on the menu is the great curry fish soup. Peking duck is available every day and is simple and superb - crispy skin and slivers of rich meat. The "party room" has big round tables with huge lazy Susans, so passing dishes is easy. That room has a wall size TV which was playing the World Cup both days we were there. The main dining room is more elegant. They are still waiting on their wine and beer license as of July 2026. We ordered a huge amount of food and the bill with tip came to $50 a person. Also recommended is the fragrant numbing hot pot. Don't hesitate to order very spicy - this is Cantonese cooking, not Szechuan. Any drawbacks? Well, although there are lots of vegan options, don't expect to find low fat. steamed vegetables- this is traditional authentic Chinese with a heavy hand on the oil in most dishes. The soup dumplings were a little disappointing, too doughy. Final recommendation: split an order of the burnt sugar glutinous rice for dessert - it comes with 4 big pieces, easy to share.

Terrible service. Food was drenched in mayonaise. And the dumplings were under cooked. Had to ask…read morefor check multiple times. I was looking forward to trying the new location but was really disappointed. It used to be great!

After a morning of driving and apple picking, we rolled into Café88 for a bite. This place feels…read morejust like a classic diner - friendly owner, a steady hum of conversation, and many Asian folks/families, either dining in or grabbing a few boxes to go. The menu offers solid portions at a fair price, so we left with enough leftovers for another day's lunch. Our top picks? The Taiwanese popcorn‑chicken combo that crackled with crunch, a juicy pork chop crowned with scallions and a kick of chili, and a steaming bowl of beef noodles that hit all the right notes. Every plate was downright delicious. If you're hunting for a comfortable, no‑fuss spot that serves up genuine Taiwanese flavors, Café88 belongs on your diner‑tour itinerary.

The best Taiwanese cuisine I've had outside of Taiwan. The beef noodle soup, spicy beef w rice, and…read morethe popcorn chicken are the top of my list.

Seeking something Asian I hadn't tried in the area before, I turned to an AI search which yielded…read morethis Chinese place. It was definitely more on the side of actually Chinese than American Chinese, based on the menu and the people working there. They did have a reasonable vegetable and tofu selection. Among the dishes that you don't usually see at the more American restaurants was a dry cumin tofu preparation. It had abundant cilantro, and I'm in the category of people who gets a weird soapy aftertaste with cilantro but still likes to eat it from time to time; this dish gave me a ton of aftertaste but was otherwise good. A ma po tofu had proper fermented bean paste and leeks, albeit not a ton of numbing sensation that I could discern which is really the bar for the best rendition of the dish. Their cabbage dish was described as "hand torn" and it strikes me that this is the sort of place where that's probably true, and it was a tasty saute and a nice contrast to the rest. Their online ordering system wanted to offer me a free egg roll for my order but wouldn't let me get a vegetable one. I wish they'd label some of the dishes more clearly for dietary needs or just plain description. But overall, it was solid food for a town with a relative dearth of this cuisine.

I enjoyed my lunch at the Taste of China, in a large dining room with helpful service…read more I had the Kung Pao Calamari. The seafood was cut into unusual and decorative shapes, while still being one inch or longer pieces. This dish included a basic Kung Pao gravy that was slightly sweet, sour and a bit spicy. There were stir-fried vegetables and peanuts in the dish, including fresh green pepper chunks. The restaurant has a large and broad menu and next time, I will try a more exotic dish.

It's hard to find a better Vietnamese restaurant anywhere in the area. Truly authentic, well…read morepriced, and tasty. The people here were extremely kind and helpful on my take out order. The ordering system is simple. And the food.... excellent. Definitely a must try if you're into this type of food

We were in town and let Yelp guide us and we were not disappointed. This is a small mostly to-go…read morerestaurant in a strip mall. There are 3 tables inside, so we chose to eat in. I chose the Vietnamese sandwich. It was so tasty. Bread was toasted and crispy and the mix of chicken, pickled cucumbers and fresh herbs were great. My daughter ordered the bulgogi beef rice plate (with kimchi on side) and a strawberry lemonade with strawberry popping boba. She loved both. Food comes out fast. Overall excellent!

This dumpling shop has multiple locations. I found it quite confusing ordering online. Some of them…read morehave online ordering and others don't. They have confusing names. The menus have not always been the same when I looked. But to their credit, when I placed an order at the "downtown" location only to discover that they meant something other than Charlottesville's pedestrian arcade (which is where this one is), I was able to call them and get it corrected. My order was transferred over and was ready for me with no trouble. The vegetable dumplings weren't fancy, but there were a ton of them, and what seemed a small sauce proved more than enough. I also got a veggie bun, but the filling was so trivial as to not really be worth it. This place does have some space to eat in, although it seems most popular as a takeout.

The fried pork dumplings were the best I've ever had. Small, which is perfect for me. My husband is…read morevegan and his were fantastic. Ordered a to go order for him to take to a winery tomorrow. Service was great.

Really nice inside! Fun decor, food Was really good…read more Scallion pancake was our favorite. Really nice and polite staff. Ran in for a quick bite while at medical appointments and looking forward to coming back when we have more time!

Food was great. Came out hot and quickly. The dumplings soup was delicious. The sesame balls were…read morecrispy on the outside and soft inside. The garlic cucumbers were smashed in bite sized pieces and just the right amount of garlic and chilis. Lots of folks ordered take out - so the kitchen was busy. Our server was always smiling. The playlist had today's music as well as some older songs which was a nice mix.

I came across this spot for lunch on my way back home. It's pretty small with a handful of tables…read moreand an open style kitchen. We were sat promptly as there was only one other table at the time there but once we were sat about 5 more tables came in. Our server brought waters to start and I had a Thai tea, which was good, not too sweet- which I like. I order the dumpling as an app, they're pretty small but you get a good amount and the sauce was really good. In order the red curry and my husband ordered the Thai fried rice. Both were really good. I liked his dish a bit more, it was very savory. The red curry had fresh vegetables in it and still had a nice crunch to it, which I like. If we're back in Charlottesville we'll def go back.

Good variety in the menu but quality consistency could be better. We ordered pho soup, Thai fried…read morerice and wonton soup. The wonton soup tasted extremely salty and looked dark as if someone put soy sauce in it. This is the first time in my entire life where I tasted bad wonton soup. The won ton itself was great. It was just the salty broth. I make this at home, and it is not that difficult to make. It is supposed to be a simple broth (partly the reason why I ordered it because I wanted something simple). I told them about the saltiness. They tried to make it right by bringing out another soup with a better broth. The pho was just okay but was not as fragrant as expected. I am Vietnamese and make this at home as well. Otherwise, it had everything it was supposed to have. The fried rice was a large portion and tasted better than the other two dishes. Overall, it was a good experience. The service was good. We got seated quickly. The ambiance and decor was vibrant. The bathrooms were clean. I will try other dishes later and update this review.