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    Sam Woo BBQ

    3.1 (329 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Sam Woo BBQ Photos

    Business Info

    SAM WOO BBQ ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Sam Woo BBQ

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    Chow mein
    Travis P.

    Sam Woo is always my go-to when I'm craving Chinese BBQ. They display a wide variety of items, and you can choose exactly what you want. I usually get the BBQ pork, and it's consistently pretty good. I asked for leaner cuts with less fat, and they had no problem accommodating that. $20 for 1.5 pounds of meat wasn't bad at all! I also got some string beans for $10, which were decent, and the chow mein was simple yet tasty. Overall, it's a great bang for your buck for some solid food.

    Nelson H.

    It's a typical Chinese BBQ with Sam Woo brand located on Rosemead over a decade and had been a several ownership... Surprisingly they sell their self-made Vietnamese coffee blend per pound per bag that it's pretty good!! And the price is very economy for $13 per pound!!! And I had typical roast duck n pork with white rice, the meats was BBQ enough and tasted tenderness. But the marinated pork n duck meat were kind of too sweetened...

    #11
    Diana H.

    January 16, 2026 Sam Woo BBQ in San Gabriel will always be one of those places we return to for comfort, familiarity, and classic Cantonese BBQ flavors. This visit was no different...our family came hungry and craving food that feels like home. We ordered two of the #11 Three Delicacies, choosing BBQ pork, BBQ intestine, and duck, along with another plate of duck, sausage, and crispy pork (with the additional $3 charge). To round things out, we also ordered walnut shrimp, deep-fried sole fish, and of course, a bowl of rice...just in case. When the order came out, I noticed the intestine had been replaced with sausage. I let the waitress know, and she immediately checked and came back to explain they were out of intestine (around 7 p.m. on a Friday night...understandable). She kindly asked if I was okay with sausage or wanted to substitute another meat. Honestly, I really wanted the intestine... but I do love their sausage, so no harm done in the end. The food itself hit the spot. The roasted duck was flavorful and comforting as always, the BBQ meats were satisfying, the walnut shrimp was crispy and sweet, and the fried sole fish was a solid addition to the table. Most importantly, the kids were happy and the parents were happy...which says a lot. That said, I can't help but miss the olden days, when it felt like there was more meat than rice. I also miss that deep sense of familiarity from when I was a little girl, sitting in a booth with my mom and siblings, sharing plates and memories. Things change, but the nostalgia still lingers. All that said, Sam Woo BBQ will always have a place in my heart. I'll still keep coming back and ordering their roasted duck, sausage, intestine (when available), and roasted pork...because some traditions are just hard to let go of.

    Th N.

    The worst BBQ place that I won't come back! - Food: Roasted pork is fine, prices more expensive than other BBQ places - Service: 0 star if I could, one of the rudest service a restaurant could give, they required $15 minimum payment on credit card and prioritize Chinese customers over others though I was there first, I even tried to tell her but she shut me down. The cashier didn't bother to say hello or welcome, just pure annoyance and rude - Atmosphere: It doesn't look much like a restaurant but a cafeteria where most people just buy to go food.

    Tammy T.

    I was craving roasted duck. What better place to get a whole roasted duck than Sam Woo? Don't let the exterior of this restaurant fool you - the interior actually looks 100x better & much more modern. The place is so clean!!!!! Service? 10000x better than the interior. Our server was so attentive. Loved her! We ordered a duck for $39, HK style Lemon ice tea ($2/each), small Fish Maw soup, and a side of bean curb Ong Choi (Veggie), all for under $80! I also love how they have two sizes of their family style dishes available (small for about $14 / large for about $18) - perfect for families with small kids or people like myself who usually loves to try a million things at the same time. I love this place so much that I'm already thinking about what to order when I come by next week. Thumbs up!

    Walnut shrimp
    Brian T.

    Would come here in my childhood but this place has fallen off. Food here is below average and was not good. Charge for rice after certain hours. Good service though and accommodated the kids. Started off with the minced beef with fried egg over rice but the sauce had way too much cornstarch. The sauce was very sticky and wouldn't slide off the spoon. The orange chicken was also on the stickier side. The chef cornstarch flurries too hard here. The honey walnut shrimp wasn't bad, but the walnuts weren't candied and was just walnuts. The deep-fried whole fish had a thick batter causing it to have a soggy layer between the batter and fish. Salt and pepper fish filet was crispy and has nice aromatics. Busy plaza and parking lot. Would not come back here. Plenty of better Chinese restaurants.

    Beef Chow Fun
    Crystal T.

    I was so ecstatic to find out that this joint was open to dine in! This was a staple for our family growing up and now as an adult, the nostalgia it brought eating the delicious food. They really put in work to open back up again and the service was phenomenal. The waitress was very attentive and nice. The food came out fresh and hot. We will definitely be visiting again very soon. The space inside was nice and clean!

    Roasted Pork.  Kinda a  small portion.
    Seno C.

    I loved San Woo when they had one in Rowland Heights Then it closed. This is the first time I try at this place. First of all, the restaurant is clean, well lit and moderately spacious. They closed off about 25% of the area and use it as storage. Service is great. Friendly, efficient and helpful. Foods are almost the same as the other Sam Woo. But not as complete. I was looking for MEI CAI KOU ROU - STEAMED PORK BELLY W/ PRESERVED VEGETABLES ; they do not have it. Fried oysters, they do not have it too. The one that they do have, all taste delicious. The Cteamy corn soup with fish maws has too much corn starch. Almost gluey. Gluey is not the same as creamy. Otherwise, everything is great.

    Siamrath B.

    No frills just vibes. You come here for the classic canto-style foods like from their barbeque deli, we often get rice congee, ong choi (morning glory), salt and pepper fried pork chops, salty fish and chicken friend rice, we often get a whole duck, and depending we'll get the fried shrimp or fried squid. Service is very minimal. You get your food and then you'll likely have to flag your waiter down for the rest of the meal if you need something. Not much to complain about their food here has been a hit or miss so I guess it depends on the day you come. We've had some really good meals here and some days where everything was just salty or days or where everything was lacking.

    david C.

    Review is only for their whole roast pig. Easy to order, pick up took a while but not too bad. Better to pick up early if possible since the parking lot is super busy. They help load the pig to your car which is nice. The end product was really good, not burnt, inside was moist and tender. Slightly saltier inside than preferred but it was overall fine.

    Jennifer T.

    Have Breakfast Menu and Lunch variety sort of reasonable price $15 for minimum to charge to credit card before sales tax

    BBQ prices as of November 2021
    Penny P.

    They started serving breakfast, so we decided to try them out. We usually come for their BBQ to go and more or less, it's consistently good. Their breakfast on the other hand, wasn't as great as I was hoping. We ordered to go and when paying, we were told to pay in cash since the credit card machine doesn't work in the morning. Ok.... The staff never told us it's a common occurrence. Luckily, we did have cash on hand, but most of the time, I'm all credit cards and ApplePay. Food took a while to come out even though there weren't a lot of people waiting or dining in. What was ordered: - Beef Porridge (comes with Chinese Donut, Rice Noodle Roll, Soy Sauce Chow Mein, Drink) - Pan Fried Chicken Steak (comes with Corn, Ham, Egg, Toast, Drink) Overall, the food was very bland. I wasn't really a fan of any of them. Price wise, it's pretty decent since you get a good amount of food, but I found the taste to be a bit lacking. Credit cards would be accepted if the machine works, so go at your own risk, or bring backup cash.

    BBQ pork and roast duck
    Edward S.

    Sam Woo BBQ is a classic Cantonese BBQ institution. If you are in search of tasty Cantonese dishes, this is the spot. I grew up eating at Sam Woo and I have great memories from when my family would go to a Sam Woo after a road trip. Double Delicacy on Rice: This dish is 50-50 BBQ pork and roast duck. This is from the meat hanging in the display case at the front. The BBQ Pork (char siu) is thick and meaty, plump and tender, with a nice glaze. The roast duck is rich and seasoned with five spice powder. Cabbage on the side provides a nicely balanced meal. Wonton Noodle Soup with BBQ Pork: The wontons are plump and the wrappers are delicate. The pork fillings have plenty of fresh tender shrimp. On the first bite, the fragrant sesame oil flavor shines through. There are also crunchy little sesame seed bits in the filling. The egg noodles are perfectly thin, firm, and wiry. The BBQ pork is tender and tasty. The broth has a great balance between pork and seafood flavors. Dining area: The interior is modern with comfy booths and gold walls. Parking: The Lucky Plaza lot is large but swarming with circling cars.

    Roast duck wonton noodle soup

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    1 year ago

    Roast duck is so bad here. Dry & tasteless. My grandad chocked on it. Why????? But the other items are decent. Nice staff.

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    6 months ago

    Great food. Have been eating at Sam Woo various locations since the 1980's. Bring back Rowland Heights.

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    Page 1 of 9

    Sam Woo BBQ Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Sam Woo BBQ

    Do they offer a Peking duck with crispy crispy skin?

    Still doesn't accept credit card?

    This place has been accepting credit cards for months. The usual MasterCard, Visa, and American Express. No Discovery. The ATM is gone though.

    Does this place not take credit cards?

    Cash only but they have a ATM inside.

    View All 4 Questions

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    HK Macau Bistro

    HK Macau Bistro

    3.8
    (485 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    I visited during the late afternoon and although it was not busy, they accidentally only handed us…read morethe special afternoon menu which consisted of maybe 15 items total. I am not sure why my party and I failed to question this hahah. Anyway, we ordered the: - Beef Chow Fun: Very solid, not the best or the worst. Not too oily, yet had great flavor to it. I would recommend this! - Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings: I would highly advise against ordering this (view photo attached). It seemed like they coated the chicken wing in 10 layers of batter and did not fry it enough. Why are my chicken wings WHITE. Also, TOO SALTY. Eating straight MSG. - Butter Toast: Perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Very classic dish and cannot go wrong. All these dishes came with one free drink as well, could choose between HK milk tea, lemon tea, Chinese tea, etc. all with unlimited refills. The restaurant is so well decorated and very reminiscent of Hong Kong/ Macau. I loved all the details such as the mahjong tables and dominos underneath the glass. The service is also very reminiscent of HK, as in it is essentially non existent. Although the restaurant was not busy, we still had to constantly wave over the waiters. I like how consistent they are with the theme.

    Whenever I visit the SGV (San Gabriel Valley) from the SBBC (South Bay Beach Cities), which is…read moreabout a 45-60 minute drive each way, so a culinary commute that resembles a bit of destination dining as an inconvenient trek... I do like to try new places. This is a good spot overall and I liked the food here overall. The wait for a table took a short bit but that might be a testimony to their quality and popularity for the demand to dine in. It's Cantonese Comfort Food.

    Photos
    Fried instant noodles with spam
    Fried instant noodles with spam
    Fried noodle with soy sauce
    Fried noodle with soy sauce
    Pineapple bun, a stable breakfast item

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    Pineapple bun, a stable breakfast item
    Newport Seafood Restaurant

    Newport Seafood Restaurant

    4.1
    (3.7k reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    Food is very good. Service is fast and the ambiance is wonderful…read more I love the house special lobster and the kung pao chicken. Delicious!!!

    Definitely a spot you come to on special occasions as it is pricey. We came with a reservation for…read more9 people, and they had everything ready for us when we arrived. We ended up getting a set for $168 this time, which came with 6 dishes. It's also $35 per lb for lobster, and I asked for the smallest one. Apparently, the smallest one was 4.8 lbs, which was another $168, so I'm not sure if they upsold me. Anyways, the food was fantastic and everyone enjoyed it. This is what I thought about the food we got. House Seafood Soup - Simple and clean soup. Good portion, and it was soothing to eat. Lots of squid. (4/5) Clams with Spicy Sauce - Large clams with tons of meat, and the sauce was fire. Always a good choice. (5/5) Crab with Salt & Pepper - Loved the seasoning, and the flavors were solid. (4.5/5) Thai Style Beef Stew - First time trying this, and it was good. A bit different, but the meat chunks were tasty and the overall flavors were good. (4/5) Sautéed Pea Sprouts - Nicely done vegetable dish. It's simple but refreshing with good flavors. (4/5) Fried Whole Fish - This dish was gone so fast because it was delicious. Nicely fried and not overly seasoned. (5/5) Signature Lobster - I feel like you have to get this here since it's their specialty. It's pricey, but in my opinion, it's the best and freshest lobster in town. Tons of green onions, seasoned well, fresh meat, and lots of lobster roe. (5/5) Service was good, and they didn't automatically add a mandatory tip for a large party. The total came out to around $364, which is pricey, but the food was phenomenal. Parking - Valet only, but they have street parking in front. I parked on the street since there were plenty of spots on a Wednesday, but I assume it gets busy on weekends.

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    Newport Seafood Restaurant
    Newport special crab on egg noodles
    Newport special crab on egg noodles
    Beef loc lac

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    Henry's Cuisine

    Henry's Cuisine

    3.9
    (926 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    Henry's Cuisine is technically a Cantonese restaurant, but there are many dishes on the menu which…read moreare a fusion of Cantonese Chinese and Vietnamese cooking styles. We had a family get-together and were able to order a variety of dishes. Our table ordered chestnut and chicken in a clay pot, bean curd in brown sauce, water spinach with spicy beans, Vietnamese-style deep-fried fish, sautéed clams with black bean, and the House Special Vietnamese-style sautéed lobster with braised soft noodles. The first five dishes were delivered quickly, giving us time to enjoy them before the lobster and noodles arrived. I think the lobster came last because of the prep time--and because it was the meal's grand finale. When you order as many dishes as we did, it wouldn't be unusual to prefer some items over others. But on this occasion, I couldn't find fault with a single dish. I also suspect that this restaurant is geared toward group meals, as the serving size of each plate is quite large.

    Henry's has a very odd look to it. The exterior of the building reminds me of the tin man from the…read morewizard of oz and the theme continues inside as well. I wonder if this was popular when the restaurant first opened but I just smh when being in there. Despite the decor, the food is surprisingly delicious. Or maybe the decor was a decoy to set expectations low so that the food is just better than expected. I will definitely be back in a larger group setting so we can try many other dishes.

    Photos
    The famous gold painted crab shells. Martha Stewart would be proud.
    The famous gold painted crab shells. Martha Stewart would be proud.
    House special lobster on top of yee noodles
    House special lobster on top of yee noodles
    Ordered longevity noodle to go with the lobster - delicious

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    Ordered longevity noodle to go with the lobster - delicious
    Hong Kong Dim Sum House

    Hong Kong Dim Sum House

    4.5
    (613 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    The description of Hole in the Wall for good food didn't expect ! Small shop but efficient! Good…read morecourteous friendly service ! All dishes are tasty and freshly made to your orders ! All original to Cantonese DimSum ! Great Food, Superb services, Value pricing too ! Excellent !

    First of all Super Fly Tnt full stop. HK Dim Sum is one of those tiny, blink-and-you'll-miss-it…read morecafes tucked away amongst the cult-food hood of the San Gabriel Valley. If you know, you know. Forget standing in a line long enough to finish 8 Mile waiting for the "real" dim sum experience-this spot is too busy quietly running circles around the competition. Little Kanupe and I started the morning absolutely hangry (one of my baby soldiers) after striking out at another place (we'll leave them unnamed to protect the innocent). One quick Yelp audible later and we landed at HK Dim Sum. Best comeback since B-Rabbit dropped the mic. The first thing you'll notice is the size of the hand cared for master pieces. Run here for a quick FIFA break, but dont think you're ordering "a little something." Every bite delivers. The chow mein was memorable, so memorable with that wok hay kiss on every noodle just right. Smoky, savory, and ridiculously addictive. Every dish hit with that same "one more bite" energy, and somehow everything showed up almost before we finished ordering. No carts, no gimmicks, no unnecessary fanfare, just legit dim sum crazy great flavor. HK Dim Sum earned a rock-solid five stars. Din Tai Fung is King in most circles, but this place is the Daenerys Dragon Queen dominator. I'm so happy to be part of this sharing of secrets. BTW get the Shumai, chowmein and har gow as starters. Explore the menu. I'm comin back soon and i'm near TJ lol.

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    Hong Kong Dim Sum House
    32. Baked BBQ Pork Pastry
    32. Baked BBQ Pork Pastry
    29. Red Bean Sesame Ball

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    29. Red Bean Sesame Ball
    Steam Fresh

    Steam Fresh

    4.4
    (77 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    We come here for the low price wonton noodles, steamed spareribs on steamed rice, and the beef rice…read morenoodle rolls. We also order their HK style lemon iced tea. It's pretty good here and they have complimentary refills! They're known for their rice noodle rolls here and you can order them, along with their small dim sum menu, all day long. The wonton noodles here were just $13.98! They come with 5 large wontons and vegetables over wonton noodles. I always recommend adding chili oil. The steamed spareribs on steamed rice have some bones, just like the ones you find at dim sum. But there's a lot of meat in the steamed rice bowl for a single person. Free parking in rear parking lot. Entrance at the front on Garvey Ave. They have 2 entrances in front now. Left door for to-go orders and right door for dine-in.

    Yummy food from an unassuming restaurant on Garvey Ave, a street in Monterey Park sprawling with…read morevarious Asian cuisines. Staff were welcoming and helpful. Interior is hardly decorated but has statement black and red tables and chairs haha. No one was dining in, but it seemed like Steam Fresh was popular for takeout. For us, a black sesame roll (could be a snack or dessert), four orders of steamed pork siu mai, two orders of juicy pork dumplings (soup dumplings), and a beef chow fun with soy sauce dish totaled to a little over $55. Everything came out piping hot and packaged well for takeout. We only waited about 15min, which was not bad at all. We really liked the siu mai and chow fun. Both were savory and addicting. Siu mai were especially juicy and meaty; they definitely satisfied our dim sum cravings. Soup dumplings were ok - I found the wrapper to be doughy and the filling kinda plain. The black sesame roll had an interesting rolled look and a sticky, chewy, jelly-like texture. It tasted like lightly sweetened black sesame paste mixed into what seemed like a combination of mochi and agar. The small parking lot in the back is free. We got lucky finding a spot in the late morning, but when we were ready to back out after getting our food, cars were either circling the lot or waiting for someone to leave.

    Photos
    Small kitchen and counter to place order
    Small kitchen and counter to place order
    Pork Siu Mai
    Pork Siu Mai
    HK Style Minced Pork Lo Mein

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    HK Style Minced Pork Lo Mein

    Sam Woo BBQ - cantonese - Updated July 2026

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