Stopped by this place on a recommendation from a gentleman down at West Bottoms. I've lived in LC for over 20 years and had never heard of it. It's a fairly small unassuming place with 50 years of history. The chef Annie received her own day of celebration from the Wyandotte county mayor. They do a hefty amount of carryout business - and unless you had Paul Bunyans appetite you'll be carrying out leftovers for a day or maybe a few days. Portion sizes are HUGE! Prices are reasonable and the selection is immense. I went with the beef and shrimp lomein and had to get a shrimp and chicken hand made egg roll. I also got a bacon jalepeno Rangoon as well as a chili fire one. - they have 6 different kinds of Rangoon. Lomein - meat was tender, veg still has some crunch. Flavor was great! As were the egg rolls and Rangoon. Anyway. If you're in the area or even to just try something different or get take out for date night. Hit them up. [[HIGHLIGHT]]* if you're looking for fancy - this isn't it. You have to ring a bell to get in the door[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is an institution in the neighborhood - If atmosphere matters - get carryout.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Tao Tao - Shrimp and chicken egg roll - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

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Really good Chinese food! Friendly service and everyone seems like family there. Great place for Chinese food and great pricing too! read more

Tao Tao - Combination lo mein - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

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We never been before. Chinese to go, please! It's a small place on a corner in KCK. We were kinda overly with the menu. Not sure what to order but we did after meeting the owner Annie. She was sweet and can't believe she's 77 years old and still making food at this age. We saw a lot of reviews and recommendations and wanted to check this place out. Everything was made fresh and delicious. Don't expect dishes bc they will serve it on to go containers. I do like their chicken dishes and it was flavorful. Hopefully I can try the triple delight next time. Would come back again. Orange Chicken Springfield Cashew Chicken Combination Fried Rice Mini Savory Rangoon Sampler (4) 1 Spinach Parmesan Garlic, 1 Bacon jalapeno, 1 Spicy, and 1 Original crab rangoon Strawberry Cheesecake read more

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Made the trek to finally try tao tao and there were pros and cons. The biggest pro is the people. Everyone there were so nice and friendly. We ordered a beef lo mein, Springfield cashew chicken and crab rangoon. The crab rangoon was the absolute star of the show. The beef had good flavor but the noodles were kind of gummy. The springfield chicken was awful but in all honesty I had no idea what it was and I think I would dislike it anywhere. What a gross concept!! Who invented that!?!? [[HIGHLIGHT]]If this place were closer or had a nice sit down area I would try it again but unfortunately a 30 minute drive back home means it isn't fresh and the restaurant just doesn't scream sit down and relax.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Who would have thought a small restaurant on a corner just west of downtown Kansas City, KS, would crank out some of the best Chinese food in town? Tao Tao does - and they've been doing it for a while. I struck up a conversation with the woman behind the counter as I was placing my order. She said her family has run this restaurant for over 50 years. You gotta be doing something right if you've been around this long. Their entrees - I'm partial to the Combo Fried Rice - are served in gigantic portions. Please don't feel bad about taking food home. It's practically encouraged. The crab rangoon - which are almost as big as my fist - are the best I've ever had. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a small place.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Please be prepared to wait at peak times. read more

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Best day of my life! As a Crab Rangoon lover when I found out there were flavored rangoons I had to come. But not only were the flavors delicious, but the Rangoon itself was fantastic and stuffed with creamy melty cream cheese. Sweet and sour sauce and house hot mustard was also amazing. The staff (Mother and Daughter) were the legit most hospitable and lovely people. Please support this local business, it will not disappoint you!! read more

Tao Tao - Savory and Desert Crab Rangoon Platter - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

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We did an urban hike with Urban Hike KC past the restaurant and they mentioned the multiple crab Rangoon flavors, while giving us a little backstory on the business, which caught my attention immediately. So once the hike was over, we went there for lunch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]First impression is the space could use a little help in the ambiance department but the customer service was just so beyond welcoming and friendly![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Annie's daughter, I didn't catch her name, was the SWEETEST woman I've met in ages. She is so proud of the business and her mom and it was just lovely to see. She gave us a run down on their specialties which, in addition to the multiple flavors of rangoons, included 2 types of egg rolls. We ended up getting 2 orders of the crab rangoons samplers (so my group of 4 could try a half of each flavor) and they were all delicious. I couldn't pick a favorite. We also split a half order of the orange chicken and the Springfield cashew chicken and a full order of the chicken and beef lo mein. Never having Springfield chicken before, I didn't know what to expect. It was good but it doesn't taste Chinese at all. So that was an interesting experience. I would eat it again but if I were craving Chinese food, it wouldn't fit the bill for me. The orange chicken tasted very fresh, and the sauce homemade. The low point for me was the lo mein. It was decent but lo mein isn't a dish I'd ever order for myself so I'm not the best judge of how good it was, as I haven't eaten enough of it in my life. When I went to grab some fresh to-go containers, the host (ah! Wish I'd caught her name) gave me the 3 dessert rangoons to try. Also all very tasty. I think the customer service really gave a lift to the food today. Again, it was good and I would go back, but I live in Overland Park and I wouldn't go back there over close choices like Bo Ling's or ABC Cafe. But that said, I would be a frequent customer if I lived in Strawberry Hill. read more

Tao Tao - Crab Rangoon sampler - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

I needed a break from holiday food so we decided to check out Tao Tao. We ordered online and went to grab it. They don't have soup available online for some weird reason but they do have it available in store. I probably would have gotten some egg drop soup had it been available. They have a dining area but I didn't check that out. I stayed in the main lobby area while I waited for my food as it was being freshly prepared. The three people I encountered were very nice and welcoming. I ordered the General Tsos chicken and upgraded to fried rice. The chicken was delicious. It's lightly breaded, all white meat, and super tender. I added a spicy sauce and it was also really good. I'd definitely order this again. The fried rice was a bit disappointing. At other places there's usually some veggies and egg to it but this was pretty much just rice that was brown...maybe from soy sauce? It was also a bit crunchy. Next time I'd either do just steamed rice or maybe upgrade to try the noodles. We also ordered plain crab Rangoon and a pork egg roll. The egg roll was just ok. The Rangoon is where it's at! Definitely get some crab Rangoon. They offer different flavors both savory and sweet. So next time, we'll be a bit more adventurous and branch out. The portions are huge. I had 3 meals out of my one order. And prices are super reasonable. I will definitely go back and try some more deliciousness. read more

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Tao Tao has been near the top of my "must try" list. When I hear of fantastic Chinese food, Tao Tao is one that everyone raves about. We have good friends who have sang the praises of Chef Annie, so we all made the trek to KCK recently. It was AMAZING! I can't believe it took me so long to try it! I live about 50 minutes so, in all fairness, I'm not super close to it nor would have found it without the wonderful word of mouth recommendations. I'll preface it with I love Springfield cashew chicken, but have never had authentic Springfield cashew chicken here in KC. Obviously, when I arrived, that is exactly what I ordered. When it came out, the portion was HUGE! The breading on the chicken, the gravy.....everything was perfect! I was over the moon excited! My husband ordered the chopped suey. He was equally as excited as me. The flavors and seasoning all melted together perfectly. The veggies were so fresh (which makes all the difference!). In addition to our entrees, we had to try the egg rolls (pork and chicken) as well as every crab rangoon flavor they had to offer. This is important--so don't miss this--TRY EVERY FLAVOR. Sweet fan? Savory fan? They have it all! Your tummy will be so happy that you did. One very important item to note....the family who owns this is so friendly. When you walk in the door, you already feel like family. Chef Annie was so sweet. Her daughter, Tina, and I became fast friends. You will not only leave with a full belly and leftovers, you will leave with a new favorite restaurant. This is a "run, don't walk" restaurant! read more

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Moved to KC in 2023 from Springfield, MO and have been on the hunt for authentic Springfield Cashew Chicken. Grew up going to Leongs (founded by David Leong and the famous Springfield Cashew Chicken) so the bar was set high. Tao Tao is ran by family members of the Leongs and it is exactly how I remember it! LET ME PUT YOU ON! GO TO TAO TAO! Learn the family history and I promise you won't be let down! read more

Tao Tao - Springfield Cashew Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

While I enjoyed my food from Tao Tao I wasn't sure if I missed something or perhaps got the wrong dish when looking at other reviews. I got beef and broccoli and my partner had a low mein dish. Both met my expectations for quality but I was a bit underwhelmed, I didn't feel they food stood out. However the dessert crab rangoons were novel and very tasty. Service was great, the staff were very friendly although they did not start our carry out order until we arrived to pick up. I look forward to trying Tao Tao again, I have to think it'll be better the second time around. read more

We are in town for a conference and found this gem with a Yelp search. What a treasure--best homemade chicken egg rolls ever! We also had great fried rice, sesame chicken, and Rangoon. So fresh and yummy. We even got to meet 80-year-old Chef Annie and her daughter who keep this family business going! Try it. You will NoT regret your decision. read more

Tao Tao - Chicken and shrimp fried rice. - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

It makes me sad to write this, but my food experience here was not good. The two ladies working, mother and daughter, were very sweet and friendly, however.... I ordered 3 different entrees, but received two of the same thing, very disappointing. The General Tso's Chicken was just plain bad, and the (TWO!) orders of Kung Pao Chicken were more like Garlic Chicken maybe? Just a lot of veggies with chicken and a sprinkle of peanuts. Never got the Mu Shoo Pork. I ordered spicy Crab Rangoon, but got something else...maybe the spinach kind? Anyway, I won't go back. read more

We've never eaten at a Chinese restaurant where we felt so welcomed! Great hospitality and delicious food. We had the Springfield Cashew Chicken and Beef Lomain. Delicious!][[HIGHLIGHT]]Everything is served casually in Styrofoam to the table and you'll have full attention throughout your meal.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The crab Rangoon and dessert Rangoon are the best! Check this place out in KC,KS. You won't regret it. read more

Hidden gem!! These folks do not advertise but they were busy the whole time we were there. Everything was made fresh. The crab rangoons are the best in KC. The employees were incredibly friendly. They have pick up and dine in options but you have to order at the counter either way. This family owned restaurant is a must try! read more

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Absolutely delightful. We were in town for an event and googled Chinese near us and we ended up here. So glad we did! So welcoming and inviting, we felt a part of the family. The food was delicious and we'll definitely be back when we're back in town! read more

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Wonderful people, delicious food, large portions! The closest thing to authentic Springfield chicken here in KC. We met Chef Annie, super amazing service, the crab rangoons were delicious too! read more

Tao Tao - Springfield Cashew chicken, chicken fried rice, and General Tso's Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

THE BEST CHINESE SOUL FOOD in America! I first came here 40 years ago when Chef Annie did everything. The food today is even better now than the 80's. Fantastic crab Rangoon in multiple variations. I had the bacon jalapeño crab Rangoon that was amazing. The noodles and shrimp with the spicy chili sauce was FANTASTIC! Orange chicken sample from my honey's plate was really good too. If you are in Kansas City you have to go to Tao Tao's. Furthermore, the recognition that Chef Annie has received make her restaurant a landmark. Hugely popular with a lot of re read more

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Tried it out for the first time and it was well worth the trip. My wife had the Springfield Chicken, it was excellent. The vegetables were well done and still had some crunch. I had the Kung Pao Chicken, it had fantastic spice without being overbearing. The chicken egg rolls were large and flavorful. We the Crab Rangoon, the regular and dessert, you can tell that they were hand made by a skilled artisan. They make it worth the trip. If you are looking for great Chinese with friendly service and very healthy portions. This is truly a destination place to go. read more

Tao Tao - Chicken Egg Rolls - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

Very nice people this is part of the rating but never gets in the way of rating food you have have jerky people and great food, nice people and horrible food and of course jerky people horrible food and nice people nice food. ORDER OUT ONLY No dine in which is smart they dont want your covid in their restaurant fine with us we order out and find a park to eat each time. getting to know the parks. she gave us plates napkins etc two special orders vegetable cashew chicken very good huge portions orange chicken not deep fried. most sauce ive ever seen not a fan of stringy and chopped onions in my orange chicken so picked that out and there were alot. taste was good on both I guess they are HUGE on crag rangoon desert , different flavors , specialty we told her when living in California you cant find any place that sells them because they are not healthy for you. We skipped that of course. I would bet you anything the owner and cooks do not eat them. I asked .. they dont, they are thin and want to stay alive :) So do yourself a favor pass on those and live long and prosper. read more

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Fantastic spot just on the other side of downtown. Tina and Annie were so kind and gave me a General Tso sampler to try. I went with the sweet and savory rangoon packs and now I know where to find the best rangoon in town! That bacon and jalapeno is SERIOUS. Great flavor combinations. Can't wait to get back and try the orange chicken! read more

Friendly staff, adorable owner who is 76 and still cooking up a storm. Owner's daughter treated us so well, provided suggestions, and gave us a sample of the dessert crab rangoons to try. The portions of the entrees are massive, definitely will have leftovers for the next day. read more

Tao Tao - Dessert crab rangoons - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

Went there & ordered two combos , orange chicken w/ fried rice & sweet n sour with beef lo mien , specifically asked if I could UPGRADE to the beef lo mien noodles and they simply continued writing it down then charged me so to my understanding they could've or would've said otherwise. Once I was charged I seen it was a little high but didn't think much of it, when she showed me the food I asked again to confirm how it was charged ( together or separately) the son said it couldn't be a combo & would have to be separate, after seeing I was clearly upset they did nothing to change it . Once I seen the sweet & sour chicken it had peppers and onions on it , it says nothing about peppers and onions on the menu . To save myself the stress of arguing with the WHOLE family I decided to just leave . Completely unsatisfied. After this being my 3rd time going I definitely will not being going again . Unless you can read minds I wouldn't recommend going there . read more

There's a reason why this is the hottest restaurant in KC right now. The buzz is all correct: this place is amazing. I felt like family the moment I walked in and sensed an energy that is rare these days. Chef Annie and Tina felt like long lost relatives welcoming me home for dinner. The General Tso's chicken had the most delicious breading I've ever tasted on Chinese food (I recommend the sauce on the side). The mini dessert crab Rangoons are enough by themselves to get me back over and over. Get there soon and see for yourself why they've been in business for 50 years. 5 stars read more

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Just moved to KC from Indy. We wanted to find the best Chinese restaurant in the area just from reviews. It wasn't hard to decide on Tao Tao, it is the only one that is in the positive for reviews. And it did not disappoint!! The food was fresh. So much flavor. Even after a drive back to KCMo it was still crispy and incredibly delicious. To make it even better, the staff were amazing. We'll be regularly coming back here. read more

Tina, Chef Annie & her team make the visit to Tao Tao a pleasant and wonderful experience. The food makes you want to come back. Delicious food. Had to try the Springfield Chicken & was not disappointed. I also loved their top notch crab rangoon available with different fillings. It was a drive to get over there but I'm glad I did. I sat in their dining room and enjoyed watching & overhearing how much their regular/multi-decade customers love the staff and food here. Highly recommended for both the food and customer service. read more

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Tao Tao is one of those places that takes very good food and turns it into a 5 star experience with their customer service and genuine friendliness. While I was browsing the big menu, I listened to a customer reflecting on visits here as a child with his now deceased father. The owners daughter listened attentively and profusely thanked him for sharing his memories and his patronage. A genuine moment and with over 50 years of slinging food to downtown KCK, I'm sure that there are many such stories. After I ordered I mentioned that I work with a lady that goes to the same church as the owners daughter - Tina. At that moment, I went from 1st time customer to part of the extended family. She insisted on a selfie with me and my buddy, brought her mother Chef Annie out for a meet and greet and another selfie and even comped a free dessert Crab Rangoon. The friendliness and hospitality was overwhelming, not only from Tina and Chef Annie, but also from the 2 other staff we interacted with. I ordered the Springfield Cashew Chicken and 6 Crab rangoon - 3 jalapeno bacon and 3 garlic spinach. My buddy and I both agreed that the Crab Rangoon was the best we've ever had - period. The entrée was huge - filling a 3 section carry out container and a large side of rice. Tasty and enough for 2 large meals! Tao Tao is nowhere near where I live, but next time I'm wanting Chinese, I'll be driving across town to make more memories. Thank you for turning a normal Friday night after work food run into a memorable experience! read more

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Good food. Friendly owners and family. Authentic food. The crab Rangoon was delicious-7 different flavors. Shrimp fried rice is delicious. The cashew chicken is flavorful and delicious. To add to all these The service was excellent. read more

Tao Tao - Different flavors of Crab Rangoon - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

We went in there for the first time and tried their food. Really liked the fried rice and the chicken egg roll. Also the crabragoons were really good. The bacon jalapeño ones were my favorite. We had the Springfield Cashew Chicken. It was pretty good. The hot chili sauce took it to another level. We also got the dessert crabragoons, apple, peach, and strawberry. They were really good as well. I recomend it. read more

Tao Tao - Dessert crabragoons - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

We finally got here after reading about it forever. I had the General Tsos chicken and fried rice. Wifey had shrimp and crab lo mein. We also got the dessert package of strawberry cheese cake, caramel apple, and peach cobbler, all made up like dessert Rangoon. We met Chef Annie and Talking Tina. There is enuff food to last a long time. read more

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Wow! Soooo good! We stopped in here based on recommendation from a Facebook group and I am so glad we did. Small restaurant that looks like most people get their food to go, but they were busy from the time we stopped in until we left, the phone rang non stop and people came in non stop. Ann and her daughter were super welcoming and answered any questions and gave suggestions and patient while we chose. The food was out of this world. I haven't tasted Chinese food that good since I was a kid. There was so much flavor in the food. Each bite was wonderful. The drab rangoon was full of crab and actual flavor instead of just cream cheese. I can't wait to go back! We had the lunch portion and it was huge. I had plenty of leftovers. Ann the owner does all the cooking and has been for the last 50 years. You have to go here! read more

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This is a must go place. Little family owned and great people. This was my first time here. The food is fresh and made to order. Every type of crab Rangoon you can think of. Plus they have dessert crab rangoon. The service is outstanding and they are very friendly. This place should have 5 stars all the time. The line is long if you come for lunch but I did not mind waiting because the food was outstanding. You also get a ton of food for the price. The lady up from Tina is loud and funny. Great place you must try it! read more

Saw the raving reviews for this place and decided to try it out. Absolute best decision! Not only looks like some of my favorite hole in the wall Bay Area Chinatown restaurants, but honestly lives up to it as well. Sat inside while they were making our to go order and they were all SO friendly and kind! They even gave us dessert rangoons to try! The food was so so so reasonably priced yet also incredibly flavorful, delicious, and great portions! I would quite possibly bathe in the lo mein noodles if I'm being completely honest I have truly not been able to stop talking about this place and cannot wait to go back. This place lives up to its hype, and then some! read more

Awesome food! Tried all the different flavors of savory crab Rangoon and you can't go wrong with any of them. Shrimp egg rolls were huge and delicious. Ordered the Springfield Cashew chicken and the General's combination and both were spot on. Best egg drop and hot and sour soup around. Service was beyond great. Will definitely be back. read more

Tao Tao - Springfield cashew chicken, fried rice, General's combination. - Chinese Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

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Being from Springfield, I have told people hundreds of times that you don't go to Kansas City for the Cashew Chicken and you don't go to Springfield for the Barbecue. I can easily give you a million reasons why. In my 30+ years in KC I've been served Springfield style that's had Garlic White Gravy, Mushrooms, Carrots, Peas and Celery and every other combination, and the one thing they haven't been is Springfield Style Cashew Chicken. Recently, I got into a "Discussion" on Facebook where I used my standard line about BBQ and Cashew Chicken and a gentleman told me that I was "Full of it" because I hadn't been to Tao Tao's. I asked him where it was and he told me, and I was actually shocked, because I've traveled that neighborhood a lot throughout the years and wondered "How could I have missed that?" To be honest...It's kind of easy to miss. In a neighborhood that's filled with primarily Mexican and Hispanic restaurants, I wasn't expecting to see a Chinese restaurant. Maybe that's stupid of me, but it just didn't jump out at me. Yeah, the place has been family owned in the same place since the 70's, but I just never noticed it. I'm sorry! Now that I have, I won't make that mistake again! My wife and I made the trek from my job downtown (normally a 5 minute drive, but turned into a 12 minute drive due to construction) and were warmly welcomed by the owner, Annie, and her son as we entered the nice, tidy place. With a big menu and lots of choices, we honed in immediately on the one thing we wanted. Springfield Style Cashew Chicken. The first thing we noticed was that the prices were higher than we were used to in Springfield. $12.99 vs. $7-8 dollars for an entrée (Chicken, rice and an egg roll normally) But once we received the massive amounts of food they dish out, the price was more than reasonable. We ordered for two, but received enough for four. We got two large containers of chicken. One large container of rice. Two large cups of sauce. Copious amounts of onions and cashews (something you can never get enough of). And Three egg rolls. Our total was $35.00 dollars. Then, as if that wasn't enough, since we were taking the food with us, they let us sample some there while it was hot, and gave us free dessert Wontons to take with us. Everything was excellent. They did warn us that it wouldn't taste as good warmed up at home and they were right about that, so next time we'll eat it there, but it was definitely as close to Springfield's as they come, and the customer service was the best we've gotten anywhere. EXCELLENT. Tell All Your Springfield Friends to give them a try! read more

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WOW! Chef Annie and Tina are amazing. Best Chinese food ever. Went at the recommendation of Jasper Mirable and loved the experience. All the food is cooked fresh on order. Crab Rangoon and Egg Rolls homemade and it shows. Annie and Tina are passionate about serving the best food and assuring customers feel welcomed. read more

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I highly recommend Tao Tao the service is amazing and the food is so delicious! I can't believe I waited this long to come try it , I'm sure glad I did ! Reasonable prices and you get a lot of food , we had enough for left overs ! I had the beef lo mane and my husband had the Szechuan chicken and both had fried rice and also crab Rangoon , which they are known for their crab Rangoon and they have a lot of different ones , I ordered a variety pack that came with jalapeño and one that had bacon in it and a spinach one and another spicy one , and and Tina ( the owners daughter ) gave us some dessert crab Rangoons . It all was super delicious and I can't wait to go back ! Also my husband said this is the best Chinese he has ever eaten & I have to agree with him ! read more

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This Chinese restaurant is a diamond in the rough. It is a small hole in the wall Chinese restaurant that makes amazing specialty ragoons , and amazing fresh Chinese meals and it has a sweet family environment. read more

A hidden gem with delicious food and such great service ! If you're reading this review, please check it out as soon as you're able !

What a hidden gem. Excellent food. You must try the six!! different rangoons- each is excellent, but I'm a big fan of the dessert ones. The Springfield cashew chicken is spot on! Be sure to say hi to Chef Annie! read more