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    TD Cafe

    2.9 (104 reviews)

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    TD CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - TD Cafe

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    Fried whole shrimp
    Drew Q.

    We went on a Sunday night and it was a bit busy. Food was good for most part. We had the crispy noodles with gravy and chicken and bok choy. The gravy was saltier than other cafes. We got a free order of fried whole shrimp cause we ordered a lot. They also gave us fries while we waited. We also got the pork knuckle with peanuts in sauce. That was tender and tasty. Also we ordered the duck with bao bread and lettuces wrap. That was pretty good as well. Our meal took over 2 hours. For a cafe that's not great. Overall I would recommend this place but not for a quick bite. The food was good but can take a while when they are busy. Service was good but you might have to flag down your server when it's busy. Plenty of parking in the parking lot.

    Pineapple bun
    Ivy C.

    I come here specifically for their breakfast as it is the only place closer to the east side of SGV. Though it is the only Hong Kong cafe in El Monte, their food is fresh and porridge texture is consistent. We always get the porridge combos and get some orders togo. The only thing is they got rid of their cheung fun aka the rice rolls and we miss it so much. Wish they brought it back! Short on staff/service but everything else runs well. Plenty of parking within the plaza!

    BBQ Pork
    Kenny N.

    Based on my experience with the take out and food here, place was decent. Closer to my house is a Chinese cafe which I didn't know they opened for a while now. Located in a strip mall on Lower Azusa, there are other businesses here. I came here for take out and waited for a bit for my order. Knew it would take a while since there were some tables filled. I paid and waited but the staff were nice. I ordered their soy sauce chicken and bbq pork along with rice as well as a baked pork chop with spaghetti. The soy sauce and bbq pork wasn't too bad. Comparable with like Sam Woo and other places. The baked pork chop with spaghetti was ok though as I've definitely had better elsewhere. Plenty of cheap but the taste was different to me. Been hesitant to come back but I'll try their dine-in experience and other food next time I come back.

    Interior
    John T.

    Rating: 3.5 Stars Background On Visit: Mom wanted to try out a new place that she noticed when she was driving on Lower Asuza. Deals: They have special lunch/dinner items that comes with rice for $11.99. Restrooms: They're available Credit Cards: They're accepted. Location/Parking: Located in the Midway Plaza. Home of Pho LTK, Midway Bowling Lanes, BOFA, and Crispy Fluffed... to name a few. Parking can be found in the shared lot. Just be mindful not to park next to the light post or palm trees. When you come back, you might have presents left by the friendly birds. Ambiance/Decor: Place look small from the front, but when you step inside, it's gets bigger. Neat ambiance with modern furnishings. They have a decent amount of chairs and tables to sit on. Service: Service was okay. Didn't really ask for a lot of things Food Of Choice: 1) French Style Fish Fillet: Mmmmmmm.... a little crisp on the edges and soft in the interior. The onions and red/green bell peppers that accompanied the dish were very good. 2) Eggplant with garlic: Be mindful that it's a bit spicy. Then again... this is coming from a person that can't really take spice. So ask for less spice if you're a weak sauce with spice. 3) Baked pork chop: This was a good one also. Pork chop was decent and loved the sauce/cheeeese! 4) Ginseng and chicken soup: Ginseng and chicken soup for the soul. Mmmmm.... warms the tummy. TD Cafe For Thought: Would definitely come back and try more items on their menu. They're hk breakfast options sounds uber great also.

    Steven H.

    Good place for decent priced lunch/dinner specials. As far as taste it was ok, not much to rave abour. Lemon ice tea was on the sweeter side. Service is hit or miss depending on how busy it is. Restaurant is spacious and there are some large tables availabke if you're planning to dine with a bigger group.

    Menu
    William M.

    First time eating here and likely the last. Service is really bad at this restaurant. The waiter did not know if certain dishes were available or not. When we asked for refills on drinks, the waiter sighed and rolled his eyes. The food was alright, we ordered several dishes and for the most part, they all came out in a fair amount of time. However there were 2 dishes that were really delayed and each time we asked for an update, the waiter would say it's coming out. There was also a promo where if you spend X amount, they give you a pineapple buns. We had to ask several times for ours.... Just overall a bad experience. If you frequent these Asian cafes this is the norm unfortunately.

    Half duck - yummy!!
    Sanny C.

    I love HK style cafes/restaurants. Whenever a new one is available, my face will be present Hahh I have been here twice now. I received great customer services both times. I heard it could be chaotic and unorganized...I guess it is best to go on weekdays around 5pm. I went around that time for both visits. Pretty empty. My fav was definitely the complimentary pineapple buns w/butter. Ohmyyygawdd..so fresh and yummy lol The first time I was here, I really enjoyed the half order of ducks. It was so fresh, juicy, and meaty. That made me wanted to visit again. The greens were fresh as well. Second visit..ordered the whole duck. It was too skinny and mainly fats. Which was a disappointment..we also received the complimentary buns Yay! We were told that every $30 gets you a free one now-_- quite a lot? Lol We decided to go with the $11.99 lunch/dinner specials. We got the garlic eggplants and fried pork chops. Both were yummy. Each dish came with rice. I saw a breakfast menu. I might return to try their breakfast. Hopefully, I won't encounter such a huge crowd lol I would like a quiet breakfast while listening to their Chinese songs hehhe

    Beef and broccoli   @dangit.all
    Lisa D.

    Newest HK cafe to open up in the 626. I was super excited to learn that there was a HK cafe super close to home. I actually tried TD Cafe three times (once take out & twice in house). My first time when I called in my order the staff had difficulties understanding what I was saying and asked if I spoke Chinese. Which I do not so that made ordering a bit difficult. I was trying to go off of the menu images I saw on Yelp to place my order. My second and third time, were both dinner time and food came out at a decent pace but staff took forever to take our order or even pay us any attention. It was a lot of flagging down staff. Staff are slow, and you gotta make sure that they give your order correctly. Both times they forgot our rice that came with the meal. The third time we came they gave one free butter pineapple bun. Ordered: *Beef Chow Mein (Crispy)- you need sriracha for this to give it the extra flavor but overall it gets the job done. *Rib eye steak- great meat texture. first time it was made perfectly medium as requested. the second time, it was on the raw side, so we had to flag down a staff to ask them to cook it again. both times they forgot the rice that comes with it. *walnut shrimp- this was one of the worst walnut shrimps ever. it was too sour and way too saucey. it was really hard to eat. i do not recommend it at all. *2 item bbq plate (duck & bbq pork belly - these two bbq option was an extra charge). but i enjoyed both items. luckily they didn't run out of the bbq meats. *lemon ice tea- tasted good, just like all of the other HK cafes. *beef and broccoli- this is a safe order, they made this one perfectly. my kids had no complaints. Would I come back here? Only if I am truly lazy to drive further out to get a HK cafe fix. They aren't super packed but I have to say that be prepared to spend more than an hour here. Service is just that slow. I tried asking one of the staff a question but he didn't understand English, so I had to try and hunt down another staff which took a long time. I kept staring at staffs and wave my hand but they like do not see me at all. Always looking elsewhere. My third visit, they had a lot of dishes on the table uncleaned after customers have left. To seat us, they had to clean a table to do so. Which I also had to wait, so as you can see there is a lot of waiting happening. I do hope that they get better at paying attention to their customers and hire more staff. Lastly, prices are pretty average. Tips: *Shared parking lot with other businesses. (Wow Cow Korean BBQ, action lanes, bank of america, pho LTK, etc.) *Credit card accepted. *Restroom available. *Place is spacious and they have big round tables that can hold big parties.

    Pork trotter and peanuts
    Karen C.

    Tasty food for a good price, there's dishes for $11.99 even for dinner and comes with rice. Went on a Saturday night and it was packed! Came early so didn't have to wait for a table but felt sorry for the waiters as they looked limited in number. They managed to get the orders in and food still came out in a decent time. The fish maw soup was not up to par, a bit too much thicker and flavor was on the mild side. I have to give credit I did see real pieces of crab and it was improved with a bit of red vinegar. Beef chow fun was probably their best dish I ate that night along with the ribs. Not bad for the price but if you come prime dinner time except a wait for table and food.

    Baked chicken.  Came out differently than I expected but was unexpectedly good.
    Albert L.

    I love to go to Chinese cafe, aka Hong Kong style cafes because they have so many things on the menu. Noticed this one recently opened. So I tried for lunch one day and had to bring my friend for dinner last week. Food was pretty good and so was the service. I like the fact that there is plenty of parking. I definitely will be coming back.

    Rachel L.

    Came on a thursday night and there was no wait. Very spacious environment and vibes were typical of a traditional chinese restaurant. A good selection of dishes were 11.99 and came with rice which is a good deal and hard to find nowadays. The egg and shrimp was good but portion size was a little small. minced meat with rice was solid. string beans had a good flavor and were prepared very well. Also appreciated the complimentary dessert that came with dinner- taro tapioca with sesame. Would come again to try other different dishes. Parking was plentiful in a big plaza.

    Dry mushroom with chicken and coconuts. Taste amazing. It is a Cantonese style soup.
    Bonnie T.

    I ordered dinner x 2 combo to go. The food portion is big and enough for three people. Taste is very good and close to Hongkong style. The soups are amazing. Definitely it should be their signature on the menu. The price is reasonable. Overall, the restaurant is pretty clean, including the restroom. The concern is the slow service. Since so short of staff, no matter how hard the staff try to serve customers, the service is still slow.

    Deep fried porch chop with spicy salt.
    James L.

    Sometimes I'm in full agreement with the Yelp ratings. Currently at 3.5, this describes my experience. I can't seem to round up to 4. TD Cafe is fairly new. Located in the middle of a plaza in El Monte, they're already wildly popular. I wouldn't describe this as an actual cafe. More of a seafood / HK style restaurant. Menu ranges from market price seafood, to your ubiquitous rice plates with chicken or pork chop, bbq items (which they seem to stop offering some already) and their lunch/ dinner specials at a low price, $12 a plate. I suspect this is what draws the huge crowd. That's what got us to come too. We were naive to arrive at 11am on a Sunday. The wait was 30 minutes for a table, and that's because a party before us gave up waiting and left. We placed our orders as soon as we sat down: Sautéed string beans. Compared to some other places, these were just OK. It was served with strips of pork and a slightly tangy but spicy sauce. 3/5 Deep fried pork chop in spicy salt. Hot, crispy and delicious. Mostly lean and meaty pieces and nicely seasoned. 4.5/5 French style filet of cod. Also delicious. Served deep friend and tossed in a mildly spicy sauce. A slightly bit on the salty side but pairs well with rice. 4.5/5 Chili pepper beef: Remember that vintage 80's commercial, "Where's the beef!?" Yep, that's it. Mostly onions and peppers for color. The beef slices we got were overcooked and tough. 2/5 Spam and egg sandwich w/ fries. I could've easily made this at home, but it's ok. Nothing special. 3/5 Pineapple buns: I asked for the butter to be on the side. It came inside the bun, but they were served warm and so soft. After trying it, I still prefer it w/o butter. 4/5 The setup: Larger, family sized tables are towards the back of the restaurant. Smaller tables, 2 or 4 seaters are closer to the entrance. The ambiance: Pure chaos. Many Chinese folks are probably used to this but can be intimidating to others. The place is loud and you need to be aggressive to get a number, to get your table, place your order and to get servers' attention. It doesn't mean to be obnoxious, just don't be timid. They could've hired more staff, that way the tables turn over much quicker. Customers will be happier they got fed, people waiting won't stand around blocking everyone else, and higher turnover means more business for the restaurant and tips for the servers. The 'lively' vibe did not make for a relaxing meal. It was chaotic and stressful as people crowded near our table hounding the hostess, and the staff clearing the tables often had to yell 'excuse me!' Maybe after some time, the hype will die down a bit. Maybe not. But if you want to come, be mentally prepared. Side Note: They're able to reserve a table for large parties of 8-10. There's a station around the corner of the hostess counter near the entrance. There, you can get your own to-go boxes, utensils, straws, plates and napkins. It's faster than trying to flag someone down.

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    Boston Lobster

    Boston Lobster

    4.3
    (1.9k reviews)
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    This is definitely the best lobster spot in town. The green onion and ginger stir fry style with…read morethe noddles on the bottom soaking up the sauce, so delicious! And favorite dishes is the basil clam. Service is friendly and attentive even though they are always busy and packed.

    Came to Boston Lobster as my friends had set up a lunch here. Haven't been to a place like this in…read morea while! We ordered quite a bit. Obviously, you can't come to a place that has lobster in the menu without ordering lobster, and we got the House Special Lobster (Large) with Garlic Noodle. Other items we ordered were the French Style Beef Cube, Braided Crab Meat & Fish Maw Soup, Beef Mongolian, Crispy Fried Sole Fish, BBQ Fried Rice, Clams with Spicy Sauce, Crispy Fried Squid with Salt and Pepper, and Clams with Black Bean Sauce. The portions are actually quite massive for each dish. All of it was very solid and tasty Chinese food. We were definitely very stuffed after this lunch was over! Service here is solid enough for a Chinese place. They were pretty quick with getting us extra plates to change out our dirty plates and more bowls as needed. And they were quick with the water. But yeah, you do have to flag them down to get their attention. They do have a parking lot here, and we got here early enough on a Sunday where parking wasn't an issue. However, I can see it being a problem on busier days. Boston Lobster is definitely worth a visit if you want solid Chinese food at a fair affordable price. Really good!

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    Newport Seafood Restaurant

    Newport Seafood Restaurant

    4.1
    (3.7k reviews)
    3.9 mi
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    I've eaten here countless times with friends and family over the years. I can't believe I haven't…read morereviewed you guys! Always consistent in service and quality. They are known for: Special Lobster (A+) Beef Loc Lac (A) Clams with spicy sauce (A+) Chinese broccoli (B+) - depends on how thick or thin it is Pea shoots with garlic (A) Eggplant (A) Yang Chow fried rice (A) Reservations are highly recommended either by calling or thru Yelp. There are private rooms in the back on request if you have a larger party and seafood is always fresh as they have an aquarium with lobsters, crab, geoduck, and fish. The decor is charming with vintage trinkets along the side of the wall. There is a waiting area by the lobby and restrooms in the back of the restaurant. Since it gets so crowded and busy the restrooms could be tended better. Parking is available on the street otherwise you have to valet on the lot.

    To say that I have been planning to go to, Newport Seafood, is an understatement. It is considered…read moreto be one of the best destinations for fresh seafood, with the accent on Chinese cuisine. What has shunned me from this place, is the distance and the traffic, from the SFV. Finally, I made the journey. And arrived for lunch, on a weekday. To come here and not order their iconic Signature dish, the House Special Newport Style Lobster, would be a sin. Imagine a trip that was almost 40 miles and an hour of traffic (one way), with no reward. It was time to experience the real thing. The signature dish. Walking in solo, I was given a booth. I liked that. On seating, I ordered a beverage to quench my thirst, catch my bearings and breath. Almost immediately, the servers kept bugging me to order. The place was barely 1/4th occupied. Whats the hurry. After all this, I had to repeatedly tell them, that i had already spoken with a server, regarding my order. Just wanted to relax first, catch my breath, sip my beverage. Coming here, I was aware that their tank lobsters would be in the 4-6 pound range. Good for, and ordered by, at least 3-4 people. So when I, as a solo diner, ordered a 4-pound lobster (with no other choice), just for myself, they began to leave me alone and give me more respect. The cut up wok prepared, House Special Newport Style Lobster, arrives wonderfully presented, with heaps of leeks, scallions and jalapenos. My kind of recipe. Truly unique and exceptional. There is no sauce, and only a mild flavor, yet tasty. My biggest concern here was (after reading numerous internet reviews), that the lobster would be rubbery and dry. Not so for me. I lucked out. Problem here is, while there is lots of meat (a 4 pound lobster will yield at the most, about a pound of meat), they do not have, or provide, the essential lobster cutlery, to do justice to this beautiful crustacean. I did ask though. They did not seem to care and told me to use my fork. LOL. Steamed rice is complimentary. So is a soup, with sweet and sour, being the only choice (I did not like this). Either way, my plan was to take leftovers (there was a lot), home, where I possess high class lobster cracking tools. And thank heavens I did. They were most useful, to crack and dig into all the lobster meat, that would have been inaccessible at the restaurant. With additional TLC, the leftovers held up well, to provide several additional lobster meals. Need to go back to try their enticing and reasonably priced variety of lunch specials (more seafood, choices minus lobster). Another sought after box on my list, is now checked.

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    Sunny Shine Bbq

    Sunny Shine Bbq

    3.5
    (147 reviews)
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    Amazing mom and pop operation. Their menu is extensive and all my times here, exceeded…read moreexpectations. Flavors and freshness from the kitchen or BBQ table won't be beat.

    I've been coming to Sunny Shine BBQ for years to pick up their roast duck and roast pork, which…read morehave always been reliable favorites. This was my first time trying their special lunch menu ranging $9.99 - &13.55 instead of just ordering BBQ meats. We ordered several dishes to share: * Salt & Pepper Pork Ribs * Braised Pork with Aged Vegetables * String Bean Chicken * Egg Tofu with Mushrooms * Stir-Fried Lettuce with Fermented Bean Curd * Spicy Vermicelli Pot with Clams, Scallops & Egg White * Steamed Giant Clams with Silky Egg * Salted Fish & Chicken Tofu Pot For an extra $5, we also added a small box of their brine duck, which was a nice addition. The lunch portions were reasonable for the price, and the service was friendly throughout our visit. Parking was also easy to find during weekend lunch, which made the experience convenient. The Salt & Pepper Pork Ribs had a slightly sour taste that made us question whether it was fresh, so we couldn't finish that dish. It was disappointing because everything else was fairly decent. Overall, despite of the pork ribs, I still think Sunny Shine BBQ is a solid neighborhood, family-owned restaurant, especially for their BBQ meats that I've enjoyed over the years. Very friendly service, quiet ambiance, and convenient location have always kept me coming back.

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    Tam's Noodle House

    Tam's Noodle House

    4.0
    (560 reviews)
    3.1 mi
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    Was in SoCal over the weekend with my family and I was craving a Hong Kong-style breakfast and a…read moregood cup of Hong Kong milk tea. It was our first time at Tam's and we weren't disappointed at all! Tam's has a breakfast menu with plenty of options. The two of us ordered two breakfast combos and each came with a drink, two appetizers and an entrée. My hubby ordered the cold Hong Kong milk tea, which required a $1 surcharge for cold drinks. I ordered the hot Hong Kong milk tea. Both milk teas were delicious--no complaints at all! We both ordered their jook and for our appetizers, we ended up trying all four options since each combo lets you choose two appetizers. Everything was yummy and the portions were generous enough for two people. If you're a party of three and aren't big eaters, I'd recommend ordering just two breakfast combos. There's a parking lot outside since the restaurant is located in a small shopping plaza, so parking wasn't an issue. I'll definitely bookmark this place for future visits whenever I'm in the area. The staff were friendly and very attentive. They regularly checked on us to see if we needed more water. They also have both indoor and outdoor seating, which was a nice option.

    Came here for breakfast for the first time in a long time. They still have a good deal for congee…read more+ 2 sides for $12.99 but the food and level of service has gone down hill. The wait staff is not attentive and kind of rude. When I asked the lady about refill holding my mug, she just gestured to put the cup down on the table by patting the table... didn't even bother to talk..... The congee is pretty watery. The pork rib pretty much have no meat on it. I'm surprised there is no line at 9am on a Saturday morning (used to be long lines). May be people got the word that it's not that great anymore

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    Papa Lu's Kitchen

    Papa Lu's Kitchen

    4.2
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    $$

    So this is a small Chinese restaurant that's a bit aways from the main hustle and bustle lf the…read more626. However, if you want to try something a little different, there are some "traditional" Kaiping specialties that I haven't seen on menus anywhere else. I've always come with my family and have received great service because my dad knows the staff. They speak my home dialect so I'm sure there's some bias there. Foodwise, I've tried quite a bit and haven't had any dishes that didn't hit the mark for me. Standouts for me are the big claypot yellow eel rice, their specialty roast goose (the 2 dishes just listed may require a preorder but again, my dad usually handles all the ordering), their beansprout with pig intestine, and their egg plant with salted fish. The claypot rice is ordered by the kilo so really is a big party dish but has nice succulent pieces of eel, really well cooked rice, and then of course the crispy rice at the bottom. The goose is very flavorful and not super gamey, it has more of a meaty texture and bite than the younger poultry an American pallette may be used to so word of warning. I really like the beansprout with pig intestine, again not really gamey but very savory with very tender, fatty pieces of intestine (highly recommend even if you're hesitant with intestine). The eggplant with salted fish is also intensely savory with a pungency from the salted fish that may seem like a lot but melds really well with the sauce and overall flavor of the dish. Though I haven't tried every dish on their menu, I've tried quite a bit and can confidently say they'll bring out some tasty Chinese dishes.

    Was here a few weeks ago with my kids for a quick lunch. We got the Beef Chow Fun...it's a thick…read moreflat white noodles sautéed with green onions, bean sprouts, beef and sort of a soy sauce. It's one of our go to orders when we hit a Chinese restaurant. Sometimes it's a hit or miss...but I got to say it was a HIT! The noodles were separated and seasoned perfectly, coating each strand of noodles with their soy sauce mixture...and the beef was perfectly tenderized..NOT TOUGH AT ALL! Usually beef is tough in this type of noodle dish at other places. The flavors were legit..not too sweet or salty just right! It's really hard for me to find good Asian food in Baldwin Park so I was pleasantly surprised when we stumbled upon this place. Highly recommend. Our server was a Chinese lady..probably didn't speak much of English and didn't come across as friendly but to be honest that's how you know the food is going to slap when you have a waitress with the meanest RBF...so don't be alarmed just know food is going to smack! LOL It's located in a very random place but there's plenty of parking. It's pretty laid back but I would say can be good for large groups. It's not too loud or rowdy at all.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Stuffed Pork intestines
    Stuffed Pork intestines
    Garlic vegetable Green

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    Garlic vegetable Green
    Mr. Chopsticks Seafood Restaurant

    Mr. Chopsticks Seafood Restaurant

    3.7
    (415 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    This is our go to "I don't know what Chinese food place to go so let's go here"…read more I do want to warn that it is definitely a hit or miss! Depends on so many factors such as the day, time, and staff level they have because they don't have as many staff as you think they have). The food is good on weekend not so crowded times, depending on the season, they will have really good fried dishes, but on off days you might taste some old oil. Wait time tends to be long during rush hour lunch time for weekends and dinner for any day around 6/6:30pm. You can reserve a table if you planned to come here which will save you time if it's crowded. Staff tend to be short on weekdays, a heads up that they are working nonstop and usually are walking around. I rarely see them stop and do nothing, and it does get a bit difficult to flag the down when they are running around. Today, we had an off day, just opened on a Sunday for lunch and we ordered lunch specials, the provided soup for free but the tea was just boiled water. Took my dad two tries to tell them it was just water (and had to open the pot to show them). Our food started coming around 11:30am and also more tables got filled up quickly so the staff are more occupied, you may need to catch them when they bring you a dish. Unfortunately, an error occurred and they forgot one of our dishes and since they were so busy we sort of finished our meal without it. So we had to bring it to their attention once we got the check (and it was counted on the check despite it not arriving to our table) l, they had to check to make sure we didn't get it. I will also say that the furniture is as used and old and always here until it breaks. The furniture are slanted, wobbly, chipped, stained and missing things. It looked like you would try and avoid this place but it doesn't bother me or my family. The food is still good and I always leave with a satisfied feeling.

    Classic Cantonese dishes at great prices and healthy portions…read more This is a nice spot with plenty of parking Roomy location that can accommodate large parties or banquets Staff is quick and efficient Menu is both variable and includes healthier options too Lunch special options available before 5pm. Plates are a healthy size and a nice value too They definitely know how to fry dishes well. Crispy but NOT greasy. You can tell that they use fresh oil They use quality ingredients which enhances the flavor and beauty of each dish

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Kung pao chicken. Needs some heat.
    Kung pao chicken. Needs some heat.
    Pork chop in mandarin sauce

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    Pork chop in mandarin sauce
    Ocean Bo

    Ocean Bo

    3.6
    (778 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Came from westminster where the dim sum is severely lacking. Maybe because I'm in a dim sum…read moredessert, seafood cove 2 being the only saving oasis, but ocean bo was wonderful. No frills sit-down restaurant, but no cart ladies either. That's not a drawback though. You can see all the dim sum dishes steamed up behind the counter where they're picking up table orders and fulfilling take out patrons. Service was as expected. You're greeted with curt nod and efficiency, sat as soon as there is a table, and given your order sheet. Raise your hand or call for a server when you're ready because you'll be waiting forever if you expect someone to come check in. If you're hoping for hand-holding, the nearest din tai fung is 6 miles away.

    Ocean Bo is a staple in El Monte and has been around for many years. It's one of those places that…read morealways seems to have a loyal local following. During the day they serve dim sum, and at night they switch over to Cantonese seafood dishes. I've eaten here many times for dim sum. They offer both traditional sit down service and a takeout counter in the front if you're in a hurry. The dim sum is solid and definitely hits the spot. Since I live nearby, it's one of those convenient spots I find myself coming back to. This visit was for dinner. We ordered a fish dish that was pretty interesting (honestly not sure what the exact name was), an oyster omelet, and clams with basil. Everything was tasty and definitely made me go through a couple bowls of rice. One thing I always appreciate is that they still give complimentary dessert at the end of the meal. We got green bean soup and some ma lai gao, which was a nice way to finish dinner. Overall, Ocean Bo is one of those neighborhood gems that has stood the test of time. It may not be the trendiest restaurant around, but it's reliable, serves good Cantonese food, and keeps the locals coming back.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Pineapple Buns
    Pineapple Buns
    Ocean Bo

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    Ho Kee Cafe - Arcadia

    Ho Kee Cafe - Arcadia

    3.8
    (508 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    A fav place of mine for family meal! The roast duck and cha…read moresiu are the best in town. After having theirs, other places just can't compare to their quality and taste. Tried a majority of the menu items and so far, everything was yum and tasty! Ambiance is your typical Asian setting service...but still quick and efficient. This location also has private rooms if you are looking for a room for a small event. Room for three tables max.

    Note: This review is solely for the service. Wait...what service?…read more I happened to spot this place while running an errand, and decided to give it a try. Walked in... then walked right back out. There was an older Asian lady with a short pixie haircut working the front. She looked like the only person around. I stood there for a few minutes waiting to be served. She looked at me. I looked at her. She walked back to the register. Then she went to serve a table and looked at me. I looked back. Then she walked back to the register and turned her back to me. I walked over to the menu. She looked at me again. I looked back. At that point, it felt like we were in one of those romantic K-dramas where two people keep exchanging glances... except nobody ever said a word. Then she went to help someone else without so much as a "Hi," or an "I'll be with you in a minute." So I took the hint and walked out. For the first time in my life that I left a restaurant without ordering because of a silent staring contest. That was definitely... interesting. Onto the next adventure.

    Photos
    Ho Kee Cafe - Arcadia
    Pepper beef udon
    Pepper beef udon
    Minced meat and egg over rice

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    Minced meat and egg over rice

    TD Cafe - cantonese - Updated August 2026

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