There's a saying that eateries with 3-4 stars are secretly the best. Top Cafe is exactly what's portrayed as this saying. This place is the best Hong Kong cafe I've eaten at, the interior is stuck in time, the food is delicious, balanced and comforting, along with a wide variety of dishes and combinations. The food portions for price is great, on top of all these positives, they stay open until 3AM, and their location is perfect for late night meals because there is literally nothing open anymore, especially if you're around the West San Jose, Saratoga or Cupertino area. The service is operated by usually 1-3 servers, all extremely polite, and will take care of you. I haven't tried most of the me he yet but so far what I've had makes me confident that there isn't a single dish that wouldn't disappoint you. My recommendation is to try whatever you see or sounds good. I personally order the "Black Pepper Sauce Chicken Steak", which is now my favorite place to get chicken, it is seriously the best chicken I've had at any restaurant, which comes as a fried chicken steak WITH THE SKIN ON, and that crispy skin is so flavorful and aromatic, while keeping the chicken meat beneath satisfyingly moist and tender, so tender and moist that you can literally break it apart with a fork or spoon without the use of the knife they provide, and the meat is always glistening inside, also the black pepper sauce is a gravy kind of sauce and it's absolutely delicious. I also usually order a baked dish such as the "Baked Chicken Portuguese Style", awesome portion, the bell peppers, onions, chicken and sometimes may find a taro, not sure if it was in there on purpose, but was so good being in there, -turn soft in a bed of gooey creamy coconutty thick sauce, that's served with a generous portion of rice. I highly recommend this place over a lot of popular local restaurants, despite it being a cafe. read more

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First off, I like how this place opens up late. It's a good place to grab some Chinese food by yourself or with a group of friends & family. When I usually come here for dine-in, I usually get the sirloin steak with rice. The sauce or gravy that comes along with it just hits the spot. If I am down the street from a friend's house, I normally order on DoorDash for pickup heading home since it's really closeby. My to-go orders consist of wonton soup, lamb stew with rice, kung pao chicken with rice, fried chicken wings...etc. The service is very attentive, fast, and friendly. This place does get packed just because it opens late and it's good for people who work night shift and wants a place to go eat out at after ending a work shift. read more

Top Cafe - Sirloin steak with rice and salt & pepper fried chicken wings - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California

Singapore rice noodles. That's what I get from this place. This was my favorite place to grab late night food after a night out of drinking. It's fairly no frills, and while you can dine in, it's much more of a pick up and take home menu. Place can be hit or miss, so I guess depending on who might work in the kitchen, you get decent food (albeit a bit on the saltier side---which I don't ever mind). read more

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We had Shanghai noodles, pork chop with tomato sauce over spaghetti with HK milk tea. All the dishes were good. This is a solid HK cafe, no frills. read more

Top Cafe - Pork chop with tomato - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I always make a point to stop here whenever I'm back in the area, and the pork spareribs pan-fried noodles with vegetables is always my go-to. The noodles are perfectly pan-fried with that slight crisp, the pork spareribs are flavorful and satisfying, and the veggies balance everything out so well. It's the definition of comfort Chinese cafe food for me. Another huge plus is that they're open extremely late every day, which makes this spot even more clutch when you're craving something warm, filling, and familiar. Consistent, comforting, and hits the spot every single time. Highly recommend if you're looking for a late-night comfort meal you can rely on. read more

Top Cafe - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California

My last update for Top Cafe was in 2017? Doh! Sorry about that fans. While Top Cafe is not super close to where I live, there are times where I'll drive a half an hour away to get some good Cantonese cheap eats. Or, I'll plan a trip out there, have lunch, and then go grocery shopping at 99 Ranch or H Mart. I have also called and placed an order for pick up on my way home from the city or somewhere north of Top Cafe. I looked at my notes, and I have at least 15 visits since my last update, sorry. I was craving some Cantonese food, so I called up my friend and asked if she wanted to join me. We shared beef stew pan fried noodles, beef in black bean sauce chow fun, sauteed pea leaves in garlic, and salt & pepper chicken wings. Everything was delicious. My craving was definitely satisfied, thanks Top Cafe! Without looking at my notes, I often get won ton mein or pan fried noodles with beef stew, as those are staples I get from Top Cafe. I've also mixed it up slightly by getting fish with black bean sauce chow fun., salt & pepper fish, salt & pepper spareribs, and salt & pepper tofu. Oh-a HUGE upgrade since COVID is that they accept credit cards. Back in the day, they were cash only, but you can pay by card now. read more

My favorite place to go since I was a kid! Great food, quick and efficient service. Prices have gone up over the years with the rise in ingredients but it is still worth. Ambiance is a no frills place, simple old style diner. My favorite is the seafood soup with the pastry and we usually get the beef chow fun and beef sizzling stone with udon. Will continue coming back again! read more

Top Cafe - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California

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No frills restaurant that serves inexpensive comforting Hong Kong-style food and other various Asian dishes. They have a wide variety of menu items ranging from soups, baked dishes, noodles and more. My husband and I's go-to items that hit the spot every time is the salt and pepper pork chop (fried perfectly, not dry, seasoned well, and I enjoy the jalapeños), the baked seafood dish (always comes out piping hot, cream sauce is thick and not overly cheesy, the seafood mix is a hit or miss as there's usually more imitation crab pieces than anything else; but it doesn't stop my husband from ordering it as it's his go-to order), and lastly the shrimp and egg over rice (good amount of shrimp/eggs/rice and not dry--it's more on the thick/liquid-y consistency). Service is good and always fast--I also love how this place is open late. They can do a better job at keeping the tables and booths clean since the furniture is much older. But, other than that, it's a solid spot. read more

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This may be my boyfriend's favorite place to eat in the Cupertino area. A no frills cha chaan teng. They're open late and offer up affordable prices, delicious food, and appropriate portion sizes. Great comfort Cantonese food. We both have Cantonese moms so the food is very familiar to us. I notice some of the other reviews being less than stellar because of service. Honestly, you don't go to Chinese restaurants for the service. However, we have never experienced any issues with the service here! There's usually two servers that we're familiar with. One younger guy and one uncle. They're both really nice and offer quick service. We never have to wait too long for food. They offer a pretty good deal where you can order 3 entrees and one soup for $39.95. We've been here on multiple occasions so I'll just review the dishes I have photos for. The deep fried tofu with fish fillet in hot pot. The tofu is nice and tender, the fish is cooked just right. The flavors are very good. Served piping out, be careful when you take a bite! Beef chow fun, a Cantonese classic. Excellent wok hei, good flavors, beef is tender. Nothing to complain about. Very comforting and nostalgic. Beef stew pan fried noodles with seasonal vegetables. The beef is nice and tender, not very chewy which is a good thing! Cooked well. Noodles soak up the gravy well and weren't too harsh for my boyfriend's taste. He can be picky about his pan fried noodles and had no complaints. We have also brought his parents here before and his mom considered getting their food delivered across town because she enjoyed the flavors so much as a HK native. We will absolutely keep coming back here. read more

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I always thought this place had been around forever but never tried it until now -- and honestly, it was a huge letdown. The space itself is simple but clean and bright, and service was friendly. Unfortunately, the food was just... bad. The worst dish was a rice bowl with shredded chicken, corn, and diced carrots, covered in some kind of creamy, milky sauce -- it was bland and almost inedible. The "steak rice" was slightly better, but the so-called steak was just thin slices of beef, overcooked and tough, again drowned in a mystery sauce. The only thing I actually enjoyed was the spinach soup -- the broth had some flavor and the spinach was tender. But overall, this was the first restaurant where the food was so unappetizing I literally couldn't eat enough and had to grab something else to eat at a neighboring spot. Definitely not coming back. read more

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First off, this place closes hecking late. I could only wish for something like this towards the east bay. But I just came here last night with my husband and my uncle and this place is really good for a Hong Kong style cafe. We got their soup that was made fresh still around 8:xx PM. The staff was actually quite friendly too. We ordered Peking/Sweet and Sour pork chops, black bean sauce fish filet, mapo tofu, fried tofu and fish filet clay pot, tomato and egg with beef, and curry chicken. Out of all the entrees, Peking Pork chops, black bean sauce fish filet were the best. I also ordered a red bean ice to drink which was okay. Not the best, not the worst. It's a bit more bland than some places. Otherwise, just the fact they are diner style and open late is heaven sent. Definitely come here if you like Cantonese style cafe food. Their food is extremely close to actual Hong Kong style flavoring. read more

Delightful place! We will be back. Introduced to us by older Cantonese adults. Classic Hong Kong style cafe with Western and Cantonese dishes. Comfort food for all. Quick service. The menu is very extensive which may make it difficult to order from because there are no photos either. Affordable dishes with large portions. The waiter was very helpful and friendly. Ambiance nothing to write home about, which is honestly perfect. We had the following and would recommend each dish: -Deep fried tofu with fish filet hot pot (everyone's favorite) -Sweet and sour pork chop (second favorite dish). We asked for Peking pork which they didn't have. This was pretty similar to it though, so not sure if they changed it for us. -Beef with black bean chow fun -Onchoy with garlic sauce (because they didn't have pea sprouts) nicely cooked, fresh vegetables read more

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Came here at around midnight as it is one of the only open food spots in the area that late. My friends and I ordered braised pork belly, peking style pork, and mapo tofu. It was filling and enough to feed us all for a fair price. Great place to go if you want some comfort Chinese food and definitely beats Mcdonald's when it's 1am and nothing else is open! read more

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We visited this restaurant last night around 9:30 pm . It opened quite late and we just landed from the airport like 9 pm . Top cafe is open from 11 am to 1:00 am the next morning ! Probably the only one with such late restaurant hour. This is an old fashioned Hong Kong style restaurant and it has both western style dishes ( steak and baked pork chop ) and Chinese style dishes ( won ton , clay pot dishes , etc ). Menu is extensive and the service is good . Inside decorations are old fashioned but many dishes are delicious. We ordered the stir fry vegetables and chicken slices, and the three types of seafood ( squid , shrimp , fish ) stir fry with celery, onion in a clear broth ( Crystal broth ) . Both dishes were delicious and big quality. $19 for each . The location is closed by San Jose Airport and is on our way to drive home. Today ( Wednesday night ) is quiet and we can easily get a table . It does get quite busy on Friday , Saturday and Sunday and may need to wait for a table . Good place to go for quick meals . read more

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It was around 11pm and I was craving Chinese food. Immediately recalling a discussion I had recently, with someone who had mentioned their late night go to chow fun spot- Top Cafe. At the time, I was just happy to know a Chinese place was open that late, not knowing if I would ever jump on the opportunity. Without looking up reviews, I took a chance, called the restaurant and ordered. Food was quickly prepared (probably because it was almost 12am by that point). I was also in and out pretty fast during pickup, probably because there weren't a lot of pickup orders at that time but there were customers eating inside enjoying their food, much to my surprise for how late it actually was. We were clearly all aligned with our evening cravings. Was it a little greasy? Yes. Did I care? No. The Pot Stickers were nicely pan fried and the Beef Chow Fun had perfectly cooked noodles and while delicious, I do think the dish could have used a bit more sauce and the beef, a tiny bit more seasoning (it was very tender regardless). Note- has a lot of bean sprouts! In the end, I was happily enjoying my food from the comfort of my bed. Next time, even if it isn't 12am, I will still probably order their food again but definitely earlier in the night and to try more items off the menu! read more

Top Cafe - Beef Chow Fun and Potstickers - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California

I've been here countless times in the past decade+ and it's a good go-to spot for Cantonese comfort food. And an extra plus that they are open late! The most recent time, we got fried chicken wings, Singapore style chow fun, spaghetti bolognese, and baked pork chop with rice. Fried chicken wings were great as always. Piping hot and super crispy on the outside. Singapore style chow fun was standard. Spaghetti bolognese is usually my go-to and it hit the spot as always. Something about it is very familiar, hearty, and comforting to me. Baked pork chop with rice was ok - pork can be a bit tough and there isn't enough sauce to go with the rice underneath. read more

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- a neighbor staple where it's frequented by locals and regulars - such kind service! we ordered a milk tea that accidentally wasn't written in so we got another one on the house! - solid food, nothing that stands that but it's standard and reliable - loved the salt and pepper wings though! it had great depth of flavor and paired so nice with the onions and peppers read more

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I was suspicious about this place because it was open so late, but I was pleasantly surprised. It isn't too busy and the food comes out pretty fast. The menu has a lot of options, including vegetarian dishes. You seat yourself and the tables and decor are pretty sparse. The food was alright, it was a fine meal but nothing special. read more

Top Cafe - Vegetarian pan fried noodles - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California

Great hole in the wall spot if you're craving authentic Chinese food! My cantonese grandparents are very particular about Chinese restaurants when they eat out but they have nothing but great things to say about top cafe. The food is delicious and generously portioned, food is cheap, what else could you ask for! The servers are very kind and attentive as well, always offering to move unfinished dishes to smaller plates so we could have more table space and helping us pack up our food at the end. Don't expect anything fancy when you walk in. Just sit back and enjoy what tastes like a home cooked meal! read more

If you need a late night meal, this is your spot! Wandered in around 11:30 PM on a Saturday and the spot was still crackin. Their menu is so big, so a bit overwhelming, but I gotchu. If nothing else, order the beef chow fun, honey walnut shrimp, and the baked pork chop. You're welcome. The beef chow fun was giving everything it needed to. The silky wide noodles weren't too broken up, had a good mix of bean sprouts and green onion, and the beef was super tender. Mix in some sriracha/chili oil from the table and I could eat this whole plate myself. The honey walnut shrimp were really good, especially paired with the chow fun. They ran out of walnuts so they asked us if cashews were fine. They just threw a handful of dry salted nuts onto the plate, and I gotta say I did miss the walnuts, but I'm glad we still got that crunch factor with the cashews. The shrimp were plump and juicy, lightly battered, and tossed in a wonderfully sweet and creamy sauce. YUM. You can not go to a HK cafe and not get a baked something.. so we went with the baked pork chop over rice and it did not disappoint! This dish does take some time to prepare so if you're really hungry, it may be a wait. We had already finished our two other dishes before this one came out but lemme tell you, it was so good and comforting, we ate the whole thing lol It's like egg fried rice, topped with a thin, tender cut of pork chop, smothered in a tomato sauce that is slightly sweet and savory. The pork chop was cooked so well, it could be cut with a spoon. It's a really thin piece of meat though, so I do wish there was more of the pork chop and more of the sauce, but regardless, it hits the spot. I don't live locally, otherwise this place would def be in my late night rotation. Maybe that's a good thing cause I promise you, I'd probably be here a few times a month. It's THAT good. The parking lot is spacious, the restaurant has hella tables and chairs, but don't expect great service or cleanliness. Yes, the tables can be a little sticky, but sometimes, that's part of the experience. You order and pay at the counter, find the cleanest table you can, they bring you the food and drinks, and then you leave. Simple! read more

Top Cafe - Beef Chow Fun - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Top Cafe is one of our go-to places in Cupertino for Cantonese style comfort food. We usually order food to-go and rarely eat in the restaurant. Our last visit was a to-go order on a Sunday night. Noticed the restaurant was pretty crowded, so that was good to see them hopping - we don't like losing good local restaurants! Our order was from the 3-item family dinner menu (now $38.50 including house soup, not $28.95 or $35.95 as shown in some older photos/websites). We also added on a few favorites that aren't featured on the 3-item menu. From the 3-item menu we ordered: beef with Chinese broccoli, fish fillet with fried tofu in hot pot, and curry chicken. Separately we ordered salt & pepper fried chicken wings, and beef chow fun (dry style). All were delicious! Removing one star for portion size, which felt smaller than in the past. read more

Top Cafe - Salt & pepper fried chicken wings, Fish fillet & fried tofu in hot pot, and beef chow fun - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California

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food wasn't good,the fried rice was alright but everything else was bad and overcooked or not fresh. tables were dirty and greasy and the whole place was bad, service was alright but low staff members. would not recommend read more

If you were to categorize a late night spot when you're tired and hungry (or a bit intoxicated), this is what comes to mind for me. They're open late and I've been coming here intermittently for years and their quality is about the same as I remember. It's a pretty Asian place, so don't expect it to be clean or service to be really attentive. But the food is really filling. I like the beef chow fun a lot, and also the century egg ground pork porridge is good as well. I saw some people eating their baked seafood dish so I'm pretty excited to try that as well. The quantity of food is also very large, so you definitely feel like you're getting your value. It's not the cleanest nor the most welcoming, but sometimes you just want to eat at a place that will consistently deliver the same product. And really for me, this is the place. read more

Love HK cafes. My coworker told me about this place. Came here for lunch. Located in a strip mall. Decent parking. Spacious cafeteria style decor. No frills. High chairs and plastic utensils/bowl for our toddler 3 sets of menus - typical canto food, HK style food and etc. 1. Beef porridge- had a small fly right on top. Otherwise it was good although not the best porridge I've had. 2. Satay beef flat rice noodles - Noodles were cooked well and delicious. Our toddler loved it. 3. Baked seafood rice - Huge and tasty. Two hot milk teas Came with two different types of complimentary soup - One is a tomato base soup and another is a clear one that I am used to having at home. We all shared and enjoyed Overall, service was decent - we got everything we needed in terms of utensils etc. Asked for to go box and check at the end. Menu is very extensive. Will come back and order other items read more

Sunday afternoon for lunch and this Hong Kong style cafe was just what we wanted. Beef stew and vegetables with pan fried noodles, Singapore style chow fun, and eggplant with pork and garlic over rice. Just enough for four of us. This place is no frills but the food was amazing. Lots of choices here. read more

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Not Quite a Hong Kong Café -- More Like a Generic Chinese Diner There aren't many Hong Kong-style cafés in the South Bay, so it's always nice to see one -- but unfortunately, this spot doesn't quite hit the mark. The food is barely OK, lacking the distinct flavor and variety you'd expect from a true HK café. It seems like the place is slowly transitioning into a more generic Chinese restaurant, with a menu that feels less like a cha chaan teng and more like a standard takeout joint. If you're craving authentic HK-style dishes like baked pork chop rice, milk tea, or satay instant noodles, you'll likely be disappointed. That said, if you're just looking for a quick, no-frills bite of Chinese food, it might be worth a try -- just manage your expectations. read more

Great home style Cantonese cooking. Don't let some items on the menu such a spaghetti dissuade you. It is very original just like my mother used to make. read more

This place is such a comfort when youre hungry, it's 1am and noone is open. The food is good and sometimes they offer free soup. I usually order the yangzhou fried rice, porridge, and cashew shrimp. read more

A place for late night craving. Very nice service too. Chow fun and backed rice are good.

Initially you probably think that Top Cafe is not the kind of place you'd willingly bring a date. You walk in, and it's kind of like stepping into a gas station, complete with the harsh fluorescent lighting that legitimately makes your eyes hurt. The service is as warm and welcoming as a DMV clerk on a Monday morning. You get the feeling the staff would rather be anywhere else, and honestly, at first glance, you kind of feel for them. But all the above is actually part of the charm. It's almost like a "it's so bad it's good" type of charm. After a few drinks (5 to be precise) at a nearby bar, this place becomes a gem that we look forward to visiting every time we come home. Don't quote me on this but I feel like there are hundreds of items to pick from. No matter what you're in the mood for, there's something you'll love! It's like the kitchen knows exactly what you need when you've had a bit too much to drink. The greasy, carb-loaded dishes become life-saving, like they were crafted specifically for that perfect level of drunkenness. I got an egg drop soup which was scalding, but delicious. I did actually burn my tongue but that's probably on me because I was drunk and probably impatient. I also got the salt and pepper ribs and that was excellent! Couldn't have asked for a better meal. Would definitely get this again. It is an actual tradition to come eat here after a night out. It's terrible but in the best possible way. read more

Top Cafe - Egg drop soup - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Great HK style food. Quick service and very reasonable price. Baked pork chop on rice is a great idea. The seafood curry is another favorite. read more

Top Cafe charges $3 separately for a red bean ice drink for the "Afternoon Tea Menu. However, there was no ice and no milk/cream with the drink. It just had a very small quantity of red bean in a regular glass with a room temperature water. It did not have any sweet taste at all. In short, this should be called "a red bean room temperature water". It should not be called "Hong Kong-Style Red Bean Ice Drink". We were very disappointed. read more

I don't have photos to post, but this is a great late night eats place for me. I work a graveyard shift so being able to find a decent restaurant is a bonus. The staff here is always friendly and always welcoming. The place always seems to be either full or half full or a late night crowd and enjoying their dishes. This is a place. I definitely recommend for the late night crowd but if you want to bring your family for a sitdown meal, it's also a go to spot. read more

Let's just say worst customer service ever. We drove all the way from Danville to eat here. It took forever to order our food and on top of it all, they didn't even noticed us. We reminded them that we're ready but yet they didn't even take our orders or even give us water. What's ridiculous. Just to let you all know don't come here. read more

Picture this: You've had a wild night out, made some questionable decisions, and now you need sustenance. Enter Top Cafe, your fluorescent-lit savior in the form of a late-night Chinese food joint. Let's get one thing straight: the food here is decent when you're sober, but when you're three sheets to the wind? It's like Gordon Ramsay himself made you a midnight snack. How's the service, you ask? Well, let's just say the waitstaff has all the charm of a DMV clerk on a Monday morning. But honestly, who cares? You're not here for five-star treatment; you're here because you stumbled in, saw a menu, and thought, "Yes, this is exactly what I need right now." In terms of ambiance - imagine you're in an interrogation room, but instead of answering questions, you're answering the call of your stomach. Those bright fluorescent lights really highlight the 'I-don't-give-a-damn' decor. But hey, it's all part of the experience, like eating in a late-night Chinatown fever dream. It really reminds me of what my mom always told me growing up... "you're beautiful because you're ugly." The beef chow fun is my ride-or-die dish here. It's greasy, it's savory, and it's everything you could ever want at 1 AM. And then there's the salt and pepper beef--basically a meat lover's fantasy. One time, I got this beef dish with some bitter vegetable. I have no idea what it was because I was so intoxicated I could've sworn I saw a dude from BTS in the corner booth. But whatever the dish was, it was delicious. Overall, Top Cafe isn't just a restaurant; it's an experience. A culinary rollercoaster ride through the twilight zone of your most deliciously inebriated dreams. An unforgettable, borderline ridiculous, jaw-droppingly fantastic escapade. Five stars? Nah, more like five deliriously drunken fist pumps of glory and a high-five from your inner child. read more

Top Cafe - Beef - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Make sure you leave a big tip if you don't want to be yelled at by one of the lady there. Be careful, she also throws the plates on your table. read more

came here for the nostalgia factor and was not disappointed! I used to come here a lot as a kid and wow, this was a throwback. we got one sizzling black pepper beef spaghetti and one baked ham and chicken in cream sauce with rice. the black pepper beef was flavorful and so good! kind of has a kick since they use a good amount of black pepper. the baked rice was a little weird to me. Maybe I personally didn't like the creamy sauce with a buttery fried rice. overall, service was quick too! read more

Top Cafe - baked chicken and ham in cream sauce - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California

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It's been ages since I've had Top Cafe, and the food is decent but not the best. The beef chow fun was good, though hard to mess up. The tomato egg with beef was not what I had expected, more like a sweet and sour sauce. The pork spareribs were okay, not very many in the dish and a bit too pork-y for me. read more

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I like their 3 dish combo where it comes with free house made soup. Among the 3 dishes we chose, the tofu combo is a pleasant surprise. It has egg tofu, ham, mushroom, imitation crab sticks and lettuce. It is quite saucy and nice to go with rice. One thing I notice is that they like to put green bell pepper in the dishes. The rice portion is also very generous although it costs extra. Service is excellent. Tea refill is frequent and polite. It feels nice to dine in, like eating at home. read more

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We used to like getting take out from this place as they were reliable for tasty Hong Kong Cafe style dishes. But this time, the food was pretty bad. Not surprised to see that people mentioned it's over new management. One of our orders which we normally get was the combination pan fried noodles. However, today's dish was awful - the sauce was poured directly over the noodles instead of in a separate container like they used to so that the noodles were soggy by the time we got home, the seafood was fishy and straight out of a frozen mix bag complete with imitation crab, and instead of the cha siu they had some sliced up ham or spam looking meat pieces. Horrible, will not be returning. read more

Top Cafe - Chinese Near Me - San Jose, California