We've been coming here since they opened but now that bretman rock posted about eating there, it's so busy Parking at market city is always a challenge, you just have to wait for someone to leave. Hmm which aisle should I wait in? We always get the salted egg fried rice which is not salty and the sizzling beef platter or shrimp. I normally just drink water but this time we tried the lemon ice tea and milk tea which came with the cutest bear ice. I felt bad for smashing it when my drink was almost gone When you leave the restaurant the question is.. do I need anything from this shopping center (since it took forever to find parking) read more

I made a reservation for 3 people @ 7pm! It's a little more on the pricer side for Chinese food but overall, all the food was pretty good :-) I will have to say - the Crab Curry was probably our LEAST favorite from all the dishes. It was overpriced at $80, very messy, had too much coconut flavor, and was just too heavy (definitely needs some spicy to cut the rich/creaminess) read more

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Normally long waits if you don't book a reservation so make sure you book in advance. There a smaller restaurant and kind of tight in space. We were lucky to get in on a Wednesday evening. I hope they expand soon! We ordered so much food they had to move us to a bigger table. We tried the Curry Crab (of course), Thai style pork jowl, beef fried rice, salted egg chicken wings, and their milk tea and lemon iced tea with the cute bear ice. This place is so good, a little expensive, but worth every penny. My favorite was the curry crab and the salted egg chicken wings! I love their curry sauce and the naan bread. I typically dislike chicken wings at Asian restaurants like this but they really did their thing with the batter and sauce. The fried rice was a little plain but overall a nice balance to every meal. The sauce with their pork jowl was too good! I need the recipe. read more

Yi Xin Cafe - The star of the show: curry crab - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Would come back over and over again! 4 stars for some dishes being a bit expensive for what it is, and don't expect the cuisine to be authentic in any way, it's a fuse between Chinese/HK/Thai/Hawaii. However, every dish I've had was always delicious. + Food: Crab Curry is their most popular. Love their curry sauce (tastes similar to Thai yellow curry), but the crab doesn't have a lot of meat for a $80 dish. They didn't have a shell cracker so eating was tricky. Sambal veggies, Salt pepper fish, fried rice, curry fries were all delicious and well-flavored. + Ambience: Medium sized restaurant with good amount of tables. Usually no wait but can't say for peak dinner time. Good service + Location: in the Foodland plaza with plenty of parking spots read more

Yi Xin Cafe - Crab Curry, Ong Choy with Sambal Shrimp Paste, Salt Pepper Fish - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I do a lot of my shopping at Market City and always notice when new signs pop up. This one got great reviews right away, so I was thankful when I received a gift card to come in and try it. It's located in the corner next to Earl Sandwich and where Long's used to be. There's free parking in either lot. It was busy! Lots of happy customers were eating inside with more waiting for takeout. They have a waiting area outside for tables, put your name in inside. They ask people limit their time to 90 min during busy times, we ended up staying until closure. We ordered a nice variety of items: beef spicy fried rice, shrimp wonton soup, broccoli with oyster sauce, and chicken curry. We loved everything, different backgrounds of the dishes led for a fun combination. The big draw seemed to be the various crab dishes, as well as the sizzling steak. I'd definitely like to try those on a return visit. It's BYOB for alcohol. We tired a lemon iced tea, and a lemon fruit drink and enjoyed both with the spicy and salty foods. Our servers were so friendly and fast to attend. Prices are reasonable for large portions and great quality. I'll definitely be back! read more

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Yi xin is known for their crab, but really, everything here was excellent. The restaurant is small and in the space that used to be Anytime Cafe - I'd recommend making reservations because a lot of people were waiting outside when we left. We ordered 8 dishes for 6 people which was the perfect amount. Our standouts were the garlic onion crab, capital pork chops (so so tender!), salted fish chicken eggplant pot, and salted egg stir fried chicken wings. The salted fish fried rice was just okay, but other than that, everything was excellent. Great new addition to market city. We will absolutely be back! read more

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Finding that perfect spot for a family-style feast in Honolulu? Yi Xin Cafe in Market City is an absolute must-visit. Their fusion approach to Cantonese, Malaysian, and Singaporean flavors is honestly next level. You cannot leave without trying the Salted Egg Yolk Chicken Wings-the crunch and flavor are unreal. Other standouts that hit the spot for me are the Thai Style Pork Cheeks and the Beef Omelette on Rice. Refresh your palate with the Instagram-able HK ice lemon tea with an iced teddy bear. Staff was attentive. Vibes gave me a Chinese resturant feel. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZOBd1dyCJH/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== read more

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Met a friend for a late lunch. I arrived just before 3:30 on a Monday afternoon. There were no diners but the cafe was open. I was greeted warmly and seated at a table with existing settings. The waitress brought two iced waters without prompting, and checked on me a couple of times. Other diners started trickling in one after another. My friend ended up being late so I decided to order for us both. The waitress was very patient with my questions. I decided to order mostly from the Chef's Specials menu: salted egg chicken fried rice, black pepper sizzling steak, salted egg yolk chicken wings (wasn't a chef's special but fellow Yelper Violet B said it's good). Friend wanted the curry crab with naan coz she was influenced, until she learned it's $78 per crab. Also it'd take 15-20 minutes to prepare since the crab would need to first be picked from the tank (she had to rush off somewhere else after our appointment) Food didn't take long; they were served not long after she arrived. Everything was tasty and portions were good for 3-4 persons. I had looked forward to the chicken wings most, but it fell a little short. They were crispy no doubt and perfectly fried, but I wish there were chunks of actual salted yolk in the sauce, which would have made it creamier. The wings weren't coated in the sauce either; the sauce was drizzled over them. Salted fish chicken fried rice had the wok fried fragrance, and the ratio of rice to salted fish, chicken, and veggies was perfect. My absolute favorite was the sizzling black pepper tenderloin steak! The meat was tender, juicy, and the black pepper sauce was delicious. It paired very well with the fried rice. Total was approx. $70. Service was attentive, although toward the end it felt like they were rushing us to pack up even though there were maybe two other tables of active diners. Interior decor is very bright and cheerful, definitely has Hong Kong vibes with the retro mosaic aesthetic, which is quite mahjong-esque. read more

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Update on Yi Xin Cafe today my brother in law and sister treated lunch . Had their sizzling beef and Mince pork string beans which was delicious. We ordered something new shrimp curry my brother in law said that was good .support local read more

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I saw local UTuber Sean Kaleponi (The Hawaiian Traveler) eat at YXC, and I said I gotta hit this place. Its located in the Foodland Mall in Kaimukī. We had to order one of their sig crab dishes, and we rounded out the meal w/ beef and long beans, sweet & sour pork belly, eggplant and fried rice. The crab was amazing! The curry sauce was so deep & complex. In addition, the crab was fresh bc they have tanks in the restaurant. Of course I called dibs on the head, and it was packed with goodies. I added rice to the head (in Ilocano this is called "labay", adding rice to soup or broth to extend the meal). I was in heaven. The other dishes were all big portions and very good. The meat was tender, and the veggies were fresh and crunchy. I believe all the other dishes were ~ $20/each. The staff was super nice. We didn't have a res, but luckily we were seated in 20 min on a busy Sun night. Regarding the dining area, its tight but comfy. You have to wash your hands after, and the bathrooms are clean. I will def return the next time I come home. I want to try another crab dish (about 8 versions), and build a meal around the crab. read more

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You can't eat here and not get any crab I just love the curry crab I tried chili crab even in Singapore but but when I tried the curry crab here I never order anything else ; I just love this curry crab dish omg it is lick your fingers delicious! You wear plastic gloves when you eat this and I still lick my fingers Lol I know the crab seems expensive but you really cannot not order it when you come! The curry crab comes with 4 pieces of naan bread sometimes we order extra naan but we do eat it with rice The salted egg chicken wings is another item we get here I love bringing friends from out of town here; we come as often as we can even though we live on the west side Heart emoji! :o) read more

Visited at 3pm to avoid the crowd. Ambiance was nice and less noisy at this time. Friendly server took our order and the food arrived promptly. Bitter melon and egg was soft and tender. Pork chop was salty and crispy. Honey walnut shrimp was big, juicy and the candied walnuts was plentiful. Malaysian fried rice tasty, and the Singapore rice noodle flavorful. The meal was scrumptious and delicious like a well prepared home cooked meal! Will definitely be back to try new items on the menu. read more

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Finally got to try this restaurant after Bretman Rock recommended it! We were able to make a same-day reservation, which was a nice surprise. My husband and I ordered their famous curry crab, along with tea, milk tea with the cutest bear ice cubes, and noodles. Everything was so flavorful, and the crab definitely lived up to the hype. We'd definitely come back to try more of their different crab dishes and explore the rest of the menu! read more

This place is very crowded and you need to make reservations. We were late for our reservation and were nervous they wouldn't seat us but they kindly did. When we left there was a very long line outside the door also. All the food we got was very tasty. The salted egg yolk chicken wings and green beans were my favorite. We didn't try the crab although we heard that was good. If we go again, we'll have to try it. I like our food and glad we got to try it. I think as long as you make reservations, you shouldn't have to wait or have any problems. read more

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The views out here are stunning and what better way to enjoy them than with a nice ice cold coffee! I am so glad I got to try this place. When you walk in, there's tons of baked goods and cute merchandise all over with small tables and chairs to sit inside. The outside also had plenty of picnic tables to sit at ans the light sign when you walk in with. Grass background was just so welcoming. The women who took our order was so kind fo us and patient which was nice because it was my first time trying Mele Mele Bakery. We ordered the ice Matcha Latte with the pistachio edge and almond milk and a cinimom roll with no icing. Oh my goodness it was amazing! The matcha was so refreshing, the almond milk didn't water it down either and the pistachio edge was just so delicious! It all made for such a refreshing drink! The Cinnamon Roll was also delicious, it wasnt freshly made or warm but that was a good thing because it was hot out. It has such beautiful spice and texture. It paired so well with our drink! Overall, a really good place to grab some coffee and a sweet treat. I would definitely come back and recommend it to anyone! read more

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Stopped into the Yi Xin Cafe because I could not find the place we were Looking for and it turned out to be a great accident. We went inside and were greeted right away and the restaurant was busy and Inviting. Our server was very friendly and answered all of our questions. We ordered the Flat Noodles with Beef and the Baked Pork Chop with Tomato Sauce and Cheese. The Flat Noodles were great! Super tasty and not too oily like they can be at some places with very tender beef. The Bakes Pork Chop with Tomato Sauce and Cheese was an experience. I saw it at a Hong Kind restaurant in NYC and almost got it so when I saw it here I knew I had to try it. The dish has great flavor and the Pork was tender. It is certainly an odd choice to pair with Flat Noodles but we enjoyed it. The food here is outstanding and you should definitely stop ready and get in here! read more

Yi Xin Cafe - Flat Noodles with Beef - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Yi Xin Cafe is one of those places where you just have to be patient--but it pays off. It's a pretty big space, but seating and food both take some time, especially on weekends. The crab dishes (like the curry crab and chili crab) are made to order, so expect to wait a bit. Parking is also pretty tight, so just keep that in mind. But the food? So worth it. The curry crab was rich and super flavorful, and the string beans with minced pork were amazing. Everything we had was honestly really good. Service was attentive, and I liked seeing the live crab tank--it made the whole experience feel fresh and authentic. Definitely a spot I'd come back to. read more

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My first time here and definitely not my last. One of the best food I've ever had. Started off with our HK milk teas (hot and cold) and our foods arrived fast. Everything was so delicious and flavorful. Our total bill before tip was around $120 and with the 4 of us it came out to $30 per person before tip, pretty reasonable. Restaurant atmosphere was great. Our server was awesome. Free parking either in front or behind Market City Shopping Center. Parking does fill up fast. read more

Yi Xin Cafe - Shrimp Fried Rice - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We had to try the curry crab because of Bretman Rock, and it definitely lived up to the hype. The curry crab had amazing flavor, although it was pretty difficult to crack open because of all the sauce. The curry also stained our nails, which gave us a good laugh. The crab dishes were around $78 each. The Malaysian fried rice was really good too -- great texture and full of flavor without being bland. The bitter melon and beef dish was definitely bitter, but eating the beef and melon together helped balance it out a bit. The mapo tofu was just okay, and honestly, we could've skipped it. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, but luckily we didn't have to wait for a table. The food also came out pretty quickly. Overall, I'm glad we came to try the crab. read more

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It was okay. I think way overhyped. It's cool concept for sure for the crab. The crab was steamed so it didn't have any other flavor unless you ate it with the curry. Staff wasn't friendly and helpful. Parking kinda sucked but it is what it is for that spot. read more

Yi Xin Cafe - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I used to go here all the time and I loved their food but their portion sizes have gotten smaller. They have very cute bear drinks but be careful as the caffeine keeps you up all night. The restaurant decor is really nice and has a good Hawaii vibe mixed with Hong Kong style. It is also better to get a reservation ahead of time as they are quite busy and popular. read more

We came specifically for the crab and to get our Chinese food fix while on vacation. The wait wasn't too bad considering we had a larger party. Loved that the place had a cozy local feel to it. The staff was very welcoming and friendly. Our server recommended some of their popular dishes and explained some of them in detail. We ordered so many dishes... stir fried eggplants, stir fried green beans, garlic prawns, chow fun noodles, salted egg yolk chicken wings, curry crab, and curry beef stew. A few entrees came with rice but we only opted for one that did so we had to order sides of steamed rice. That always hurts. Also had to try the Hong Kong style iced milk tea with the teddy bear because cute! It was a very enjoyable meal and we thought every dish was delicious. Definitely left with our tummies filled. Great food and hospitality. A bit pricey overall but it was expected. Still, would come back! read more

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I've passed by here a number of times but never tried it until a few weeks ago. I was hesitant because I heard mixed reviews about this place, but thought I should try and decide for myself what I thought of it. I'm so glad I did because it was pretty good! I came here with my friend and we tried a few things: Green Beans and Eggplant, Sizzling Beef with Peppers and Onions, Honey Walnut Shrimp, and of course had to get the Iced Tea. Everything was delicious and came out piping hot. Service was quick despite the restaurant being so busy. Almost every single table was taken the entire time we were there. Will definitely visit here again and try different things. read more

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Everything was packed with flavor the sizzling black bean beef was on point. Perfect spot for sharing with friends when you're craving something bold and different. This place is located at marker city on the corner of! Food 9/10 will be back to try the curry crab read more

Yi Xin Cafe - Cute HK Style Iced Lemon Tea (COLD) 冻柠茶 - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Haven't been here in a while but no matter when this place always gets customers we got her 3:00 pm but people are still coming and going and takeout too are constantly busy we had late lunch shrimp wontons noodles and Garlic shrimp and those shrimp were Huge and Dozens of them couldn't eat it all so had to take him for dinner If you haven't tried their Crabs you gotta try them with all kinds of flavors read more

Yi Xin Cafe - Shrimp wonton noodles soup - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Wanted to try the crab but it's kind of expensive for lunch. The other food was good. Service was good. The boys are very attentive and the place was clean. read more

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Ok I had to bump up my prior review, turns out you just need to order the right things! We returned recently and the food was great. We had: Beef chow fun Pork chop min Wonton min Mapo tofu Milk tea cold read more

I came in with no reservation and they were able sit me down immediately! (I came at 1pm) They are most famous for their viral Honk Kong style lemon tea or milk tea with an ice shaped as a teddy bear! So cute!!! I definitely recommend it! And yes it tastes good too. As for the foods I ordered (masala curry fries, beef chow fun, pork cheeks, and broccoli with garlic) they tasted amazing! I definitely recommend the pork cheeks, it wasnt chewy at all and cooked perfectly. The staffs were very friendly and they were the ones who recommended me the pork cheeks! read more

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We made it here today at 4:30, only one table occupied. Yesterday was told the wait would be over an hour when we arrived at 5:30! Read some good reviews here for this top Chinese Malay restaurant so had to try it out! Forgot to take pics.....sorry..... First an appe type dish Thai style bbq pork jowl-- tasty, a lil fatty. $15 Next to come was the eggplant clay pot-- not oily, good $23 Then the curry brisket-- the Indian spices was more pronounced than the usual Singaporean Chinese style curries-- creamy( coconut cream) and smooth. Too bad the brisket was so tough, chewy and some pcs were crunchy hard. $25 Last came the baked pork chop rice-- sweet tomato sauce good but the pork chop+rice is only 'lukewarm' , seems like they only finish 'broiling' the cheesy top part in the oven! $20 Service was fast and attentive, small restaurant with under 10 tables. Kudos to the 2-3 staff serving tables, answering phone, looking after takeouts and acting as cashiers! I asked them about the weight of the crabs and was told they are all around 2lbs-- we prefer 21/2 to 3 lb ones that has fatter legs lol. Do go before 5pm if you don't want to wait in line and the line is long! read more

Yi Xin Cafe - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Celebrated a Lunar New Year party here and had so many delicious dishes. The curry crab with naan bread was excellent. The shrimp was perfectly cooked crispy. My pictures don't do it justice, you'll have to try for yourself. It was my birthday and they even gave me a bear tea! I'll be back for more crab and shrimp! read more

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Ever since I had Yi Xin, I think about the curry crab every single day. The curry crab was perfectly cooked, creamy and is so good on a hot bed of white rice. We also got the salted egg wings which was so crispy, the garlic ong choy was perfectly cooked, and the salt and pepper shrimp was also cooked perfectly. I still think about this meal everyday!!! Highly recommend when you go to Hawaii! They also had different types of sauces for their crabs and im sure they are also very delicious. Will for sure be one of my top spots if I go back to Hawaii! Expect wait times from 30 mins to hours because it's a small Cafe but people really wait for seats because food is delicious. read more

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Personally my experience here wasn't the best. Came here around 7pm on a Friday night. Knew the wait was going to be long but there was only 5-6 parties ahead of me so I waited. About an hour past but there was about 4-5 parties ahead. So I decided to order to go but that took another hour even though it estimated order pick up would be 30 minutes. I only ordered one thing, the Singapore crab. Be prepared to wait, it's best to come early if you really want to try this place or try calling to book a reservation (not sure if they take reservations). Eventually got my order at 9PM which is closing time... Overall the crab was great but I would plan ahead if I want to get this again. read more

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my most favorite Chinese place on Oahu. make sure to make reservation and get the curry crab ! read more

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I know this restaurant has been reviewed by SO MANY YEEPS, but it's always helpful to have multiple perspectives from trusted yelites! Especially if you follow me and know what kind of foods I typically like. If I was strictly reviewing the food and flavors it would be 5 stars. Docked a star since service was not the best. Granted, it was the busy holiday season, and raining heavy, but that should be anticipated especially with reservations with the assumed ability to have more servers that day. Also, parking was horrendous during the holiday season as expected, so make sure you allot time for that, which I did. I was so happy to finally try this restaurant-it had been on my list for a while. We tried a whole bunch of dishes-the signature curry crab (truly a standout dish w/ the naan bread), cute bear ice milk tea, salt and pepper shrimp, salt and pepper chicken, fried rice, chow funn, bitter melon (I don't like bittermelon but my family enjoyed it). I was a bit disappointed in the service when we were waiting quite some time for our food and the timing of delivery was quite off. They thanked us for waiting and expected us to be impressed with the crab (which we were) but failed to provide crab crackers. I went up to ask for some and I got scolded to return to my table and that they'd bring them to us. They only brought 2 crab crackers when there were 3 of us making a mess eating the crab. It would also be nice to have a bowl of lemon water or wet hand wipes to clean our hands with after handling the crab. They do have a restroom within the restaurant where you can wash your hands (but be prepared to wait in line). Would I return? Yes. I would probably avoid dining there during any major holiday season. P.S. They announce specials on their ig and sometimes have coupons in Midweek (I suppose that makes me from the dinosaur-age that I'm aware of this!). read more

Yi Xin Cafe - Curry Crab - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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OMG! Honolulu Executive Association members celebrated Chinese New Years at this restaurant. Garlic shrimp was out of this world! We threw rice in the sauce afterwards and had added extra flavor with other dishes. So, yummy!!! Of course Honey Walnut Shrimp is an island favorite and have no shame in attacking this...yummy. Fried fish came next, was well seasoned and delicious. Two crab dishes: Black bean...succulent...tasty and finger licking good! Curry crab seems a favorite for this restaurant comes with hot pita bread... I love curry and the way I like it! The gravy went over rice too... This is a must to order. Sizzling meat-vegetables was great and bursting with its own multi flavors because of onions, two different bell peppers... Cold Chicken version, different but still flavorful. Fried pork...centered meat and fatty on outside. Lightly floured. I would like it more crispy... I think we had one more dish? Service was excellent...2-3 people servicing us, had water and tea refills awesome! The ambiance was somewhat loud because we took over 3/4 of restaurant. Customers knew they had a big party and was okay because the food was worth it!!! Ciao! read more

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Been on my to-try list for a while. I'd avoid the weekends as it's been busy during those times we were in the area. Went on a weekday and it was still busy. Waited about 15 mins for a table. Salted egg chicken wings = yes! Arrived piping hot and good portion of salted egg to wing. Hubs enjoyed the sizzling beef. Big portion of fries, although the masala curry flavor was light. Baked spaghetti was also good but there's a flavor to it that I couldn't place - maybe 5 spice? Only 2 waitstaff when we were there and they're busy running around - may take a minute to get their attention. read more

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We arrived for our 1st time dinning here and ordered 1 Whole Dungenese Singapore Chilli Crab, Garlic On Choy, Singapore Noodles with Shrimp/ Lup Chong, Garlic Eggplant it was all amazingly great flavors and cook to perfection. Service was really friendly and accomodating. We will return soon. read more

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First time trying Chinese on the islands during a visit and I wasn't disappointed though I wasn't blown away. The food wasn't good but I didn't feel that it lived up to the hype it had online. The honey walnut shrimp, for example, was good and I liked the creativity liberty to serve it with kettle cooked potato chips but it didn't stand out to me flavor wise. I originally came to try the curry crab but was a bit off put by the price. It'll be something I try at a different time though. read more

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So delicious! Came here recently and there is always a line! You should call and make a reservation, but their line goes down quickly. Food came out within 5 minutes of ordering hot! We got the milk tea, Hong Kong styled fried rice, garlic shrimp, and sizzling beef. The only down side is that the sizzling beef was 80% onions and bell peppers and not much beef. The sauce is so delicious though! Interior of the restaurant is very clean and modern. Servers are nice and not like your typical Chinese restaurant. Definitely coming back! read more

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The good, the bad and the ugly....let me explain. Yi Xin Cafe is located at the Market City Shopping Center and is tucked away in a small corner of the complex. Parking can be pretty tight here as the spaces are somewhat small. The restaurant is mid sized, but they sat a couple of 8 toppers in there comfortably. Let's start on the good! One of the best chinese food we've eaten in a while. Everything we tried had great tase. Not overly salty and freshly made! Sizzling beef with black bean sauce was so good with great flavor. Beef chowfun was huge and enough for a table of four. It also had great flavor and a good amount of beef to noodle ratio. The honey walnut shrimp was the winner. Lot's of shrimp and they added potato chips, which we found odd, but it all worked together with the saltiness of the chips and sweetness of the honey sauce on the shrimp. Waiters we fast and friendly and never missed out on filling our drinks! Now the bad. Wait times! Like most busy restaurants prepare to wait! We didn't get seated till over an hour. Yes the restaurant was full, but the Waitlist app wasn't working and we just did a walk in. Was told 20 minutes, but we waited well over an hour. Okay so here's the UGLY. It's super busy and there were people already ahead of us waiting to be seated. But, apparently, if you know "someone" you can get a fast pass and skip the wait. There were at least 3 parties, with 6-8 people that arrived and got seated within 5 minutes. You know they didn't have reservations since a few showed up after we got there and waited just like we did. Someone arrives, walks inside and comes out laughing and the party gets seated. One guy even bragged and said out loud, "don't worry i talked to the manager" and just smirked. Kind of unfair if you ask me. Well at least the food was great. Hopefully, the waitlist app works next time we come. I really want to try the crab! read more