Reviews - Uncle Chen
Reviews summary
At this Santa Barbara restaurant, service shines brightly, marked by friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere. However, the culinary offerings leave much to be desired. Diners often find the food mediocre, with many dishes criticized for blandness, poor presentation, and overcooking. Notably, rice dishes are reported as clumpy, and proteins like chicken and beef have drawn attention for toughness. While some patrons celebrate specific items as delicious, the overall consensus leans towards seeking better Chinese cuisine elsewhere. Despite the reasonable prices, the need for improving flavor and authenticity remains clear for this establishment to truly impress its diners.
Was Jeff Prata at Uncle Chen a mag?
Another hidden gem in our favorite beach destination! The Shrimp Chop Suey was awesome, as was the Chicken Chow Mien and the Beef and Broccoli. We got the full size order of each to go they offer the smaller lunch sizes that include a few more sides if you are looking for a smaller portion. Very fresh, great flavors, not overly spicy, reasonably priced.Look forward to trying the rest of the menu. View all feedback.
What Melody A dislikes about Uncle Chen:
The service at this restaurant is excellent, but the food is mediocre at best. The chow mein lacked flavor and the spare ribs with pepper salt were overly breaded. The orange chicken was bland as well. I have been searching for a good Chinese food restaurant in Santa Barbara and Carpinteria for years, but have yet to find one that meets my standards. The prices are also quite high for Chinese food. Overall, I would r... View all feedback.
Reviews from various users
Last update : 23.02.2025
Another hidden gem in our favorite beach destination! The Shrimp Chop Suey was awesome, as was the Chicken Chow Mien and the Beef and Broccoli. We got the full size order of each to go they offer the smaller lunch sizes that include a few more sides if you are looking for a smaller portion. Very fresh, great flavors, not overly spicy, reasonably priced.Look forward to trying the rest of the menu.
I really loved this place. We ordered a big takeout meal with lots of different dishes to try their ma po tofu with pork, Mongolian lamb, beef with snow peas, hot and sour soup, and bbq pork noodles, all of them were very tasty. The servings were large and lasted 3 days for two people. The service here was also amazing, they were kind and patient while I was having trouble deciding what to order, and even brought the food out to our car which she totally didn't have to do! I only wish I knew the pan fried noodles meant the meat and veggies were pan fried but the noodles were actually crispy like deep fried (my bad for not asking first). I will be coming back!
Delicious Chinese food. I stopped here on my way to Big Sur and had the war wonton soup which I highly recommend. Everyone that worked there was very friendly to me. I'll remember this place and go back because they were so nice
Get the Basil eggplant and tofu. Best eggplant I have ever eaten. Pot stickers were great, too. And the folks working there are competent and friendly.
Haven’t eaten food from this place in 3 years. Gave it a try this evening….. Worse than 3 years ago….. Not sure how a “Chinese restaurant” can serve such horrible “Chinese food”…… The “beef” in the Sechuan Beef was gristle…… tough as leather….. Way over sweetened. They obviously added distilled vinegar to attempt to cut the sweetness….. ugh….. The Moo Goo Gai Pan was chicken, WAY too many mushrooms, and broth consistency of water….. and it tasted like water too….. NOT EDIBLE……
Last update : 23.02.2025
Excellent food and service!
This is our absolute favorite restaurant! We’ve been going for years and there’s always something new we’ve never tried and it’s always delicious! Friendly and fabulous service.
Omg, the sweetest people and great food! we will be back again soon!
Last update : 10.10.2024
The restaurant offers friendly service and excellent food, with a wider selection of menu choices than other similar establishments. The ambiance is welcoming and the gift shop with Uncle Chen's merchandise offers a variety of high-quality items. There is convenient and ample parking available. The restaurant is locally owned by delightful individuals.
The food was extremely disappointing. The chicken was of very low quality. I do not plan on dining here again or recommending it to others.
Had dinner there today. amazing food. we ordered chicken wings, orange chicken, string beans, hazelnut shrimp...i'd say all of them are 5/5. the mongolian beef i'd say is a 3.5 , yangzhou rice is good but very small portion. There were only 2 waiters serving ao they were very busy bit man they're like machines...especially my amigo. he was really a hard worker and very nice guy too. and the price is so good too
We found Uncle Chen Restaurant on our road trip to Santa Barbara. We had the lunch special and found the food and service good. They have a large selection of Chinese food. Will be back next time going up north.
Awesome place to grab some food. We stopped in on our California vacation. Great service, clean, great price and the food was amazing, made fresh for us. Picked up some cool shirts while we were there. Best place we ate in that area. Would visit there any day of the week if it wasn't 2000 miles away hahaha
Last update : 05.10.2024
Great service, delicious food! I would recommend the Walnut Shrimp, chow mein, Orange Chicken and the potstickers. Worth the stop!
Had dinner there today. amazing food. we ordered chicken wings, orange chicken, string beans, hazelnut shrimp...i'd say all of them are 5/5. the mongolian beef i'd say is a 3.5 , yangzhou rice is good but very small portion. There were only 2 waiters serving ao they were very busy bit man they're like machines...especially my amigo. he was really a hard worker and very nice guy too.
Our go to restaurant for great Chinese food with friendly service! I personally love their hot and sour soup and the rincon vegetables- veggies stir fryed in a delicious garlic and ginger sauce. My kids love the pork chowmein and the chocolate dipped fortune cookies. We love Uncle Chens!
Friendly service. Excellent food. Many more menu choices than similar restaurants. Welcoming ambiance. Love the variety in the gift shop with Uncle Chens gear. Convenient and plentiful parking. Locally owned by wonderful people.
Roy Lee and his family are awesome!!! they always remember us, and no matter how busy, always friendly! Congratulations to Roy on his win, looking forward to seeing all the great things he'll accomplish
Last update : 29.04.2023
Delicious authentic flavors! Highly recommend trying the seafood chow mein and roasted rice, especially if you're still hungry from a previous meal. This restaurant is a must-visit for anyone craving Chinese cuisine in the area, as it's the only one located on the beach in the city/state. We visited twice during our two-night stay and the staff was extremely friendly.
The food at this restaurant is incredibly delicious! The host was extremely friendly. I will definitely be returning here again and again. You must come and experience the authentic Chinese cuisine for yourself!
Uncle Chen is my go-to spot for Chinese cuisine in County SB. The owners are incredibly welcoming and friendly. The food is absolutely delicious. During my last visit, I thoroughly enjoyed the Kung Pao chicken for dinner.
I ordered Rinocon fried rice. So delicious. Im not able to finish my self.also great coustomer service.
There Thai iced tea is great for a homeweh southern craving genuine sweet tea. It's sweet! The Chow Fun is pretty good, a little better than many others in the area. Not great, but pretty good. You use the thin cut meat pieces you often see on a Mongolian grill. Many vegetables and sprouts, they are just a few quality ingredients of 5 stars. Good mood, decent prices, friendly people.
