Great China Restaurant

Berkeley lacks in authentic Chinese food, and the few restaurants that surround campus target college students on a tight budget. Moreover, most of those restaurants lack in authentic dishes. Great China offers Chinese food found in better Chinese restaurants where you actually sit down and order food.

The only complaint I have is service and size. The place is packed on the weekends and the wait can be tremendously long. Service lacks quality as it seems they’re trying to rush you during the business hours. However, most of my eating experiences deal with to-go food, so service is not too much of an issue for me. The kitchen can be slow sometimes too.

Overall it’s great food, and even better if you can show up at a less crowded time.

Best chinese food i’ve ever had. They never make anything super fatty/greasy or heavy-feeling. Everything tastes great and proportions are awesome!

it’s been awhile since i’ve eaten here, but the two things i do remember…

1) i always left with a happy tummy

2) feeling sad that i didn’t eat here more often

like other reviewers have already said, the food here is authentic chinese cuisine, none of that fast food panda express. it’s easy to miss, on a side street, but if you happen to pass by check it out. you won’t be disappointed.

Best Chinese food in the Bay Area – in my humble opinion. Here’s what to order – you’ll need some reinforcements or be prepared for a week’s worth of Great leftovers… Peking duck (leanest duck you’ll ever have, I think they knife away the fat on every piece they serve), sauteed crab (all the crab and none of the work, and don’t worry the egg gets cooked when mixed with the hot crab), double-skin (I’m not a fan of mustard but this is good with a little), fish dumplings (with chives, very smooth), mu-shu (veggie or pork, very flavorful and not greasy; warning: they “won’t let you” order it with the duck, I think they feel it’s redundant because both have a plum sauce condiment, they mean well). The walnut prawns are very good too. And there is a tofu dish. Not sure if it’s braised or maybe it’s called “tough-skin”, but it’s one of my favorites too. You can’t go wrong with any combination of these dishes (assuming we have the same taste and standards).

Best in Berkeley. You have to know what to order though.

I don’t give out 5 stars easily but Great China was a revelation. Didn’t expect much last nite when I went here for a little meeting with someone. Looked pretty nondescript on outside but turned out to be the best Chinese restaurant I’ve been to in years. Reminded of the old days at Chow Tan in Berkeley or any number of others, when they gave good portions with quality ingredients at very reasonable prices. And, we’re talking basic Cantonese Chinese food here. From the moment we were directed to the – yes, waiting room! – where we were given free and large portions of fabulous General’s Chicken, I knew I was going to like. er, love this place… Yes, there was a wait, but who cares when they give you free food and are as friendly as can be. No wonder this place is packed.
We were escorted into an old-fashioned deco-like, split-level room withmostly Chinese students ( a good sign). The smell alone was outstanding… not the smelll of old grease but flavors of whatever magic ingredients they use, all seemingly fresh. The food? Well, we had to have more of the General’s chicken… what can i say about these sauteed, orange-colored nuggets of goodness. the other dish was green beans with shrimp. Well , they forgot the shrimp, but frankly I think it tasted better without the shirmp, which they added in later… Green beans never tasted so good… And the chinese family who ran the place couldn’t have been nicer. Don’t know how long they’ve owned it – the restaurant has heen around a long time… And the price, including drinks was around $301 Can’t beat it. Can’t wait to go back and try the other dishes. A RARE find.. which is surprising that I’d never heard of this place. You can have your frendy restaurants. I’ll take Great China any day!

Used to eat here all the time when I lived 2 blocks away, and loved it. Service can be slow and/or mean, and cleanliness is always a question at any Chinese restaurant. It is quite popular and there can be a wait.

Well I haven’t been back since a doubly whammy of them letting others jump the queue and my friend (who also loved this restaurant) seeing on of the waiters spit in a bowl and put it back…