China Garden Restaurant

(713) 652-0745

1602 Leeland Street
Houston, TX 77003 29.74935 -95.363272

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Neighborhoods: Downtown, Central

CHINAGARDENTX.COM

Hours:

Monday To Thursday From 11:00 AM To 10:00 PM Friday From 11:00 AM To 11:00 PM Saturday From 05:00 PM To 11:00 PM

Price:

$

Last updated 8.16.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Family-Friendly Dining, Lunch Spot, Business Dining, Group Dining, Food Delivery, Dine At The Bar

Cuisine:

Chinese

What People Are Saying About China Garden Restaurant

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Short – The simple, welcoming atmosphere and recently remodeled bar keep China Square on the area's list of popular spots. The clientele is a mix of downtown dwelling regulars and sports fans (the Toyota Center is less than half a mile away) looking for a bite before the game. Menu favorites include the sizzling fried rice soup, lemon chicken, jalapeno shrimp, Hunan beef and crawfish fried rice. Fresh seafood can also be steamed, grilled or cooked to your liking.

Editor's Tips

When to Go:
Have time before the Rockets game? The restaurant is conveniently located within walking distance (approximately 3 blocks) to the Toyota Center, so you won't have to give up your parking spot.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. This place is awesome, the food is great and the location is convient.
  2. I'd recommend eating there to anyone interested in a relaxing atmosphere with great food.
  3. Has great location,next to toyota center.
  4. Good parking for a downtown location.
  5. This place is awesome, the food is great and the location is convenient.
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. Fast service, authentic chinese beer (Tsing Tao), varied menu, etc.
food quality
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. WONDERFUL CANTONESE- The Lemon Chicken is fantastic, fresh eggrolls made on the premises, outstanding sizzling rice soup
  2. The food was good but not first class.
  3. The restorant is not authentic chinese and the customers werenon-asian.
  4. The food is excellent, the service impeccable and they are some of the nicest people around.
  5. Best lemon chicken in town and by far the best egg rolls I've eaten anywhere.
  6. cant think of why would anybody would say something bad about this place obivously they dont know good food and service.
  7. Before changing owners, this restaurant used to serve authentic chinese food.
  8. The mongolian beef here is the worst I've ever tasted.
  9. This is the best chinese food in Houston.
  10. basically the best place to be when you want good food and good service.
  11. Excellent food
  12. have been to several Chinese restaurants and never had lemon chicken as good as this!
  13. No one liked this soup.
  14. My favorite dish there is the lemon chicken.
  15. This place is awesome, the food is great and the location is convient.
  16. The lemon chicken is tasty and great!
  17. I'd recommend eating there to anyone interested in a relaxing atmosphere with great food.
  18. The hot and sour soup was excellent.
  19. This place is awesome, the food is great and the location is convenient.
  20. Fast service, authentic chinese beer (Tsing Tao), varied menu, etc.
  21. The kitchen's technical execution was very good as evidenced in their crisp and delicious vegetables.
  22. The shrimp are fresh and the portions are large.
  23. The food was tasty and it came to the table promptly.
  24. Also has great food, great atomsphere, and frindly owners.
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. Fast service, authentic chinese beer (Tsing Tao), varied menu, etc.
  2. The menu offers a good representation of the various Chinese provinces.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. basically the best place to be when you want good food and good service.
service
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. The food is excellent, the service impeccable and they are some of the nicest people around.
  2. Fast service, authentic chinese beer (Tsing Tao), varied menu, etc.
  3. The staff is wonderful and very friendly.
  4. basically the best place to be when you want good food and good service.
  5. cant think of why would anybody would say something bad about this place obivously they dont know good food and service.
  6. service is excellent.
value
100.0% positive
  1. The shrimp are fresh and the portions are large.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/09/09

Greatreviewer

by CSMobileUser2

Has great location,next to toyota center. Also has great food, great atomsphere, and frindly owners.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/01/08

Favorite Chinese Restaurant

by geiger2040

I have been going there for at least 10 years, and it has always impressed me. The staff is wonderful and very friendly. The food is top notch. My favorite dish there is the lemon chicken. I have been to several Chinese restaurants and never had lemon chicken as good as this!

3 Star Rating: Average

10/08/07

Wholesome, Hot and Average

by nineeightylunchclub

CHINA GARDEN IS LOSING ITS BLOSSOMS. The menu offers a good representation of the various Chinese provinces. The food was spicy and wholesome, but achieved an *average* rating by our group. The jalapeno shrimp, spicy crawfish rice, lemon chicken and wonton soup were very popular. The family style portions were generous and the food was overall wholesome. The kitchen's technical execution was very good as evidenced in their crisp and delicious vegetables.

The biggest disappointment was the house specialty of Hunan Beef. Also, the Hot and Sour Soup was a consensus disappointment. No one liked this soup. There was too much pepper in the soup and most other dishes. Pepper seemed to be the kitchen?s favorite seasoning.

Seating is plenty and suitable for large groups, albeit the tables are too close together. Good parking for a downtown location. The restrooms were dirty, which seemingly fit the basic locale. Service was both timely and attentive.

The price was slightly above our expectations considering the average quality of our meal. Next time, we will avoid the Garden?s ?add ons? (Soup, Egg rolls, etc.), which resulted in a higher price than expected from an *average* Chinese restaurant.

Perhaps, next time we visit the Garden will be in blossom.

  • Pros: Select dishes are good - good for large groups
  • Cons: Moderately high price for average food
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

09/06/07

Best Chinese food in HOuston

by acavana767

We live in Montgomery county and have to come into Houston every few weeks to get our fix at Carol's China Garden. Food is excellent...love the Shrimp Balls...service is excellent. Marion, Carole and Richard make everyone welcome and spend time visiting with the customers. Great place if you are attending a Rockets game or an event at Toyota center since it is right next to the Toyota Center garage....five minutes to your seats.

  • Pros: Free parking, great food, fast service
3 Star Rating: Average

02/07/07

Best Chinese in the South

by oscarst

As a frequent user of chinese restaurants on my travels I have been spoiled for choice in some locations around the world: Hong Kong, Sydney, London, New York, to name but a few. The China Garden is one of the best chinese eateries I have visited in the USA. Fast service, authentic chinese beer (Tsing Tao), varied menu, etc. The food was good but not first class. A good judge of a chinese restaurant is to see whether or not there were chinese people eating there. There were on the occasion I visited. The food has been americanised to suit the local palate which is a real shame. The egg rolls (spring rolls to the non-Americans) were OK but nothing special. The hot and sour soup was excellent. The fried rice dishes had a hint of smokiness to them, perhaps too much sesame oil in the wok, but tasted excellent. Overall, recommend to anyone visiting Houston who fancies something different from Tex/Mex style food in a quiet, low-key atmosphere.

  • Pros: Fast service
  • Cons: Bit out of the way for a Downtown eatery

The Details on China Garden Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • fast service
  • fantastic lemon chicken
  • outstanding sizzling rice soup
  • great beginner
  • awesome place
  • great location
  • not authentic chinese
  • very friendly staff
  • favorite dish
  • dirty restrooms
  • fresh shrimp
  • fresh eggrolls
  • very good technical execution
  • good parking
  • good representation
  • not authentic customers werenonasian
  • authentic chinese beer
  • authentic tsing tao
  • love shrimp balls
  • worst mongolian beef
  • great frindly owners
  • great people
  • great chinese food
  • best egg
  • best chinese eateries

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