Gourmet 88 Burbank
230 N San Fernando Blvd, Burbank, CA, 91502
Gourmet 88 Burbank Menu
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Address :
230 N San Fernando Blvd
Burbank, CA, 91502 - Phone (818) 848-8688
- Website https://gourmet88.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
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Marie M.
I just realized I've been here a few times with my husband but never actually reviewed it. This time we came on a Friday night, and I have no idea what we were thinking. We all know how ridiculously overcrowded it gets in that area on a weekend. The other times we've gone to this restaurant it's always a hit or miss. I guess the chef was in a good mood that night. Con's: Parking is always a big issue anytime you come to Burbank. Apparently it's the new "it" place for all them youngins! LoL! Plus the Straight Out of Compton movie came out that night so it was all kinds of crazy in Burbank that night. Menu is a little pricey. Pro's: The food is tasty. I don't think they use MSG since I didn't get a headache after the meal. The staff is friendly and attentive. The a la carte portions are adequate. Plenty of seating so you'll never have to wait long for a table on a regular night.
(4)Kimberly K.
So I've always wanted to go to Gourmet 88. It always looked so chic and hip from outside. And when a Groupon popped up I was like.. Now's my chance. The moment I walked in it was a flashback to 1988. The place is in serious need of an update. The colors , fixtures and tables were very dated. The place is really big. Surrounded with both seating and movable tables and chairs inn the center as well as a separate smaller banquet style room in back for private parties makes a great option for groups if they marketed and updated the place. The menu is pretty extensive. Prices are a little high but reasonable. Problem is they have no explanations or pictures of any of their dishes. And for most Americans we are not familiar with the names of dishes. We just know what we like. And sadly our server couldn't even give us the correct info about what we were ordering. Ben, our server was slow and uniformed. And rather than get the correct information he guessed.. And guessed wrong. I felt like he was not giving us the correct info so I flagged down what appeared to be the owner or manager and asked about ingredients. Sue enough the dish I ordered did not have vegetables so we asked promptly to change my order. He walked to the front as our server was in the back. It was clear we were going to get our food at different times. And we did. My husband got the chicken and asparagus. I was surprised it was actually REALLY GOOD! We both preferred combo plates which I love. A spring tool which was crisp and yummy. A cup of soup. Mine was a chicken corn which was ok. I'm not a big fan of that corn starch thickened broth base. Reminds me of snot. Yuck. Husbands wonton soup was a little better. My meal finally came out. Kung Pow chicken was very tender and flavorful. Our bill came and they didn't change the original order so we asked for them to adjust price to reflect lower priced dish. We had a Groupon on my phone and they had to take my phone and walk around to the front of the restaurant, over to a counter, and back. It's really nerve racking that shine establishments put Groupon's in but can't just click the accept button. First I wouldn't want to be the management taking on responsibility that the phone doesn't get damaged. And secondly who wants to give up their phone? Yes I want a discount butt what expense. I guess I need to start printing the deals again. Anyway.. My 3 stars is solely points for food. It's really good! Service is terrible. Decor is out dated. Parking is difficult. But they do deliver! So if you have a hankering for some tasty Chinese good, get it to go out for delivery.
(3)Bob H.
We had a party of seven and the restaurant staff was very accommodating to us. We were seated at a table in a partially enclosed dining area. The restaurant was fairly empty, given that it was a Monday, and the chef was friendly enough to stop by and chat with us. I was pleasantly surprised to find that he was actually Asian, unlike restaurant chains like P. F. Chang, who typically have non-Asian chefs and staff. The food we ordered was not like the typical Asian Fusion I've had in the past. It had authentic aspects I've experienced in Chinatown. The potstickers were great both aesthetically and taste wise. It was pan fried very nicely, with parts of the skin being crispy. The service was good, and the staff was friendly and welcoming. The manager was amicable and stopped by our table to tell a funny story. Overall, Gourmet 88 has a welcoming atmosphere that is suitable for families with kids. The food is not as authentic compared to places in Chinatown, however it is not as Americanized as many other Asian fusion restaurants and chains in the area.
(5)Marco H.
Great Chinese food...original! Truly has a good Menu, affordable, friendly, good quality of taste and in a nice area!
(3)JoonieJoon K.
Top notch service. Big portions. Orange chicken is not like other places. They did taste like real oranges were used to flavor. You can find your typical chinese food from such joint but done with better ingredients and preparation overall. Other reviews seem to gave bad reviews for to go/takeout items. I highly suggest dine in. Ambiance was pretty nice and upscale. What a pleasant experience. Luxurt upgrade from Pand a...if you know what I mean.
(5)Whitney P.
It's seems like the only time I find myself in Burbank is when I'm going to Ikea. Last time we went to Ikea we went to Mama Hong's because of the amazing Yelp reviews, but it wasn't really my favorite. This block San Fernando Blvd has a ton of Asian restaurants so you can take your pick. For my review on Mama Hong's check here: yelp.com/biz/mama-hongs-… Back to G88. It was only about an hour before closing time, but they were in no hurry of hurrying us along. It's a pretty big restaurant for the area, some of the places are real hole in the walls. The staff was super friendly and fast as well, plus they all wear nice dress pants and shirts and present themselves in a nice way. The décor is a bit 1980's blush, but I'm an 80's kid, so I'm all for it. In fact my favorite Chinese restaurant growing up always played the Top Gun soundtrack only it was without the vocals and incorporated a xylophone. We decided to branch out from the usual items we order, if it's one thing I have learned coming from the east coast to LA, is that if you order an egg roll in LA, it will be what we consider a spring roll. If you order won ton soup, it will be a thinner wonton shell with a bunch of sh*t in it like chicken breast pieces, leaves and even a carrot or a stalk of broccoli may float by you completely throw you off course. So I now know to avoid my usual starters, so we skipped them all together and went for the chicken lo mein which wasn't called lo mein, it was called chow mein (soft noodle). I'm over here like, "wtf is that, where's the lo mein at?" but they assured me this is what I would consider lo mein. The "lo mein" was similar but it didn't have those little cabbage bits or veggies at all and the sauce was darker, it was very good don't get me wrong, but it ain't lo mein like we think of it. We also shared the Mongolian chicken, it was very good, I highly recommend it. All in all, if I were swinging by Burbank on my next Ikea run, I wouldn't hesitate coming back to the G88, especially for the service and the Mongolian chicken.
(4)Joe A.
Great Food somewhat pricy but worth it go during lunch when it's cheaper service is excellent every time I've come parking can be hard to find as its on the Burbank promenade
(5)Lou C. H.
Had fond memories so when I saw the offer on groupon, bought one. Unfortunately yhe food was subpar, and service lacking. We barely saw our waiter once he out the order in. Took five requests to get hot tea. One dish was so awful we sent a dish back. The waiters argued in front of us instead of addressing the problem. We couldn't finish our food and didn't want to take it home.
(2)DexterFan L.
We went here again and I was disappointed. The chicken and beef looked weird and were very chewy. It doesn't seem like real meat. The honey walnut shrimp was the only dish I was able to eat.
(2)Alexis A.
I'm not sure how I felt about the food. The hot and sour soup lacked in taste. The orange beef was ok. We had it delivered and it was quick which was a plus. I am considering trying it out again and ordering a different dish.
(4)Mike F.
Fancy panda express with more seafood options.
(2)Samantha S.
This was horrible food and horrible service I complained about the food they took it threw it away and handed me the bill!! What a joke !! After I sat there and waited to tell them it was gross for 20 mins and the man in a tie looked over but didn't ask what was wrong I had a bad week and was looking toward a meal out .. Thanks for taking my money and giving me nothing !! Don't eat here total crap!
(1)Robert B.
Two reviews: Lunch = 4 stars Take Out = 2 stars I love this place for lunch. It's quick, great options, great prices, and their multicolored brown rice is killer too. I love the Kung pao anything. For take out, this stuff doesn't seem to travel well. The breaking on fried dishes is too thick and dry, and it always comes out too greasy. I'm more of a fan of eating there and that's probably my only complaint compared to other Chinese places with better take out.
(3)Jeff B.
(Dined 11/15/14 SA @ 5:00pm): Don't know about gourmet, but I ate my way through most of the food! Thanks to a Groupon offer that was about to expire ($25.00 worth of food/drinks for $12.00), I found myself at Gourmet 88 Burbank, a casual Chinese restaurant I frequented when I used to work in the area. I was surprised when I saw this offer because I didn't think they were still around. I snapped it up! So many years later, here was my welcome back experience: Barbecued Spare Ribs ($7.50) - Large and meaty, this 4-piece appetizer was seriously a meal on its own, and in hindsight I should've have ordered it...but I was glad I did! It wasn't "fall-off-the-bone" style (Chinese BBQ never was), but the flavor was subtle while the meat was juicy and moist. Add a bit of hot dipping sauce for more of a kick. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Orange Flavor Chicken Combination Plate ($12.75) -Cup of Hot and Sour Soup: A bountiful amount of tofu, an assortment of various dried mushrooms, crisp bamboo shoot, and egg, the broth was on the watery side (I preferred it thicker), but all the flavors worked together to help soothe the soul. A wonderful way to start the meal. yelp.com/user_local_phot… -Vegetable Egg Roll: Rather standard and nothing special, I quickly polished-off this crunchy, small and stubby morsel in two bites. Be careful because it was steaming hot inside. -Fried Shrimp: Small yet nicely breaded, I dunked it into the dipping sauce and devoured it in one bite - yummy! -Fried Rice: A heaping scoop of nicely-browned rice with egg, peas, cashews and not much else; nothing special here either except for the generous portion. -Orange Flavored Chicken: Chunks of deep fried battered pieces tossed with red dry chili pepper, scallion and orange peels in orange flavor sauce, the meat was soft and tasty but the outside as equally so; whereas, I preferred a more fried outside. However, with the softness, the orange flavor was seeped nicely throughout each manageable piece. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Hot Braised Sliced Fish ($14.95) - Lightly battered fish fillet braised with diced water chestnut, bamboo shoot, onion in spicy tomato wine sauce, each piece was longer and wider than I expected but steaming hot, moist and bursted with flavor. However, I again expected these to be more fried on the outside instead of the "limp-dick" appearance each had. Hey, I still enjoyed it, though! yelp.com/user_local_phot… Service - Greeted by a friendly young hostess, I was led to the bar area (per my request) to watch the college football games. I was immediately greeted by an older gentleman with a menu and ready to take my drink order. I pulled out my coupon and already knew what I wanted so I ordered right then and there. I quickly received my glass of water (which they constantly filled) and soup. However, there seemed like a long delay with the rest of the meal. I received the ribs about 15 minutes later, soon followed by the rest of the meal. If I weren't starving I wouldn't have minded, but no matter. I had some leftovers so they packed them up, delivered my receipt, and I was on my way. All was fine and dandy! Parking (free) - Parking was tough and congested out front along the main drag of San Fernando Blvd., so unless you're lucky, I parked a block or so away in a small structure. There were plenty of other places to park which only involved a short walk...which was good for you. Atmosphere, décor, ambience - A simple dining hall decorated with your usual Chinese motif of religious pieces, pictures and the color red, there were plenty of tables, chairs and booths with ample room to move. The partitioned bar area had a decent-size bar with stools and a handful of quaint tables (4 people max). Plenty of electric ceiling lighting while natural lighting only came through the glass walls in the bar area and the front. There were two TVs only in the bar area and no background music. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Attire - Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. Overall, I enjoyed my return to Gourmet 88 Burbank. Portion sizes were still huge, prices were competitive, and both service and taste were good. They just needed to work on quicker food delivery. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (total paid experience was around $38.00 before discount and tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice...AMEX! 4.0 STARS
(4)Brandie B.
We've been a patron for years & this is always our favorite order: Sweet & pungent shrimp, braised green beans, garlic chicken & fried rice. It's the best Chinese restaurant in Burbank & surrounding areas. I cook Chinese food at home, but it's not as delish as this place.
(5)S L.
I was hesitant to write this review because some of the dishes we had were not on the menu. We were visiting L.A. and were able to spend a few hours in Universal. Afterward, we decided to get Chinese for dinner but no one wanted to go down to Chinatown. As any smart person would do, we got on Yelp and found this place which is near by Universal. At first, we were skeptical about the authenticity of the food. We thought it could be one of those Chinese places that made food for American taste. But we were wrong to say the least. The manager was curious how we find this place. We told him we found his restaurant thru yelp because we didn't want to go down Chinatown. He then offered to make a few dishes for us that are not on the menu. He said the chef is in a creative mood. haha When the food was brought out, I was impressed with the presentation and creativeness. The food tasted fantastic and well balanced. I hate food that is overly seasoned and these dishes were not. We enjoyed our dinner very much overall because the noise level is low compared to Chinatown. Parking was easy as well. There's a public parking lot about two blocks away.
(5)Dan B.
I love this place. There, I said it. And yes, nostalgia plays a role. I used to come to Gourmet 88 as a teenage with my group of high school pals back in the mid-90's, and we loved it, then. Recently, we returned; the same group of us, 16 years later, and had another wonderful experience. The only difference was the surreal feeling of ordering alcohol at a place you ate at a thousand times as a kid. We almost felt like we were getting away with something. The food is excellent. Filling, tasty, nice portions. The waiter was amazing, cracking jokes with us, making beer and food suggestions. The price was tremendously reasonable. Everyone at the table had sake, beer, and was completely stuffed for about 20 bucks, and we had leftovers. The favorite part of our trip down memory lane came near the end of the night, when one of our louder guests (who had been wise-cracking with our waiter all night) made a joke about working there. Our server said he could clean dishes, and he responded by saying he'd lick 'em clean. A pivotal moment, and our server laughed and said he'd get him some dishes now. In all honesty, this place is probably a 4-star, but between the nostalgia and our server, I'm giving it the bump.
(5)Y. Jay D.
I have been coming here with my family for over 10 years. Gourmet 88 has exceptionally good Chinese food with regard to flavor and quality. The staff is very helpful and welcoming. The ambience is clean, comfortable, and well decorating. The air conditioning is perfect! By the way...they offer free WiFi.
(5)George N.
Be careful, they will overcharge you on the rice. I was charged double for a small rice this afternoon. I did not notice the charge until i got home, too bad I tipped 20%. Won't be returning there again.
(2)C B.
We went on a Sunday afternoon. We were greeted with a nice hostess and she showed us to our table. A waiter came to take our drink order - 2 waters with lemons and straws. He brought them but did not give us straws. I ordered the combination plate chicken with string beans and fried rice. Aside from the fried rice and string beans, the chicken was awful to me liking. The chicken was pale white as if it was undercooked. As I consumed it, it was chewy/gummy as if it was undercooked. Like Judge Judy says, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a duck! I did not eat the rest of the raw chicken soaked in garlic sauce. After asking 3 times for straws, the waiter finally gave it to us while we were almost done with our meal. It was not busy when we went. The waiters are rude, they have no personality, and did not ask us how the food was. Not even a smile. This was my 3rd and last time at their business. Three strikes, you're out!
(2)Christian S.
I've come here several times now, and it's mostly standard fare, but honestly done really well. I always leave totally satisfied, and the customer service has been great. The servers and manager consistently go the extra mile to make a great experience. The atmosphere is also classy and romantic without feeling stuffy. This is definitely my go-to place for Chinese food in Burbank.
(5)Michael A.
This restaurant has been my families go to place for roughly 15 years. The food is spectacular! What strikes me as an important aspect of a restaurant is consistency! I am here roughly at least once a season and the food is always excellent! The service is quick and comprehensive. I have never had any issues through out my meals. The food comes out promptly while still being freshly made. I would recommend this place to anyone! I actually have brought many new comers here for the first time today and this restaurant did not let us down! This is my favorite restaurant in Burbank and will always come back! p.S the pungent shrimp is amazing!
(5)Lorna B.
Went here for lunch today. They do have a pretty reasonable lunch price but I found a vegetarian options lacking. My dining partner really enjoyed his meal, The cashew shrimp. For about eight dollars he received soup and a decent portion of cashew shrimp , fried wonton ,brown rice and spring roll, not a bad deal. I took the curry flavored rice noodles with vegetables. It did not come with soup or anything else, too many carbs for one sitting, although in fairness it did not taste bad.
(3)Julieta D.
Ordered delivery yesterday and didn't get any plates, napkins, soy sauce, forks or fortune cookies. I'm a shrimp fan so we got the honey walnut shrimp and sriracha shrimp and it was just OK. The orange chicken is usually good but for some reason the chicken portions were huge and not that great. I've ate here many times and its good but i guess eat in the restaurant for best experience
(2)Nickee H.
They added new menu items... Lots of things including singapore noodles!! Still just as yummy, servers still just as nice!
(5)Akash R.
There is mixed feeling on this restaurant Pros: Food is good, Spacious Fast service. Cons: Says open till 10 and weekends 11 but if we enter after 9:30 they say restaurant is closed and once I entered at 9:20 they said chef left early and they are closing the restaurant.
(3)Jeanette S.
The food here is good and the lunch special is a great bargain. The lemon scallops are really tasty. The spicy fish lunch special is good too. Here's why I took two stars away... I stopped going here about 8 months ago after checking my credit card statement and noticing that they over charged me by about $15 (I can't remember the exact amount) I'm guessing they changed the written tip on my receipt. The other con about this place is that the servers are not always friendly. Some will rush you out. It the service improved I would maybe go back.
(3)Lisa C.
When I am in the Burbank area, my cousins take me here for lunch. It is located close to the movie theater and pretty much everything is walking distance from this restaurant. They are fast with service because they have a lot of staff members. Food is ok. I have had better chinese food but there are some dishes i just cant get any where else that is cooked well.... Pungent Chicken-Where can i find this dish? HERE. Great flavor. I can't explain it but i will try. it is thin strips of chicken cooked crispy then cooked in a sweet and sour sauce but much more sour with a KICK. make sense?
(3)Bobbi R.
Not to sugar coat it or anything but this place is gross. Went with some friends who all ordered something different, about 6 meals in all, and not one of us was happy with our food. I always always always give restaurants another chance because I figure anyone is entitled to a bad night. That being said, I still thought that even for a bad night at least one of us should have gotten a decent meal! What are the odds?! Anyway, I gave them another chance when I decided to have some Chinese food delivered to me. Nope, still gross. Egg drop soup (or egg flower soup) is one of my most favorite things and this place destroyed it. It was totally flavorless and the consistency was so weird that it was inedible. Orange chicken was boring, egg rolls were bad and squishy. This place just saddens my soul.
(2)Diane L.
Friendly staff! Forgot my phone inside the restaurant and came back to find that they even charged it for me. Food is great also, we always eat here when we go to Downtown Burbank. Thanks again!
(5)Hank B.
This place has been around for ages, always serving up the best chineese food you can get in the area. I recomend ordering off their secret menu...ask for "The 3 dolla" ;)
(5)Manoj N.
Everything is just disgusting here. So last night we were walking along the blvd after going to Burbank Media center shopping mall and decided to go here for dinner. This is after we realized we had a Livingsocial voucher for this place. We were seated by an old guy (master) near the restroom area. The waiter walks in and without any greetings or smile asks what we want for drinks. I said 3 water as we were 2 on table and wife had gone to restroom. He had very poor English communication skills and got us 2 water. Few minutes later he comes back for main order and we were ready with it. I remind him an extra glass of water. I asked him to make some some dishes spicy and some mild. He said with broken english that they all come standard. No clue what that means. I asked him for kids menu and he said rudely that there is only one menu in a high pitch. Note there is no smile or courtesy all along. Food comes in very fast within 20 minutes. Through the kitchen door I could see a lot of Asian slaves working. The waiter slaves are all running around doing something as if its the end of the world. Oh my wife is a vegetarian and she ordered Singapore noodles without any meat. We repeated the order 3 times NO MEAT, NO MEAT , NO MEAT and the we thought the rubber head understood that. Guess what, her order comes in with Shrimp in it. I think NO MEAT in Chinese or Mandarin means Shrimp. The flavor was 2 stars on a scale of 5. But the overall experience was completely repelling and we walked out within 45 minutes. My gut told me to leave $0 but being a gentle lady my wife insisted leaving a $3 tip as the master must not be paying the slaves well. I am shocked at some of the positive 5 star reviews. Never will I go back here.. And yes before I forget they are way overpriced for dinner with average price per dish running over $11. Think before you act ( I mean eat here).
(1)Will M.
Terrible delivery. How can you not include rice with any Chinese delivery? How can you not add dumpling sauce with an order of dumplings? For the price of food, its like a slap in the face to NOT include these little things. The food was decent not worth $$
(1)Tigran M.
I have been coming to gourmet 88 ever since I was 5 when my father introduced me to their other location in Glendale and always been going there and to this location until it had closed. I love this restaurant because of the memories Ive had coming here with my family. However it has its cons now unfortunetely. Of course I would like to keep this review short so - ever since management changed they have made multiple changes towards the other direction they should be headed and maybe due to the economy too. Ive noticed they dont bring tea or water unless requested, good quality chop sticks are not set on the table any more and when requested they only bring wooden chop sticks. Steamed rice used to come alomg entrees (idk about lunch time) but they did during dinner. Now they charge steamed rice 1$ per person size. They no longer give oranges after your meals which they used to do, no music in the background, and other minor changes in the foods. To conclude in simplest ways- Great tasting food Great atmosphere Great place to take a date if they like Asian food (I choose this place WAY over PF changs FYI.) Quality has lost itself over the past years for sure. Tips- Get crab meat asparagus soup*** And chicken with black mushrooms **
(4)Andre N.
came back and had the cashew nut dinner combo. It was decent. Very saucy. Much better than the other Chinese place in Burbank. The egg roll was better this time around and the fried shrimp was better also. As for the dish itself. Heavily sauced and the fried rice was really dark. Everything on the plate just had a really dark color to it. Weird. Anyways it was a decent meal. The corn soup was whatever.
(3)Herb A.
Tried the lunch specials, not very impressed. Mongolian beef was soft and chewy, not very good. Hot and sour soup was nasty. Beef chow mein was average and salty and heavy. King pao chicken was lame. Skip this spot. Wise man once said P.F. Chang is more expensive but worth it.
(2)Jess D.
One of my forever favorite places for luscious chinese food! The service is quick and the food comes at smelling amazing and tasting even better every time. I don't live around the area but when Im around, this is my go to. I love the sweet and sour chicken, Kung pow chicken, Lo mein noodles and egg rolls. I've tried the soup a lot and always wanted to like it, but I was never a fan because it was too salty for me but I don't mind. Everything else is great, fresh and tasty! Portions are usually 2-3, I don't remember the prices, parking is ok.
(5)Joseph S.
Food is good. Service is great. Seated quick. Everything was fresh and hot. Parking was soso but ok.
(5)Raye S.
The server was really nice but overwhelmed, they don't have busboys and they get busy so the poor server was running around like a juggler, he did his best but I felt they could have added more staff to keep it smooth. We had to wait for everything and didn't get our drinks until mid meal. The food was okay, not the best and seemed overpriced for what you were getting. The dumplings were really bland and the rest of our entrees were so so. The decor is open and overly bright not much ambience. Seemed to be a lot of families and kids, not a date place. Overall probably good for take out, but would not go for dine in. They do have vegetarian fake meat as well as tofu so that gives them an extra star!
(2)Ashley S.
This place was ok. Had lunch here because we were close by. Good lunch specials. Attentive service. Food was mediocre. The iced tea was really good though!
(3)Mark O.
Please note that my experience is based on service and food as served on Christmas day when the restaurant was very busy. Two stars is based on the poor service we received. The food was decent, but didn't do much to increase the rating either. I came with a group of about 30 people with a reservation. We waited about 30 minutes after our reservation to be seated. Rather than the waiter taking our orders, we were asked to write down our orders on paper because the restaurant was too busy to serve us. That didn't save us or them much time because the restaurant was apparently out of certain items so the waiter had to keep coming back and taking new orders. The food was brought out piecemeal. I had my food a good 10 minutes before the next person got theirs. It was either east cold duck or be rude. I chose to be rude. The poor girl who was last to get her sizzling dish waited about an hour or more after ordering. Almost everyone was finished with their food before she got hers. My duck was O.K. more bone than meat and it was warm to begin with. Came with no sauces, so it was a bit dry. My wife's cashew chicken was bland. Aside from the poor delivery of the food, we had to ask multiple times for water, the tea was never refilled and finding a waiter was near impossible. Still, they charged us an automatic 17% gratuity, though no one felt very gratuitous at the end of the meal. Overall, the food was edible, but not great. Service was poor. Prices were a bit higher than I thought a restaurant of this caliber should charge, but then again, it is across the street form the mall area of Burbank.
(2)D G.
Been coming here for 20 years - the garlic chicken and crab meat with asparagus soup are simply delicious. Can't go wrong with this establishment.
(5)Patty M.
Love the food its the service that sucks! I ask for broccoli on my kungpao chicken. He said yes but it will be $2.00 more. I said thats ok, he rolled his eyes and walked away. He brings my soup and I asked for crispy noodles, he said next time charge per management. I was like, ummmm I come here at least 3 times a month for over a year.. never been charged. Food is delish thats what keeps me coming back. But when this certain waiter attends me I know what my experience will be like. This will be the first time I don't tip.. Honestly his been lucky I hadn't done this before.
(3)Hailey Z.
This place has been in Burbank since I was a kid and it's so great to see that it's still up and successful. This is the place to go when you want to indulge in really good Chinese food. For those of you dining with a larger crowd (we had a party of 6), I'd recommend ordering two of each dish, portions to share are somewhat small. Our regular order consists of lo mein (chicken or veggie, whichever we feel like), vegetable fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, and beef with broccoli. The sweet and sour shrimp is seriously sooooo good! I do have to say though, if you order iced tea and want lemon wedges or want lemon with your water, be very specific that you'd like a side of a lot of lemon wedges. If you don't specify that, you will get one small sliver of lemon and you will be left both irritated and disappointed. Sadly, our waiter seemed to have been late in his shift and probably wanted to go home, because I could have sworn that I saw him roll his eyes slightly as I made myself clear that I would appreciate a side of lemon wedges for my iced tea. He did, however, bring it with a smile on his face. Since this is located in downtown Burbank, parking here is limited in front of the restaurant on the street, but you can park in one of the several lots that they have in the area. There is even a parking lot located in the back of the restaurant with two levels of parking.
(4)Gina V.
The food was just ok. I've had better. The service was just ok. The food took awhile to come out - ordered orange chicken. The waiter seemed to know the table next to us, and they had prompt service even though they came after us. I might try again, but only if I'm in the area.
(2)Tigran T.
Great tasting food and great service!
(5)aris n.
Have been eating at gourmet 88 since i was a kid. My favorite dishes are well everything, but if i had to pick id say orange chicken and crispy pan fried noodles. The Orange chicken is so fresh and tastey it makes my mouth water just talking about it.
(5)Gary B.
My family and I have been coming to Gourmet 88 for over 10 years... The staff and owners are always very polite and the food is always fresh and tasty! They will always seat you asap (almost no waiting even at very busy times) and the food comes out fast and the service is always great! We'll keep coming back here as long as they remain open. Our favorite dishes are... * Sauteed shrimp with garlic sauce * Orange Chicken * Sizzling plate of fresh Seafood * Mongolian Beef * Assorted (meat) pan fried noodles * Hot 'n Sour Soup
(5)Gina V.
Went here for my bday dinner with my mom why you ask? I seriously don't know myself. The food was crap, not fresh at all. We started off with wonton soup how wrong can you go with soup!? Well apparently you can there, was a total of 4 shrimps which tasted so fishy ugh then we got kung poa chicken an chow mien with shrimp , mystery beef an pork that I was so scared to even try! The service was good but the food is just not the business I will never come here again.
(1)Kio E.
First off, let me say say that I enjoyed Gourmet 88 back in the days. I loved the food, it was the closest to Chinatown Chinese food that you can get around Burbank. but somehow it changed, and it changed BAD. The family are craving Chinese food today and since one of the kids is taking a nap, we decided to order in instead of proceeding to Chinatown. That was our first bad decision and second was ordering from gourmet 88. It should have clicked in my head that the times that we pass by the restaurant along San Fernando Blvd there is a reason most of the time it is empty. Nevertheless, we have proceeded to order food amounting to $ 75.00++. Upon ordering, it took them 1 hour and 20 mins to deliver the food. (Isn't chinese food suppose to be fast?!) I do not know what was the holdup and the person that delivered did not offer any explanation or apology. Here is what we got. Spicy Broccoli, - Not spicy, needs salt. overcooked House Beef Mignon - Sauce taste like the Spicy Broccoli, with added onions but without the flavor, needs SALT Yang Chow Fried Rice - Good ingredients but NO FLAVOR or TASTE, it is like eating colored rice Sweet Pungent Shrimp - This is the only good thing that we ordered, you can tell because everybody wanted it. Chicken Corn Soup - Good but on the watery side. Combo Chow mein - Looks like the delicious one that we used to order, taste like nothing... nothing meaning lacking everything Overall it was a very disappointing lunch. We ate the food because we are starving. I guess the long delivery period of the restaurant is a strategy so you will just end up gobbling the tasteless food since you are in need of something to eat. UNLESS you do something drastic with the food, taste-wise, we will never go back to that place or recommend them to other people, it is one of the worst value for the money that one can get with chinese food. I believe that Panda Express has more flavor and you get more for the money. I am sorry "GOURMET" 88 but you really need to go to Full house or HopWoo in Chinatown and eat there then compare your food. I do not mind paying for 16.00 per order if it taste good but with the blandness you provide I think it is highway robbery.
(1)Mike A.
Best Chinese food in town! must try the chilli oil
(5)Turk M.
My favorite Chinese restaurant bro back. The food is excellent and the service is excellent and the upstairs excellent! I Love their Moo-Shoo! GREAT!
(5)Linet K.
The best Chinese food in Burbank. Sweet and pungent shrimp is my fav with mooshoo veggies. The wonton soup and hot and sour soup are good too. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Erik H.
The food is so so. I ordered through eat24 and the delivery time was fine but almost 50 bucks for an order of orange chicken, Kung pow chicken and spring rolls and no rice to top it off isn't worth it.
(3)Jackie K.
I went with my BF and he looked on yelp this place. I trusted him and yelp and i wasn't disappointed. We went on a Friday night and it wasn't busy so we found a table immediately. The menu was really big so it was hard to choose a dish with so many options. My BF said to go with an appetizer of the veggie/egg rolls and i swear I will not eat any other egg rolls. Really good and the sauce that came with it was a very good combination that balanced the flavors. We also ordered a shrimp dish on the chef special, and beef dish on the next page. The shrimp dish was absolutely amazing!!! It was flavorful and not heavy at all which i really loved. The beef dish was a nice and also full of flavor and good texture. The rice was also very flavorful but seemed to have sat for a while. I didn't give a five star because although it was really good i want to a little more than two dishes to get a full picture of the rest of their dishes. Side note, there is parking everywhere and on in the back that doesn't require validation or money.
(4)Shawn G.
I have been here a few times this past year, since my other fav chinese place changed ownership. Went again last night and used a groupon! Tried the orange chicken extra spicy, shrimp with garlic sauce, and kung pao chow mein. Everything was tasty especially the shrimp. I recommend trying this place if you are in burbank and in the mood for chinese.
(4)J S.
Bland as all get-out. Our server seemed to want to get us in and out in a hurry. Their soup looked and tasted like salty water and they gave me regular rice with chewy meat instead of fried rice with anything halfway decent. Overall, do not recommend!
(1)Suzanne K.
I find the staff to be consistently rude and rushed. They don't take the time to be polite or to answer questions. We won't be going back.
(2)Kevin A.
Ordered Delivery a couple weeks ago-Food was Horrible. Combination Noodles,all noodles NO meat! the beef/chicken and shrimp was non existent... Delivery took almost 2 HOURS!!! Tried to give them a second chance the other Afternoon.. Walked in at 11:45 AM and the Manager Was Very rude... He said were NOT open..Sign on the Door said open at 11:30 AM He stared at me as I waited outside for 30 minutes. They never let me in..and never said why. I was in shorts and a t-shirt.Maybe I didn't look like I can afford it:) Needless to say I make $250,00 a year and eat out every day. This place sucks. I would never go back,I would never recommend it. 100% Garbage. Please choke on my review Gourmet 88.
(1)Aprille C.
The mushu pork was yummy. The garlic shrimp was said to be just a little bit spicy. Why is it people who like spicy foods have a higher spicy tolerance? It was medium spicy. The hot & sour soup was delish! The wonton soup was just eh.
(3)Gabriella D.
We came here with the kids they can't get enough if the noodles! Adams favorite is the orange chicken. We also ordered Mongolian beef, vegetable chow mein, steamed rice and egg rolls! Everything was delicious!
(4)Esther K.
What is there not to like about lunch specials for either $5.99 or $7.99? My coworker and I both opted for the $7.99 lunch special with Orange Chicken. You also get soup (choice of Hot&Sour or Chicken&Corn), one eggroll, 2 friend wontons, and rice (choice of steamed or fried). We both chose to get ours with fried rice, but she chose the Hot & Sour soup while I opted for the Chicken & Corn soup. Our soups came out first and mine was just what I needed for a cold day where I also had a cold. I also loved the orange chicken--completely different from the one at Panda Express, but still delicious. Also appreciated getting the wontons and eggroll, although I didn't really like the eggroll. But we had enough food leftover for another meal (for both of us), and since we paid $10/each total, I'm a fan of this place. Parking is also convenient since you just park in the underground lot behind the restaurant (entrance on Palm) and the restaurant provides validation.
(4)Ani S.
I've only been to this place twice but it's absolutely fantastic! Can't imagine how they stay in business since I've never really seen it busy. The food and service are great! Definitely recommend.
(5)Linet M.
If u want to eat Chinese food , this is a good place , if u have a kid and you live in neighborhood , then you should check this place out , I been coming to this place since 2003 , but I never had a food with this price and BIG portion , if you want to waste your money @ Panda go head , but check this place for sure
(5)Armen A.
I have been told by oriental friends that Gourmet 88 is as close as it comes to authentic Chinese food and had tried it once prior. Today my wife and I, went for dinner to this location. There weren't that many people inside which was great because we were seated right away. It did take a few extra minutes for the waiter to come to our table for beverages. We ordered out food and shortly afterward it all arrived piping hot. The problem with the Lo Mein noodles was there was mushroom in it and my wife is allergic and nowhere in the menu does it say what's in the food. Ultimately I got the attention of our waiter who gave some excuse about we should have asked what was in it because they make him pay for food etc. That is not my problem first of all and I haven't ever had noodles that automatically come with mushroom to guess. They went ahead and replaced it but he was fussy about it. The trainee on drink refills was great! Food was good, we probably will return.
(3)Armando M.
This place is really good. I've been here about four times now, and I will keep coming back for more. If ever you find yourself in Burbank make sure you stop by.
(5)Tien L.
Great service, wide selection of Chinese food, and pretty cheap wine! I will definitely be back for more! Of the 5 times I've been to Gourmet 88, I've never been disappointed. I've had the shrimp fried rice, braised fish, mapo tofu, and walnut shrimp. All of it was cooked to perfection and very flavorful. My personal favorite was the braised fish.
(4)Don N.
Stopped in for lunch today as it was raining and we didn't want to wander too far. I've passed by this restaurant but finally gave it a try. We ordered the Bean Curd in brown sauce, spicy eggplant, and sesame beef. Of the three dishes, the eggplant and beef were labeled as spicy. Bean Curd (tofu) was served in a flavorful sauce with whole shiitake mushrooms, over all the tofu was silky while the sauce was just the right consistency. The eggplant was stir fried with some veggies and crispy noodles. Overall my favorite dish but it was not spicy at all. The sesame beef seemed to have been dusted in flour or corn starch and wok fried to give it a nice texture so that a little crunch remained even when sauced. The sauce itself was on the sweet side and like the eggplant was not spicy at all. Overall portions were generous, service was fast, restaurant was clean, good experience but not memorable. If we return, we may try more of vegetarian options as there were some interesting offerings.
(3)Cassie B.
I'm new to the area so in the process of trying to find good chinese food. I chose this place at the time because they delivered and they had honey walnut shrimp. I also ordered the hot and sour soup, orange chicken, chicken fried rice, and crispy wontons. I was pretty happy with everything. The food arrived quickly, the portion sizes were pretty big, and everything tasted pretty good.
(4)Frank W.
I've always seen this place in DT Burbank, finally got to try it out. The service here isn't exactly welcoming. The hostess seemed very uncertain or indecisive on which table to seat us at. The other hostess wears a beanie and had bleached hair and maybe piercings, like as if she just came from a punk rock concert. They are very well staffed, plenty of staff members. But just about all the servers seemed very snobbish. I asked our main server that we need some boxes to pack our leftovers, he then send the bus boy to pack it for us. The bus boy was very nice and friendly though, much better than all the servers there. The average price of each entree is about $12. The food here is way over priced for its quality. Our entire order arrives in less than 5 minutes, go figure what kind of food quality would that be. Moo Goo Gai Pan, they used canned mushrooms and there were only few pieces. The chicken have been tenderized and enlarged about 1/3 from it original natural size. Orange beef, I have never had orange beef that have been battered, it's always been breaded, the batter made each piece of beef 1/3-1/2 larger. So looking at the entire plate of orange beef, about more than half of it consist of batter. In conclusion, you are better off going to fast food places like Panda Express because this place is a lot more expensive and quality is no better. I can not recommend this place for special occasion dining. A quick meal for the lunch specials maybe.
(2)Joyce A.
YUM Awesome collection of tasty Chinese foods - my friends say Gourmet 88 is the best Chinese restaurant they've been to. Everything tastes great here! Chicken with spinach in soy sauce and sizzling lemon scallop are my favorite dishes - great tasting! Their brown rice dish is so tasty, soft and smooth and so healthy.
(5)Isabella L.
Had my food delivered at home. They were very late and one of my orders were missing. When I called to tell them I'm missing one of my orders the lady was not nice and saying they don't have a delivery guy available right away and I have to wait another hour. Their food was kinda good tho. It's just the service is very bad.
(2)Caroline S.
Great service....very accommodating for large groups and last minute reservations.
(4)Andre B.
This place was introduced to me about ten years ago and I go there every time I get a chance. When I think of Chinese food, Gourmet 88 is the first thing in my mind. These people serve really good food.
(5)Lara A.
Love this place. Have only ordered delivery from there but it's always good and quick. I think it's not as greasy as some Chinese food places but others might disagree. It seems pricey but our order always lasts us for at least two days of dinner. Also in Burbank it seems it's difficult for delivery service to be timely but this place always pulls through in 45min or less.
(5)Juliana E.
We came here last year and really enjoyed it. We in town again for the holidays and we're excited to come back. We ordered pot stickers and they were great. The hot and sour soup was so gelatinous that it was inedible by all 5 of us. Our party of 9 all got out lunch specials at different times and one of our party got her meal after everyone was finished. Terrible service today. The waiter cleared away all of the full hot and sour soups without saying a word about it. We will not be back again.
(3)Charlene G.
Food plentiful and flavorful. The owner was friendly, visited with us for quite a bit during our dinner. Restaurant comfortable, clean, servers friendly and efficient. Pungent shrimp, friend rice, and the sizzling rice soup were excellent. Orange beef not as good but still average.
(4)Trevor T.
LOVE this place! I've been eating at Gourmet 88 for years and the experience remains as positive now as when I first set foot there 20 years ago. The premises are always spotless, the waiters prompt and professional and the food is always delicious, hot and delivered not long after you order. The orange chicken is my personal favorite. Every item has it's own distinct flavor. Lunch combination specials are very economically priced. Give Gourmet 88 a try... you won't be disappointed.
(5)Stacy I.
I believe what makes a restaurant great is not only the food, but the service. Gourmet 88 had a great soup. But the service was simply horrible. Makes me want to reconsider ever returning. I had an 9 hour class had an hour to kill for lunch. I'm a big fan of chinese food. So I decided Gourmet 88 looked great. Took about 5 mins to be seated. That's completely fine. Lunch mayhem. After sitting in my booth 15 minutes later, the waiter finally approaches me saying, "You gonna get a drink?" I would get it if the place was busy. But I was the only neglected. Maybe because I had decided to dine by myself that they thought I shouldn't be attended to? So I order the soup. Just as I begin to eat, the waiter SLAMS the check on the table. I guess you assumed I wasn't going to order anything, have not once asked me if I needed anything? I shrugged it off. Placed my card on the check book. Not once does he approach me. I had to leave my table and just ask the hostess. I immediately ask her, "How does tipping work here? Is it split between the bus boy, the person serving the water, or does it go directly to the waiter?" She replied it went to the waiter. No, no, no. I REFUSE to tip someone who gives such horrible service. Instead, I told her I wanted to tip the busboy and person serving the water. (Thanks dude for keeping my glass of water full every time!) There reappears my waiter? Does it take you that long to realize I'm gone? I tipped 8 dollars. I instructed the hostess it be split, but by that time the waiter had taken the check book out of my hand. If he took the 8 dollars, what a shame. Didn't deserve it one bit. Good food. My dish was about 7 dollars. Horrible service.
(1)Michael Kay K.
This is some of the best Chinese food around. What I like about this place is that it's true Chinese without being ULTRA authentic, cuz personally I think ULTRA authentic Chinese food is disgusting. Sorry China, the truth hurts. I get called short fat dude all the time, it's bruising to the ego, each time. I like getting a won ton soup, a fish dish, a pork, a chicken with cashews and a beef (without broccolli). Noodles and a fried rice to top it off and you're ready to rock. I like the classy upscale style they give off here too. A step above the basic Chinese restaurant without feeling like you are in a vault. 5 stars, easily.
(5)Steve K.
Great chinese food at an incredible price. So many reviews match my enjoyment of the dishes, I won't bother retyping what you may have already read. For work, I regularly takes members out for lunch to explain benefits and regulations. For the quality of food, the amount of food, the prompt and attentive service and more than reasonable price, this is always a crowd pleaser.
(4)Frederick W.
This is the first time here and i absolutely love it. I will be coming back. I love the service, you can tell they love their clientele. The place was clean, and quiet. Food tasted very fresh and vibrant with flavors and the staff was very willing to help with the decision as to what we should try...i want to try the whole menu. Its been a while since i have received service like this...it is well appreciated.
(5)Cynthia Y.
Let me start off with, I am Chinese =) Came in here for lunch with co-workers to treat our boss. Minus 1 star for not giving us a pot of tea I'm accustomed to. The menu has mainly Americanized Chinese food. Not bad, def not Panda Express quality though, about a step or two above =) what do you expect in Burbank? This isn't the SGV. Service in American standard would be average to below average, to me I think it was acceptable like any other authentic Chinese restaurant. We always had to flag someone down to help us. They refilled your drinks only when you ask, which I expected, but to my coworkers, they didn't appreciate that. Food, we ordered about 5-7 dishes. The dishes I most remember are the filet beef, sizzling chicken, and orange shrimp. All were tasty but filled with so much MSG, I gulped down 2 glasses of water! Plenty of leftovers. i think the total for the 5-7 (not sure) dishes, rich, soup, and a few soft drinks the total was less than $100 & there were 4 of us. Not bad. Overall not bad for a non-traditional Chinese restaurant with typical Chinese service :)
(3)Cristina M.
Authentic, Chinese cuisine, better than the fancy place down the street and at affordable prices! This was a regular place of my Dad's - his absolute favorite Chinese restaurant. I have not been able to go back since he passed away, but I was never disappointed when I went. My favorite is their honey-walnut shrimp! Deeeeeelicious! My daughter LOVES their chicken cream corn soup and my husband loves their beef & broccoli. All-in-all, you get authentic food, reasonable prices, a warm setting and a great staff. If you go often enough, they will get to know you and cater to you. My Dad was a regular and they knew where he liked to sit, what he liked to drink and always asked about the family. You don't get service like that much these days, so finding it is like striking gold. I hope I'll be able to return soon and I hope they have a big plate of honey-walnut shrimp waiting for me! YUM!
(4)Arpy M.
Uh yea, I'm starting to really question why I rely on Yelp reviews. Went here for lunch, I was really craving chicken corn soup, so figured what the hell...I'll get the lunch special. The soup was eh....nothing to rave about. I ordered the Kung Pao chicken lunch special, this comes with an egg roll and 2 wontons. The egg roll was pretty much the only decent item, and considering just about ANYTHING is delicious deep fried, that doesn't say much. I didn't like the taste of the corn soup all that much. The Kung Pao chicken had diced chicken. If it's anything I've learned in my years of eating fake Chinese food, diced chicken is a BAD sign. They hide all the nasty fatty pieces with the diced chicken. The fried rice just looked like white rice with a sprinkle of soy sauce, flavorless and bland. I won't be returning, and dammit Yelpers...some of us depend on you for legit reviews......gone ruined my lunch....
(1)Robert D.
this is the best chinese food in town. It is much better than PF changs. this place has the best orange chicken ever!!!!!!!. I got here for my birthday everytime. THe only that i would change about the place is the prices. its a lil pricy just like pf changs. if it was cheaper i would go there like everyday and get fat.
(5)raheela k.
Who knew this baby was hiding out by IKEA? Not I, that's for damn sure. And you know what? Sometimes after a long, hard day of shopping at IKEA - which is a freaking mission in and of itself with all the children everywhere and the distracted parents that will not move their spawn out of the way of my mighty cart (be forewarned - I am not afraid to run a toddler over! Joke!! Kinda?) - yeah sometimes after that I need something that's NOT an IKEA hot dog. And this place fits the bill! The Orange Chicken is so beyond good. And I didn't even think I liked orange chicken, so this was a real WTF moment for me. But have no fear, world - I'm a convert! Also the Chef Special Beef Mignon - I'd run over a child with my shopping cart for that, or on a less psycho note just remind myself I will NEVER be a vegetarian. Last and definitely not least - the Sweet and Pungent Shrimp - good good God - yummy. So yeah, I kinda liked it.
(5)Wen S.
Panda Express in disguise! I will never come back again.
(1)Leticia D.
food was okay but i have had better Chinese food, the portions are large which was great for my daughters but the food seemed a little greasy to me.....
(2)Arman H.
I had never actually been to the restaurant- only ordered out. Regardless, quality food. Whether this is real chinese food or just the American concoction- WHO CARES, it tastes good. Probably the best orange chicken I've had. They're noodles are great too. Sesame beef is my favorite dish there. They do have TVs in the bar area if you want to watch the Lakers demise. I don't think my glass of water was ever dry. Recommend.
(4)Sharon S.
Fast delivery and good food!
(5)David T.
I don't go to this restaurant often, but I have gone here a few times a year over the past several years. This place has remained good in my opinion and has not really changed much over the years. This is typical Chinese restaurant with some Americanization. It is not cheap, but you get what you pay for. I think it has remained popular in Burbank for quite a while now. This restaurant serves good Chinese food, and chances are that you will have leftovers. Check it out!
(4)Scott G.
I hate to say this... but all Chinese food taste about the same to me. Panda Express tastes about the same as Gourmet Chinese that is twice the price. Seriously folks, take a blind egg-roll challenge and feel what I'm saying. That said, at least the service is fast at Gourmet 88.
(3)Julio C.
I've been reading through some reviews that make claims about Gourmet 88's "inauthenticity" as opposed to, perhaps a restaurant in Chinatown "or other ethnic neighborhoods." Sure, if this is what you want, then by all means stick to eating at ridiculously delicious hole in the wall restaurants in ethnic neighborhoods. I mean, there are some seriously ridiculously good hole in the wall restaurants if you take the time to look around. However, I don't see any reason to fault a delicious restaurant in downtown Burbank for the fact that it does not comply with some abstract and incomplete standard of authenticity... In fact, you could say that any ethnic restaurant in Burbank that tries to hide from or somehow mask its Americanization is, in some sense, less "authentic" than a restaurant that acknowledges its status as a Chinese restaurant "with a unique Californian twist." Additionally, the fact that we can label a restaurant authentic or inauthentic does not, ultimately, make the food any more or less delicious. The bottom line is Gourmet 88 serves some tremendously delicious sweet and pungent shrimp, really really good orange chicken, and great dumplings. It's a place that is relaxed, fun to go to both on the weekend for a date, or weekday with the family (or weekend with the family). It is not overly stuffy or unnecessarily pretentious, and the food is satisfying. For me, that goes a long way...
(5)Mrs. J K.
This place is always one of the top choices when we have family gathering or birthday treats. The food is consistently tasty for being in the non-Chinese neighborhood and they are children-friendly too. At least on those visits, they offer Zoo Pal plates and plastic cups with covers. The other review mentioned that they did not appreciate that they had to flag the servers down. I really feel there is no big deal when I would initiate to get their attention, instead of coming be by every 10-15 minutes to check up on us.
(4)Louie F.
This restaurant has definitely gotten better over the years. Originally, when Gourmet 88 opened, I didn't think that their food was anything special. Today however, 88 is serving up some of the best Chinese food in Burbank. One can tell that each item is prepared to order, as it is placed on your table steaming hot. Their orange peel chicken is served crisp and coated in a delicious citrus glaze, while the rice is fluffy and cooked perfectly. For those carb-counting, 88 also offers brown rice in place of traditional steamed white rice. It is hard for me to imagine a dish that didn't taste good or left me feeling disappointed. The changes that have been made since 88's inception have definitely been for the better. The atmosphere is warm and inviting while the serving staff does well to accommodate even the pickiest of dietary needs. The bar pours pretty stiff drinks that live up to their above average price. This restaurant is great when it comes to accommodating large groups or special gatherings and parking is fairly easy, given their downtown Burbank location.
(4)Karen F.
Since I relocated to Burbank, I've been trying to find a great Chinese delivery, but still, I'm searching. Gourmet 88 is the best so far....but it's far from the best. The food is hot, fresh with efficient delivery, but it's missing flavor and the price is a little high based on the portions they give.
(3)Salimah D.
After a great movie and some amazing shopping on the Burbank strip our date night was topped off by some great eats over at Gourmet 88. This place was a pleasant and welcomed surprise, I only know what I've read on Yelp and you guys were right....unreal! We started off with the hot and sour soup, I ordered the orange chicken and my guy ordered the filet mignon. Everything that came to our table was not only visually beautiful but so deliscious. Everyone that came to the table was helpful, professional and polite. I can't wait to be back in the area to try the things I didn't get a chance to try the first time. I'm very excited about finally getting a chance to try Gourmet 88 and I'm even more excited to try it again.
(5)Kaitlin W.
If you are a vegetarian, do NOT go here. Not only were we served soup with chicken in it after we explained that we were vegetarians, but we were also refused alternate soups free of charge. We were still charged for the meat dishes, too, and were never given any apologies. Finally, I'm at least 90% sure my vegetable dish was made with chicken broth.
(1)Orsolya D.
I've learned an important lesson and I decided it is pertinent that I share my new-found wisdom with the rest of Los Angeles... Here it is: If you are searching for true, tasty Chinese; stick to Chinatown or other ethnic neighborhoods. The valley has disappointed me numerous times with their "Chinese" offerings. It's an insult to even call it Chinese... Gourmet 88 is another bland, overly-Americanized Chinese establishment. Do Chinese restaurant chefs not realize that some of us like spice and flavor and in fact, WELCOME IT?! Apparently, not. I ordered the Pineapple Chicken combo which came with Hot and Sour soup, an egg roll, a fried shrimp wonton, and the main dish. The soup was a bit too similar in texture to semen and tasted like it, as well. The egg roll was too skinny with a flavorless interior but at least it wasn't too greasy or dry. The wonton was great. However, the shrimp tasted straight out of an imitation shrimp can. As for the Pineapple Chicken? Bland and boring! The menu stated that the this was "hot and spicy". Well, not sure where that factored in but it was neither. The pineapple chunks were large but infrequent (why call it Pineapple Chicken, then?). My boyfriend ordered the Garlic Chicken. This had a bit more flavor and was therefore less bland but it wasn't garlic flavor, in the least. Perhaps, extra soy sauce. Service was great. Very pleasant, fast, and constantly re-filling drinks or asking if we needed anything. Plus, the prices are superb. The combos (with aforementioned extras) average $12 and are quite filling (if you actually eat the bland food). Our total bill was only about $25. Not a horrible experience but probably about the same as a Panda Express. I'd rather eat the dog that the Chinese are known for eating than these bland concoctions...
(3)Christian D.
Well, they try really hard, so you cant fault them, but there are a lot of things wrong. I mean by far the best dish is the Orange Chicken that they have, salads are ok, and the miso soup is not that good. I much rather go to Wokcano that is down the block....http://www.yelp.com/biz/wokcano-burbank#Âhrid:6MnqD7OdmkVs6a4mJccUpA/src:search/query:Âwokano I just think their white sheets and everything is a little tacky, and the workers should work on their manners a little, I just dont get that friendly restaurant atmosphere maybe the seating is too close i cant pin point their fault but i know theres a few....anyways, take it or leave it! 3 stars! Thanks For Reading
(3)Samuel P.
In my 36 years of life I have found that Chinese Food lovers fall into 2 Super-categories with a wide variation of sub-categories in each one. But basically you like your Chinese Food "Authentic" or "Westernized." I am in the "Western" camp. Don't get me wrong the staff here is truly authentic. From the waiters to the management to the cooks (everything but the new hostesses) which you could take to mean that this is an authentic chinese place, but when I think of "Authentic" I think of China Town where the food is swimming in a shiny film of something, maybe MSG. I don't know, don't wanna know. Anyway, if you like that style I won't judge you. You be you, as they say. This place is not that. This place is clean, the food and the setting. I have been eating at Gourmet 88 since it was at it's old location in Glendale, behind the Yoshinoya on Colorado and Brand. They had carpeted walls back then, I remember thinking how cool that was. And even though the quality has slightly diminished since those days it has not lost a star yet. The Lemon Chicken is like none other. Test me. Line up the lemon chicken from Gourmet with the dishes of the same name from all the places in a 50 mile radius. I dare you. Not even close right? By the way you could have invited some friends to help you with the test. The combination Pan-Fried noodles is also excellent. I've been on a Pan-Fried noodle quest all my life (I can tell you where to find it cheaper and comparable) and though others come close, this is still the best. They have been here in Burbank for a long time. While other neighboring locations have opened and closed eateries five times over. Gourmet 88 goes on strong. Try it. If you don't like it you might be in the other camp. P.S. They have Lazy Susans on the big tables. P.P.S. Is that what they're called? Or are they Lazy Sallys?
(5)Amanda K.
I love this place. The food is fresh, tasty, and amazing. The servers are very nice and are on top of refills every time. The pineapple ice cream is the best way to end the meal. My usual order? A coke, corn soup, Spare Ribs, Orange chicken with rice, chicken pan friend noodles, and pineapple ice cream. You can't go wrong :)
(5)Jessie M.
Not bad, not great, just your typical suburban Chinese restaurant. Good sweet and sour soup, also enjoy their honey shrimp (i think?). I go with my family, but I wouldn't go on my own.
(3)Mike S.
Our new Xmas tradition: crispy duck and noodles at Gourmet 88! The year we discovered Chinese Tukey
(4)Bree M.
Because we live in Burbank, and because we are moving soon, we have decided to try all of the local flavors. Gourmet 88 Being one of them. One day, round lunch time, I was hunkering for some rice, as I so often do, so my honey said, "Let's try Gourmet 88." We did and I'm better for it. I ordered the Almond Chicken Combination plate with Wonton Soup, and he had Orange Flavor Beef with hot and sour soup. Each dish came with more food than we could eat and everything was fresh and piping hot. His hot and sour soup was the best I've ever had. Hell, I don't even like Hot and Sour soup, and I finished his bowl!! The service was a litte stiff, but very polite, and the restaurant was very clean and smelled of fresh food aromas escaping from the kitchen. They had Olympic Hockey on the TVs in the little bar BONUS! They also have a family favorite- Sizzling rice soup!!!
(4)Blusean V.
The food isn't authentic Chinese, but it was alright. We had lunch here as a group of 20 (!!!) to celebrate a co-worker's birthday. The host was very accommodating and helpful especially with our big group. They gave us the two big, round tables in the back of the restaurant. Very cozy! As for the food, we ended up ordering around 19 entrees, including steamed rice, and a couple of big bowls of soups and did it 'family style'. The bill ended up costing around $15 each, so it was on the expensive side. The food was average, though the Walnut Shrimp (which I always get in any Chinese restaurant) was pretty good. Apparently, if you say your party is celebrating a birthday, not only do they serve you a scoop of ice cream (green tea ice cream, usually), they also take a picture of you and your group (yes, they were able to fit in all 20 of us in the picture), and give you a copy to take home. Simple, but a nice touch, I thought. I've definitely been to better Chinese restaurants, but I can't deny that the service we received was quite good.
(3)Marilyn M.
We were three people and ordered a different dish each to taste everything. We had the Orange chicken, Sweet & Sour Chicken and Kung Pao chicken. Everything was good, but the Orange chicken was the best! The girls also ordered the mint chocolate dessert. They REALLY liked it.
(4)Jake C.
this place is ok its one of those places that makes the dough with a little chicken inside. 2 stats just because my wife kinda liked her food. service was not that great either had to get up and go to the bar for a refill. I will try not to return
(2)Scotty R.
Gourmet 88 is not only a great place for "date night" but it's an awesome place for the family to have lunch or dinner. My recommendations include (but are not limited to): The Orange Chicken (the best in the city), The Sweet & Pungent Shrimp, The Filet Mignon, The Citrus Scallops (WOW!) and the Crab Soup. :-) The service was spectacular - I never had to ask for anything - the wait staff had all of the right recommendations for my palette. I can't wait to go back to Gourmet 88.
(5)Mary B.
BEST LUNCH IN DOWNTOWN BURBANK. You want bang for your buck? This is the place. Excellent Chinese food. Wonderful, professional waitstaff. Fast - like NYC fast. Love this place. Huge portions too.
(5)Daniel C.
No delivery before 5?? Come on people really. The website says nothing about this heck even the delivery coupon starts at 3:00 so I would really think that it would be delivering at 4:00. So after getting orders from everyone on my production crew I went to place an order only to find out I couldn't. I really wanted to like this place, ate there before the the food was average but the convenience had me trying it again. Oh well too bad gourmet 88 and thank you "Great WOK" as always the food was great and you actually deliver before 5:00
(1)Jacob L.
This is currently my favorite chinese restaurant in the Glendale/Padadena/Burbank area. Love the food and service from Gourmet 88. Couple caveats though so it is clear what I am giving them 5 stars for: I like both spicy and non-spicy chinese food - if you're looking for spicy, like some real sczechuan dishes, this is not the place for you. I also am not that into authentic mainland china chinese food - I prefer westernized chinese restaurants. Favorite dishes from here are the minced chicken with lettuce wraps, chicken with black mushroom and the yang chow fried rice. Prices are reasonable and they do everything equally well as take out which I frequently get. Only hassle is parking near the restaurant as it right on the busiest section of San Fernando Blvd in Burbank. They also do delivery but never tried that - I always prefer to go pick up.
(5)Sade C.
Was not at all impressed by this resturant. Food was sub-par and the wait staff was somewhat rude to me and my family. Food portions definitely were not worth the cost. I will not be returning to this establishment.
(1)Tiffany G.
Solid 3 stars, maybe a 3 1/2. Authentic Chinese food and surprise a full bar! We went for Christmas dinner and it was crowded but everything moved along smoothly. We sat in the little bar booths up front which I preferred to the big open dinning room. The staff was friendly. We are vegetarians. We had the green beans which really were tasty. Vegetable rice and the pan fried noodle dish. Next time i will get the steamed noodles. All good, but not off the charts great. I like it much better the PF Chang's down the street.
(3)Julie N.
If you're looking for American style Chinese food in the Valley and you have a big group with you, there are not too many to choose from. Gourmet 88 can accommodate big groups, is clean and the food is decent. Service is a little slow because they don't have enough employees, but the waiters are nice guys. I don't recall all the dishes that were ordered, but we had many with seafood and it was all fresh and tasty. Julie thought the hot spicy eggplant dish was delicious. I'm a picky guy when it comes to noodles and I have to say their soft noodles did not meet my high standards. It was a little too wet and lacked flavor. Bathroom was clean and you should park in the north lot on Orange Grove just east of San Fernando Road.
(3)Kyle S.
The service here was very good. Pretty much everyone that worked here greeted me and my bf in a matter of seconds after stepping foot inside the door. We ordered the walnut shrimp with combination fried rice, i would never get either of those again from here. The rice was plain and the shrimp was just lathered in mayo. It grossed me out. I loved how fast the food came out and how attentive the waiters were, i will be willing to come back and try another dish.The prices were kind of high, but You get 10% off for mentioning yelp!
(3)Jimmy N.
Every time I walk by Gourmet 88 I'm always thinking it's this hipster Chinese joint where import models are go-go dancing on neon wrapped poles and Chinese businessmen are eating orange chicken with their hands... Nope! I'm only saying this because the front of it looks as if it was part of the BLADERUNNER set. Once inside Gourmet 88 is a fairly traditional looking Chinese restaurant. Our service was pretty good and me and my buddy, Umair, had the walnut shrimp and pineapple chicken. He wanted to get the orange chicken and broccoli beef, but I slapped some sense into him. He's always ordering the same old tired shit! I really did lean over and slap him twice (backhand first). Prices aren't bad, but the place is clean and the service is friendly. If you're an Asian dude and want to take your white girlfriend to some place that won't scare her, Gourmet 88 is the place!
(3)Chris P.
Inexpensive and fast. Perfect for a quick lunch away from the office. Of the handful of Chinese restaurants on the San Fernando strip in this part of Burbank, I think this is the best. They tend to offer pretty mild dishes though so if you like your food with a kick, I recommend you order "extra spicy" (even for the ones with the little spicy pepper next to the dish on the menu). I don't what this place looks like for dinner or on the weekends, but I have never had to wait for a table during a weekday lunch.
(3)Jack M.
Went this evening after a movie, Ordered Sliced Chicken in Garlic and Orange Chicken as well as Sweet and Sour soup. To start, the service was descent. The prices wasn't that great. for an extra few bucks you can walk down the street and have PF Chang. The Sweet and Sour Soup smelled of uncooked food and had a very oily texture. The Orange Chicken was pretty tasty and the Garlic Chicken lacked garlic flavoring. They honored a 15% coupon which was pretty nice. I probably will not be going back, and would maybe recommend take out or catering, not dine in.
(2)Jim G.
Very good chinese food....really like the Hot and Sour Soup with a dab of their mustard sauce. The service is always very attentive, never intrusive. Nice ambience inside, very clean, great location in Burbank. Can get busy on weekends. Great place for groups. Recommend the Garlic Chicken and Beef Broccoli, still other dishes to try as I only make it here a couple of times a year. I've never been disappointed though and it's always on the list of 'to go' places when I'm in the neighborhood with friends.
(4)Felicity L.
Amazing restaurant. Voted best in L.A.It is everything I expected and more,we were celebrating my birthday and brought six friends.Everybody raved about the food,I will be back,SOON!!!
(5)Kara K.
Love this place, the price is right and the starter spare ribs are so good! I've been there 3 times so far and the food has been tasty! Plus, the staff is always friendly!
(5)Mark M.
Good tasting Chinese food. Always tasted and great service.
(3)Todd R.
Great fucking chinese food outside of san gabriel valley!
(5)Eli M.
An old friend called and wanted to do lunch. I was puzzled because he wanted to eat some chinese food in Burbank! Well I will not go back to Frontier Wok. Fronteir Wok was strange, the kind of place you would find near Knotts Berry Farm for some weird reason. Anyways. Doug suggested that we could go over to Gourmet 88 in Burbank, I'm down with trying a new place, especially if i never even heard of this place near work. We started off with an assorted plate of appetizers yelp.com/biz_photos/7ay3… Fried Shrimp, Shanghai Egg rolls, Paper wrapped chicken, BBQ spareribs, Teriyaki Beef. We then continued with a bowl of Hot & Sour soup yelp.com/biz_photos/7ay3… nice and sour for a change. One of Doug was telling me that one of his all time favorite dishes here at Gourmet 88 is Sweet & Pungent Shrimp yelp.com/biz_photos/7ay3… . The waiter suggested that we should try the Chef Special Beef Mignon (black pepper sauce) yelp.com/biz_photos/7ay3… , he was right this Filet Mignon dish was very tender and tasty. Great choice!! one for the waiter!!
(3)Karin A.
Two Words: LEMON CHICKEN.
(4)Gracefullyhappy S.
great lunch specials...choice of $5.99 or $7.99 lunch. tasty and good quantity for the price. really yummy!
(4)Stephy S.
Hmm, well, let's see, it's food. It, um, well, it filled me up. It was cooked and um, well, it wasn't bad. And, um, yeah. That's about all I can really say about the food here. And if you've read any of my other reviews, you'll probably hear many descriptive and colorful words used to sum up the culinary experiences I've had with key precision and accuracy. Here however, eh, it's food. Nuff said.
(2)Tin B.
The food was okay, nothing special. I've had better.
(2)Shannon F.
My boyfriend and I have been to this restaurant at least 25 times over the years. We LOVE it. The atmosphere is nothing special, nor is the service (it's professional, but after 25 times no one knows our names), but the food is consistently good--sometimes even excellent. Their Mushu is the best I've had anywhere, and I have eaten Mushu at at least a dozen other restaurants. Their eggplant is divine as well. If you want a consistently good experience at a terrific price, this place will not let you down.
(4)raffi b.
I love this place. I go there ones a month.
(5)Elfren B.
The food here was pretty good but nothing spectacular. But what made this place great for me was the atmosphere and the service. The waiters were helpful and gave pretty good recommendations. They work very hard to make sure that you are having a good eating experience.
(4)M N.
This place is overall MEH....with a side of BLEHH Seriously if you're looking for awesome Chinese food, this ain't it. Unless you're into foods like what they have at Panda Express, then you came to the right place. I came here for lunch and I ordered their chicken with garlic sauce combo. The soup was ok...and the entree was a decent portion. Unfortunately, there was no hint of garlic in the sauce. Maybe they forgot it like they forgot my coworker's order of Coke? A wild idea came to my mind at that moment: Was it possible that they only have 2 basic sauces in the kitchen, like a "dark sauce" and a "light sauce"? I wouldnt be surprised if they used the same sauce for the kungpao dish........Could they be that lazy?? Whoa Keanu, this is blowin my mind! I might've entered the matrix of crappy chinese food.... O_o (You're better off going somewhere else for Chinese.)
(2)Erika D.
This is our go-to place for Chinese food. Depending on what day and what time of day you go you'll get either the really helpful waiters or just so-so service. We've been there when it is really busy and the wait staff have been attentive and great and then we've been there early in the evening when it has been slow and the waiters were not on task, though nothing terrible. Our toddler loves the pineapple fried rice with chicken and shrimp.
(4)Christi D.
I would rate it at 4.5 stars, but they won't let me :) NOTE: This is Mandarin Chinese - Americanized for sure - I happen to like it like that!! I am not a fan of authentic Chinese, Japanese or Mexican food. I like the way American's do them!! :) Service: The waiters are all very nice but I don't think they have enough of them during lunch time. The service was not sub-par, just not the best I've ever had. We actually had three different men help us at the table. Food: Ahhhhhhhh yes! We had paper wrapped chicken and fried dumplings - both were fabulously seasoned and not too salty. Entrees: Mongolian Beef & Sweet & Sour Chicken. Great seasoning and hot to the table too. Only thing is I asked ahead of time which chicken dishes were fried - he said all of the chicken was stir fried. I do not think he understood what I asked. The sweet n sour chicken was fried chicken - then they stir fry it (LOL). So although it was mighty tasty - I was expecting a grilled type chicken instead of deep fried. Very tasty that fried stuff! :) :) the Mongolian beef was a thicker cut than most places and seasoned very well - the ginger was so good too in the dish. I can't tell you how pleased I was at the taste of all the food we had. We look forward to trying more dishes soon!! :) Parking situation: Sucks (Downtown Burbank...come on!!) There is a parking garage for the restaurant behind it...however, you have to walk all the way up and down the parking garage and then walk around the block to get to and from the restaurant. Convenience is not the key here - give yourself an extra 10 minutes at lunchtime to accommodate the inconvenience (seriously not kidding here!).
(4)Daniele S.
Good chinese food, nothing gourmet. They are pricey for the food you get and I would say that's where they loose the stars for me. Plus parking can be inconvenient at best. Their Kung Pao Shrimp is definitely the reason for returning over and over again to this place. The reason they get 4 stars is because wait time is usually not an issue, the wait staff is great, the food comes out quickly and is extremely fresh and succulent regardless of what you order. Everything i have ever had here is cooked to perfection and savory. Great family style restaurant.
(4)Janine L.
The food here is great for the price. I think the bill comes out to be 7 or 8 dollars for a lunch that includes soup, main entree, wontons, and spring rolls. They also have a wide selection of food. Usually its not too busy, it takes a while sometimes to flag down a waiter if you need anything, but for the price and quality I'm willing to overlook it.
(4)Judy C.
First of all I would have to say that I have NEVER had passable edible Chinese food in all of Los Angeles until I eat at "The Gate". Friendly staff, clean restaurant and restrooms not a whole in the wall place. I love Chinese food and I know good Chinese food. For Chinese food in California this place is the boom-big-a-dee. I travel from South Redondo Beach to Burbank just for the food. I always get the chicken broccoli, hot braised shrimp and mu shu chicken. The egg drop soup is great too.
(5)Troy T.
I am not a fan of Chinese in the least bit but I went here on a lunch meeting as a client suggestion. I was very surprised at how tasty it was. The person I was having lunch with was familiar with the staff and was Chinese himself so perhaps that made a slight difference in service. Regardless, we ordered 3 items which more food then the two of us good eat but was good for sharing and the price was very fair. We ordered the Hot and Sour soup, the Yangs Fried Rice and the Garlic String Beans. While Chinese is obvisouly not the healthiest of dining, this order I felt was fairly healthy and along with the kitchens preperation it appeared and tasted not only very good but healthy. Unlike most places the food was not oily, overcooked, or over anything. Maybe a lot of garlic on the string beans but they say garlic is good for you! The Yangs Fried rice is perhaps the tastiest fried rice I have ever had (not a big fan of it either), slightly a little too salty but tasty. The hot and sour soup was great and even the waiter said it was his favorite to order a bowl of. Tasty, Good Price, Casual, and Comfortable. I like!
(3)Giselle L.
One of my favorites in Burbank, the Wonton Soup and Pan fried noodles are delectable. Good service, To-go orders are timely, love love love this place.
(5)Narek Y.
I do very much enjoy gourmet 88 only when they wear their hairnets! We occasionally visit or order gourmet 88 but ive had one experience ill never forget... We found hair in our orange chicken and were very disgusted, with their good service, they were able to refund us the money back but the experience was not a pleasant one. Though this was only one time it will go unforgotten. I wouldnt want to give them a bad rating just for one mistake. Overall they are a good Chinese restaurant. Just keep your eyes open!
(3)Susan T.
gourmet 88 is simply...the best! consistently excellent food--and they deliver! friends and family alike have been very happy with their meals here. friends from as far away as maui have made a special point to come to burbank for gourmet 88. that's saying something.
(5)Jake M.
We've tried about 5 different dishes. The orange chicken is amazing. Bamboo shoots with mushrooms is very good, and the mooshu was enjoyable as well. Some things are better than others, but I've never been disappointed. Very surprised that everyone's ratings have been so low.
(4)Jane L.
Very tasty food with speedy and reliable service.
(4)Sarah A.
the food isn't great, but the waiters are SO sweet :) I don't think I'd return. The orange beef is ..ehh.. and the wontan soup is really, well, awful.
(3)Gregory H.
My go-to Cantonese joint in Burbank. Good and reasonably priced menu, you really can't go wrong with any of the dishes. Have had several chicken dishes (kung pao, cashew, almond) - all good - I think I shall try to roasted duck next time. Friendly staff and fine service.
(4)Allan Christine T.
I really like this place! If you dont like it, you are not ordering the right thing. Location is great! Right next to a starbucks, coffeebean, yogurtland, urban outfitters & movie theater. The food price is better for lunch but I personally don't think it's too bad. I order: sweet&pungent chicken, walnut shrimp, & seafood soft noodles. YUM! Plus, if you have a big party just call ahead and they will reserve a mini private room in the back.
(5)Alexandra B.
I have never been inside Gourmet 88 - this is based only on delivery orders. Gourmet 88 is convenient to where I work, so I have ordered delivery from them several times. I have always been pleased (very pleased, actually) with the food - I enjoy the steamed dumplings, the orange chicken, and the wonton soup especially. The portions are very large, also. The major drawback is that it's very expensive for lunch - it's sort of a special occasion thing. It's the best Chinese delivery I've had in the area, though.
(3)Ap N.
Gourmet 88 is really good. It is not gourmet, but is the best Chinese restaurant I know in the Glendale/Burbank area.
(4)Jane A.
Ugh, if my co-worker didn't prefer going to this place I'd never step foot in here ever again. All the food is over seasoned with soy sauce. It's so salty it's almost bitter. They may be high end on decor and service but the food is mediocre at best. They cater specifically to the western palate. A true chinese foodie knows the difference.
(1)Audrey A.
Tried this place once a couple weeks ago after work. I liked it. Reminded me of the spots I go to in China town.
(3)Mark K.
After a few recommendations, my wife and I ate there last night. We will not be going back. We found both our meals somewhat tasteless. We had Orange Flavored Beef and Almond Chicken. Service was horrible. Waiter first brought me the wrong soup. He filled my water glass once. No one ever came over to our table to ask us how our meal was. Then without asking if we wanted any dessert, he put the check on the table. The only things that were halfway decent was the egg roll and fortune cookie.
(1)James T.
The food here is good and bad. Let me start off with the good. The walnut shrimp is excellent. Doesn't taste too shrimpy like other Chinese restaurants. The sauce is some kind of condensed milk and mayonaiise combo. Well at least thats what it tastes like. The sweet and sour pork is pretty good. Battered generously with a nice tangy sauce. Now the bad: The chow mein is overwhelmed with a lot of that gooey sauce. That would not be bad if it tasted good. Also when you order it pan fried, it's still not that crispy because a) not cooked long enough and b) that gooey sauce. The fried rice is a little greasy but feasible. The chicken is overcooked. Always a little on the jerky side. Long story short with the exception of the walnut shrimp. Most of the menu is generic. The textures are not consistent. Either overcoooked or undercooked. Basically you could get better Chinese food (drum roll please.............................) in China Town.
(3)Millie B.
Gourmet 88 rules! Things I love: 1. Orange Beef 2. Sweet and Pungent Shrimp 3. Moo Goo Gai Pan You get a bunch of delicious food for your money. Enough to have leftovers, for sure. They offer white or brown rice, too! Definitely recommend trying this place, you will not be disappointed.
(4)Sarah P.
I work nearby and often come here for lunch. It's consistently good with a quick turnaround which I appreciate. I pretty much always eat the hot & sour soup with either mushu plate or sweet & pungent shrimp and they are always good. It's true the people always act like they've never seen me before but I don't care- we don't have to be friends as long as my food arrives fast, hot, and yummy.
(4)Charlie C.
Is this even Chinese food? Good thing that I only ordered one item to go, the Gourmet 88 special which was a medley of veggies, chicken, and "lobster." Granted that I didn't taste that much (if any) MSG, and their soup base wasn't laden with cornstarch, this dish was really bland. And $14.95 for the size of a medium-sized Chinese take-out box?? Waaay overpriced.
(2)Big M.
This place is the closest to SGV-authentic Chinese food I've had since I've went to see my friends in the SGV. If you've had Chinese in china-town or in the san gabriel valley than you'll understand and appreciate this gem which is conveniently located here in Burbank. I am glad that this place exists, because there are a lot WORSE spots here in burbank that lack the authentic chinese taste that this place offers. Gormet 88 is GHETTO FABULOUS!
(5)Dariusz W.
Nice place and service Food It could be a bit better for that price! Tough I didn't try all dishes... so The quality might improve. They do delivery and that's a good plus! compare to the other chinese places I've been the food is not as heavy and always fresh Overall 3 stars But is improving... I will recommend this place for dinner...
(3)Sherree P.
The only... and I mean only Chinese restaurant in the SFV to get 5 stars from me. I have been going to Gourmet 88 for over 10 years and they are my favorite by far. I have driven both near and far when having a taste for some good Chinese. Recommendations include: Kung Pao San Yan, Beef and Broccoli, Rice Sizzling Soup, Mu-Shu Chicken, Almond Chicken, and shrimp fried rice.... I would list the entire menu. I have never been dissatisfied with a dish! The place is clean and is never empty. Hope they stick around forever!
(5)Karen Y.
I'm never buying food from Gourmet 88 in Burbank again. I work nearby, and I phoned in an order for some stir-fried veggies and fried rice. I expressly told the order-taker "no meat" for the rice and, as always, had her repeat the order back to me. When the delivery came, I opened up the rice container and saw shrimp, so I called them back and told them that my order has shrimp and I specifically requested no meat. The order-taker put me on hold and a guy came on. Again, I told him that they put in shrimp by mistake, and--are you ready?--this is what he said: "Shrimp is not meat! It is seafood! It swims in the ocean! It is meat only in your mind! If you don't want shrimp, then you should have said, 'No shrimp'!" I don't know what his position was there, but I was shocked by his vehemence and ignorance. Maybe he was abused by vegetarian parents or something, but that is not the right way to handle a misunderstanding, which is what this boils down to. He eventually apologized and gave me credit, but it was only because I was continuously mellow and soft-spoken, which calmed him down. I don't think his view is a Chinese thing, because, um, I'm Chinese and I've never had to deal with any family member trying to feed me seafood when they know I'm a vegetarian. Even at other Chinese restaurants, when I ask if a dish contains meat, they'll say, "It has shrimp." Also, when I visited China, when you request a vegetarian dish, they will exclude not just all meat, including seafood, but onion and garlic as well! Which leads me to conclude that this guy is just a dumbass. Of course, I'm never going to give them my money ever again, and I'm leaving the $7 credit on record so they will see my name on that list . . . forever.
(1)Homer S.
yeah this place needs to seriously lower their prices. their food is does not come close to the places my gf has taken me in the SGV. Avoid this americanized chinese restaurant they must be joking charging this much for non authentic food. I can't believe this place is still around. inside is whatever and service is ok. Haven't been here in ages, I just remember eating here
(2)Dick R.
Today I went with my work and it was much better than before.
(3)Paulette F.
I've lived in/around Burbank nearly my entire life, and finally just decided to try Gourmet 88, which has been there for years. You walk in and there's a really strange division between the host station, bar and main restaurant. Fake marble and glass? Not very appealing. We were seated in a back booth near their semi-private room and kitchen. So it was noisy, with the kitchen noise and the rowdy group celebrating a birthday in the back room. We won't fault them for this. The servers were all men who looked way too weary and frantic for the 10 customers total in the place. It was a little uncomfortable. Then something weird happened: one waiter came to take our order but we weren't ready, but my companion asked for a Long Island iced tea. Then about 10 minutes later a different waiter came and took our order. The food came out pretty quickly after that but we were about another 10 minutes into the meal when the drink finally came. At that point, he didn't want it anymore, having had to wait nearly 25 minutes and being close to done with our food. The food was actually pretty good. I'd order take-out from here, if I were ever in the mood for Chinese again. But there's no way I'm coming back. For a restaurant that uses linen tablecloths and napkins, it has a pretty shoddy look. The decor is mid-80s: yellow wall with strange red accents, fake marble & glass faux-walls. Weird. And the service was just bad. So they get 2 stars for good food, but that's it. UPDATE: I ordered take out from here last weekend and the food was not nearly as good. Minus 1 star for this!
(1)Etoiles D.
i'm floored by the number of people who love this place. 3, 4 and 5 stars? you are all the same tubby losers who inhale msg-laiden americanized take-out with vigor on the daily. maybe you're all two-pack-a-day chainsmokers or employed by Vivid Entertainment and spend the majority of your day with your tongue shoved into someone's sphincter and have lost the ability to taste food (or have blocked your tastebuds from communicating with your brain through hours and hours of psychotherapy b/c you eat anus all day on camera). overpriced oversalted heavy on the MSG canned vegetables used in place of fresh (come on, you're an asian resto - trim down, boil w/rice husks and prepare your bamboo properly -- don't buy canned bamboo shoots from Sysco...losers) even the steamed rice that arrived with our meal was overcooked and dry. HOW do you mess up steamed rice? oh yah, you save the previous night's leftovers and dump them into your steamer with the new rice. GROSS. there are ways to cut costs without these repulsive short-cuts. skip gourmet 88 and eat at PF Changs down the block, in the mall. chances are if you were eating at gourmet 88 to begin with you'll be happy to stuff your face full of more over-priced, americanized chinese food with friendlier service and more parking options.
(1)Aya T.
I've wondered why you can always find a lazy susan on the dining tables in a Chinese restaurant. Came here for a biz-ness lunch and chowed down thanks to the lazy susan. We ordered a ton of things off the menu and everything was delicious. Hot & Sour soup, Mongolian tender beef, Broccoli Chicken, veggie noodles and the fried rice were all good. The Orange Chicken was a hit even though it was really red in color. The vegetarian Mapo Tofu was yummy and had a slight kick to it. There was another tofu dish on the table, comped from the restaurant which was good too, lots of shitake mushrooms. The dinner plate servings were huge and they have a whole lunch special menu that I'd like to check out next time. Gourmet 88 is great in my book!
(4)Marly H.
The delivery was quick and simple. There were no problems with ordering; however some of the food was good and some was not great. I'd say this place is hit or miss. The walnut shrimp were delicious - better than most places. They weren't overly covered in gunky messy mayonnaise, but had just the right amount of sauce. The walnuts were crunchy and perfect. We also got the steamed dumplings (vegetable) which were horrible. Pot stickers/dumplings are one of my favorite things to get at a Chinese place, but these were just bad. Even if they had been pan fried they still would be bad. The mu shu was just ok, better than the chow mien, which was less then memorable. The string beans with garlic were tasty, but too much garlic. Overall, I'd say I'll be looking for another delivery place for my Chinese. While it was reliable and speedy, that wasn't enough to make up for the mediocrity of the food as a whole.
(2)D W.
this place had a nice menu and seemed to be quite busy, so we decided to try it... once we sat down it took 15 minutes before a waiter showed up, and only after we asked the host to find someone... the soup and egg rolls were ok, but nothing special... the mushu vegetable was good... but the kung pao chicken was quite fatty.. when i asked the host about the fat on the chicken he questioned me, and tried to explain it by saying something about the spices... either way he did take this off the bill... both my friend and i had stomach aches after eating here... perhaps for some people it is worth giving the restaurant a second chance...
(2)Shelly C.
I live in Monterey Park and have a great selection of yummy chinese food. However, there aren't any restaurants around here that I can be dressed up and not feel out of place before a night out with my boyfriend. I love the service here. They are fast and did not mind taking some special request on food. I totally recommend the sweet and pungent shrimp, hot and sour soup, and the duck with buns (forgot the actual name). They even have brown rice. I know they are like Americanized Chinese food but I so love it. Funny thing, I am usually one of the few Chinese customers.
(5)Jonathan K.
yes, virginia, there is a chinese restaurant in burbank! well, maybe i should put "chinese" in quotes. :D it's one of those chinese restaurants where non-chinese people wayyyy outnumber chinese people--so that should tell you something. my aunt says it's like panda inn or p.f. chang's in that it's definitely an americanization of authentic chinese food. don't get me wrong--i actually like americanized chinese food (yes, i am chinese lol). the lemon chicken was quite good, and i liked the beef with snow peas, too. definitely not what you're going to get in a "real" chinese place, but you knew that coming in, right? so yes. you ARE NOT getting real chinese food! if you're ok with, and expecting, bastardized chinese, you'll like. so i'm giving it 4 stars. otherwise, if i'm to judge this against "real" chinese places, i'd give it a 2. but alas, if you're going here, you probably wouldn't like "real" chinese places ;) oh yeah. they put lemon in the ice water. :\
(4)William C.
We are in Toluca Lake and were ordering lunch from Toluca Gardens. Once we tried a delivery from Gourmet 88 we never went back. It takes about 50 minutes for them to get across Burbank, but it is well worth it. As far as I can tell, this is the best Chinese in Burbank.
(4)Rogue X.
I would say this is slightly better than many Chinese restaurants of its ilk. We had the sweet and sour pork (too battered and too drenched in sauce), sweet and pungent shrimp(very good), and the 'assorted appetizers'(excellent, especially the beef skewer and I usually don't like Chinese food beef), for a total of $37. Next time I would not get the sweet and sour anything but there are many options that sound pretty good. Will definitely go again.
(4)Mario G.
The food here was just OK. We have not returned because they are RUDE and did not treat us right. We tried going several times thinking it was just a fluke but NOT. They are rude to their customers and not very nice. Thanks but I will spend my money some where else that appreciates its customers.
(1)Art A.
You go to gourmet 88 not for the cheap food or the amazing service (because those two don't really exist there), you go to Gourmet 88 for the food. I'll put up with a somewhat impolite waiter (they're not rude, they just don't go out of their way to be nice) and pay a few bucks extra and have really good Chinese.
(4)Scott B.
Fairly average chinese fare with a fairly high price tag. The restaurant itself is pretty nice, but the food itself is nothing to write home about. That said, if you're in Burbank and want a nice sit-down Chinese food experience, Gourmet 88 is a good choice.
(3)Yury L.
Service was very quick, my meal (Three tastes - beef/shrimp/chicken + vegetables) was delicious. I like the place. Good for casual dinner.
(5)selina v.
eeek! I remember once I ate at a 'chinese' restaurant in Denver, and when I asked them what kind of sauce they use for my dish- they told me they used 'brown' sauce. So for me, I have since kind of made this as a general guide to Chinese food in USA- a brown sauce or non-brown sauce restaurant. (I hope I am making sense here) For me, this is definitely a 'brown' sauce restaurant. They have forgotten what Chinese food should taste like. It's all a brown mess of cornflour and soy sauce. No proper marinade so my pork chops looked good but had no taste under the brown sauce. All that being said, my friend who was a vegetarian did like his dish so it's not all that bad I guess. But it's really your americanized Chinese food which is fine if you like that.
(2)Kuniklo P.
Gourmet 88 has a lot of tasty dishes, such as the chicken cream corn soup, all the shrimp entrees, and vegetarian items like the hot spicy eggplant. But I don't eat here very often for two reasons: all the food is very salty (more so it seems than most other Chinese restaurants) and the dishes are becoming overpriced. But unless I want to trek out to the San Gabriel Valley or Chinatown, this is probably one of the better Chinese restaurants in Burbank. Look for the menu they send out periodically in the mail (if you're local) because they come with 8 coupons for 15% off of your entire meal.
(3)Eric A.
wow...guess I'm not a good judge of Chinese food after reading the other reviews. This has been my favorite Chinese restaurant in the whole valley area for many years. Someone thought Pick Up Stix was better? Yikes....that food is just gooey and awful. The food at Gourmett 88 is delicious. They have the best steamed dumplings I've had anywhere except in New York City. As for it being Americanized...I'm not so sure about that. Granted, the only authentic food I had was on a trip to Taiwan, but I think that still counts as China. The food there was VERY typical of bad China Town Chinese, with thick sauces...you know, that gelatinous red coating on the Sweet and Sour Pork? Gourmet 88 is not that, that's for sure. It's lighter and better prepared. If anything I think most people are used to and like that stereotypical Chinese food of days gone by when good restaurants like this one and Kung Pao China Bistro, have tried making the dishes more healthy. The staff is excellent, very friendly and very attentive.
(5)G. A.
Its really not that amazing typical chinese place. Food tastes just typical theres really no spark. Their hot and sour soup is just simply gross. its a cute place to hang out with over 8 people but isnt good for a date or so.
(3)Louie D.
Horrible service. Waiter was extremely slow. Meal was not authentic. It is a Chinese restaurant geared towards westerners. Food contained MSG which makes me sleepy.
(1)E S.
Short Version: I think saying 'gourmet' is pushing it. Long Version: The food here is rather bland. And no matter what you order here, the dish lacks imagination. But the presentation is very nice. The service is great and the restaurant is very presentable and clean. But considering all the other restaurants that are mere steps away, you might consider going elsewhere to dine.
(3)Eric L.
We were really surprise how consistently good the food has been. This place has a nice balance of flavors to appease everyone. Their delivery is still as quick as ever. We would order from here again and again.
(5)Phillip L.
This Chinese restaurant serves high quality food with fresh ingredients. I've dined here for years. The food tastes fresh. With some Chinese restaurants, the food tastes like the ingredients came out of a can, a jar or a large metal drum. Believe me, Gourmet 88 is not like that. Some posters have remarked upon what they call the high cost of the food. Sure, many people probably couldn't afford to eat here for lunch everyday, but the prices are comparable to those charged by other sit-down Chinese restaurants. In fact, an entree here is probably a couple dollars less than a comparable dish at a PF Changs. I've heard the complaint that the food served here is not authentic Chinese. I don't understand the criticism. Certainly Chinese food served in a restaurant will be different than the food served in a Chinese household. I can attest to that. The better comparison would be to other Chinese restaurants. You will recognize the same dishes here as in any Chinese restaurant in Chinatown or Monterey Park. For me, the food at Gourmet 88 tastes as good if not better than that served in those Asian enclaves. Also, unlike some other Chinese restaurants, you will not be subjected to the sight of employees taking their meals at the table beside you. That always weirds me out. Nor will you have to see the same old cliched red-and-gold motif or the Lazy Susans so common to other Chinese eateries. I recommend the eggrolls, the three flavor sizzling rice soup, and the chicken with asparagus. However, all the selections I have tried have been good.
(4)Izzy B.
Love the salt paper squid and shrimp. Noodles are ok.
(4)Kelly F.
A favorite restaurant for dinner. We almost always order the same things, sweet and sour chicken (that nice atomic red color), and mongolian beef. Pan fried dumplings are awesome, they take awhile but are worth it. The service has always been great. A large, cozy place.
(4)Jay M.
The place was totally empty when we went, which was why we were well attended to. The food exceeded my standards and the portions were more than I expected. What I found odd was the cocktail menu. I still ordered a mojito anyways. It tasted good, but it didn't go well with the salt and pepper pork (which was really good too). Was it good because of MSG? I hope not.
(4)Armen B.
Food is OK here. Depending who the chef is, it could range from fair to great. Go on busy weekend nights and it should be OK. Bar drinks aren't that great (either too strong or too light). I think the waiters also do the bartending. Prices are kind of high for the area and the type/quality of food.
(3)t k.
Well made, consistently tasty Chinese dishes and good service at reasonable prices. Atmosphere could use some improvement. The lighting is too bright.
(3)Jennifer C.
It is not great...except for the orange chicken! The orange chicken is wonderful and tastes better than any 5 star Chinese place out there.
(3)sina s.
The service was okay, but the food came out too fast. The food was horrible, so much for gourmet.
(1)Romina S.
Absolutely terrible service. I love Gourmet 88 right across the street from Canter's on the west side, but was disappointed at this one. I live in the area and took my friends here based on my experience at the other restaurant. I was so embarrassed! First, they took forever to take our order, then they brought the food out one plate at a time so that the first person who got served had cold food by the time the last person was served. Then the last person served (which was me) was not given the complimentary side dishes included in the combo dinner meal. The server said he was going to bring it out and never did until I stood by the kitchen and insisted. He said they were out and would supplement with something else. The final blow that made me hate this place was that the server literally pulled the plate away from me as I was taking my last bite, asking me after he had placed the plate on top of the others, "Oh, you are done, no?" It was absolutely terrible service. I will never go back there again and I'm proud to say that I did NOT tip here, bad service should not be rewarded.
(1)Arpa S.
OK... Not the best chinese restaurant, but a good place to go. Some of their food isn't the best, but I do enjoy the hot and sour soup, the orange chicken and the shrimp with caramelized walnuts! The prices are pretty affordable, especially for the lunch menu/specials, but even though it's cheap, I don't think it's the best bang for your buck! The soft drinks seemed to be watered down, and the water tasted funny, so I usually stick with the tea. But if you plan on getting water, I usually just ask for a few slices of lemon. Service is pretty fast, but they're kind of passive with the customers.
(3)Danz G.
good food.several dishes i like and the service is good as well.
(4)Aaron P.
Gourmet 88 is my favorite Chinese restaurant in the Burbank area! Everything at this place is delicious! A couple of my favorites are their chicken / asparagus or pan fried noodle dishes. Gourmet 88 is a little more pricey than other places but they do have decent lunch specials that include soup, 2 wontons and an egg roll along with one entree and rice for 6-8 bucks. Even though this place can get busy, it such a large restaurant that the wait time is usually very short. The tables are far enough apart that you have some decent space between the next party so you don't feel cramped at all.
(5)Emily C.
I would probably give them 3.5, but we love their orange chicken which rates a 5. That's probably the main reason we come here! We also like their wonton soup and the kids like the Egg Drop soup. I've never had their lunch special so can't vouch for quality of those, but my family orders take out/delivery from them and we occasionally dine in on the weekends. Service is adequate and efficient though not particularly friendly. Portions are fairly generous and food is consistent. As other have said, non-chain options are limited in Burbank and in that sense Gourmet 88 is one of the better options.
(4)May P.
So normally I'd give this place 2 stars, but I had to give it an extra star for its ridiculously cheap lunch special. The waiters are nice, and you get so much food for $5.99: an entree, served with soup, an egg roll and fried wontons. Plus $1 for a fountain drink! It's not amazing, but it's decent, and it's not greasy. I've had better, but hey, for $6, it's far better than the Panda Express in the nearby mall. I didn't have the soup or the wontons (neither were vegan), but I'd go back and try some other things if I felt like Chinese food and was in the area.
(3)Chris G.
Ordered chicken pan fried noodles for delivery. The noodles came... UNCOOKED. It was just some liquidy soup and veggies on the bottom, and a huge hunk of hard, dry noodles sitting on top. Really? The sad part is that it's not even worth calling up to complain about because I've already lost my appetite. So if you like your prepackaged dry noodles nice and hard and in one giant clump, this is the place to order. Well at least it shows me how they prepare this garbage. Exactly how you prepare 25 cent ramen.
(1)Jen V.
Gourmet 88 is pretty good -it's been difficult finding good Mandarin Chinese (NOT Thai or Japanese, which are a dime a dozen, but CHINESE!) restaurants around here. It has your usual nice sit-down Chinese restaurant interior -silk screens on the walls, comfortable chairs and booths, and large glass lazy-susan discs on the bigger round top tables -which made me a little nervous, because spinning it around with bowls of bright red sweet and sour sauce, and pots of hot tea would normally be a recipe for disaster. The only thing that was missing (a particular piece of ambiance that I'm a fan of) was the Chinese-style covers of 90's love ballads playing softly in the background. In fact there was no music playing at all. The food is great! I particularly loved the crispy wontons that came with my lunch combo -it had curry in it and was a welcomed surprise. I had the kung pao chicken, and although I found the chicken to be on the fatty side, the sauce was delicious. My friends had the sizzling rice soup, and it smelled incredible -plus it was fun hearing the puffed rice hit the hot soup. During the "lunch rush hour", the place wasn't packed at all, which is surprising because of how great the prices are! 6 of us had lunch combos and the bills came to only $40! The staff was very accommodating and friendly, drinks were refilled and the food came out in a timely manner. We asked for some extra sauce and they gave us a soup bowl filled with it!
(4)Raffi S.
Honestly, I really wanted to like this place. I got the felafel and it was a bit on the dry side. The food was bland and lacked flavor, but the service was extremely attentive. Great workers, but I don't think I'd pay as much as I did for a dry, bland falafel palte.
(3)Ann C.
I admit, I had really low expectations for this place. I mean, really... Chinese in Burbank... how good could that be? Well, the jury is in and I have to admit, it wasn't that bad... but, it wasn't mind-altering either. I'm giving them one star over two because, unlike Chinese restaurants of an inferior caliber, their food was not salty or oily. We ordered the pineapple fried rice, sesame beef, and garlic prawns. - The pineapple fried rice looked alot like the garlic prawns, but on a bed of rice and the garlic prawns had bigger shrimp (obviously). The waiter kind of hinted at the fact that the fried rice had chicken and shrimp, but never really said anything about being similar. Nonetheless, when it got to our table and we began to consume everything, we didn't mind. - The garlic prawns were served on a sizzling platter, which was combined at the table and, although unimpressive in display, tasted good. The shrimps were deveined (always a plus) and had that eggdrop noodle quality to it with a dash more of powdered garlic. - The sesame was flavourful and seemingly unauthenticly Chinese, but delicious to the Westernized palate, which I have. All in all, it was a-ok! And, must I have Chinese while in Burbank again, I'd come here.
(3)Courtney D.
We came here for Xmas dinner. I gauge most Chinese establishments based on their sweet and sour. I ordered the sweet and sour chicken combination. The wonton soup was tasty, but we received a fried shrimp instead of fried wonton :( The sweet and sour was ok. The cuts of chicken were in very bizarre shapes and rather inedible for me. Several big brown meat chunks, with a balls of fat attached is unacceptable for me. I'm just not a fan of mystery meat. At the end the waiter brought an fortune cookie and one empty cookie bag, so we only got 1 cookies. Meh. My boyfriends orange beef was good. Still looking for a white meat east coast style Chinese place!
(3)Mary M.
Went here on Mother's Day.. They weren't so busy but service was bad. The waiter seemed like he wanted to rush us out of the restaurant. He gave an attitude when we asked for refill or asked questions about the menu. Food was not bad.
(2)Shannon M.
I came here with my family, and we ordered a ton of food, but the only things I would order again were the asparagus, orange chicken, and hot and sour soup. It isn't the best chinese food you will ever eat, but it also isn't the worst...which equals three stars.
(3)Yoon P.
Mapo tofu made vegetarian, pan-fried vegetable dumplings, and...best of all, pineapple sorbet (vegan)! Sure, it's a little pricey, but it's clean and quick service. They give huge quantity - my boyfriend and I could not finish everything even though we only ordered one entree - that's a first! Definitely would love more vegetarian options. 3.5 stars.
(3)Christine V.
Beeen going to burbank on friday nights for a while & never knew this place existed. Googled for a nearby chinese restaurant and was surprised to find this little gem in burbank. I must say, the restaurant was just like going to chinatown. But entrees are expensive & proportions are a tad bit small for the price. Overall, gooooood foood (:
(3)Gladis G.
Love the food here. I had the chicken and broccoli and it was delicious. I tried my boyfriend order of duck and that was also good. They are very tentative and checking up to see if everything is going well. This place is also nice and big.
(5)Jennifer C.
Great food. Clean place. Helpful staff. Recommendations: -Orange chicken -Chicken cream corn soup -Chefs special filet mignon Will definitely be back! Food is delicious!!
(4)P C.
This is always my favorite stop whenever we are in town. I also brought my American friends to try the dumplings and fried brown rice. Those two dishes are MUST dishes to try. After you eat the fried brown rice, you will not back to the orange colored white rice. In addition, the service is excellent. The waiters are attentive and closed to pampering the customers, polite, and more importantly, pleasant. When I have a large party, I love to be in the room separated from the main dining area. Simply the best in Burbank!
(5)Tina N.
Great Deals on Lunch Speicals.. 5.99 or 7.99 you cant go wrong... This is not your fast food Chinese food place it has style.... If you like gourmet food then you have to try it out...
(5)Servpro Burbank, Chatsworth V.
We called ahead and made a reservation for a large party and we were sat at different tables making it very difficult to enjoy each others company. The service was slow, one person did not receive their meal until after everyone had eaten. We tried to cancel the order but the served it anyway. We ended up sending the steamed dumplings back because they were terrible. I don't recommend this place.
(2)Ann S.
I've been going to Gourmet 88 since ... forever. Seriously, I love their food. We usually order the Three-Flavor Sizzling Rice soup and it's really good, for the most part. The scallop is a bit chewy, but I'm not a fan of scallops anyway. We will follow it up with an entree or two. I recommend the Imperial Shrimp. And they offer brown rice which is fantastic since it allows my boyfriend to feel superior and healthy while I eat the white rice. Look, read, whatever while I was in the hospital the only thing I was jonesing for was the soup (which says a lot considering I'm a chunky monkey and can eat almost anything). For that I thank the fantastic people at Gourmet 88 for taking care of my appetite then! And now.
(5)Maria I.
We ate here at Father's Day..food sucks! Each dish came in 10 minutes interval. By the time fried rice came, 3 dishes were done. I'll never return back to this restaurant. The manager Steve, didn't even want to assist us. We reminded him that we were waiting for our food for 45 minutes and he said we can't do anything because we are too busy. Busy means there should be a long line outside the restaurant. There's nobody even waiting in the reception area. How can you call that busy? Bad manager, slow server and cook! How can you go back to this restaurant?
(1)Marsha G.
Gourmet 88 has the best Chinese food in town! They have great dinners. When I go there with my family, we always start off with soup. Their wonton soups are prepared with perfection. Our usual appetizers that we usually order are moo shu chicken. No complaints there. They have a variety of dishes whether it be beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp, you can't go wrong. Their noodle dishes are truly Asian food at its best! They have all the usual dishes we've come to expect at a Chinese restaurant. There are also vegetarian dishes.
(5)Meredith M.
If my family wants good Chinese food without driving to Chinatown, this is our go-to Chinese restaurant since its close to home. My favorite dishes: -Sesame Beef: Ohhhh maaaahh ghaaaad! Hands down my favorite dish here. The exterior of the beef is crisp while still tender inside; mixed with a tangy tangerine flavored sauce...ohhhh maaaah ghaaaad! :) -Assorted Wonton Soup -Walnut Shrimp -Calamari -Mongolian Beef Their fried rice and pan fried noodles are pretty standard, not much to rave about. The service is quick and efficient and relatively friendly. And yes it is a bit pricey, but since its close to home I guess you could say we're paying for the convenience. The only real bad thing about this place is the limited parking since its located along busy San Fernando Bl jammed in with many other nearby eateries, shops, the AMC 16, and the Burbank mall. Your best bet would be to park at any one of nearby public parking garages or even the mall and walk on over. They offer a lunch specials starting from $5.95, M-F from 11:30am-3pm. If only I worked nearby to take them up on that deal every day, M-F *sigh*
(4)Joy K.
I would give this place a 3.5 My boyfriend's family loves coming here, and it is a good staple chinese restaurant to come to. I wouldn't say the food is crazily outstanding, but it's definitely a good fix if you ever crave good ol' chinese food (Americanized, but still delicious). The reason why I wouldn't come back here by choice is because I feel like some of their stuff is way too sweet. ie if we order orange chicken, it's extremely breaded and the sauce is very very very sweet. But one of my favorite things to eat here is: -popcorn shrimp: very crispy, tasty, on a bed of shredded cabbage and minced jalapenos. -egg drop soup: really really really good! piping out and full of flavor. -broccoli beef: just your normal broccoli and beef, but it's still yummy!
(3)Lo G.
One hour and twenty minutes for local delivery - on a Wednesday? No thanks. Food was bland and boring. My entire family agreed. Never ordering from here again.
(1)Michael S.
I went on Christmas Day, so I knew it'd be busy, but I still had to wait 30 minutes for my table even though I made a reservation weeks ahead of time. I know they have no power over how busy they are, but they weren't prepared for such a big crowd. When we were finally told our table was ready, we were informed they ran out of chairs (there were 12 people in my party). So then we waited another 5-10 minutes with half our party seated and half still standing in the doorway. It took 40 minutes to get water for the table, since we were told they ran out of glasses. We actually got our food before we got our water! The food was good and came out quickly, but having to ask 5 different servers for water and waiting nearly an hour seems ridiculous. Then waiting another 15-20 minutes for tea. Because - of course - they ran out of tea cups.
(2)Timothy W.
Food is terrible, even for the price. It is overly salty and you feel unnaturally full so they obviously use a lot of msg... I felt sick afterwards for about 5 hours. Service is good - some of the waiters don't speak much English, but that comes with the territory.
(1)Bobby C.
Been going to Gourmet 88 for over 20 years but this is my first review of the place. Came here last Sunday for a family get together. I'll start off by saying its not that great for groups over 20 unless you get that private room in the back. Started off with the won ton soup which came luke warm. Sorry but soup needs to be piping hot. We then ordered the mushu pork as an appetizer which was satisfactory. Ordered braised cat fish, garlic shrimp(this is a must), kung pau chicken, fried rice and chow mein. I remember the food being a lot more tasty. Kind of bland flavoring, sort of a mish mosh of the same dish with slightly different sauces. service is actually pretty good. Servers are nice people and informative. I will always come back to this restaurant, mostly for sentimental value. If you are searching for a Chinese restaurant and don't know quite where to look, just stop right here, it will satisfy your cravings
(3)Elen A.
I used to like this place. I was craving for Chinese food and we were in Burbank so decided to eat here. Haven't been here for years. I have to say that I am not coming back here never again!!! This place is HORRIBLE!!! Very RUDE service and the food was extremely GREASY!!! Waiters seem racist since they stare at you while you eat and speak in Chinese like they're talking crap about you. I am surprised that this place can get more then one star. I have also found out they use MSG in their food. Yuck!!!
(1)Connie W.
My first time trying Gourmet 88, and I ordered delivery from Eat24. I was really disappointed. I took one bite of the honey walnut shrimp (my favorite) and had to spit it out! The shrimp smelled and tasted so bad. I was intrigued by the "Kung pao" chicken chow mein (had not seen that before), and it looked well made. However I suspect it was made in a very dirty pan, as it had the odor and taste of stale oil. The potstickers appeared handmade but unfortunately were cold. I also am a little uncomfortable not knowing what they are made of--the choices were vegetables or "meat". Does that mean pork, or what? I am sorry, for the price I had better expectations.
(1)Rocky R.
The greeter at the door was very friendly. Sat down... waited about 15 minutes for a waiter to come by. Upon asking him for details on menu items, he seemed very bored and robotic, almost annoyed. The food took the average time to come out. In the meantime, NO crunchy munchies (or tea) to snack on, as I am accustomed to at my previous Chinese haunt (Fortune Inn - Glendale). Waiter asked if we wanted rice with our order... as if we are going to eat this food plain! Food finally came, and it was just okay. Sweet and sour chicken and Mongolian beef was tasty, but not exceptional. When the bill finally came, could not believe they charge $1.70 for rice. I'm sorry... but shouldn't rice be included with an order in which each item costs roughly $12.50?! They did provide two fortune cookies with the bill, which tasted kind of stale. My fortune is this: NOT coming back here again.
(2)Christine D.
I think their lunch special is a really good deal and was pleasantly surprised with the meal - comes with soup and entree for $5.99 or $7.99 if you opt for more expensive dishes. I had the kung pao chicken and liked it - couldn't even finish the entire meal. Is it greasy? Maybe a tad bit but hello...it's chinese food! But can't beat the value. I definitely will be coming back here for lunch!
(3)Patricia R.
Open on Christmas - great!! Service on this day was beyond horrible. Their excuse, "it's Christmas". I get that but when people after you get their food first, that's not understandable. They just lost a loyal customer. Obviously satisfaction is not always guaranteed as they say.
(1)Charity B.
Favorite is the orange chicken. No other place makes it quite like this one. Fast service, tasty food.
(4)peggy c.
One of my favorite places to eat at! Loved it so much we had them cater to our film shoot- the entire crew and cast really enjoyed it- they were also awesome enough to throw in an extra complimentary dish. I have always felt welcomed by the staff whenever I have come in. Couple of my favorite dishes: -orange chicken - sweet and crunchy -spicy eggplant- not too spicy and great texture -hot and sour soup: definitely a must order- tangy and spicy for sure -lemon scallops- citrusy fat scallops -sweet and pungent shrimp- yes.
(5)Avery S.
This place has delicious food and big portions! I always have a good experience when I go with my family and we've been going for years. The service is great, the waiters are always really nice! I went today and again, A+ service and A+ food for me and mine. Thank you very much!
(5)Nicholas M.
Amazing Chinese food. Amazing service and the best Chinese food I've ever had I go here 2 times a month and I love it. All the waiters know my name and they are so nice. I reccomend it trust me u will too.
(5)Christine N.
Lunch for 7 people and only $54!!! And we are all stuffed. Wait staff was super friendly even though we were extremely loud and obnoxious. Everything I tasted had really nice flavor. Every dish came out piping hot. Orange Chicken - crispy, nice kick of garlic/shallot flavor at the end of each bite Lemon Chicken - might want to ask for the sauce on the side if you don't like a lot of sauce; good flavor overall and chicken was very tender Kung Pan San Yan (chicken, beef, shrimp) - chicken and beef were super tender, good thickness, shrimp was plump and juicy, excellent with the peanuts, sauce wasn't too salty Sweet and Sour Pork - um YUM and it wasn't the fatty parts of pork either Chicken and Asparagus - asparagus was tender but not soggy and had good flavor, chicken was very tender Hot and Sour Soup - very very thick, nice spicy kick at the end of each bite, not the best I've had but still good Fried wontons - what the heck was in that thing? not a fan Egg roll - typical vegetable egg roll Dim lighting but good place for lunch.
(4)Valerie V.
We were in the town center area and wanted noodles. Saw a huge sign that said $5.99 lunch and decided to try. Unfortunately it was 3:30ish and lunch was over at 3pm so we had the dinner pricing. (which is a bit pricey) Restaurant was big and empty 4 tables w/with customers. (it is a Monday) The male server was friendly. We ordered sweet and pungent chicken, combination noodles, yang chow fried rice and mongolian beef tenderloin. It came out quick and fresh! Everything was delicious!! There was sooo much meat, bbq beef chicken and shrimp in both the rice and the noodles. Funny is that my son only eats the noodles so we actually had too much toppings and not enough noodles.(usually other way around) We didn't need another meat dish. Only thing hubbie didn't like is that there is bamboo cut into rectangles in the mongolian beef. Also they don't have root beer or dr. pepper. Water cups are small and he's drinks a lot so he had to get many refills. IF it was busy, he'd get thirsty.
(4)Robert O.
For Mother's day this year we decided to go out the day before to avoid all the craziness and long waits. So the Day before Mother's Day we went to Gourmet 88. I arrived before the rest of our party and decided I would wait at the bar and have a drink. So I went and sat at the bar, and I sat there, and sat there. No bartender, someone walked over and reached into a cooler and grabbed a beer looked at me and walked away with me still sitting there waiting to be helped. After about 10 minutes I gave up and just waited to be seated. Then when we got to our table there was more than a few occasions where I sat and waited for a simple refill of water. The food was good but overall I wouldn't go out of my way to go back.
(2)Angie L.
It reminds me of the movies when you see people order Chinese take-out and eat out of the signature take out boxes at home. It's not bad. People knock things because it's not like SGV Chinese food, but our order came out fresh and flavorful. I enjoyed it for what it was, and in this area, Chinese food is hard to come by. Forget P.F. Changs, seriously, just walk down the street and eat here. Good: Sizzling rice soup. Shrimp with broccoli (couldn't find it on the menu but they serve it) I don't know what your expectations are, but you're in Burbank where chain restaurants run amok.. at least this isn't a chain.
(3)Thomas M.
I have been eating here for over 20 years. I have eaten Chinese food in NYC and San Francisco. The food at Gourmet 88 has always been consistently excellent and the ingredients are top quality. I have not found a better place to eat even in Chinatown for this style of Chinese food.
(5)Claudie M.
Yes! I'm a fan of this Chinese place in downtown Burbank! One of my favorite soups is their Sizzling Rice Shrimp soup, perfect for winter days or any day. It is light and tasty. (maybe a bit salty but it is Chinese food!) Other dishes I like are their mongolian beef and orange chicken. NOt very healthy but tasty! Their prices are good and their restaurant service is swell. I have been there with party of 2 and party of 12 and have been happy with the service. They also have a small bar in the front with two TVs. If you don't eat at the restaurant you can pick up or they also offer delivery!
(4)Michael B.
Food is disgusting. I would never eat at this place again!
(1)Mike M.
Great authentic Chinese food that's always delicious with awesome service. Love the garlic fish and shrimp. Orange chicken is the best I've tested.
(5)Kristina K.
Gourmet 88 is EXTREMELY MEH. We came here on our lunch break, and the restaurant was moderately slow. There were a handful of tables occupied and many waiters hustling and bustling around with entrees but we were seated immediately. Upon our seating, we perused the menu rather quickly, because both of us were starving and just wanted food in our bellies. We decided to order from the Lunch Special menu because their deals were so cheap. The prices on the Lunch Special menu range from $5.99 to $7.99 and served alongside your entree are an eggroll, 2 fried wontons, steamed brown or white rice, and your choice of soup (you have 3 options). It's a GREAT deal and practically a steal. However, I wish their service was not so sub-par. I decided to choose something super far off from authentic Chinese food because I'm Chinese and I wanted some darn Americanized food. I decided to go with the Sweet and Sour Chicken. Don't judge me. Okay, you can judge a little...I am. We waited for what seemed like eternity for our meals to arrive. Starving and our stomachs eating themselves away, we snacked crazily on the complimentary fried noodle snack with the sweet red sauce (forget what it's called) until there was none left. We eagerly looked at each waiter in hopes that they would be bringing those steaming plates to our table, but to no avail, we were out of luck. We FINALLY received our dishes and had only about 25 minutes to eat it before having to return to work. We were not happy. We wanted to enjoy our meals! Everyone else seemed to have received their dishes promptly except us. My meal was just very meh. It was overly sweet and saucy so I only ate about half of it and couldn't eat any more. The eggroll was standard and the soup was average. Meh. We never returned after bolting out.
(2)Christina C.
I'm not really sure what all the bad reviews on this place are about..my experiences here so far have been pretty positive. My friends and I have dined here a few times and the service has always been prompt and polite. Gourmet 88 is also my go-to place for Chinese delivery. The girl taking orders over the phone is really polite and gives great suggestions for new dishes I haven't tried yet, and the usual delivery guy is also great. The prices are alright, and the only reason why my review doesn't have 5 stars is the delivery time. I live around 1-1.5 miles from the restaurant, and my delivery orders usually take around 45-60 mins. It IS a little on the long-wait side, but the food ALWAYS arrives PIPING hot and fresh.
(4)Michelle M.
I went my husband and his friend for dinner last night. We ordered orange chicken, chicken lo mein, and a special custom dish they made just for me. The orange chicken was absolutely amazing!!! I would have to say it was the best I ever had... The chicken lo mein was ok. My special custom dish was a special request I had made: Beef in brown sauce with white onions, green onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Yum!!!
(5)Tundra J.
I have been here several times, and it is always delicious and flavorful. All of the dishes I have had, including the lo mein, kung pao chicken, orange chicken, orange beef, broccoli beef, etc were really great. The hot and sour soup is wonderful. My reason for not giving them 5 stars is that they charge for soda refills, and don't tell you. It's quite a shock when you get your bill! Now I know. Other than that, or perhaps not ordering soda, it's a great place.
(4)Nick M.
Great food! The hot braised shrimp and wanton soup are my favorites! Always hot and fresh. The staff are very friendly and helpful. One of the best Chinese restaurants in Burbank.
(5)Michael M.
Been coming here with my family for several years. The food is great once you find what you like. My personal favorites are: hot and sour soup, chicken chow mein (soft noodles), sweet and pungent chicken, kung pau chicken, and basically anything in brown sauce. The food is not too pricey (although prices increased in past couple years), but still very affordable for the quality of food. Portions are average. I recommend approximately 1 dish per person and sharing food family style so everyone has a variety. A great place to eat for lunch or dinner any day of the week!
(4)Jerry I.
Awesome food ,consistent in quality and great friendly service.
(5)L A.
I was there about 1 month ago and the food was so greasy just dripping in oil. I couldn't event take a 2nd bite, was so grossed out I left. I used to go there often and really enjoyed it. Not sure if they had a new chef in the kitchen or if it's under new management but the food certainly was not the same. Im not sure if I'll ever eat there again. Now I need to find another chinese to go to place.
(1)Stacey M.
Sweet and pungent shrimp yum!
(5)Karla G.
Been going to Gourmet 88 for over 10 yrs and it never disappoints! They have the BEST orange chicken ever! I've tried the orange chicken at lots of other restaurants but they all fail in comparison. I introduced a friend of mine to it this past weekend and she loved it as well. The brown rice is good too. My daughter (a very picky eater) had the chicken pan fried noodles platter and loved it, which made me a very happy mommy! :) Great food, clean restaurant, and reasonable prices. Can't beat that!
(5)Rita W.
Looks amazing from the outside, but only had Gourmet 88 to-go. I'd love to eat in this restaurant some day to enjoy the atmosphere, but I've only had their food to-go, so my review is solely based on flavor and to-go service. These people are great at taking to-go orders. I've never had a problem with calling and paying in person to pick up the food. The food is always nicely packed; nothing has ever leaked out of the awesome shaped Chinese to-go boxes placed in a paper bag. My reasons for a 3 star review: -Decently tasting Chinese food -Able to customize orders (say if you want fish in black bean sauce, and they have fish, and they have another meat in black bean sauce, they can combine for you) -Friendly staff -Food contains a lot of sauce. Rich in flavor, but sometimes I prefer more of actual food and less of the sauce to feel that I get more of my moneys worth, haha. -Some items have excess sodium that it dries my lips What I've had here: -chow mein - the crispy kind. It was sort of odd because they package this by putting the veggies, meat, and sauce in the container and then a chunk of THICK chow mein noodles (in a cookie-like form) on top, making the mixing part a bit difficult. Also, most crispy chow-mein that I've had used the THIN noodle, instead of the thick one. -fish with black bean sauce - a lot of sauce, few fillets of fish, but tasty nonetheless -green beans - yum yum, i do enjoy sauteed green beans -Tofu dish - very liquidly, but super soft and tasty tofu! -kung pao chicken - good balance, though it wasn't spicy for me -Eggplant - better quality than Panda Express's eggplant
(3)Kai H.
Been coming here for years. Still as good as ever. The hot sour soup is excellent. I enjoy their vegetarian dishes, though the kung pao chicken is great too. I think their flavors lean towards the American palate as opposed to authentic Chinese flavors, but the food is wonderful regardless. Never had a disappointing meal here. They get busy on weekends, so plan ahead.
(4)K G.
Great tasting food and friendly staff. I go out of my way to come to this location ( or order in) because their noodles are much better than another place that's closer. Keep it up and we will come back :-)
(5)Andy T.
So I've heard some nice things about this place and decided to give it a shot based on the yelp reviews. The great service and extremely friendly staff is what's keeping my rating from being less. The restaurant was very nice and taken care of, however the food just wasn't that great. The hot and sour soup didn't really taste like anything, however my girlfriend liked the chicken creamed corn soup. As far as our actual meals go they were decent.
(3)Lexi J.
food is good...service isn't. They're not friendly and it seems they need more people working there.
(4)Marianna P.
This is one of our favorite restaurants. They are consistent 99% of the time, which is why I give them 5 stars. Their portions are generous, and the food always tastes great. Service is not top notch, but is adequate. They serve the best Mu Shu chicken! Much, much better than any local Panda Inn.
(5)Gina G.
I have never been here but I have eaten their food many times. It is yummy and their delivery service is awesome. It was my previous boss's favorite chinese place, we'd ordered at least once a month. Their Walnut Shrimp is to die for...! You must try this at least once.
(5)Ryan R.
My family and I always come here for special occasions. Favorites are the walnut shrimp and Mongolian beef. Staff is super friendly, highly recommend for authentic Chinese food
(5)John L.
This isn't the "westernized" Chinese food they serve down the street at PF Changs. So if your looking for something like TGIFridays, Chili's or mass produced Chinese food don't come here. This is more of a style you would find in China town not main stream America. Food is definitely good and cheap. I really like their sweet and sour shrimp and their pan fried noodles. My wife and I ordered 3 dishes and some drinks and the bill was $30 before tip. How can you complain when the mass produce garbage they would serve you at PF Changs would cost around $50 for the same thing we got for $30 and it tasted it better!
(4)Serene V.
This place is great. We've enjoyed everything we've ordered and the service is prompt and efficient.
(5)Marlon R.
The kung pao shrimp is my most favorite dish here. My mouth is watering and my eyes close in splendor just thinking about the rich delicious kung pao sauce dripping on the shrimp. As a teen there was a G88 near my house and every saturday evening my mom would pick up KUNG PAO SHRIMP for me, as a way to entice to stay home and not go out with friends..it never worked but I was so grateful to have this tasty dish waiting for me after being out late. Oh, it was so good. Caveat: I have mixed feelings about the Burbank location, it's too bourgeois and the prices compared to QUANTITY of food makes me scratch my head and I always refrain from going there for these two reasons. I miss the old Glendale location..it was just classy enough, but not PF CHANGS like so it retained its authentic Chinese restaurant feel. Owners: Please bring back G88 at Glendale, Ca and please lower your prices, you'll get three times the more clientele. $15 for a small plate of kung pao shrimp is ridiculous. If not at least make the portions larger.
(3)Fernando G.
This is one of the best Chinese restaurants. We love this place. Great prices and family friendly
(5)Nick J.
Happy First Day of Spring! Making my way down San Fernando Blvd, I decided to try this place next. The Food: The menu is pretty standard. The usual dishes one would find on any Chinese restaurant menu. Craving something new, I decided to choose the most out of place, non-Chinese sounding dish on the menu...and had i remember the name of that dish, I'd tell you. :D I do remember though that it was absoultely delicious! Fresh fried rice, a nice cool salad, but the star of the dish was the absolutely tender, absolutely juicy, primly glazed cubes of beef. It is now my favorite of the all the restaurants in the area. I did take a peek around at the other diners and all the food looked great. Compliments all around. The Restaurant: Nothing bad to say about the place. Nicely decorated, very welcoming, pretty clean. The service was great also. The staff was pretty attentive as they roamed looking to answer questions and fill drinks, cracking jokes now and then. The only bad thing i thought was the crappy music...but that per taste I'd totally go back, and I'd recommend this place for your next chinese food craving.
(4)Christel S.
This is being written in real time as items are delivered to my table. Here for 6.99 lunch special. Ordered Kung Pao chicken with steamed rice and hot and sour soup. Automatically comes with an egg roll and 2 wontons also. 1. Soup arrives. It is the wrong soup. I'm waiting and waiting for someone to notice I need service..... Ahhh finally the manager peered around the corner. New soup on its way. 2. Requested water with lemon. Tiniest chunk of lemon EVER. Will need to request more lemon..... Manager brought 2 very large lemon slices. That's more like it. 3. Food arrives fairly quickly. Yay! I'm starving. 4. Kung Pao chicken is too salty, but still edible. Other than that the flavor is excellent. 5. Soup is meh. Had to add a good amount of soy sauce. Definitely had better. 6. Service is terrible.... They have not checked on me once and I need to get the check NOW so I can leave the moment I finish eating. Guess the server isn't concerned about getting a tip. 7. FINALLY the water guy wandered by and I told him I need the check. 8. I can't finish the Kung Pao chicken, it is just way too salty!! 9. The egg roll is NASTY.... Like Panda Express nasty. Conclusion: Not quite worth the $7. I knew I should have gone for the Indian buffet.
(2)Norma R.
We been going here since they opened in Burbank. This is the best place hands down for a perfect Mai Tai. Great orange chicken and hot braise shrimp. Friendly, clean and just plain good food.
(4)Donnie H.
Christmas Day, got the Sweet & Pungent Shrimp to-go. People raved about it, the menu said it was spicy, but there was no kick. It was just sweet, like sweet n sour, and for the ridiculously high price I paid, the small Togo container was only half full. :/ Definitely dissappointed. If I had dined in, i know they would have given more. Ok taste, small portions.
(2)Eloy G.
Firm 3 stars. Service was great and then horrible. Our first waiter was horrible and rude. It was my partner, sister and I having dinner. He came to the table, asked my partner and I for a drink but didn't ask my sister! What an a**hole! Our main waiter was a lot nicer. Food items were pretty good We have the chicken chow mein, the orange chicken (which isn't spicy) and the egg and chicken hot soup. The best was the hot soup. Food came out in a timely manner, nice and hot. Portions were big . Once again good food. But if given the choice to come back. I might have to think twice.
(3)Kristina F.
Food is OK, service is horrible. Rude servers, sloppy attitude, splashing the soup around like he hates me for some reason. Need to learn some manners!
(2)Kristie B.
I though Gourmet 88 WAS FANTASTIC !!!!! Everything about it. The Lunch portion is huge and the food was wonderful !!!!! I will go back again for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Sophie M.
Sweet and pungent chicken. Mongolian beef. Singapore noodles. Brown rice. Calamari. Dear lord it was all just great! We enjoyed every minute. Only thing I'd say is put more beef in the Mongolian beef instead of the half veggies. :) will return!
(5)Antonio P.
Great service, excellence food. The background music is the same for the past 10 years. CHANGE THE MUSIC....
(4)Darrell B.
Used to be good. Just ordered today. Burnt low mean, egg rolls, burnt Kung pao,a Chinese buffet is better and I hate buffets. Really crappy . There success must have went to there head. Jacked up prices and below average Chinese food. However, We ordered in and had it delivered. Driver was good and food came quick but was in flimsy boxes, and really wasn't worth the $65.99 we paid . God forbid they also charge for white rice. Never again . Lotus in Burbank is way better
(2)Karl M.
Had dinner here on New Years Eve. I dislike writing a negative review for a local biz, but in my opinion, my Italian Grandmother who could barely cook made better Chinese food than we had here.
(1)Tracey J.
Love you gourmet 88....If you give a one star, there is something wrong with your taste buds, I have been here soooo many times and they are soo consistent. Food is always fantastic and fast. I hope to come here for my birthday!!!!!!!
(5)Clarence C.
This food is excellent!!! The restaurant is very nice as well!!! This is my favorite restaurant. I would have food catered from there for my birthday or any special occasion for that matter. Their food is very consistent. Obviously they have great chefs because it shows in their dishes. Good Work Gourmet 88!! Love U Guys!!!
(5)Breana A.
Been coming here since I was little the best Chinese good I have had! A little pricey but worth every penny!
(5)Richard B.
Been going to Gourmet 88 for years and it is one of my favorite Chinese food restaurants. The food is fresh and full of flavor and the service is general good. My favorite dish is the sweet and pungent shrimp. Only non-positive thing I can say is the interior feels dated and worn and could use some sprucing up. This is definitely not a reason for me to not continue going back.
(4)Miranda O.
Gourmet 88 has a big menu, that was a plus when taking someone who was not crazy about Chinese food there as I could be sure that my guest would find something he liked. He ordered kung pao chicken, liked the flavor but thought they were too much peanuts. I liked the fact that they used black bean sauce for the dish and thought it would be better if they added some water chestnuts. I ordered the sichuan boiled fish from the special menu and enjoyed it very much but would like it better if it was not as salty. It made a great leftover dish after I added some veggies and tofu to cut the salty taste. The chicken shu mai were disappointing. They did taste fresh and did taste good either. We didn't get there until after 8 PM on a week night, the service was still quite slow. It is not a place you want to dine alone since the service is slow but is a good place to meet up with friends or entertain guests as it is nicely decorated with taste.
(4)Paulina P.
Hate to write a negative review about this restaurant but our visits have been not so good latley especially last Friday was just horrible. Only one waiter on staff with numerous guest to serve. Waited forever to get seated, waiter took our order wrong....the food drinks delivered to our table sloppy and messy. The food lacked flavor something that has been happending more often with our visits. The management just rude and arrogant. I really hope they get it together so customers like myself continue supporting them after 15 years.
(1)Brian C.
Had dinner there with my wife and the good was amazing. Highly recommend paper wrapped chicken!
(5)Adrian F.
Absolutely terrible service. The rice was cold and the beef was rubbery. The waiter was an a$$hole, he gave me attitude, served me the wrong soup, and then mixed up my order with someone else's and told ME to trade my egg roll for a shrimp off another plate. I will never go there again. Overpriced and shit quality. Next time I want quality Asian food I'll go up the block to Wokano.
(1)Lil A.
Ordered delivery with the Eat24 app and the food was terrible. The chow mein with pork was so terrible. The pork tasted like it had been frozen for 2 years then thawed out and put in the dish. The shrimp with garlic sauce was a joke with tiny little shrimp. The cashew chicken was tiny little chopped up chicken, the orange beef was greasy and soggy, and the hot and soup soup, no flavor! $68 take-out order that was trash worthy disgusting! I will never order from here again!!!
(1)Tara S.
Excellent service and food. Used a groupon, wasn't expecting a whole lot, but they have good combo plates for 12$ and they fill you up and were very good. Orange chicken and Kung pao was awesome. Only down part is I asked how much was a corona and the waiter lied and said 2$ but it was actually 4.50 but other than that great food and service and interior was very clean and comfortable.
(4)Renee P.
On 8/23 my daughter and I went here for lunch. The service was completely horrible. The waiter was not friendly at all, he did not come check on us to see if we needed anything or ask how we were doing. I had to flag down another waiter to get a to go container, he said okay but instead came back with the bill. I then reminded him about the to go container and he responded very rudely (yeah, yeah, yeah) and sent another waiter to give me the to go container. And on top of that the food wasn't that good even if it was I definitely will not be returning due to the horrible service.
(1)HU H.
Will try to cheat you out of your money! Also, the quality of food has gone down tremendously. Customer service is no good. :(
(1)Maral A.
Best Orange Chicken in Los Angeles! Crispy on the outside but moist and tender on the inside. The flavor is just ahhhmazing! Fast and friendly delivery service too. Highly recommend ordering from their lunch menu. Portions are large and prices are very reasonable. Gourmet Chinese food at its best!
(5)Taleen B.
I've been coming here for 10 years with my family now.. Our #1 pick for a chinese dinner. Their food is amazing, and their service is great!
(5)Im Always Hungry B.
It's very simple. It's over priced, the taste is so boring. I ordered orange chicken, beef chow mien and some white rice.. I hate to say this but Panda Express gives u more flavor and amount they give u is worth your money. I will never be returning to this place again. Avoid this place at all costs.
(1)Melanie M.
Our family's go to Chinese restaurant. We always leave with full belly's and big smiles on our faces. Fantastic price for ridiculously delicious food.
(5)Tonya L.
Dumplings... Open Holidays like 4th of July. Has a fantastic selection of items. Food is really good. Yep, I'm a fan of this place.
(4)Veronica T.
Excellent food. One of the best. Extremely great service. I simply can't get enough of 88. Whenever I'm in the area, its a must. Great food, great service, won't be disappointed.
(5)aline m.
Excellent & delicious! Service: Very attentive and friendly. Food: 1. Shrimp & sizzling soup - entertaining and filled with ginormous shrimp, scallops, chicken breast, & veggies. 2. Shrimp & asparagus - cooked to perfection. Asparagus was not stringy nor over cooked. Ginormous shrimp took up more space in the plate than the asparagus. 3. Orange chicken - made with big pieces of chicken. Not too sweet. Crunchy and flavorful. You can actually taste the orange zest. A "Must-Have" when dining here. 4. Sweet & pungent shrimp - my picky husband's favorite..."I can eat this all day." Filled with ginormous shrimp. I was so full, all I wanted was a small piece to snack on. But there were no little pieces. Another "Must Have"! 5. Shrimp fried rice - did I mention the shrimp were ginormous? 6. Chocolate covered mint ice cream ball - refreshing ice cream to end the meal. Mint ice cream covered with a hard chocolate shell was so good I had to fight my daughters for a bite. Never had this dessert anywhere else. Ü
(5)Bryan A.
Best Chinese food around! Been coming here since I can remember. Everything on their menu is a solid choice, but get the sweet and pungent chicken and chicken cream corn soup...off the hook!!!
(5)Chris S.
We got a groupon deal and decided to give it a try. We arrived early at 5:30pm on a Tuesday, not busy at all. We ordered orange chicken + egg roll + soup combo, and sweet and pungent chicken with brown rice. We waited 20 minutes for our food. Both chicken were super dry, mostly fried starch, couldn't even see the meat. Was there really any chicken inside?? Orange chicken didn't taste like orange chicken. Hot & sour soup wasn't hot and wasn't sour. That was our first try at Gourmet 88 and probably our last as well. It's really sad to say PF Chang has better chinese food...
(1)Luisa T.
My family and I have been coming to this restaurant for as long as I can remember. It is my absolute favorite place to eat Chinese food! I love their spicy and tasteful dishes; from their crunchy orange chicken to their lemon scallops which melt in your mouth. I would say my top five favorite dishes that I recommend people to get are: orange chicken, Kung pao sun yan, sweet and pungent shrimp, hot and sour soup, spring rolls and of course the lemon scallops. For me, it so nice an convenient to have a Chinese restaurant 5 mins away from my home..that's is actually delicious!
(5)Sophia M.
I've been coming to the Burbank location for about 12 years. The wonton soup is honestly the best in LA. I've had wonton soup all over the country and nothing is better than the broth here! My other favorite is Chicken Pan fried noodles "crispy" The owners and workers all know my family and are very welcoming and sweet :-)
(5)Mano E.
I love the place, I have been coming here almost 20 years, great service, great food. I gave four stars because, when I checked in, the restaurant offered free order of egg rolls with dine in, tried to use it, everybody where confused and did not know what to do with it. Finally, one of the waiters knew about it and received the egg rolls after I finished my dinner. Just a recomendation to the manager, is to share these specials with the crew.
(4)Erica S.
Mediocre food, overpriced & completely overrated! You never know which server is taking care of your table. They are always in a rush and make you feel rushed, as well... and management could care less. I know they have been there for many many years, but I'm not sure why? I received such poor service on my last visit, I will never give them my business again!!
(2)Saul Q.
First time coming here and it was delicious! Service was fast, waiters were very nice and attentive to our questions regarding the menu. They were friendly making conversation with the kids and even telling jokes. The food was fresh hot and plentiful. Egg rolls were really crisp and the sauce was delicious. Highly recommend this place if your in the mood for Chinese with great service
(5)Diane C.
This place is a hit or a complete miss. For some reason, my sister loves it so we have no choice but to eat here from time to time. I think it depends on the day of the week. I've had fish that was fresh and tasty. Last time, my salmon stank so bad that I couldn't take a second bite. Don't they smell the stench in the kitchen prior to serving?!
(3)Angelo F.
It's been a long time since I've had really good chinese food. When I heard this was voted Best in LA, then I was pretty amp'd up about eating here. I came here for a birthday celebration and we had half the restaurant reserved for the party. Shrimp and Sizzling Rice Soup Such a simple soup but it hit all the cravings! The rice was perfectly cooked and my bowl had 2 large shrimps in it. Mini Appetizer Dish This included a vegetable egg roll, fried shrimp and some type of marinated chicken wrapped in foil. Don't forget to use the sweet and spicy sauce. Beef with Fresh Asparagus I love asparagus! And when there's an abundance of asparagus mixed with juicy tender beef, my ohh my! The sauce on this was awesome! Especially when it soaks up in your rice. Orange Flavor Beef This was my favorite dish! The beef was crispy and tender inside. It was just glazed in orange sauce! Loved it! Seafood Sizzling Plate Shirmp mixed with fish mixed with broccoli mixed with other veggies I don't know the name to was an ok dish. The shrimp alone was good. The fish alone was good. But to me, it could've had a little more flavor or sauce. Still a decent dish to balance out all the meat dishes we had. Shrimp dish - Not sure what the name was for this dish. This was similar to a honey walnut shrimp I always order at other Chinese restaurants. This was my second favorite dish! This is a must try if you're a shrimp lover. Assorted Soft Noodles Yum! This had shrimp and various meats in it. I worry about ordering noodle dishes since some cooks can easily overcook either the noodles or the meats. This was done perfectly. This had huge amounts of shrimp which was great! Posted pictures for each dish! Enjoy!
(5)Stacee S.
ok. read tons of reviews here and on tripadvisor b4 I decided to order here. I have to say- yum! well let's start with on time, pleasant delivery. food very hot. and serving size very large in my opinion. got the sweet & pungent shrimp- really good. not so crazy heavy. I made a mistake- should have said hot- I said medium. could be spicier also ordered the sautéed Chinese greens with mushrooms....yummy. I LOVE baby bok choy... so why 4 stars instead of 5? don't say "greens" if only bok choy. that's all. yum yum yum...
(4)eva e.
Ok..still wonderful!!! The service is always so nice here. Truly great for groups or Birthday parties. Please try the Garlic fish....garlic shrimp...and the best Orange Chicken. Gotta have it!!!!
(5)Sevachya M.
This place never disappoints me! 15% off after 3pm is great! Big portions and great customer service, I eat here at least once a week.
(5)Sonny J.
Ordered take out the other day while in the area visiting my father, the girl at the front was great, helpful and easy on the eyes ;) The dumplings were great, lots of meat in the middle. We tried the beef and broccoli, orange chicken and fried rice. All were great, but what stood out the most was the orange chicken and freshness from every dish. Definitely one of the top Chinese restaurants in LA. My only reason why I did not give 5 full stars is they were pricey for the portions, but well worth the taste. Will be back! Thanks Gourmet 88
(4)Michael D.
Shrimp noodle soup! Came out great! It's one of the lunch specials and offers a good alternative to the traditional items if you want to switch it up a bit.
(4)Erin Y.
lunch specials are a good value. $6.99 or $8.99, depending on your entree, comes with steamed rice or fried rice, soup if you dine-in, 1 eggroll, and 2 fried wontons. good food, good prices, good portions... service is slow. get in early! i've never been here for anything but the lunch special so my review is from limited experience.
(3)Stephanie N.
Gourmet is definitely not the right word I would have picked when naming this restaurant, because it's really anything but. It's your typical turn and burn LA chinese restuarant that wants you in and out as quickly as possible so they can seat another large family. I will give them credit their large portions, you'll never go hungry... and I've never been disappointed by anything I've ordered off the menu. This has been my favorite chinese spot for years... so clearly I continue to go back for a couple of reasons. 2 to be exact! 1. Potstickers!... they are so juicy, that if you are daring enough to bite into one instead of using your knife and fork it will literally drip juices down your chin. YUM! 2. Sweet and Pungent Shrimp... it's one of their specialities and it's sharp strong sweet taste is like no other chinese dish that I have ever tasted. It has a thick breaded coating its fresh shrimp then smothered in their special sauce. It's an order I think you'll regret. I can only give this place two stars because there's nothing truly special about it other than my two favorite dishes, so a star for each. But still worth the eats!
(2)Maria R.
Its one of the best chinese restaurant in burbank.. I love eating here.. I could eat here eveyday.. you cant go wrong with their lunch special for $5.99
(5)Mariah M.
Their crispy calamari is very good especially with white rice. The food is overall good and so is the service.
(4)ArlinSaro S.
Wow bad service here never again if you wAnt to starve you could eat here. We wasted 30 min on our lunch break nobody came to take our order for food, like we were nobody. The food came after 30 min with no drink felt like I was treated like a dog. Wow never again pls don't eat here.
(1)Susana M.
Came here for dinner with the boyfriend a few days ago for the first time and everything was great. I ordered the Hot and Sour soup and it was delicious, we got the fried dumplings as an appetizer as well and they were really good. We then ordered the Sweet and sour pork which was our favorite, the orange chicken which was also very good and lastly, we got the beef fried rice and it was yummy. All in all it was really good, the portions are really big and we had a great deal of leftovers. My favorite dish was hands down the Hot and Sour soup. It was great
(5)Adam R.
Came in for lunch special. Not crowded at all and service was quick! Servers were great and seated immediately. Ordered number 56 which was a shrimp soup and it was pretty good but not the best. Overall nice place probably picked a weaker item.
(3)Greg P.
Food and service is always very good here. Family likes the egg drop soup. Servings are very generous.
(5)Mike H.
Sitting here now. This place just sucks. I'm not coming back with my co-workers again who are drawn here for their lunch speicals. One of them just found hair in their soup and the waitor still gave each person the wrong drinks. EMBARRASSING!!!!
(1)A K.
This is one of my favorite spots in Burbank! The people giving low scores for the food probably didn't order the "right thing." Don't come here if you're looking for crap like sweet and sour pork or chicken and broccoli. Things to try: + hot braised sliced fish + lemon chicken + braised string beans + Peking duck I've been coming here for the past 20 years and still love stopping by for comfort food. The place is family-owned and employed by friendly, hard workers. They redecorated the place a bit ago so it's a nice change from Chinese takeout places with sticky tables and booths or the overwhelming faux Asianness of PF Chang's. When you stop by, make sure to say hi to Sam!
(5)Erick C.
Went here yesterday. Food was good. We ordered the Three Flavor Sizzling Rice Soup, pineapple chicken, and shrimp chow mein. Everything tasted really good. The only bad thing I had to say was that the soup was way too small. Ive gone to other chinese restaurants and for the same price they bring you a way much bigger bowl at the same price; same good taste too. Id probably go again but will have to buy at least 2 bowls of soup.
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