I was here for dinner on Saturday night. The shop has lots of sitting, and tables are pretty widespread. I ordered 2 of their porridge, and a Singapore style vermicelli. Portions are big and its a pretty good deal for that price. its cash only. However, the chairs are pretty worn out and that bothers me quite a bit. Recommended place for a quite meal, nothing fancy thou! I also had their watermelon juice boba. It cost $1.75. The juice was nothing special. But the boba was tasteless. However, the boba was al dente and was pretty good!
(4)
Karen W.
For a late night snack, this is the place since there aren't too many places in Oakland that open til 1 AM. Just park close to the restaurant when it is late at night. We had just gotten back from a trip and were hungry so this place fit the bill and we always order out when we want a late night snack. We ordered the crispy house special chow mein, shrimp and scrambled egg chow fun, wonton ho fun, chicken with bean sprouts chow fun and macaroni soup. It's comfort food at reasonable prices. They have late night specials starting at 10 PM as well.
(3)
Jessica T.
Their food is good but their service is horrible! So 3 stars it is... I always eat here with my family. Their food is good and it's cheap during happy hour. But their service is pretty slow and they don't speak English so it's really difficult to ask for some things. Today, we got the salt and pepper fried squid, salt and pepper fried fish, & Chinese beef broccoli. It comes with rice and soup as well. The soup is kind of bland but can't complain much because it's free. Overall, the entire meal was pretty good.
(3)
Jun T.
Terrible service. They sat us down at a table with a dirty wet napkin on it and a eaten chicken wing under the table. They even gave us napkins and told us to clean it ourselves. Fearing for our lives, as the food may have cock roaches or some other infestation, we politely left. Im pretty sure they pay the health inspector because this place should already be shutdown.
(1)
Irene L.
Cheap watermelon boba or bobaless drinks!
(4)
Sean S.
Cheap eats at a good price for "happy hour". The place is a dive and the waitresses don't speak much English. Point, wait, and you can get out of there with 4 entrees for around $20. Good salty fish fried rice and chicken wings. Generous portions.
(3)
Glenda J.
There are 2 lines at the entrance: one for dine in and the other for take out. We didn't have much of a wait for Monday lunch. Ordered shrimp scrambled eggs: delicious! Eggs were not rubbery but moist and soft, shrimp was fresh. Tomato beef: delicious. Has chunks of tomato, onion and green peppers. We added some gravy to the eggs and this turned out to be a great combination. Braised cod with tofu: very salty. Comes with bok choy, mushrooms and BBQ strips. Cod was battered but soggy and chewy. Will order the first two. All dishes served with steamed white rice. Soup to start (included): bitter melon and beef soup bones. Don't care for bitter melon. This seemed quite unusual to be used in a soup. Drinks: hot Chinese tea. Ordered hot milk tea: nice and strong. Would have liked condensed milk but sugar also does the trick.
(3)
Noah U.
I have come here to imitate Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods. 8th St Cafe has some of the weirder foods in the United States, but of course that is not at all pertinent to the world. Sometimes, people just need to eat what's next to them in order to survive. Here you can have pork blood, pork intestine, beef tendon, duck gizzard and quail. They served me relatively quickly, though it was once difficult for them to tally up and remember my purchases. The prices were somewhat high, but maybe perhaps okay by Bay Area standards. The intestines were fairly good and crunchy. The chefs have some noticeable talent, but it would show better if this place weren't a dive. But a chef is supposed to make something seemingly unappetizing into something delicious. There are lots of beverages and a huge menu. You will not see Western fare that much, but you will have over a hundred meals to choose from. 8th St Cafe for all it's faults, brings a cultural experience that used to mean one had to go to China. Now they can have it here. Unfortunately, for the typical Bay Area resident this place likely isn't where they would want to hover around daily.
(3)
Tony U.
Reviewing this as a cheap eats chinese restaurant to go. It's pretty good. I can vouch for the red bean ice drink, fried salt and pepper tofu (favorite plate here), the beef wonton noodle soup's awe-ite, the pigs blood and pork skin is verrrry good. The juk is excellent too. Pretty decent quality here for cheap eats. It's also available late at night for pickup at reduced prices.
(4)
Melinda Y.
It was not my choice to go to this place. The quality of the food was subpar. We had this beef stew broad noodle, but you can count the number of pieces the size of sugar cubes. Not sure what compelled me to order the baked oyster in butter and garlic, but it was a mistake in retrospect. The sauce was nothing like the garlic butter I've come to know and love. I could not detect any hint of the aromatic garlic flavor in the thick white sauce, as described on the menu. It was the blandest thing I've ever had. We also had steamed chicken. By happenstance, I had to select the one piece with a short strand of hair laying on top of the chicken skin. Gross! The service was rude. We had a big party so we sort of over-ordered. We were chastised and charged $0.50 for a container to take home our leftover soup. The red-haired waitress said, with a scowl, we were expected to finish the food at the restaurant and not to be taken home. That's preposterous! I noticed in a tip tray, from another dine,r was only a dollar and some change. I don't blame them one bit. I wouldn't have given them a penny.
(1)
Karen M.
Likes: warm bowl of beef stew with the thin egg noodles for $3.75, lunch special is a good deal (milk tea is $1.25) Dislikes: finding parking during busy hours and slightly slow service
(3)
Sara W.
If you like good food, please don't eat here. I'm looking out for you, my fellow yelpers!! The food here is just terrible, and the service isn't much better. Look, I don't expect much going to any cheap Chinatown cafe, but even though my expectations were low, I was still disappointed. I ordered the black pepper steak with "spaghetti". First of all, the steak was COLD! I don't understand how that is possible, how hard is it to cook up a steak? It seemed as though they left it sitting for a half an hour before even serving it to me. It was also extremely chewy and I nearly broke a sweat trying to saw off piece after piece. The "spaghetti" is also just plain noodles. Okay, if you're going to call noodles spaghetti, at least add some tomato sauce or just say noodles. The waiters seemed very irritated all the time and act as though I'm inconveniencing them by asking for simple things such as napkins or more tea. I know being a waiter can be awful, but at least hide your irritation to customers asking for things politely! Now, if you DO want good food, head over across the street to St. Anna's. They serve their food on hot stone plates and are happy to do it! I can say with confidence that my first visit at 8th Street will certainly be my last.
(1)
Nathan W.
Solid and definitely at the right price.
(3)
Elaine P.
Bad customer service. We waited for half an hour and then we tried to follow up w our order and found out that they didn't enter our order to the system. Never again will we go back.
(1)
David C.
Best price in town especially during their afternoon and late night special hours. Their hainanese chicken rice plus the red bean coconut drink combo for $6.25 is my favorite. I also like their fesh squeezed water melon, crispy chicken wing, prawn/scrambled egg chow fun and more.
(5)
Kershan R.
We love the happy hour menu but the 3 items for 20.99 included house soup, a big bowl of rice, salt and pepper spare ribs, Chinese broccoli, and salt and pepper chicken. We also enjoyed the ginseng and honey tea. this place gives you more than enough, great service and food is delicious!!!!!
(5)
Bernie C.
I am rather conflicted about this place. I'm a very non picky individual and have gone to these kinds of cafes on the regular. However, there's something off about this place that I cannot put my finger on. First and foremost, I came into this restaurant with the expectation that the service will be non-existent (which was pretty close to true). Secondly, I knew what kind of food I was going to get. So, that's pretty straight forward. As I went into the restaurant, I followed exactly what the sign said and waited at the area to be seated. However, nobody came to seat me. Another individual came in and stood at the to go line, and he got seated first. Huh? So I had to ask about being seated. It's okay, my expectations were met on this end. As I got a seat at a big table with other people who did not end up with their own table, I looked at the menu and decided. It took a good 10 minutes for them to take my order (once again, expectations met). I ordered the Black Peppered Beef with Spaghetti and to my surprise, the dish was better than I expected. The milk tea is pretty straight standard. I got out paying $12 bucks with tip. Not too bad. Honestly, if you prepare for the worse before you come here, you'll be fine. However, if you're coming here with the expectation of GREAT service and food, you're obviously dreaming. I don't blame this restaurant for being what it is. Sometimes, things are the way they are for various reasons.
(3)
Royal C.
Delicious, cheap, relatively authentic chinese food from a shop that's open late.
(4)
Eugene L.
I rolled my Hoop-tie there last night after work to grab a midnight snack. I was able to park right out in front. I rolled in and grabbed a table. I was brought a Hot Tea and a Menu . I perused the Menu and ordered Beef Chow fun and Vegetables with Gravy and Salt and Pepper Fried Chicken Wings. Fifteen minutes later I had my food the Chow fun was good and the Wings hit the spot . $10 dollars with Tip Cash Only and I was out of there. Happy Hour Pricing in effect. One of the Cheapest Places in Town . Definitely a Budget Special.
(4)
Sandy Q.
This place is pretty much a HK cafe. Food is good and prices are good. They even have special pricing during certain hours for certain items. During dinner time, you can pick 3 dishes for around $20 that includes soup and rice if you eat there. If you opt to take it to-go, soup and rice are not included.
(3)
Charles K.
TIP: Come during tea time!!! 3:00 - 5:00 PM and then after 10:00 - close. You can have a lot of food on the cheap! The food is pretty good. Not drenched in salt or MSG and their rice porridge is pretty traditional in it's consistency. It's not too watery or thick: just right. I suggest ordering a little more "to-go" so you have lunch the next day. The service isn't the best, but for what it is (and the price you pay), it's on par. I hate places that pretend to be high-class, charge high-class prices, but deliver no service. At least here, you get what you pay for. Just know what you want when you come in and don't expect to strike up a friendly conversation here. Come here, order what you want, eat it and enjoy the company you're with. Again, come during tea time if you get a chance, it's totally worth it!! Also, cheapest drinks in Chinatown (HK Milk Tea or Watermelon Slush w/ Tapioca), both for less than $2.50!
(4)
Sandra N.
Ommmgggg this place is horrendous. Mediocre food and terrible service. I came here with my family on Father's Day and realized this was probably not good enough for celebrating Father's Day... but we got seated before we could decide on another place to go so we stuck with it. After being seated, they gave us only four cups of tea (for seven people). They also didn't give us enough spoons, plates, or chopsticks. We asked our waitress for more utensils and she pointed at the rack of clean utensils and bowls and said, "Oh they're over there. Can you get them yourself?" O_O! We were all like, "Did she really just tell us to get them ourselves?!" We all felt like we were eating at a cafeteria... The food arrived pretty quickly. I don't know all of the items my family ordered but a few stuck out. We got one of our favorites, honey walnut prawns, and they were okay. Nothing special. Also ordered drunken chicken, which everyone said was probably the best dish. Another dish was the combination tofu clay pot... which didn't come in a clay pot. But it was good, a little too salty. None of the dishes were good enough to make us come back though. The two drinks we got were almond milk tea and green tea milk tea. I didn't taste the almond one but my uncle didn't like it. I tasted the green tea one and it tasted interesting... but not in a good way :( The only good thing was the price. We ordered six dishes and two drinks and the total was only $50 and this fed seven people. Definitely not worth the bad service and food though. Never coming back!
(1)
Elaine T.
This is one of my family's go to spot for take out. We usually get 3 dishes for $19.99 with complimentary soup and rice. Came here again recently around 8pm to order some take out. We ordered the corn sauce filet of fish (#24), braised beef stew (#46), Peking spareribs (#56), and a salted cod fried rice. The girl taking our order got called away by the kitchen staff (for an error on another ticket). We were left at the counter... trying to finish ordering our food. We waited around for about 5 minutes before someone else came over to help us. Our order was ready is less than 15 minutes. Overall, I'll be back again for more take out but maybe I'll call ahead next time.
(3)
Michael L.
Hot food cooked when you order in the late night hours at a very affordable price... That's the only reason why anyone should go here. The service does not suck, their isn't any service!!! You don't go here for the service, (or anywhere in Chinatown in my opinion) you go here when you want something to eat and don't want to go to the late night drive thru at jack in the box, or Taco Bell, or anything like that. They have a special menu you can choose from many different rice plates that includes their soup of the day for under $6. Now that's a great deal given the situation.
(2)
Quincy W.
I don't know if the owner has change or what has been change... The service is really bad now, and the food is not as good as before... And last time when I go there to get a watermelon juice Togo, that lady just use tap water right in front of me to make my juice... Even they have a filter water right next to it... So disgusting!!!! I will never go back again!!!
(1)
George L.
This place has a variety of dishes and prices, if you're hungry and inquisitive enough wanting to explore here. They have "Happy Hour" the first hour they're open 10AM-11AM, then mid-afternoon 3PM-6PM, and lastly 10PM-1AM to get people to come in and order food for their "slow" periods which works for me with dishes for prices only during those times starting at USD 3.25 + tax. Then there are weekday lunch specials from 10AM-3PM USD 4.99 + tax. They serve Hong style milk tea, lobster if you wish to order one. Food is quite good, service not so good to poor, you may consider calling in your order, allow ten to fifteen minutes to pickup, cash only. I come here regularly because they offer good food at decent prices, so what if their service isn't good, I'm here for their food, order it for take away if you don't like their service, their food is still tasty. Lobster with noodles for USD 13.99 + tax, what a deal. foodspotting.com/places/…
(4)
Alex H.
Recently, 8th Street Cafe is not 8th Street Cafe! You wanna know why? In like the starting of November, it was changed to Toishan Cafe, for some reason. I went there for a few times this two months. One time I went there 3 times in a row. There is a place in the menu that saids you can get 3 dishes, 1 big bowl of soup, and how many rice you want. It serves 4 people. It is only $19.99 plus tax for that! I just gave $3 dollars tips. I saw two times that they were holding a bunch of tea cups on the tray and they dropped it on the ground which was loud! Other than that, the customer service was really good. They give plates less than 10 minutes! Mostly, it just comes in 5 or 6 minutes. I think this is a really good cafe. The food also tastes really good. Not really as good as bird nest, but still really good. This is a "WOW" cafe!
(4)
Jenny T.
Before I used to come here with my aunt and older cousin when we were in Chinatown, it's like a Chinese Diner I supposed where they have various Asian cuisines. I like the dry scalloped tofu, dry chow fun with beef, fresh watermelon juice w/ pearls, and to me it's all comfort food. The service isn't the best, but the food and the prices are worth it - if you're looking to dine out on a budget. I've ordered take - out and dined it. My family loves it here and it's became one of my favorite places to go if I'm hungry. I feel well fit in with the people and the atmosphere around me - I grew up in Oakland and ever since I was a little girl I always visited Chinatown to go buy groceries with my family, go eat Dim Sum in the morning during a peaceful weekend, go have some bubble milk tea, take the bus home after our day trips, hangout with friends after school. I'm familiar with the streets and areas in Oakland, and I wouldn't say it's the best city to live in considering it's now the second most dangerous city in the US.
(4)
Mike L.
Solid hong kong style cafe. They have a lot of choices on their menu and specials. from 3-6pm they have a special where won ton noodle soup, beef stew noodle soup, and a whole bunch of other things are $2.50, which is a good deal. They also have those 3 items for $20 during dinner. The decor isn't as nice as let's say Shooting Star, which has a younger feel to it, but it's a good place. Like a lot of Chinese places they don't take credit.
(4)
Desmond T.
I am gradually disliking Chinese food. Something about it... man, Chinese people don't care about customer service or how the food is cooked. Don't worry guys, I'm Chinese. I only came here because my grandparents wanted to eat here and apparently it's really cheap with some added lunch specials. Chinese service is always sub-par. Never expect to have a good time with them; very inattentive and rude. All they really care about is you paying the bill. This place is no exception. This a typical dirty hole in the wall. The food. oh man don't get me started. SUPER OILY. Chinese food is typically family style. Order a bunch of dishes and share. Ordered about 7 different dishes. Everything was bad here... vegetables, drenched in oil. The meat is dry and drenched in oil. The rice.. yeah it's old.. after a couple bites of everything, I already felt sick and stopped eating. Tried to pay the bill, but the waitresses kept walking around the restaurant aimlessly. It wasn't until my aunt yelled to get their attention for them to come to us. Cash only. Yeah this place was cheap, for good reason.
(1)
Cassie X.
Really cheap food and it tasted pretty good too! If you're hanging out in Chinatown definitely check this place out and don't be confused by the restaurant name because they do serve authentic Chinese food (I would know. I grew up in China). The service is not that good but when you're paying such low prices you're lucky that the food shows up on your table at all. I highly recommend the honey walnut prawns. The servings are also really large so I recommend coming with a group of friends, that way you can try a variety of different dishes without taking home a shopping cart's worth of leftovers. If you're not super picky about quality gourmet Chinese food and you want to save a few bucks, then visit this restaurant!
(3)
Bozena T.
We were in Oakland for an appointment so we decided to look for a place to eat really quick. Singaporean Chow Mi: $5.50 Hainan Chicken Rice: $5.75 Chicken Steak Spaghetti: $4.50 Food was pretty good and came out really fast! Service was good for a casual Asian cafe. Pretty good for a quick lunch place and cheap!
(4)
Grace C.
I always came here for three dishes meal with rice and soup. And I never had any problem with either food or service. I visited on Aug/22 last time. Everything was perfect, even the bill. $22.49 + tax and tips. Paid cash! Less than $30 , I had good lunch with a new friend met at Oakland farmer market. Also brought some leftover for my home alone youth. Will visit often, even though it's quite long distance to me to travel.
(5)
Arlene Y.
If you want to enjoy food and have a good time DONT GO HERE! 1. Service don't suck because THERE AIN'T ANY! 2. Refuse to accept card payment, when they do accept card! LIARS! 3. Cheap food but TASTE BAD! 4. They tell customers they have to be tip or they are not invited to eat there. 5. You have to wait for your drinks, longer than you're suppose wait for your food. 6. Forget what you ask them to get. For example, napkin, forks, chopsticks, and, add ons. I went out to eat and this lady refuse to accept my card payment. I didn't want to make a fuss so I got cash back from the ATM, I went up and paid for the bill and I paid in cash and coins. They refused to accept my coins because I paid 17 cents in pennies. Like wtf?! Then I was like, fine, this is only going to come out of your tip. I got my change then turned around to walk back to the table to leave my tip, as I turned around she was like, "WAIT, YOU HAVE TO TIP US!" I told her, no I don't, it's up to the customer to tip, tipping is optional. "BY LAW YOU HAVE TO TIP US." I said by law, you have to accept this pure legal tender, id call the cops but I don't have time to wast on this. "alright, don't come back here, we won't welcome and offer you service anymore." If you are smart DO NOT go there! They are disrespectful and rude. One star is too much already! They deserve nothing.
(1)
Victor C.
Everything they cooking looks good and cheap, but everything is tasteless and it doesn't interest me. Not a good place to eat. It only fills me up with nothing.
(2)
Sam T.
Lordy what happened to Chinatown?!?! Where is the hussle and bussle it was once known for? I walked two blocks to this cafe which use to be D&A and typically pretty crowded. It was fairly crowded here but nothing like it use to be. Food: Decent food for the price I guess. Did the 3 for $20 and ordered a 4th dish as well. The fried flounder was lacking a bit. I think the fish was not as fresh as it should have been. The walnut shrimp should be served in a smaller plate to minimize my eye brow raise. It looks tiny when the plate is so big and the serving is so small. Service: It's weird to see the majority of the staff eating at 7pm. There's like....customers to serve....and my tea is empty....and yeah...wth? Environment: Hole in the wall just the way I like it. Price: Not as cheap as you would think anymore but still very decently priced. Food: 3 Service: 2 Environment: 3 Price: 4
(3)
Jeremy B.
NOT THE CHEAPEST MILK TEA IN CHINA TOWN... Just saying... Love reading reviews from employees / owners... Their milk tea drinks are alright.... The balls are a hit or miss. Sometimes extremely good... others.. either overcooked or straight gooey. Recommend: Fresh Fruit smoothies. Avocados are cut fresh (thank god) and go perfect with tapioca. The reason for 3 stars? Well... one late night.. roughly an hour till close.. we approach the restaurant to open signs and lots of light. As we walk in, the place reeks of bleach and we had to wait / absorb the smell for some time will we were finally approached by a staff member. Their were piles (YES PILES) of dirty grim, food, and god who knows what throughout the restaurant. Luckily, we were seated near one of them -.- Oh, an our before close... we were asked if we wanted to "take out" before we were seated.... seriously? a hour before close? Guess they do not want our service.. or anyone else. Denied 3 groups of people trying to in, two walked off without "take out" Overall, the food was so so, the drinks were alright... service.. welp yelpers.. Find out for yourself. We only go there for the smoothies now :)
(3)
Holla F.
Cheap Chinese Hong Kong style food. Don't come here if u r looking for fabulous service or the most sanitary conditions either. 3 entrees for $20 is not bad and the dishes alone were decent--Chinese broccoli, oyster tofu clay pot, and fried pork intestine (not my choice). However, Doubt I will go back after witnessing one of the waitress sneeze without covering her mouth while another takes the trash out and continues working without washing any of their hands. Yuck. I won't let my parents choose this place again.
(2)
Amy C.
Bad customer service. Food is ok. Do not go there and expect good service. They can't even offer good service on a slow weekday, imagine busy weekends. This applies to some asian restaurants, if you don't speak their language, their service gets worst.
(1)
Winnie G.
Let's clear things up. 1. You're here for the cheap food, it's not supposed to be perfect and absolutely delicious. 2. It's Chinatown, you're not looking for 5 star service. You'd be lucky if you got some without having to say HEY LANG LIU (that's beautiful lady in canto) So two most important things about eating here and the general rule of thumb in Chinatown, Oakland. +great happy hour prices! Dishes start around 2 dollars +generous portions +menu comes with descriptions and pictures +lots of greasy comfort food +perfect for broke college student like myself and late night munchies +milk tea doesn't come with sugar, add your own +interior is not the cleanest but good enough +fresh watermelon juice, a box of watermelons sitting at the door +offers to go service (you can order during happy hour get happy hour prices, TO GO!) +dinner/lunch specials order 3 items comes with soup for under 20 bucks. +usually short wait, there are chairs for you to sit +cash only +dirty bathrooms +super noisy especially with loud chinese people! It's used to be D&A, I was coming here for the longest and noticed about 3 years ago that it was actually 8th street cafe. Can't miss it! Giant yellow banner and bustling of people.
(3)
IsabeL S.
Very poor customer service and unsanitary establishment.. If you want better food go to the gold metal they are a little hole in the wall too but they have good food and they are not as rude. As I was already seated waiting for my food, They gave me my food in a to go container which I didn't ask for then on top of that as I was eating my food this older lady came and told me that I could not eat there because my food was to go even thou I never asked for my food to go. I felt very offended and humiliated by this establishment.
(1)
Mar H.
Came here for the first time because I saw a crowd here so it can't be that bad? Lots of older folks here, family with kids. Its lunch time and the place is packed. I saw a lot of people complain about the service being bad and rude attitude. I don't think they are rude at all, maybe their english comprehension was lacking. I saw the waitress having a lot of conversation with the customers and of course you don't expect 5 stars service from a diner and the staff is a little ruff on the edges. I was comfortable the entire time I was there. The food and the set ups are the same as the one with the same name in the SF Chinatown, basically when the cook wait for a multiple orders of the same item and he cooks it all at the sametimes, therefore not everyone at the table gets the food at the same time. What was a very bad timing for the customer is great for the lazy cook! Your fellow diners' food will only arrive when you have finish eatting. They made up for the delay by giving everyone a great big portion. Great value for the price you pay. St. Anna across the street has the same kind of food. I have the lobster fried noodle, yummy!
(4)
Carmen T.
I loved it when it was called D&A Cafe, their french toast was the bomb. Everything still tastes alright--it's one of my top Chinese Cafes.
(4)
Shirlee L.
Because my parents were hungry & they had been here a week ago, they wanted to bring us all here to eat. It was happy hour on a Saturday night, so it was kind of busy. We waited for five, ten minutes just to get our orders-- even though we kept calling the waitress over. I even raised my hand and waved it around for a few minutes until they saw. After putting in our order, we waited a little longer for the food. We ordered three watermelon juices... Which we didn't get until the middle of our meal- they frwaking forgot about it. Then, we called them over six different times for water- they clearly saw and acknowledged us (very rudely) each time. But it wasn't until we asked one of the COOKS to get us water, we finally got our three cups of water. The food was pretty decent tasting. Not too bad, but nothing very significant except for the watermelon juice. We ordered a second plate of kai-lan & fish porridge... Didn't get it until thirty minutes later. We had to call them over another five times to get our check, only to see that they put in three other drinks that we never ordered. We told them and they seemed very ignorant and annoyed but I didn't care! They had put three other drinks from the other table into our order. Of course we'd be mad... Anyway, we left them a dollar tip. I told my parents not to even give tip- we wasted so much time here. So overall, this place was very mediocre. But it was cheap- I'll give them that. It's too far, so I really don't think I'll ever really come back here. Not worth the attitude. So not worth it.
(1)
Alex Y.
First, let me say that there are two main reasons why people eat out: 1) To Enjoy Good Food, and 2) Enjoy Good Customer Service while Enjoying said Good Food. Otherwise patrons would just get their food togo, OR cook their meals at home. It is correct, this restaurant does have a large selection of very inexpensive foods entrees. Many reviews cite that customer service is horrible. I must agree. I've been here on at least 3 separate occasion and experienced horrible customer service consistently (at first i thought it was our waitress having a bad day, but it appears that some of this restaurant's staff is in need of additional training on proper customer service). Staff does not acknowledge patrons who are waiting and appears to give priority to "Chinese speaking people" more. You may receive the wrong order, and they will get into an argument with you; arguing that that's what you've ordered. Will not be coming back again. Would not recommend, unless you really want cheap, okay-tasting food, with little to no customer service at all. Be prepared to be treated horribly by the staff. It's disgusting. ... and please don't try to defend this restaurant by saying that "they're Chinese". One's cultural background should not be used as a defense as to what is expected when dining out. Do yourself a favor and dine at Saint Anna across the street.
(2)
Jennifer W.
This place has HK food, but not HK service. We get seated quickly, but we sit there forever to get our food ordered. So know that you should flag down a server and do not spend your time waiting. My tea never gets refilled. I come here time and time again because it's cheap and open. Plus, you know what you're going to get. Even if you don't, you aren't paying much. So there are the dinner sets where you choose a certain amount of dishes for a certain price. I almost never order this because I almost never come here with a big group. In fact, this wouldn't be the place I'd choose to bring a group in the first place. Thus, I end up ordering something simple and easy like wonton soup, bowl of macaroni, or bowl of rice porridge. The food isn't fantastic, but it's cheap and easy. I hardly have to think about it. The bowls are a good size, so I get full. The rice porridges fillings are pretty generous, not just all rice porridge. Same with the macaronis. The wonton soup and siu gow are probably the things I order most often. Things that I don't really share with anyone else so I can wolf it down quick.
(3)
Yx M.
Worst place I have never been. First time after we sat down, there was black beetle climbing on the chair next to us. Then I decided to go. Second time, I ordered food by phone, came to pick it half an hour afterwords as they told me how long it usually takes to be cooked, but they did not cook at all, till I waited there another half an hour, they start to cook my order. Third time, I came to there for lunch, I sat down by the table I want, there was not any sign, then a waiter came to me asked me for moving because they does not expect service one customer if the table is for more than one seats. I moved to a smaller table, she asked me to move again to a dirty corner close to kitchen. I went out, never do business with them any more! That really pissed me off. Horrible environment, the worst place to eat, the worst customer service.
(1)
Eileen L.
Food is okay and cheap. But service is badddd. Another thing is that they dnt take credit card. Once me and my friends went there and we didn't have enough cash to tip. And the waiter chased after us and ask for tips. I mean their service doesn't worth any tips, and we were nice enough to tip them. However, what can we do if they don't accept card?!
(3)
Janet T.
This place is delicious but the service is pretty bad. I come here a lot because the food is good and the portion sizes are good to feed the family. Most of the time when I come here, the waiters are hard to get a hold of. The waiters mostly only speak Chinese and can't understand us very well when we order. My sister likes eating the fried squid here so we always get it, plus I like the salt and pepper tofu which is really good. The place kind of looks gross and sometimes the table is sticky and nasty but it's still a good place to eat.
(3)
Linny P.
Four words : BEEF STEW NOODLE SOUP. plus Two words: HAPPY HOUR (everything 50% off) equals THE MOST SATISFYING THREE DOLLAR MEAL you can get in the Bay Area. Okay okay, as a girl who's a Chinatown local, I've heard all about the restaurant's lack of hygiene and not so great service ... but seriously, the beef stew noodle soup makes makes you forget all the flaws. I always get wide rice noodles. They are very generous with the beef (which is always tender). The soup is very aromatic with a little spice and green onions. It's a simple and extremely fulfilling dish, reminiscent of something my grandma would make on a cold, rainy night. A must try, if you haven't already.
(5)
Kayra B.
Very bad service - I think people came here because it's cheap - I'm not recommend come here -
(1)
Victor G.
8th Street Cafe has their window pane plastered with pics of entrees and prices thereon.. service: don't expect it eats: won ton soup (4.25) 10ish pieces won tons, way too much msg -beef chow fun (5.5) very tender, marinated beef (probably baking sodas used, not healthy) when chow fun cooled, funny aftertaste occurs. leftovers: -food doesn't seem fresh -msg overdose -cheap food, reasonable portions -my tummy feels funny.
(2)
Jeanette S.
I came here around 3pm and noticed a HUGE crowd of people eating here. So I thought that it must be good! But I didn't order any dishes because I already ate. So I saw the fresh mango pudding for only $1.38 w/o tax posted on the window, and got that instead. The waitresses are mean. They ignore you until you speak to them first. And then they ignore you some more. But I was pretty satisfied with my mango pudding. It was thick and COLD. I was thirsty. Next time I might get the watermelon juice with pearls to quench my thirst. That is only $1.50 too!!!
(3)
Kimberly T.
Real quick.. They have now gone from one to two stars, We pass here all the time and it is usually packed or busy at the least. On our way to Joy Luck, my daughter urged me to give them another try. Without waiting this time, we kind of just sat ourselves and shortly after the waitress bought us tea and a menu. We placed our order. It came fairly quickly and wasn't half bad. I still like joy luck better, but fair is fair. We will see how many *stars* the future holds.
(2)
angelita m.
HORRIBLE. The worst service. The waitress was rude and had the nerve to tell us that we were ordering too much food. Than they didn't check on us once. We had to get up and find to go boxes. She never brought the drink that I ordered. Then when we left she had the nerve to snap at us and tell us that we needed to leave a larger tip. I am never going back there.
(1)
Jess s.
I'm a tad confused. I thought this place used to be d&a cafe. But when I looked outside, their sign said 8th street cafe. But their Chinese name and all their menu items are identical to d&a's Food wise, everything tastes great! We ordered the beef jook, foil wrapped chicken, fried quail, chicken wings, 2 watermelon juice with no tapioca (tasted more like watermelon slushie) and a passionfruit tapioca. For all that food, we only paid $22!!! what a steal!!! I'll definitely be back next time when i'm in oakland chinatown :)
(4)
vic f.
Lotta food for a little money, CT has better but not at this bargain price. Gotta also speak up if you need help from the help. More diner than resto, be warned it is A LOT of food.
(3)
Patra B.
Happy Hour at a Chinese cafe??? Who would've thought?? Apparently D & A did! Happy Hour runs from 3pm-6pm, and their specials are $3.80! Its another late night week for me at work, so my coworkers decided to pick up some dinner. I was hungry, and at $3.80 a pop, I couldn't refuse. I got the salted fish and chicken fried rice( static.px.yelp.com/bphot… ) and an order of gai lan( static.px.yelp.com/bphot… ). The fried rice could have used a little more chicken, but other than that it was pretty good. Great way to stink up the office! The gai lan was yummy...nice and tender with just the right amount of oyster sauce. I love me some veggies! Cheap and convenient....can't go wrong with that!
(3)
Fanny Z.
Two words: happy hour. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here when it is running on non-happy hour hours. Their food is meh to me: they use a lot of oil, salt, and MSG. I guess such set up would not really work for my health-nut taste buds. There's nothing really memorable about their Chinese food, besides the unhealthy factor. I like their chow fun, but I think it is just the noodles that are good, not any particularity in their cooking.
(3)
James T.
This is thee local dive to eat at. They are the perfect business model for a restaurant in Chinatown. When I go by they always have customers even when other restaurants are slow. They run a 3 entree special (which includes rice and soup) for $20. I see alot of other restaurants trying to copy this nowadays but I think they started it. This is Chinese food so expect everything to be a little greasy, service to be inattentive, and food piping hot. Parking sucks. You'll need to hit up the underground parking at Renaissance plaza or if it's after 6 just do street parking for free. They also have an identical restaurant in Clement Chinatown in SF.
(4)
Christina T.
I have been eating at this cafe since I was a little girl. The food has always been decent, the service abhorrent. I came in here around 10pm to order take out. When I first walked in, nobody bothered to greet me and offer me a menu when I said I wanted to order take out. The lady that first saw me automatically assumed that I didn't know how to speak Chinese and called another lady who knew how to speak English to deal with me. I do know how to speak Chinese, thank you very much, lady. I ordered an ice milk tea, a salt and pepper smelt, and pork braised noodles. The milk tea was delicious, the right amount of sugar, water and tea. The smelt was good too, and the noodles were a bit too starchy and greasy for my taste. It took 10-15 minutes for my take out to be ready and the bill was $9.60. Not pricey, but the bad service is discouraging.
(3)
Rob T.
Finally was able to try out 8th Street Cafe yesterday for dinner. $19.99 for 3 items and house soup (out of 108 dishes - some dishes have an astorisk next to them & cost 50 cents to $2 more). Can feed 3-4 people. - house soup = a nice way to start the meal - sweet and sour pork = my weakness....really good - soy sauce ginger chicken = nice portion, fresh chicken - beef stew = huge dish but too many tendon pieces, tasted a little funny too, would not order again ~ $1.62 Fresh Watermelon Slush - good if you like watermelon, which I do! They have a full menu of other fruit drinks too.
(4)
Kevin L.
Food is probably slumming in the three-star a-ok tepid pool, but the low prices make it an aspirational 3.5 kind o' place. Definitely Hong Kong-style food, which means a bizarro blend of American and Chinese that evolved out of a separate family tree from the branch that brought us kung pao chicken and other fried battered sour n' sweet goodies. Whereas that's Chinese food for Amurikans, this is American food for Chinese people. So things are little sweeter and a little porkier. Classics are the baked protein on fried rice dishes. Pinnacle of this is their baked pork chop, which is apparently only $4.50 every day around lunch time, and it comes with two hefty chops mounded with red sauce (it certainly ain't tomatoes I've ever seen). I have a low bar for red sauce, but this one was a little clammy and stuck to the meat just a little too well. The fried rice was a little soggy in parts. How do Asians fuck up rice in this day and age of rice cookers? Tons of lunch specials (all hovering around $5 or $6 for way more food than you should be eating, fatty) and if you add a drink to your grab, it's only another $1.20. So lots and lots of bang for your buck, even if it's lukewarm bang..
(3)
Robert Y.
They have a pretty good dinner for for 20 bucks that includes 3 side dishes and 1 soup (classic chinese style meal). First thing that the waiter said to us was "hurry up, what do you want?" lol. every chinese restaurant has poor service, but come on... that's over the line. dropped the restaurant from a 4 star to a 3 star. food was really good with large portions. favorite dish was the braised cod. soo good. also had the spinach with beef, which was bare, to say the least. overall, it was an ok chinese restaurant. i still prefer my monterey park chinese food though...
(3)
Andy L.
Not too bad not too good
(3)
Meilin W.
I don't know where you can go to get family style Chinese food as delicious and affordable as 8th St Cafe. This might not be the tidiest or the most high end restaurant in Chinatown, but it is definitely the place to go any time of the day with an assortment of Chinese dishes. I am rather surprised with the mediocre ratings 8th St Cafe received from Yelp reviewers, but the long lines I usually have to wait to get seated proved otherwise, and I think this restaurant is very popular among other non-Yelping customers. There's not a lot of places that offer 3 dishes for just $20 with free soup and refillable rice. I recommend the combination clay pots, green onion and soy sauce chicken, and the fried calamari. Their food is a little bit on the saltier side if you're one of those people who limit your rice consumption at restaurants. Their service is very prompt. We ordered 6 dishes and they all arrived within 5 minutes of our order. Also, don't expect spectacular service because this restaurant is super busy. Every time I visit my relatives in Alameda, we always go to this restaurant despite how inconvenient it is to find parking. But it's definitely worth going to and I will continue returning to 8th St Cafe for more of their food!
(4)
Lauren K.
One of my parent's favorite restaurants closed down so we were stuck picking any random place. Originally looking for some dim sum, we gave up and settled with this place because it looked pretty crowded. I guess I should have thought something was weird when the family next to us left half of every dish and drink filled and didn't even bother to take it to go. The place looks like a hole in the wall and I guess it shows you get what you pay for. Prices are pretty cheap with the average dish at $6-7. We ordered Pan Fried Seafood Chow Mein, Beef curry, and Cod with bitter melon (off the lunch special). The Curry and the Cod came with a choice of Spaghetti (.......... I have no idea if this is good) or steamed rice. The Chow Mein was pretty good but a little oily for my liking. The beef curry was spicy and I felt like the beef wasn't cooked all the way. It was a bit mushy insteady of chewy. The cod was pretty good. The lunch special is probably the best deal served with rice or spaghetti & coffee or HK tea. It's $4.25 each from 11 AM-3PM Monday-Friday. They offer a choice of two different dishes to choose from. The waitresses seemed too busy stuffing their faces with food in their counter space area. Is that even sanitary? Maybe my expectations were too high coming in but I was a little grossed out when I saw the girl at the next table flossing her teeth... who does that? I only have this place 2 stars because of the prices and the quality of the food. I mean it wasn't horrible.. It filled up 4 people for $20 (tax and tip included).
(2)
Wilson T.
Quality if food has simply diminished. It is mediocre at best. The milk tea used to be decent, now it's not up to par. Honestly if you want to go to a cheap mundane Chinese Cafe, go across the street to St. Anna.
3 for $20 dishes. Oh yeah........You really can't go wrong when there is a line out the door and the place is filled with a bunch of Chinese people eating Chinese food. Short Beef Rib w/ Pepper Sauce Schezwan Eggplant Garlic Bok Choy Plus served with a ton of rice and yummy soup. Their Happy Hour is awesome. from 3-5pm and 10pm - 1am (?). Got their hot tea which made me soooo happy. Hence the point of Happy Hour. Now for the best part.... FRESH MANGO PUDDING. Would come here back here again and again.
(4)
Constance C.
Interesting... I had no idea their name was no longer D&A Cafe. Anyhow, I like getting my HK style milk tea boba here in the afternoons because it's super cheap at $1.50 and I love how creamy and rich the tea is. DELISH! However, I must say that I no longer eat here because I am no longer a fan of their food since their move. So I'd say eat elsewhere but get your drinks to-go here. Before their move, they served breakfast sets and I used to absolutely love their omelette, but sadface those days are gone! They no longer serve breakfast in the mornings!
(3)
Annabelle T.
We literally sat here for 40 minutes waiting for our food. My mom asked the waitress what was taking so long, and the waitress asked all the workers eating their lunch who took our order. The lady then got up from her lunch and put our order into the system. She didnt even apologize. She was obviously more excited for her lunch than anything else. Oh and as I'm writing this review, one of the other waitresses almost dropped a plate on me. Good thing I caught it. Their milk tea is good though.
(2)
Kevin Q.
The food are delicious and cheap. They come in a huge amount that I can't finish by myself. However, you'll definitely lose some appetite after looking at their kitchen. Well, I never got sick after having food from this place, I guess the food is safe, and they come in tasty.
(4)
Anna C.
After reading some of the bad reviews I have to say- 1) this place is definetly not gourmet 2) service is not the best 3) the decor is nothing much to show for With that said- 1) the food is cheap 2) portions are big 3) conveniently located in the heart of Chinatown 4) the food comes to you very quickly I think people gets very easily offended when bad service is presented to them...Get off your high horse and just enjoy cheap eats with your friends/ family! You can't beat the price and portions they provide here!
(4)
Angela L.
I usually come here during happy hour with my family. ATMOSPHERE: Spacious, lots of table, good for larger parties. Bright and somewhat welcoming. Has two flat screen TVs usually on the TVB channel (I appreciate that lol ^_^) The location is convenient, it's in Chinatown. SERVICE: Poor. There's very few waitresses waiting on a lot of tables so you usually have to wait a bit before they take your order or get you plates/drinks. It takes a while to get their attention. PRICING: I usually only come here for their happy hour, and it's TOTALLY WORTH IT. Cheap and filling! We usually end up ordering a lot because of how cheap it is, but even then our bill isn't that high. ^_^ QUALITY OF FOOD: Not the best, but it's still good with a good portion of it! Their drinks are also inexpensive so give it a try! Fair warning: their milk tea here is different from the milk tea from Tap Ex, Quickly's, etc. it's more bitter and has more tea. NOM NOM NOM, ANOTHER PRO TO THIS PLACE IS IT'S OPEN LATE! WHAT A BLESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSING! If you've got a craving at 10PM, this is probably the only Asian place still open in the bay...lol
(4)
Casey S.
Back when this place used to be D&A Cafe on Webster, it was the best. Happy Hours, quality food at great prices, and a nice vibe were all present. However, ever since it's move onto 8th Street a few years ago, everything has steadily declined. The food's your typical Hong Kong fare, which is good for those craving pan-fried noodles and deep-fried meat. It comes in plentiful portions, but it's so incredibly greasy that you want to quit before you're even halfway done. As mentioned in other reviews, the service here is atrocious, especially if you are not Chinese. Being a 6'3" white guy, I got the brunt of it...that is, when they finally got around to serving us 30 minutes later. I feel sorry for the Asian buddy I went with... The prices are still good, but they are nowhere as cheap as they were last year. Yes, we're still in a recession, but they have jumped up to ridiculous amounts. It's still cheaper than the more expensive places that serve that chop suey crap, but you can do much better in the Oakland Chinatown.
(2)
Leslie L.
Used to go to D&A cafe which is now converted to 8th street cafe. For some reason, whether it was because I used to come here all the time as a high school student or my age... I always get terrible service. The waitresses never seem to want to come take my orders or process the check. Just know that the service is pretty bad. However, I did enjoy the snack time/happy hour foods. Though, I am not too fond of this place anymore. Also, don't bring a large group, they'll charge extra and it'll be a hassle.
(2)
Ricky S.
Snails with black bean sauce and clams with black bean sauce were pretty good. Would go there again just for those 2 items!
(3)
JM C.
I like the 3 entree for $20. Service is horrible, lady was rude. The only good thing about this place is the price. I will come back despite the service for the food and price.
(2)
Mary C.
Just like my other Chinatown reviews, there's a few things you should ALWAYS keep in mind when going to Chinatown. +You won't have the most attentive service. Don't worry. Being a little loud to wave them down isn't too impolite if they start gossiping around the counter. +If you're confident and insistent, you will get what you want even if you order at 3:02 for a lunch special that ends at 3:00. [I learned this the other day from daddy] +Your food probably won't blow your mind but would sure hit a sweet homey feeling spot [if you're Chinese] Ok what WOULD blow your mind though is the happy hour specials. It's like happy-hour FOREVER here except before happy hour, it's the lunch specials. I love this place. $2.75 for my won-ton mein? YES please. We paid $9 for 3 bowls of noodles. YES. So you do want something that's mind-blowing? The baked porkchop dishes normally does the trick for me. Something like rainbows and immortal unicorns is incorporated in their sweet tomato sauces baked into the spaghetti or rice. This place was formally known as my all-time favorite D & A Cafe, but moved into a bigger spot. Do keep in my the baked dishes take a tad bit longer to come out. If you're looking for a happy hour every hour where the food is cheap, decent and filling, come grub with me.
(4)
Karen L.
I noticed a lot of reviews mention the bad service--it may be true, but it's Chinatown, so you can't expect stellar service. Sometimes, you have to go get your own utensils. The food, after all, is really cheap, so I don't complain. I really like the lunch specials--it comes with soup and milk tea. If I'm lucky, they'll be serving my favorite special (baked pork chops!) that day. The food is good and tasty, though not exceptional. But for a cheap and quick lunch, this is a great place to go. Also, if you come here during happy hour, the food is even more cheap, and they have an entire happy hour menu with items for less than $5.
(3)
Nathan T.
Love this place. Cheap HK style food/cafe - complete with rude waiters who don't think I can speak Cantonese and butcher their version of English for me. But it's okay because the food is good here.
(4)
Shirley A.
I think this place is as authentic as it gets for the price you pay for. Happy hour from 3pm-6p and 10pm-close, decent portions ranging from $2.00-$5.50 per dish with also the 3 for $20 option all day. Some dishes to recommend during happy hour are walnut prawns, beef with veg chow fun, chowmein with beansprouts, french toast, yang chow fried rice, salt and pepper tofu, chinese broc with hoisin sauce, and white chicken feet. Dishes to recommend from the 3 for 20 deal are the beef tongue dish, beef and broccoli, crispy pig intestine, braised tofu, walnut prawns, beef short ribs, and salt in pepper tofu (even bigger portion than from happy hour menu) Service is average in this type of restaurant , however they do need more servers! Most of the time it's limited to two or three servers for the entire restaurant.
(4)
Stacey H.
The service was really really bad. I called the lady to order for 3 times. She brought the tea,and inside the tea had aluminum foil in it. I showed her she didn't even say sorry and took the cup away and brought back another one. Who want to drink that kind of tea. After we finished we asked for check for 3 to 4 times. She saw it but she just act like she was busy and ignored us. I really pissed that lady. The food is not bad and also the price is right but that kind of service , I won't go back there. I gave her a penny tips. I don't think she deserve the tips but you know Chinese restaurant if you don't give them tips , they will run and ask for tips
(1)
Paul W.
Just come here for the cheap food. Don't expect any sort of service, Unfortunately rude and dirty. Yet I still come here for the cheap food only.
(3)
Alison S.
Normally I'd say the food was eehhhh but extra star because four of us got ridonkulously (my new word) full for $6 a piece. With leftovers!! We got the Hunan seafood pot (not in a pot), the seafood fried lai fun noodles, Szechuan green beans, and green onion and ginger chicken. Three of the dishes were part of the dinner special, and a big bowl of homestyle pork soup comes with the meal. We liked the green beans and the chicken the best. The seafood "pot" was okay, but I thought it was too saucy, and the seafood lai fun was tastier than it looked but still just o-kay. The ginger/green onion chicken, however, was tender and juicy and full of flavour! I'm so happy it's going to be my meal tomorrow as well. Service was okay for this sort of place. They didn't give me attitude, food came out fast, what more am I really asking for at this point? Note: if you come in a small group and end up at a big table, you might have to share your space. However, don't be like me and assume two people sitting in a big table are not part of a yet-to-arrive-party and steal one of their menus. :( Sorry strangers :(
(3)
Jerrell J.
Roaches! It came out when our food did, alive and kicking. We stopped eating that very second, paid, no tip, left 4 plates full of food. Waitress played the language barrier game with me, as I tried to discuss the matter with her. Never again..
(1)
Esther Y.
THREE STAR AVERAGE?! o_O I'm surprised. Really surprised. My Oakland-savvy friend took me and a couple others here for a late lunch Saturday afternoon. As always, Chinatown is crowded, and this little cafe was no exception. We came in, had a seat, and ordered from the special menu where you can pick any 3 items for $17.99, plus you get rice and soup too. Ok, let's get started, in the order things came out (and boy, things came out FAST!) Soup: I'm not sure exactly what kind of soup this is, we thought it was jook at first, but decided that it was probably a kind of seafood egg drop soup. But, OMG. THIS. WAS. SO. GOOD. All the Chinese people at the table were like...wow, wish I could make this...it was seriously a 5-star soup. Beef Broccoli: Wow...the beef was so tender and delicious. I did feel like there was more broccoli than beef, and I'm more of the meat kinda person, but this was still pretty much a 5-star dish for me. Scrambled eggs w/ prawns: Excellent. The eggs were soft and the prawns were succulent. Mmm! Kung pao chicken: Okay...this is the dish that brought the overall rating down to 4 stars. All the Chinese people said this was not the kung pao chicken we're used to. It was okay, the chicken was tender, and it was spicy enough, but it just wasn't up to par. We had 2 boxes of leftovers, and it came out to be $6 including tip, for all 4 of us. What a deal!! Looks like this place is open till 1 am...so probably good for a late night snack too. CASH only and good luck finding parking! Update 6/11: I've added pictures!
(4)
Garry Y.
We stopped in for a quick lunch and ended up staying a long time. The previous yelpers were right you get seated fast but try getting a waitress to your table, good luck. My suggestion is to take pictures of the dishes on the window BEFORE you go in, as you get seated show them the pictures and place your order you might save 20 minutes. The food was ok, the best deal is the 3 items for $20.
(3)
Johnny W.
Many years ago, this place was originally called "On On" and was located at 7th & Webster Street. Some years later, the name was changed to "D&A Cafe". Years after that, they moved to their current location at 8th Street. A few months later, they changed their name again to what it is called today. With all the changes over the years; the only things that stayed the same is their quality and prices has always been equally LOW! If you're willing to sacrifice on the quality and flavor of your food for quantity and affordability, then this has ALWAYS been the restaurant to go to! The prices are so cheap, you'll be amazed at how low the final total of your bill will be. Over the years, the menu has grown to be much larger in its selections, including a category for Tapioca drinks. The food here is really not good, but for its selections and the amount of food you get for the small price you pay, it's definitely worth your pocket change!
(3)
Ngoc L.
I lovee this place...especially their happy hours! If you go here during their happy hour...everything is sooo cheap. You can feed a family of 4 for under 20! I never knew this place existed until my sister's ex bought over food for us a few years ago around 11pm and made me a fan of this place. I remember he bought over honey walnut shrimp and their deep fried flounder fish...all were very delicious! I recently dropped by this place with the bf when we wanted to check out oakland's chinatown. Coincidentally, we came during their happy hours and had a veryy cheap meal. We ordered their fried chicken wings, wonton soup, 2 lemon tea, and some other noodle plate for all under $20. Don't expect superb customer service here, you might even have to share a big table with other people..but in all, the food is good and fast!
(4)
Judy Y.
Nope, terrible. Maybe they have good chicken wings that I may never try, but after ordering a couple of dishes from the lunch special and the normal menu, I am not a fan. The prices are pretty cheap, but the quality of their ingredients is atrocious. It's Chinatown, so do yourself a favor, and find a BETTER restaurant than 8th Street Cafe...
(1)
Jeanette Y.
The table was sticky, the service was crappy, the food is very meh but I guess what keeps this place busy is their prices. PS. I like having my own menu to look at and not share ONE with five other people. PSS. Did I mention how crappy the service is? Well I had to mention it twice because it was THAT crappy. PSSS. Thanks for telling me that you don't want to give me a to-go box for my leftovers because the boxes are expensive. DUMB.
(1)
Chris L.
This place is quick and the service is great for what kind of restaurant it is. In other words, don't expect great snotty service when you're coming to a Chinese Denny's (they even have the same dishes and cups as Denny's - the thick microwaveable, sturdy spotted neutral dish with brown lining, you know what I'm talking about!). Everyone here is pretty nice and I've come here for lunch twice. It's always super packed but they seat you quickly. Their lunch specials are $3.80 and change everyday. I don't know about you, but there is no lunch you can get take out for $3.80. On Fridays, it's curry pork with spaghetti or rice (not bad) and cod with bitter melon. Their baked pork chop dish is not bad (I think it was Thursday). I had the prawn spaghetti and it was pretty juicy and good ($5.50). Good portions too! They always oblige and give to go boxes and plastic bags. Fast and great service for what it is. I will take a picture of their daily specials and upload a picture next time I go. Also, you can add a hot milk tea with your $3.80 lunch special for $1.20 and 50 cents more for cold milk tea. Next door, there is this bomb ass Canto bakery. I ruv it. The grandma is really nice. I highly recommend the egg tart and creme horn. The people work hard here for their money and are efficient. I like Chinese Denny's. =D Also, just to confirm, you do NOT have to speak ANY Chinese to eat here.
(3)
Marrione T.
Alright. I've been telling myself to yelp about this restaurant for a while but i haven't done so. We've been here a couple of times, and they always get dad's wonton order wrong. Every time we come there, they always get his order wrong. But it's okay, the food is fine, very unhealthy though, but it's really cheap. Really shitty service. The waitresses always has their heads down so that it seems like they are doing something. They always rush you and seems to forget everything that you ask for. Don't expect to be seated automatically, you have to ask them and point to which table you want to sit at. They do not give you the menu, so just walk up to the counter next to the cashier where all of the menus are. They don't give you the bill unless you frantically wave your hands or just save the trouble and just go to the cashier and ask them for your bill. Oh and they ask you to give them tips. They give you napkins and utensils in a pack, they don't separate and give it to you individually. One of the waitresses that gave us our drinks spilled the milk tea all over my bf's shorts and all she did was give him 2 napkins to dry himself. We went there again, but this time without our parents, we're 4 hungry teenagers. We ordered what we wanted, but only 1 order came out, and the waitress was like, "ohh you guys all share together." Who do you think you are? We won't walk into a restaurant and order 4 dishes if we can't afford it! We have money to pay for our food! Don't ignore our freakin' order! They gave us 5 milk teas even though there's only 4 of us. We ain't paying for the extra one! They asked me for tips, okay i'll give them tips! It took the lady 10 minutes to give us our bill, so we tipped them a dime!
(1)
Hei Ming C.
Cheap during happy hour. Opens late. It's like any other asian place, the food is mediocre but when you are here, it's just a place for people to hang out and bs around while eating during late hours.
(3)
Maria H.
Going to 8th Street Cafe was actually an accident. I was heading to St. Anna's right across the street for some baked plates when I realized it was closed at 3pm on a Tuesday, phooey. Since I've already paid the meter, I figured I might as well eat across the street. I've actually been here before when it was grand opening, after relocating from the old D&A cafe. I must report that I'll probably be back more fequently! Their happy hour prices are TO DIE FOR! Really? $3 for a bowl of noodles? My eating partner and I ordered 3 dishes and 2 drinks, and the bill came out to be $15 including tips! We ordered a Sup Chow (beef ho fun dish), Ja diye cherng (fried pig intestines), and a rice roll with mixed sauce. MMM... (I'm craving for it now) and got a redbean snow and a lemon iced tea. Decently delicious enough, and the prices definitely leaves room to explore your taste buds. GREAT ACCIDENT INDEED!
(3)
Angela F.
This is a good place to have dinner. The food was great but it won't knock you off your feet. Its a good place to eat for 19.95 for how many people you can feed with 3 entries. But the service was very slow and not to nice.
(3)
K C.
Everyone in Chinatown waits until 3pm to eat happy hour for lunch (I can't be the only one!) I really love their portions, because I feel that I get what I paid and some more =] Other happy hour places shrink your dish of food, so I don't eat there! Delicious food too, I recommend the fried tofu and beef "hall fun". CAUTION!!! Waitresses are extremely blind/purposely avoid you when it comes to taking orders or bringing your checks. In most restaurants, wave your hand, but here that won't do. You practically have to yell for them to remember a customer is at the table. Even if you wave as they are walking toward your table, they refuse to use peripheral vision. I bet this is one reason they don't get much tips! so I get the last laugh HaHa
(3)
Anita W.
i only come here during their happy hour (M-F from 3-6p). their french toast, salt and pepper chicken wings, and chicken chow fun + watermelon juice makes me a happy camper. everything else is bland and i would rather get it elsewhere in chinatown. might die of thirst cause its so hard to get service for refills on tea!
(3)
Kelly W.
WORST SERVICE EVER. I came here last week with a friend and waited a long time for them to take our order, but we sat there for so long, we ended up leaving because nobody seemed to be paying attention. As we were leaving, they just stared at us. I don't know what is up with all the waitress's attitudes, but every time I am here, there's always something to wrong. It takes them forever to take your order, and when you need something, they will look at you and ignore you. I try to give them more chances, but I really don't understand what their problem seems to be.
(1)
Angela Y.
It's your typical cheap Chinese restaurant. Met here for lunch with my boyfriend and a couple of his friends. They already had ordered food. Food was decent, not the best you'll find but for the price, it's good. It's on the greasier side as well. It's cheap. Between the five of us, lunch only costs us about $8-9 each include tip and we were all stuffed. Service is any sort of service you'll get at a super asian place - to get their attention, you gotta call for them. They aren't going to come to you. Affordable, easy place to go if you're looking for a quick bite.
(3)
Soumary A.
3 Words: CHEAP. GOOD. FAST :) I loved this place! i don't know how it got only 3 stars! I've actually never heard of a chinese restaurant ever having "happy hour", but this place has one! lol..come here from 3-6, or 10-close and they have a special menu to accomodate you with :) We ordered the "fried pig intestine" (SO good by the way..BETTER than it sounds lol), honey walnut shrimp(mm..what more could i say?), 2 country fried chicken..my bf got his over rice and i got mine over spaghetti...i tried both entrees and I say get the spaghetti..it tastes better :)..then we shared a mango pudding...ALL of that for only 20 bucks including tip! (YEAH, need i say more? LOL) The ONLY downfall to this place is that they have horrible customer service. Other than that, if you're ever hungry at a late hour and you live nearby oakland chinatown, come here!
(4)
Daniel L.
Last night was my third visit to 8th Street Cafe, I was here to compare their porridge to the ones at Gum Kuo. What I found myself confirming was all the negative reviews that yelp members had written about 8th Street Cafe, or what is formerly known as the notorious D & A Cafe. What is confirmed is the slow and impersonal service, even during their down time. Food wise, it is also confirmed that Gum Kuo is far more superior--by leaps and bounds. Although 8th Street Cafe has the well lit ambiance and flat screen TV to appear inviting, their baked fried rice was too salty, porridge was bland and uninspiring, and I found their taro boba stale while the boring powder that was used put them at a distance from the authenticity of a good HK cafe. During my visit, I also saw one of the servers drop her wiping towel onto the floor and only to pick it back up, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and used it to wiped down the rest of soy sauce containers. Of the three times I was there, I only saw them refilling tea for large tables that are segregated in the back. By sitting at a one-person table, I had to wait additional time for my bill to arrive even though my porridge bowl, boba and tea cups had long been emptied. It was not until the arrival of my bill that they offered to refill my tea. I don't think I will be returning anytime soon. There are plenty of other restaurants nearby, including Gum Kuo.
(2)
Barbara S.
The service is still terrible, especially from the newer servers. The cleanliness issue has improved. The low prices are still the top selling point. Don't be surprised at bad boba, milk tea and other mixed drinks at night. The servers at night usually don't know how to make these drinks properly and even joke with each other about customers at night complaining. If you are a frequent customer and the crew likes you, you may get much more meat or noodles in the same dishes as other customers. EDITED TO CHANGE FROM 3 STARS TO 1 STAR: Well, I decided to go there a couple of hours ago and boy am I sorry I did! Business was very slow tonight and the crew apparently wanted to go home early. So, about 50 minutes before closing time, the kitchen crew started blaring music, one of two servers disappeared, and one of the cleaning ladies started sweeping up the dining room and having LOUD conversations right next to my table. I had headphones on but more crew members joined in and it got so loud that my ears hurt and I was developing a headache. Finally, I just asked for my check and to go boxes and went home. Tonight was the first time in a very long time I left only about a 15% tip--still more than most of their customers usually tip and more than what this crew deserved, but much, much less than what I usually leave. BTW, a group of non-Chinese speaking customers came in at around 12:20 and most of the restaurant crew was so unhappy about it that they were complaining to each other about this in Cantonese right in front of the customers. Lovely.
(1)
fish i.
Decent Chinese food. This place is always about 50%+ filled with customers. I think this is ideal because it means the food is decent. Full house would not be good for me, because it the workers will be over worked and possibility of mistakes, sloppiness increases, frustrated workers, etc. 50%+ filled also means the food moves quickly and we're not eating old food from the prior day. Dinner for $20: 3 dishes, rice, and soup. Cool deal. Dishes I enjoy: Ox tongue chicken hoinan Talipia "Dow mew" Egg plant Fried chicken wings are pretty good.
(3)
Anna T.
I think this place is now called the 8th Street Cafe. I've had 2 bad experiences here, both involving cockroaches. The first time, I didn't see the cockroaches until after I finished eating and stepped outside. The cockroaches were practically the size of my face crawling up and down the building. I took a long break from the restaurant after that. When they relocated to a different street in Chinatown, I gave them another try. This time, I saw a cockroach (but a regular sized one) crawling on the ceiling halfway through my meal. I couldnt even finish my meal and just sat there and waited for my family. Towards the end of the meal, I look around the ceiling for the cockroach and I couldnt find it any where. I was thinking how glad I was that it had crawled some where else to scare the shit out of another hungry customer instead of myself. All of a sudden, I see the disgusting thing right by my elbow with its long, thin antennas wiggling around my plate. Ugh, they should post a sign, "EATERS BEWARE" BUT other than being infested by cockroaches, their prices are cheap for a fairly large portion. Just eat at your own risk..
(2)
Daniel H.
+Very cheap Chinese food. Can't get much cheaper than this. 3 giganto plates for $20? Awesome. -This place is dirty, sticky, and dirty. It's dirty and unhygienic. The filthy dining room makes me wonder how much nastier the kitchen is. Better to come here
(2)
Yen Yen C.
Although its now called 8th Street Cafe, I still refer to it as D&A and so does the millions in Chinatown. PRICE: Soup + 3 dishes + unlimited rice = $20 Can't really beat that price. FOOD: Don't have much complaints about the food. I like how the dishes aren't super salty or submerged in oil. Lemon Ice Tea here is pretty good. I always ask for extra lemon because the tea is a little too sweet. SERVICE: I really don't like the asian ladies that work here though! SO RUDE! Overall, come here for CHEAP chinese food during late nights!
(3)
Thlel Yan D.
This is still D&A to me as well as all the other people who have been frequenting it for years, before it actually lived on 8th Street. Service is spotty, but the milk tea is a force to be reckoned with. And the happy hour (mid afternoon and late night) specials cannot be beat. All other times are ok, cheap and you get what you pay for.
(4)
Norman L.
A little housekeeping before I review this place: Parking: Street parking, in Chinatown, prepare to circle around. How to pay: BRING CASH! Service: Um... it's Chinatown, lower your expectations. Okay, on to my review... This is the place where you can feed a family of 7 for about $25. How? Get the $20 family dinner combo. You get soup, rice, and 3 dishes from the menu. Eating alone? Got $5? Happy Hour! (More like happy hourS) When? 3pm-6pm and 10pm-1am. That's right, 6 hours of happiness. They have many items on the Happy Hour menu and the price ranges from $2.75 to $4.75. Note: Wonton ho fun? $2.75
(4)
Garfield J.
simply put, the serve solid food here for reasonable money--- I was on a Gold Medal kick for a while and when leaving there would always walk by 8th Street Cafe and read their menu, see how it was always packed, and was drawn in my their Happy Hour specials which range from $2.75---$4.75----they also have a 3 item $19.99 special-----I kept saying to myself, why not try this place out for $2.75, what can go wrong?---- So, the $2.75 specials drew me in and since then, I have made this place my personal kitchen-----I now go pretty much any time of day, not just at Happy Hours--- the food---if you stick to the simpler traditional Chinese dishes, I found they are always solid and consistent. I tried their Kung Pao, and found it a bit weak ----- the clientele is almost al Asian---wonton noodlles are great here, Hong Kong Style Chow mein---seafood dishes are strong here--lots of filet of cod preparations--- they also have odd baked specials, which are kind of a mesh of American food with a slight Chinese twist----they actually work---the sauces are more American, but very tasty. Service-----I swear---why do people expect the same level of service from Asian joints than non-Asian places? there is a reason why they sell a whole crab for $9.99 here----that same crab would cost you over $20 at any other place. In terms of service, they are pretty simple, they sit you, they drop off 1 cup of hot tea and menus, they return to take your order---they drop off your food, they will drop your bill once you flag them down with an American dollar bill in your hand.------they won't, give you recomendations, they won't automatically refill your tea---they won't check on you and ask you how your food is-----it is simple as that----they also don't expect a 20% tip from you----I local/regulars often leave the change off the dollar, or 10%----
(5)
Uland W.
Dinner special is $19.99 + tax for 3 items, rice, and soup (the soup is so-so nothing special); plenty of items to choose from. This is a great place if you are on a budget and don't expect 5 star dishes. CASH ONLY! Needless to say, they do specialize in a couple of items. I would try their string bean or snow pea dish, the fried quail, and probably their foil wrapped chicken (a little oily) but soft and tender. If you are ordering food to go, it usually takes 15-20 minutes so I suggest to phone it in if you already know what you want. In the past I go for one curry fish dish, XO seafood dish, snowpea dish, and a side order of fried quail from time to time. The portions are large and you will definitely about leftovers if two people are eating. The service is alright, but you might tend to wait at times since it always seems like the waitress are behind the counter and never out on the floor. Currently they do have a special on watermelon drinks $1.52, when you walk in you might run into a big bin of watermelon chillin at the store front. On a hot afternoon a nice juice of melon might hit the spot. The only downside is the PARKING! It's Chinatown and parking can be limited.
(3)
Johnson N.
To set the record straight: this review revolves mostly around their great prices. To Order: Hainan Chicken --The rice isn't as flavorful as some of the places I've had in the past, but the chicken was better than expected. A vinegar-based onion dressing served as a blanket to the bed of chicken. The combination was quite tasty... and at $5.50 (including a drink!), it seemed to taste even better. Szechwan Style Scallops in Sauce --This was one of the more expensive items on the menu. As such, I expected it to be pretty good. Much to my surprised, it exceeded my expectations. In an LA based Chinese restaurant named Fu Shing, I used to order a relatively expensive dish called "Hot Braised Scallops." This $6.50 item (soup included!) tasted similar to what I used to have at Fu Shing. Impressed? Most certainly. The atmosphere was as you would expect of a cafeteria-style dining area. Imagine donut shop benches and tables to make up the "booths" at 8th Street Cafe. They've definitely taken on a bare bones appearance for the restaurant so that they can give back to their customers in the way of great prices. I'll definitely be coming back for late night meals if hungry and looking to save a buck or two. Beware, they're cash only!
(4)
Andrew Y.
Good for late night eats. Cash only. The deep fried pork is really good (better than New Gold Medal). Yup, I said it. Also, had the wet egg over shrimp and rice. Not as good as New Gold Medal. The curry beef stew also really tasty. I ate the whole thing. So we'll probably come again.
(4)
Allan Y.
i have been to this place twice, once before i started yelping and again today for lunch..i had the beef stew noodles soup both time cause thats my favorite and both time its really good!!!!! my wife had the chicken broccoli with rice, that was really tasty also... you get large portion of food for a VERY cheap price!!! its a MUST try!!!!
(5)
Alicia A.
On the hunt for good chinese in Oakland Chinatown with friends on a 30 minute window.. I haven't ever eaten in Oakland Chinatown before - so I pulled up Yelp and picked the first place on the list on my phone. The place was clean and the service decent. The difficulty was trying to get my veg head friends something minus meat. Eventually after a raised eyebrow from the waitress when my friend said - she liked spicy food and ordered the szechuan tofu dish - we got our food to go with our tea. It was also the first time I got asked if I wanted my chow fun - wet or dry... Hmmm.. well I went with wet and I got a beef gravy over my noodles and beef. It was tasty.. and the noodles made the dish. Ordering from the menu and not the lunch specials got four people fed for under $25 - cha ching! Place is Cash only - and street parking - which means just take BART and walk over to save the gas from circling the block. As it was my first time.. I would like to explore the menu further but with someone more in the know of Chinese food.
(3)
Kevin H.
The food isn't bad here, especially for what it costs (even compared to other joints in C-Town), but the poor service is reason enough for a lot of folks not to come back. The menu is pretty robust, boasting traditional rice plates with curry, beef stew (beware, it's like 20% beef and 80% fat) and much more... and with some interesting but yummy combinations like pork chop spaghetti. At our most recent trip for dinner, the lady messed up 2 out of 4 orders, poured tea twice in one hour (the place was at 40% capacity), I ordered the beef stew with rice and really wish I hadn't (very fatty and greasy here), the green onion pancake was crispy/oily and nothing like the picture (SURPRISE!)... so needless to say, I wasn't totally stoked about this particular visit. I'd go back but this place can be a real hit or miss sometimes. Happy hour and the hours overall do make it a happening joint otherwise.
(2)
Olivia W.
It takes a lot for me to give a restaurant 1 star but this place really pissed me and my boyfriend off tonight. Service sucks ass. They waitresses are rude, lazy, and they chit chat way too much. I saw this these people drop a bowl under their table and of course it broke. Did the waitresses clean it up when the customers sitting there left? Nope. They just cleaned the table and left the broken glass bowl under the table. So anyway, my bf and I waited and waited for almost ten minutes to finally get a waitress to come over and take our order. The only reason we got their attention is because he started waving his menu around in the air. So the waitress looked up and said she'll be there in a minute. Waited.. Waited.. Almost 3 minutes then she comes over. Was she helping someone else? Nope. She's just doing her own thing. The food was mediocre. Nothing special but it's cheap but then again a bunch of restaurant joints are cheap in Chinatown. The thing that really ticked me off was my empty tea cup. The waitress was passing by and I asked her to bring me tea and she said okay she'll be right back. I watched her go behind the counter and make her little fat kids bobba drinks and did she ever bring the tea?! Hell to the no she never came back. The other waitress was going around to other tables filling up tea cups. She only filled two tables tea and totally ignored every one else. Seriously what the F*ck do I have to do to get some damn tea. We waved her down and finally we got her to fill our tea cups. Man was that tea hot. It was so hot it burnt my finger. I was so irritated. I'm still irritated by their ridiculous service. How are you going to give customers burning hot tea? We told the waitress to give us two boxes and the bill. She heard us I know she did because she said okay but of course she just ignored us. Instead she started chit chatting with the customer behind us and taking her sweet time to get us our boxes and the bill. My bf got so pissed off he just went to the counter to pay and get the boxes himself. I swear this is one of the worst places I have ever been to. I'm glad I didn't leave a tip to those useless tools they call "waitresses." Take a damn customer service class.
(1)
Boning C.
best chinese food in the east bay
(5)
Derek S.
Came by for some cold HK Cold Milk Tea and it was great! $1.20 and that was it! ...just like in HK! :D
(4)
Omar K.
place is obscenely cheap, but that's no excuse for crappy food. having no service (i get it i get it, chinatown right?) doesn't help either. foiled wrapped chicken - 2.5/5 - kinda slimy and sticks to the foil a bit much singapore fried noodle - 1/5 - hard to fuck up fried noodles, but apparently it can be done. and why is this dish yellow? beef stew noodle soup - 2.5/5 - inconsistent. was really good the last time i came, but i had some uncomfortably chewy meat this time. better with egg noodles than with rice noodles no more visits from me.
(2)
Henry S.
Came here for a late dinner over the weekend and had the green onion pan cake as an appetizer, house special chow mein (HK Style noodles) and a salted fish and chicken fried rice. First off service was a little slow but still acceptable. We were there at about 9:30 so they were not too busy. It took a while to get our drinks and our order in but it wasn't outrageous. The green onion pan cake appetizer was ok, my wife loved it but I've had better. Its just thinly sliced fried dough with green onions. Kinda greasy and crispy when it should be light a fluffy. The house special chow mein was basiclly HK style noodles with both crispy noodles and soggy noodles in gravy with bbq pork, bok chow, calamari, shrimp and veggies. The salted fish and chicken fried rice was decent. Not the best I've had but not the worst either. Overall ok food and ok service. Your options for dining in china town are limited after 9pm.
(3)
Mari M.
On a Monday afternoon, I was searching for a place to eat that was near. We just cancelled our overpriced Dine About Town reservations. I just moved into Oakland, and was also kind of afraid to try Chinatown restaurants by myself. So a friend and I decided to walk around to see if we could be inspired by any of the restaurants. We decided to go into the restaurant with the yellow awning, clearly marked 8th Street Cafe. We looked at the pictures posted, since we couldn't read the very non-English menu. After deciding that the food looked delicious enough to try, we went in. We guage the authenticity of a place by not being able to understand the writings on the wall. We read in the menu that it was "Happy Hour." Yes, traditionally, "Happy Hour" involves some sort of alcohol, but from 3-6...we were golden. We ordered: salt and pepper tofu, spicy beef tendon, drunken chicken, dry beef chow fun, and two lemon iced teas all for $21...a generous tip included. We saw plenty of interesting things on the menu such as spaghetti and spam, black mushroom and chicken porridge, walnut prawns (which are normally 11 bucks anywhere else), and yin yang fried rice. Every time I eat at a Chinese restaurant, the service is OK in American standards. The wait staff sounds like they're being short with you or yelling at you, not attentive, etc. However, when I've traveled elsewhere, this seems to be the standard in Asian cultures. They serve you your food and leave you be to enjoy what you're eating. I've been informed that this is a Hong Kong style cafe...but I don't wanna say that and be it the truth when I'm not even sure it is. Food's good. Staff is good (depends on what your standard you're working with). Prices were FANTASTIC. I will definitely be coming back another time to try the other things on the menu. Yay for this place!
(4)
Belle L.
We came here for lunch as we're already in Oakland one Sunday, we all ordered some kind of a noodle dish, the portions were large and we had to take them home. The food here is delicious and the price is cheap ..... this place is worth it when you're really hungry.
(4)
Farrah F.
Not especially the cleanest place in the world. Not the friendliest service either (friendly would definitely be stretching it--try "forced"). However, I live for the watermelon juice here. ($1.30 for a big glass!) At their old location, the special used to be on the fresh strawberry juice, which was even more orgasmically awesome, but alas, I am too cheap to pay that extra $1 to get it here. Their happy hour special (3-6 p.m.) is pretty cool. There's a variety of items available for under $3, or for $3.80, and several set menu combos that come with rice or noodles, the soup of the day, and a drink. I went here with my parents today and we ordered about...7 things and the bill came out to about $25. We had lots to take home too. :D Cheap food + poor college student = win. (not that i go to school anywhere near there. whatever. the rule still applies.)
(4)
Donato J.
I like this place! The food is pretty good, and they are "Famous" for their 3 dishes for $20 (and they are big dishes). This includes soup and "unlimited" rice! Service may need improvement though, but meh.
(5)
Yu H.
The portion is huge. The price is inexpensive. The food is average. A good place for quick hunger.
(3)
John G.
So the service is meh, but that's okay. I'm Chinese, so I'm used to this type of service from these types of restaurants before, and I don't expect this type of restaurant to provide me with 5-star service anyhoo. I recommend grabbing one of their To-Go menus to find out when their happy hours are. I believe it's in the afternoons, and then from 10pm til 2am, something to that effect. Like what everybody says, the food is cheap. Not to make it sound worse, but it is DIRT CHEAP. They have one entire page dedicated to each list of $4.50, $3.50 and $2.95 dishes! That's amazing. There's gotta be something in the list for everyone. The only reason that I'm giving them 2 stars is because the quality of food is sub-par. Chinese food, even the "Express" kind, is not supposed to taste like this. I ordered their Beef Chow Fun at $2.95 (what a steal!!!) during happy hour. It was a big portion, BUT it was extremely salty and it was too saucy. It's supposed to be a DRY dish. =T Bottom Line: If this is the only open place that you can walk to as you're sobering up, then please stop on by. If you ARE sober, think of healthier and tastier alternatives.
(2)
James B.
The food is decent--the prices low. They're open fairly late. The service, like everyone says, is pretty bad. Yeah, I know they probably work 12 hrs/day for a pittance--I wouldn't care either. You'll wait at least 15 mins unless you wave your arms. The bill? Try walking out and see if they're really paying attention!
(3)
Alan P.
8th street cafe is a pretty decent place if you're looking for chinese food on a budget, especially during happy hour (3-6pm). During happy hour, I usually get Beef Brisket Noodle Soup or Wonton Noodle Soup which are 2.75. They also have friend chicken wings, pepper&salt tofu and other stuff for less than $5. Some of their boba drinks are made using real fruit too. Cons: -Pretty bad service, you have to be patient waiting for someone to take an order, and getting the check
(3)
Ella A.
Um......I keep telling myself I won't come here ever again, but I guess I lied to myself. I forgot how terrible the service is and how unappetizing the food is. The only thing I enjoyed eating was gailan(chinese broccoli). The dry beef chow fun was terrible! the noodles were ok but the beef wasn't even cut! (gross). We ordered this spinich duck egg plate and was way too salty. Ordered spicy chicken feet and it tasted ok at first, but i didn't want to start on a second one. The texture was kind of disgusting... We had to keep flagging down the waitresses. My boyfriend asked for tea and she was so smart to just refill his cup but not mine nor my mothers. I for real will say and do, i'm not coming here again.
(1)
Silvia K.
Try the smelt and egg if you're going for adventure. Fried preggers fishies? Sounds intimidating, but not bad! If that ain't yo thang, try the honey walnut shrimp. Oh yes, this is a must. But, it is smaller in portion compared to the other dishes so make sure you fill up with other goodness. Refer to other yelpers on other recommendations.
(3)
Aaron H.
Its not the most healthy food because you can almost taste the MSG they put in the food. This place is now called the 8th Street Cafe. This place isn't the best place where you get the best experience of chinese food but its cheap. For under 20 bucks you can get 3 plates and a rice. Its good for a party of 3 or 4. I normally order the Seafood hotpot (claypot), salt and pepper shrimp, salt and pepper pork. The food is decent and it will do when you hungry. For the price you can't really go wrong. I get off late from work and don't like to cook when I get off so I normally order over the phone an pick it up. For the 3 plate special. I have enough food for my girlfriend and I for dinner and extra for lunch the next day.
(3)
Cindy C.
I don't like this place. I came in here to order my sister her FAVORITE--the watermelon juice tapioca which she claims-"is the bomb" (i totally disagree) but anyways, RUDE A$$ workers! Who didn't greet me. I was standing there waitting for them to take my order and they basically ignored me! I was iritated and waitted for 5-10 minute just for someone to help me. I dont care if this place is cheap or what but damn, i just want to get in and out and give me what i want so i can get the f- out. They need to work on their customer service skills!
(1)
Philly S.
I personally like it here. Good: They have good prices, and it is a delightful taste food, which is worth 5 stars of course. I totally like it. It is seriously packed. Their tea time prices are better than their overall prices. Furthermore, they are open at 8 starting at January. Bad: None, except the service can better. Grades: Food: A - Tasty, but not as good as Gum Kuo Service: B- - Okay, but can be better. Price: B+ - Overall price is Okay, but go for their tea time prices. =)
(4)
Rachel D.
I decided to go here for lunch with 4 people we got the curry beef tongue, chicken chow mein, baked pork chops, and the baked ox tail and a couple of milk teas. the milk teas come in like 2 minutes then the chicken chow mein and the curry beef tongue after about 5 minutes. the other 2 people start eating and we wait for ours 10 minutes...nothing 15 minutes... the food we ordered to go comes 20 minutes... nothing and the other people have already eaten. after 30 minutes of waiting we ask the waiter about our food and she comes back with it but its BURNT and we tell her we don't want it because she obviously forgot about it and its burnt but she said "it takes 10 minutes to cook" and then we say no. So we pay for the check and are about to leave and the waiter ASKS for a tip for the service and stood there pressuring us to give one so we gave $1. THEIR SERVICE IS HORRIBLE
(1)
Doctor G.
Very popular dining spot. Crowded at lunchtime. I believe this place is open late in the evening. Impossible street parking.
(3)
V Z.
My brother and I used to be fans of this place, that is before they moved to a bigger location. My grandparents would take us there when we were young, and we loved it. But after they moved, their service got so terrible. I went with a friend and their family, it took awhile for a waiter to come and serve us drinks or anything. We nearly sat there for half an hour to get noticed. But I noticed that whenever a Caucasian came in the restaurant, the waiters would run to their service, and not one, but two would be there serving him. Like come on now, that's messed up, leaving your own race to help someone who might give a bigger tip first? What I didn't like was when they asked for a tip at the end. Another incident is when my brother went once, he order honey walnut shrimp, but they brought him something else and said he order it and kept at it, so my brother just took it. When he left, they have the nerve to ask him "did you leave a tip."
(2)
Darryl P.
What can I say about this place? Not much really other than it wasn't that great. The only thing that is worth getting here is the Hainan Chicken which I would give 4 stars. My family ordered Peking Spareribs, Ginger Chicken, Walnut Prawns and Tofu with Seafood. The Peking Spareribs were really fatty and the sauce was just like a sweet and sour pork sauce. Usually Peking Spareribs are dark red in color, not light red. The Ginger Chicken was pretty salty. The Walnut Prawns were just okay and the Tofu with Seafood didn't taste too fresh. Hainan Chicken is worth a lunch here. Other than that I think the rest of the food here is not that great.
(2)
J B.
My hubby eats here like 4/5 days of the week. It's cheap + good! HK style cafe food.....daily specials....huge menu selection. I ordered one of their daily specials which included a baked pork chop/spaghetti + HK-style milk tea for only $5! This place totally beats Saint Anna which is right across the st. and serves the same type of food but for more $$.
(4)
Shauna T.
Pros: --The Honey Walnut Shrimp was amaaazing for about $4 at happy hour! yuuuuuum. --The fried bananas plate was huuuge --The service was VERY quick and friendly Cons: --The milk tea tasted like it was made with lipton tea or some other not very good tea. --The fried bananas weren't crispy and might've been fried at too low of a temperature.. Verdict: Great place for a cheap delicious meal; just need to know what is good there
(4)
Mike A.
"Happy Hour" is the best time to hit this place up... 10pm-1am for the late night diners. Most dishes fall between 3 and 4 dollars with a pretty good selection to choose from. Food is as good as it gets for the price (PRO TIP: Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings, Pork and Egg Porridge, and Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice) and the service is pretty speedy. Atmosphere can be lacking for some... but I think it gives it that "hole-in-the-wall" kind of feel. For the food and the price, I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Kevin C.
This place is not as great as any other chinese restaurant however there is a happy hour but that does not compensate anything. It is one of those cheap chinese restaurant that kind of decent if your hungry and want something on the go. The service is horrible like any late run restaurant. Food quality is some what decent but its cheap. You get what you paid for.
(1)
Teejay F.
I've always loved this place... Nothing really special... just greasy Cantonese food. Always hits the spot.... and they are open late...
(4)
John D.
i found a long hair in my food!! and i never went back since.... typical dirty stinky chinatown, bad customer service! hair in food! grossed me out! none of them wears hair netz...
(1)
Carl Z.
Restrooms are too tiny, but stocked finely and appropriately designed, unlike many other dingy Chinese restaurants I've come across in the bay area and elsewhere. All sorts of crowds are attracted to this place - couples, the young, the old, singles, middle aged. The smell outside is sometimes atrocious, dependent on what transpired on the sidewalk; someone remind me to bring a breathing mask next time I stand outside too long. Prices are okay. Food portions for the price charged... they're okay. This is irrelevant to the overall restaurant quality, but one of the waitresses is sort of cute, so that is a plus for eye candy in the morning =).
(3)
Eric K.
My wife was in a conference at the Marriot Hotel, so my daughter and I walked into Chinatown. I was intrigued as we walked by the place. It's a dive. Not clean looking. Info about dishes plastered in no particular order on the walls. But filled with people and all sorts of exotic smells. We went in and ordered the chow main (good portion and flavor, probably assisted by the MSG), salt and pepper tofu (my daughter loved it), Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce (excellent!), and spicy duck wings (not spicy at all, and kind of tough). The food is basically good, but not gourmet or anything. You go there for the dive experience. Good food. Cheap. Quick. And an experience! Also it's open until 1:00 a.m., which is cool.
(4)
Stella C.
2.5 stars. The cafe's in the Bay Area, sorry, just cannot compare to those in the SGV. We rarely have any up here, which is unfortunate. Whenever my family isn't in the mood to cook, we sometimes drop by to pick up takeaway from here. They mostly choose this place b/c of their baked dishes - baked porkchop, baked scallops, etc. over rice. My nephew loves their baked scallop dish! I always choose the black pepper steak with comes with spaghetti noodles or rice. I've perused the menu, but just haven't ventured out. The best part of the steak dish is the steamed corn on the cob, mmm! The steak is never properly cooked; it's always overdone and continues to cook in the container as you bring it home. A plus for them is that they have a lot of tapioca/boba drinks to choose from, I love having that with cafe food! For convenience (right in Chinatown) and cheap eats, this is a good alternative. For that I am rounding up the stars. The portions are big, and typically two people can share each dish.
(3)
Claudia C.
I think I've been pretty generous with my ratings . . . Well, as generous as I can be while staying completely honest. So I'm here in San Francisco/Berkeley/Oakland for winter vacation. And we enter this restaurant in Chinatown, 'cos it's cheap and my parents don't like spending much on food (this is where Yelp comes in, lots of help and great reviews, thanks!). There's this one waitress (look for her next time you're here: stout, no glasses, short wavy hair, attitude), she was absolutely terrible. We were ordering, and I asked her what my options were for drinks (there wasn't even a drink section on the menu, what would you like me to do?). She puts her pen and paper back into her apron and walks back to the counter, saying,"tell me when you know what you want!" If I could, I would mugshot her so the world knows to avoid that woman. My dad called excuse me to her while she was walking 'round holding nothing, and this woman completely ignores him. To top it all off, the food was extremely mediocre, just your typical commercially-made Cantonese dishes. And what's up with these restaurants not showing their ratings? You know, those things that say A, B, or C? Do they not have that in San Francisco or what? Last note . . . The bathroom is a 2 on a scale of 1 - 10, 10 being the best. It's repulsive, and you pass by all this frozen meat before you finally reach the toilet. If that doesn't throw your appetite out of your mouth and make you want to hurl, I don't know what will. It's like a meat factory back there, yuck. Not too great for the kids, lots of smokers 'round the area.
(1)
Rana A.
Came here on my friend's Dad's recommendation. Can we just say for cheap Chinese eats with huge portions, this is the place to go! I'm always a little weary to eat in China Town due to the fact that I'm not Chinese and always have issues communicating with the staff. This place was big, clean and you can totally order by numbers! They have a daily special where you can pick any 3 items from a menu of about 100 different dishes and it's $20!! The servings sizes are huge! For example, we got the salt & pepper chicken wings, and we got 14 pieces!!! Crazy I would definitely go back. This place is Cash Only!! It's also open till 1am nightly ( i believe).
(4)
Allen S.
Came here on Saturday a little after 10 pm. This place was very busy at this time, but we were seated quickly. They have a happy hour menu that has a lot of choices at reduced prices from 10pm to 1am. I selected the pork and preserved duck egg porridge for $2.75. I also ordered a chicken dish that included a drink(can of coke) with a value of $1.95 for $5.50. This place has a couple of flat screen tvs on the wall that were showing chinese programming. As I waited for my dishes, I noticed they were using wooden clothes hangers to tag the dishes coming out of the kitchen. That's not very sanitary. My order came very quickly. The chicken came in its own bowl and two scoops of rice came on a separate plate. The portion size was huge. More than I expected for the price. The chicken had good flavor. My porridge bowl came next. I did notice a little gnat at the top of the porridge. I just scooped it out. The pork was salty just the way I like it. I enjoyed the duck egg with the porridge. Overall, great prices, big portions, and fast service. I will be back.
(3)
Jennifer N.
I've only been here a couple times while visiting my family. The place is a bit dinky, but the happy hour deals are to DIE for. I totally recommend the fried squid, fried bannanas, fried smelt (type of fish with a ton of eggs inside..sounds gross but trust me, it's sooo good!). I can't find any of these deals where I live in San Jose. The happy hour drinks are incredible too! (non-alcohol though). They have the red bean ice, lemon ice tea, boba milk tea, and a assortment of hot drinks for $1.20. Extremely affordable for college students and anyone else. The food is very tasty and big portioned! I love it! Can't wait to get a side order of smelts before heading back to SJ!
(5)
Jessica C.
I really like this place, and ate here a lot in high school and college, even though my mom had said I shouldn't go there because it was run by the Asian mafia. But personally I think she was making that up because she didn't want me to stay out late. But if I'm wrong and gangstas own this restaurant... can I say they make good Chinese food? This is where I used to go for rice cake noodle, and hot lemon honey tea. Where all the good stuff on the menu is written in Chinese on the walls. And funnily enough where I bumped into an old HS friend, who from this meeting at D & A, have kept in touch ever since. I also love that I can always confuse people about the name of this restaurant by saying the name like DNA Cafe.
(3)
Wendy L.
I love grabbing food here for late night munchies (happy hour from 10pm-1am). I could get a full meal for $2-3. Beef brisket noodle and preserved duck porridge are always my favs. It's always nice to top off the meal with a cheap and delicious mango pudding (served with some evaporated milk on top). Service and food quality isn't the best, but hey, that's Chinatown. The food here is still pretty good though, and it tastes even better knowing you didn't have to pay very much for it.
(4)
Persimmon W.
I keep coming back here for their refreshing watermelon juice...tonite we happened to be there during HAPPY HOUR!!!!! 1 Salt and Pepper Tofu 1 Walnut Prawns 1 Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings 1 Pork and Egg Porridge 2 watermelon juice 1 lemon ice tea 1 black jelly dessert 2 Yang Chow Fried Rice Total Bill-- $31.75 not including tip Happy Hour...beat that...
(5)
Ian K.
Late night happy hour is back. I eat here all the fucking time. I think I'm in love with at least two of the waitresses. Strawberry juice. Mango pudding. Ice milk tea. Sticky floors. Mildly horrifying bathroom. Open until 1am. Consistent, good value for money.
(5)
Eileen Z.
Use to be called D&A cafe but when I walk into the new 8th Street Cafe, it is very different. I like it better. I especially like their happy our special where there's a variety of dishes are all under $4.00. I especially like their salt and peppered smelt, chicken wings, and squids. It may be a bit salty..but who doesn't like salty? I am a weekly customer and I always walk out with a full stomach and all around 5$!! very cheap and delicious. After going there once or twice a week over the summer, you would think that the waiters/waitresses would remember me and my friend but it seems like their service is just..eh...I guess they don't care so much about us ABC's (American Born Chinese). It takes a while to get their attention for water refills or the check due to the busy-ness during happy hours .... but nevertheless, I leave satisfied.
(4)
Derrick V.
Had the Beef Chow Fun with vegetables. The dish was kinda sloppy, noodles were overcooked and it was pretty saucey. The do give you a lot of food though. Down to 2.5 stars.
(3)
Samantha K.
i eat here like a lot, and i mean A LOT. maybe a tad more than i should be. i look pregnant now, not really. O______O service is bad as usual, but prices& portions keep me coming back. Watermelon Tapioca- $1.52!!!
(3)
Sandy L.
The food is not great, just decent...then I remember that I only paid $4.50 for their lunch special AND it came with a free HK style milk tea drink, so can't complain. The cheap prices and free drink keep me coming back.
(3)
Sarah L.
I am in love with their salt and pepper chicken wings.
(5)
Daniel A.
Expect horrible horrible rude service when you come here. Servers treat you like crap. Decided to come here a second time to see if it was a fluke and it wasnt seems to be standard. Food was very greasy and dirty restaurant. Surprised they would pass a health inspection. Sad to say I can over look a dirty restaurant if they at least have nice servers. Lol
(1)
Alice C.
The prices at Happy Hour from 3-6pm are amaaaazing. Our table of 5 were full with 7 dishes for around $28, I think. Prettyyyy good deal, if you're willing to eat between those hours. Service is pretty bad during this time though since it's so busy, but I don't really mind having to go up and grab tea and menus for myself. :P
(4)
Douglas G.
In search of food in Oakland's Chinatown. So different from San Francisco's. No chinoiserie pagoda roofs, no narrow alleys filled with last century's opium dens. Chinatown Oakland is stripped down, all business. And a bit dingy, too, in a way that shows up less quaintly than it does across the Bay. I scoured the streets for a restaurant with some life. A place from which I could hear yelling, drunken laughter, conflict, breaking glass, perhaps gunplay. Nothing. I strode down Webster Street, but the only noise was from cars on the nearby freeway. Occasionally a plaintive strain from the two-stringed erhu would waft out of a second-floor temple window, punctuated by the wooden clack of a muyu. Finally, avoiding places with one diner, or no patrons at all -- which promised little in the way a meal, or a story to tell about it -- I walked into the D & A Cafe. There's a D & A near where I live in SF, and I have never, ever seen a person of European origin eating there. Nor was there one to be seen in their Oakland location. With every table filled with Chinese people, I knew it couldn't be bad, but when I walked in, I felt ready to be treated as if I had transgressed some unwritten law -- to be stared at -- or even attacked! Some hopped-up, chisel-faced Joe Boy teaching me a lesson in front of everyone, slamming my head repeatedly into the table. But nothing happened. Nobody gave me a second glance. I was not beaten to a pulp, nor did I have to wait any longer than anyone else for my shrimp-and-vegetables chow mein. Still...damn if I didn't want a story. A snubbing, or perhaps some internecine conflict, juiced with semi-automatic weapons, a herd of wildebeest thundering through the streets...something! Nonetheless, the chow mein was excellent. Tender shrimp, baby bok choy -- infant bok choy, really -- but the attraction was the noodles themselves, tinted golden orange with some soy-sesame treatment I couldn't decode. A note on the menu: fulfilling its mission as a neighborhood cafe, the D & A offers along with chow mein and mongolian beef a full slate of corner diner favorites like French toast and eggs sunny side up. In fact, the kids at the next table ordered macaroni. The macaroni arrived topped with white cheese, bok choy, and pork. I had to look away.
(3)
James D.
Came here with 2 friends that heard good reviews from them that i should check this place out. Parked on some sidewalk under a bridge in Chinatown that had construction around it, i admired the graffiti on trucks and shops as we walked to D&A Cafe. Waited in line for about 20 mins before we were seated looking at the plasma screen tvs, friends, family, business people, etc. I ordered some rice and beef with scrambled eggs on top. My friends, the beef stew and some chop suey looking dish. Within 5 minutes we were served complimentary soup, milk tea, and water. Soup's broth was flavorful but the veggies seemed bland and super tender like they melted in my mouth. 5 minutes after our food came, and the portions are large! The style of scrambled eggs look kinda uncooked but it tasted great, add soy sauce and pepper because seasoning is kinda plain. So for the price of about $6/person you get pretty stuffed. The selection of dishes is vast, and i found myself wanting 2-3 other dishes but was satisfied with my selection. Good experience, good food, not superior quality but tasty, service is not really attentive as they are trying to feed you and get you out so they can make money. Heard there is another one of these places in SF, gotta check that out.
(4)
Stephanie D.
You can always count on D & A for a good meal fix whether it be snack, lunch or dinner. Great prices and the food is always satisfactory. My fave is the 3 dish special dinner. The fried flounder, combo eggs over spinach, beef stew curry, salt & pepp shrimp, basically all of that menu is YUMMERS. I'm glad they made the move from their Webster street location, what an improvement. More room for ppl, but they still get a packed house around 6-7pm dinner rush. So if you go there about those times prepare to wait. We resort to D & A for our 9-12am meal. No waiting, scattered tables occupied, no rushing. The one thing that's carried over to this new location is the wait staff. They concentrate on various tables all at once and tend to forget a request or two.
(4)
Lilly L.
The only thing I normally dare to order here are the chicken wings (they come with really good Japanese-style potato salad) for $2.50. They're really plain by themselves, so I supe up the flavor with salt & pepper from the condiment tray on the table. Service sucks ass, once, while I was out with a friend, we paid the exact price and a waitress picked up the bill. We were going to leave a small tip (even though they really didn't deserve one) on the table as we left, but that tiny waitress had the nerve to come back and say, "Excuse me, where is the tip? It's not here?" I can't believe she had the nerve to ask us for a tip after the horrible service she gave us. Because of this embarrassing ordeal, I'll only be ordering take-out. Trust me, you might as well, waiting for a table and receiving crap service isn't worth it.
(2)
William W.
Good food at really cheap prices and fast too. That's what you go here for. If you want service, or want to be waited on hand and foot, go some where else. Besides, you don't go to a chinese restaurant especially in Chinatown for the service!!!!!
(4)
Parlando R.
Good, cheap, reliable...that's my idea of a homestyle Southern Chinese restaurant. I've cooked homestyle Chinese food for more years than I care to remember so I know a bit about the subject. The menu is so varied that it would take ages to go through it. We've not had a bad item yet. Servings are large, ingredients pretty good for a cheap joint, and dishes aren't inundated with oil to compensate for lack of flavor. Order specials off the wall and you get an added bonus. And, of course, happy hour prices are incredibly low. Service is all you need; you come in, you sit down, someone comes and takes your order, and food arrives.
(4)
Ben T.
Cheap, simple Chinese food. The best is their "happy hour" menu, which is from 10p to 1a. Super cheap food at $2.75. Wonton noodles for two, all for less than 10 bucks!
(3)
BigJohnS F.
This place was called D&A before... it's coming back to me. I guess I did eat here before... Not your typical Chinese menu... lots of seafood, and things that scare white people. But, the food is cheap, well prepared and the offal is *mostly* clearly labeled, so bring it on! I was in the mood for Congee (people here call it Juk, Zook, it was labeled as "Porridge" on the menu. Usually, I get Roast Duck or Chicken or Beef, but the choices were mostly scary so I opted for Scallops. Yum. People at my table had a variety of dishes and everyone seemed happy. I'd go back. Open late!
(4)
Jennifer Y.
I have wrote that this place was bad in service but I guess the food and cheapness kind of lure me back. I will recomend it to those that's looking for cheapness. Hope you recieved good service though!
(3)
Kani C.
not much selections. very dissatisfying an an utter disappointment. not worth it to go.
(1)
Holly V.
my dad gf works RIGHT next to this place and we come here basically every weekend. this place has very good flavor in their food. i LOVE come here for their happy hour. i normally order the fried chicken wings and their fried pregnant fishies. their service can be very bad if you dont know how to speak chinese though..
(4)
Stanley C.
8TH STREET CAFE When you're hungry, this is the place to go. Bring your appetite and treat yourself to some delicious Chinese food during Happy Hour! Yes, I said Happy Hour! Cheap Chinese food is always good, when it tastes good and costs less! So when you hear about Happy Hour at a Chinese Restaurant, it's time to go in with a big healthy appetite! From 3-6 PM, 8th Street Cafe has Happy Hour, where the dishes are $2.75 (porridge, wonton soup, noodles, french bread, cakes, etc.) and drinks are only $1.20 (lemon tea, HK Milk Tea, Red Bean Shake, etc.) Since it's a bistro-style restaurant, you can order the typical single-serving dishes, like porridge and soup noodles, but since it's so inexpensive, you tend to order more! I tend to order at least 3 dishes when I go; just can't resist a good deal and, of course, I have a huge appetite! Service: pretty lousy, but what'd you expect? Environment: a bit dirty, but again, what can you expect? Hours: Happy Hours are awesome and a huge plus for it being open very late, so it's a great place to come for a midnight snack and with a large group. Who says Happy Hour only involves beer? Chinese food and Happy Hour is a winning combination! Formerly called D&A Cafe; guess they changed it to 8th Street Cafe because it's on 8th Street.
(5)
Jen J.
Not the best for you or the best chinese food but a lot for your buck. For $12 bucks my friend and I had a huge plate of chow mein and a spicy beef dish. Cafeteria type settings and can get a little loud but like I said before cheap food
(3)
Tiffany L.
Boo, I'm kind of sad that a lot of people had bad experiences with this place. I love coming here and sometimes its a little difficult to order with my 'white-girl Chinese' but we always manage. They have a happy hour special from 3pm-6pm where a lot of their appetizers are cheaper but they dont have the later happy hour like the one on clement does. I love their fried chicken wings, friend peanut butter french toast, piggy intestines, baked steak with rice, and their salt and pepper tofu. They also have a 15 dollar special which includes rice, 3 huge dishes, and sometimes, soup. This place is a little dirty but i dont expect much from a Chinese fast food restaurant in chinatown.
(4)
Yusaku G.
My first time here. Ordered 3 takeouts - beef stew soup HO FUN and LAI FUN noodles & wonton noodle soup. Pros: The food was very good, and great prices (doesn't get much cheaper than this folks). Sure it's dirty, but its actually one of the cleaner places I've seen for chinatown standards. It's hard to complain when their prices are set so low. Cons: Customer service does not exist here period. These people are like aliens from outer space. During the mere few minutes I was inside, I felt Iike I warped into a UFO. When I ask a question, they remain silent and don't respond, as if they spoke an unknown language from planet X. And this was just take out, where I only spent a couple minutes there. It was almost funny. Also, I ordered slippery soup noodles and soup Ho Fun, but they didn't bother giving me any chopsticks. They had disposable chopsticks by the wall near the pickup stall. They didn't even bother telling me about that. Conclusion: Good food, good prices, bad service. When will Chinese restaurants realize that good quality and customer service is just as important as low prices. Personally, I would rather pay a higher price for better service. If I were in the mood to cook, I wouldn't have come to dine at your restaurant, right? So since I've come to you, I'm not really in the particular mood to take sh*t from your employee's attitude problems.
(3)
A L.
Only items I get when I go to D&A in Oakland or SF. Salt and pepper spareribs/chicken wings Dry fried beef chow fun fried squid Peking spareribs ...Everything else, just avoid it
(3)
Jondi M.
I can't believe this place only has 2.5 stars. This is my favorite place in chinatown cause it sums up all of what chinatown food represents. Dirty bathrooms, cheap food, delishous food, and you can raise ure hand to get attention of the waitress and it's not even considered rude! Ok oK, this place isn't the cleanest place, but come one white people, it's real chinese food. Although I am a fan of the lemon chicken, but I challenge PF Changs to serve 3.50 lunches (including drink) or 3 dinner dishes for 15 dollars. Ok, maybe it's 16 dollars, but with the money you save, you can go buy your little lady some pearl drinks there.... oh wait, that's hella cheap too. Ok, so the food isn't 5 star presentation, but if you go with a ... chinese person to help you order.... its definitely an adventure.
(4)
laura b.
Okay, first of all, we call this place "DNA Cafe" because I once saw a cook blow his nose on the ground in the kitchen. I'm just saying, you'll most likely be getting someone else's DNA mixed up in your peanut butter french toast. Second of all, there are NO things vegan on the menu but if you have someone who can read Cantonese (I think it's Cantonese?) then you are in. And by in I mean your friend can ask for something vegan for you and the waiter can laugh in your face. Third of all, everything I've ever had here has been tasty and CHEAP (especially during tea time special!) and they are open until 2 am. Fourth of all, I had a run in with an older Chinese man here once and it went like this: Him: "You are so fat!" Me: "I know you are old but I'm finna beat a bitch down." Him: "You are so fat, you look so good! So healthy!" Me: Oh, I understand, you are admiring my fat ass because it is a sign that I am wealthy enough to be properly fed (and then some) so I must belong to some sort of a privileged class. This point of view is held mainly by older people who were around before the Westernization of the entire world during which time fat became feared rather than lauded. I am of this new school mentality and so am naturally offended when you call me the fat ass that I am. But I am wrong, you are just paying me a compliment and I thank you for your kindness. By the way, are you single?* You know, during my travels in an African third world country where many do not have enough to eat and still die from shit like a cold, I heard two reoccurring ads on the radio. One was for skin lightening cream and the other was for diet pills. Ah, progress. *And yes, that is exactly what I said. And also, George W. Bush is the greatest president we've ever had (outside of Regan, of course) and damn, pig flesh is tasty.
(3)
James L.
D & A Cafe used to be a place that I'd be a little weary of bringing my non-Asian friends because 1) the place wasn't so clean and 2) you might end up sitting at a round table for 8 with 2 other families that you've never met before. Well, now at their new location, they're a lot cleaner, but you still might find yourself eating a delicious and cheap meal with people you've never met before. Especially during their happy hour where you can get dishes for 3 some dollars, the place is PACKED. Their food is true to cantonese style food and is just plain old good. Its a must stop for me everytime I'm in the Bay Area.
(4)
Daniel S.
ONE DISH PER PERSON. MAX. It's cheap. And decent. And cheap. And since the move to the new place, it's now degrubbified. The menu is long and stangely eclectic -- or so it seems, if you're not Chinese.
(3)
Nancy J.
Honestly, everyone who gave this place 1 star because of the bad service, what did you expect from a late night Chinese eatery in the middle of Oakland Chinatown? I couldn't care less about the service at a place like this, as long as they take my order correctly and bring out the food fast, which they definitely do here. Delicious comforting late night eats at more than agreeable prices, what else could you ask for? They have the best Hainan Chicken! The meat is sooo tender and flavorful that I can even eat it without the sauce, which never happens when I eat Hainan chicken at other places since the meat is usually very bland. I don't know how they make their chicken but it is seriously delicious and a must try. I also love their Pork and Preserved Egg Porridge. They give you massive amounts of deliciously flavorful pork and huge chunks of preserved eggs. This is Chinese comfort food at its best.
(4)
Charlie H.
I order food here few times a week their food was average good for the price you pay. I find this is the best D&A from others in the bay.
(3)
Linda X.
The service sucks period. But hey what can you expect from a place like this?! I thought the D & A Cafe on Clement Street in San Francisco was bad.. this beats it hands tied down!!! The lady came to take our order and my brother was browsing for a drink and she says in Cantonese, I'll come back and take your order when you're all done. She walks away and I'm thinking I don't recall hearing the kitchen bell go off to alert her of a order that's ready. I looked back and she's conversating with some guys. How rude... the food was okay. We ordered Spicy Beef Tripe, Honey Walnut Prawns, and Salt and Pepper Chicken wings. To be quite honest for those of you who don't know .. the salt isn't salt .. they use straight up MSG!!!! OMG ... =.= bleh If I could give a negative star I would!!! Dang it
(1)
Laynah N.
Three stars for the minced beef over rice. Other then that business has gotten worst over the years with it's service. It was better when it use to be around the corner. Utensils are unclean, it has been reported many of times that roaches are found in foods. Yet I still come here ordering the same thing every time. No one can beat the way they make the minced beef over rice not even the one in sf. Yes I will only come here for that plate and only. Other then that other places make better rice plates and noodle soups better then them. Aside from that deals you get for cheap gets another star although there are plenty other competitions around.
(3)
Katie S.
How do they afford the ingredients to make and sell food this cheap? It is my theory that they purchased all of their ingredients in the 1950s, at 1950s prices, and have stockpiled them somewhere (perhaps a basement) in cans and jars and things. This would explain how four people ate dinner for $15 total, including french toast, fish fried rice, chicken, and several drinks each. It would also explain why nothing tasted remotely fresh. It's freakishly satisfying (particularly the fresh strawberry juice and the french toast stuffed with peanut butter), but also makes me feel a little sick to think about it.
(3)
Brad L.
When the four of us arrived here for happy hour at 3pm on Sunday, the place was full already (by 3:30 the line was about fifteen people long). But we were seated quickly, and perused the long list of items for two or three bucks. Pork blood jook: A little thin, but the pork blood cakes were soft and well-formed. Chicken gizzards with preserved vegetables: The gizzards were quite hard, fun to chew though not much taste to them. Salt & pepper tofu and salt & pepper chicken wings: Tasted like actual salt and pepper and not MSG to me. Hot out of the fryer and crisp, not soggy. Drunken chicken: As I recall, it was the most expensive item, at a whopping $3.80. Chicken was tasty if sober. Not destination food, but better than many places that cost five times as much.
(3)
Josh L.
Cheap, real, no thrills Chinese food. You can get almost anything including a BLT and baked pork chop with pasta. No reservations taken and does crowd up at the lunch and dinner hours. They have two LCDs with cable running and......will show NBA games! At a chinese restaurant
(4)
Linda C.
Flashback to my last visit... Me: (poking at my chicken wings with HUGE, i mean 'UUGGEEE bits of msg staring at me) do i have to eat this!? Let me go cry in the corner... Honestly...I remember this place used to have pretty damn good chicken wings.....but no more! I shall measure the worth of the different D&A's by the tastiness of their chicken wings. I realize that all these places probably use MSG on their chicken wings but I have never... i mean never seen so much VISIBLE msg on my chicken wings. :: sob :: it was gross and I think my body just did a dive off a cliff in response to the saltiness and thirstyness that happened after the first bite... to be fair though, all the other stuff is mediocre and the curry fishballs are pretty good... alas, my poor poor memories of delectable chicken wings are shattered and dashed to pieces...
(2)
Timothy Z.
I usually find this place decent. But not today. It was horrible here. The food wasn't that great either. The service was terrible: I order takeout for a fairly simple dish, as simple goes on the menu, and they get it done in what seems like it's 30 minutes. In actuality it was done a lot earlier, and I sat there and waited for them to call my number/order or call me over. I saw a bag with food in it, and thought it might be mine, but would rather not ask because of their attitude, so I made eye contact best I could. Eventually, I got sick of it after 30 minutes after my order, and asked the lady if it was mine. It was. I don't know if I was supposed to go up earlier... but I'm used to being called over or having my number/order called when a dish is ready for me. The lady that took my order made eye contact and didn't do swat. On the other hand, the food wasn't terrible. But it wasn't too spectacular... what could I say, D&A?
(2)
Annie D.
There's not much to say about this place. It's not clean, typical Chinese restaurant with poor service, WAY TOO MUCH MSG and decor...what decor? Hopefully people are knowledgeable and realizing the food they are consuming when they go out to restaurants. My family has been in the restaurant business for over 30 years, so I know when the quality is there in the food. Please do not be fooled by the prices or the quantity of the food. Many people misinterpret the $$ over the quality of the food. The reason why restaurants are cheap in the their prices is because they use cheap products/ingredients that may do harm to our bodies in the long run. Think about it, restaurants must make a profit to earn money right? How this correlates to this review is that the quality of food from this restaurant is poor. This place consist of fatty meat disguised in breaded form or soaked in corn starch or sauce (unaware what your putting in your mouth), old veggies with stuck on dirt and god forbid when the last time they changed out their frying oil. This place is a no no.
(1)
Fenny G.
OK! Price is Great because it's cheap and portion is good aka good for 2 person each dish, you can always get another one if not enough because the price is not expansive. Food is also good, that is why I keep coming back even the service in not great! The service OMG that is all I can say about the service! One guy with pale skin, a little bit cute (enough for his description) used to be very nice I think 5 or 6 years ago when he was a new co worker, but he is very stuck up now, I don't know what possessed him because nothing to be proud to work in this restaurant beside he is not the owner. Don't be surprise If you get really bad service, just think you go there for the food and price! Ok Recommendation Honey walnut shrimp, Bake sea food, Black paper beef, Salt and paper Spareribs Used to be $15 for 3 items, soup and rice I don't know about now because they just move to bigger place maybe the price went up. CASH ONLY!
(4)
Ed C.
This place used to be called D&A Cafe but they recently changed their name to 8th St. Cafe. It's an OK spot to go, but not my top recommend in Chinatown. They are a little confused about what segment of Chinese food they want to serve. They have tapioca drinks, HK style rice/spaghetti plates, American (kinda) food, and normal Chinese fare. My recommend here is the basic staple Chinese items. Don't go for anything to fancy or you might be disappointed. I recommend simple fried rice dishes and/or good ole beef chow fun. I had the salt and pepper chicken wings and they were good too. The tendons & ligaments won-ton noodle soup wasn't bad either. That's right! I said it! Tendons & ligaments won-ton noodle soup. Yes. That wasn't a typo. That stuff is edible and you can order it. You can get pretty down and nasty in Chinatown, there's enough weird shit there to make Andrew Zimmerman think twice. The tendons & ligaments were delish. Chewy, tendered, and flavored well. The won-ton noodle soup part was only OK. Food is cheap, about $3-$7 a dish. They also have happy hour deals. But the prices are average compared to the rest of Chinatown. Service is bad, but that's pretty much how it is at all the smaller Chinatown restaurants. The servers are used to getting 0-$1 tips so they don't give much in return. If you don't feel like walking a block or so to other restaurants then I would recommend this place for some cheap Chinese food.
(3)
Herbert K.
D & A Caf is a decent place for no-frills Chinese food. The soup prior to the main dishes was a bit bland. It could use some more bones of whatever animal is available (hopefully pork or beef) or some additional salt. We ordered from the 3 for $17 menu and the food was reasonable. The curry beef stew came out fairly quick but the potato wedges were a bit cold as if they were cooked prior and left hanging around until an order came in. The combination tofu and the chicken with green beans were fine. I think D & A does a better business with the Happy Hour menu were you get more "bang for the buck" situation. Service could have be more attentive but I got the items I requested- so no real negative rating there.
(3)
Peter J.
I love the new place.No more rat's nest!! Shoot it's way cleaner than the dirty old place on 7th!!!!! ok you need to remember when you order here and not chinese you have to shout for help.I watched 2 people walk in after me and get their orders out before me and a friend.I almost lost it.Then I just raised my hand and said "hello!!"(ofcourse in a nice manner,don;t want no DNA snot in my food"lol (laura) Ok i ordered salt and pepper pork chops,west lake minced beef soup,honey walnut prawns,and mongo beef. The soup came last! haha Dude i'm making sure nest time I go here with my girl)she is chinese)!! overall I love the food and they stay open late.In the day i rather go to ABC at the plazza.
(3)
Bella C.
Service was HORRIBLE! My family and I come all the time for dinner...and its pretty cheap with decent food... but one night... it was just four of my family members... We went in. Told the waitress we had a party of five. So we sat down and waited.... and waited..... and waited.... after about an hour... we were starting to get fed up...then a couple walks in and the waitress calls them two to sit down... on a table FIT FOR FIVE! And my mom was pissed! She stood up and basically said "We waited for so long...and you ignore us!?!?" Then we walked out... End of us going there ever for food!
(1)
David S.
I'm going to try my best to explain to you how this is the worst food I've ever eaten. I'm going to start off by explaining that I eat in Chinatown nearly every day, I get a Vietnamese sandwich or a '2 item combo' at one of the bakeries. I have very low standards for food quality when the price is under 4 dollars and have never been disappointed. Today I decided to try this place because I saw it received some decent reviews here, at least for the price. I got the $3.80 (or is it $4.00?) lunch special with the added soup at an extra $.50. The woman asked me whether I wanted rice or 'spaghetti' and I went with the 'spaghetti' because I thought it was just a poor translation. I was wrong. I got some boiled spaghetti noodles with my double mushroom chicken. How is that even possible? Who would ever actually mean to order that? I sort of believe they gave me the noodles that way because I'm white, but that isn't a fact, just a hunch. I can't imagine someone who is clearly Asian walking in there, ordering noodles and getting spaghetti, but if so I apologize. They brought out the soup. It was watered down tomato juice with a couple carrots and some pieces of cabbage in it. I guess I was expecting hot and sour soup or egg flower or that corn soup. This was the first disappointment. It was bland and didn't really seem Chinese at all (not that I have had everything on every Chinese menu, maybe I've missed this one along the way, Chinese tomato bisque?). Then they brought out my double mushroom chicken (with green beans)...and spaghetti. The chicken was edible. The sauce was bland. The green beans were fine. But the mushrooms! They tasted like the rotting food stuck in my gums after I got my wisdom teeth removed! Needless to say I didn't eat them. My friend got the Kung Pao chicken. I can't even describe what this tasted like, it had some weird watery sauce on it, vaguely similar to mine, but slightly redder and thinner. His was the worst, the chicken was inedible. The food was so bad I told him I'd try some of his only if he ate one of my mushrooms. He nearly vomited. Then he had me try one of his green bell peppers, which was even worse than the chicken. It tasted like it had been soaked in disinfectant before it was stir fried! Neither of us could believe it. We were daring each other to eat pieces of each others food because it was so unbelievably bad, but it was REALLY funny, until we realized we had to pay for it. $5 a pop! Avoid at all costs.
(1)
James N.
I have finally get to try out D&A when the moved to there new location. What can I say? I'm just as disappointed as before. There's a huge improvement in location however. It still fall short in quality. We still get the crap quality in the previous time. This time our Beef that we order came with a free rubber band that is cooked into it also. Yum!
(2)
Will W.
The price is cheap,but the food is ok..
(3)
Stephen H.
Four stars for the happy hour 3-6PM dirt cheap specials where $2 can fill your belly and $4 can stuff yourself silly. The strawberry ice for $1 at tea time is a good deal, real strawberrys. The ice bean drink for $1 is ok, not great not too horrible. The Mandarin Port Noodle for $2 is a great deal although the pork is fatty it is tasty and has a little kick. Not the cleanest place and is busy at 3-6 but it is one of my haunts.
(4)
Jones D.
The fact that I nearly slipped upon setting foot in the place should have told me how greasy the food would be. One star for having (unadvertised) beer. One star for the fried chicken wings that tasted like a *donut*
(2)
Jeffrey L.
My first one star review, and I mean it. We got the lunch special for something under $20. One of the dishes was alright, but the two squid dishes (salt & pepper squid, and something else) were pretty bad. I normally LOVE salt & pepper stuff, but this squid was way overdone with salt and bloated with MSG. I know, there's usually MSG in salt/pepper dishes, but this was ridiculous. Too salty, too much MSG. Also, the squid they used was fakish. Didn't taste like squid, and it seemed like it was made from some cookie machine, very disappointing. Bad choice. Then there was the service, ugh. Maybe it was because it was lunch hour or something, but the waiters never came to our table, we ended up calling them over. They seemed very impatient with taking our order and told us to hurry up and make up our minds while they went and did something else. After deciding (literally 5 secs), we got another waiter (also impatient but at least she took our order). Water never came. Had to make a trip up to the counter for some, even after asking multiple times. They even asked, ASKED us for a tip. They seemed really surprised I didn't give one. I've always given tips, but this place drove me nuts. Quite frankly, it was a huge disappointment. One star, really OK food with horrendous service. No way the food is making up for the service. And that's being generous.
(1)
Willis L.
This place looks very unsuspecting from the outside, and inside you can still tell it is a little rundown, but very often this is the mark of a good Chinese restaurant. In this case, 8th Street has some pretty decent Chinese food, and it's fairly good at hosting large parties. I have only gone for dinner, but when I have their portions are always very generous and I eat my fill. (The dinner special of three items may even be enough for five people, or three college students, and it's only $20!) The taste is not that spectacular and the service is a little poor (unless you can speak Chinese?), so it's not quite up to four stars. Nonetheless it's a good place for a bunch of people to eat their full!
(3)
Hilland C.
I really like the D&A Cafes in San Francisco, but I really abhor this one because of the service. I remember coming here when it just moved to a newer location in the Oakland Chinatown. I went with 7 friends there to eat after our practice nearby. I didn't really mind waiting in line to get seated. However, the hostess' attitude was unforgivable. Right when they seated us at a big round table, I spotted two smaller tables (each seating 4) nearby that are vacant. I asked her why don't we move there because I figured it's easier to split the check when there's less per table. The hostess angrily said do you want to wait in line again. In my my mind I was thinking "Where did that come from? I figured it would make it easier for you since there are bigger parties behind us." After that we begrudgingly seated ourselves at the big table. Then the waitress came and took our order. She didn't seem so much as angry, but was impatient with us (probably because not all us could speak cantonese). I was particularly annoyed by that. Finally, At the end of our meal I went to the cashier to get change. The guy asked me that I had to buy something. I had no choice but buy a small tapioca drink because I have to pay the bill. I really like the food here because it's cheap, but the customer service has to be better. I was really turned off by it.
(2)
Deborah L.
I always order the yellow Singapore noodles here and they never disappoint. We also tried the honey walnut shrimp a couple times and they are yummy - if you like sweet. My husband's favorite is the beef in egg gravy. It sounds weird and looks a bit gross but it's delicious. This place is so worth the money because not only is it cheap but the portions are huge! Love that it's open late.
(4)
Mr P.
Thought I would be the first to review this. Ahhhhh. We recently decided we have to get out of our rute and explore other restuarants in Oakland China town for jok and wanton noodle. DnA is a surprise. Nothing fancy. Good comfort food. Their menu is extensive. Our ambition is to try every single dish and the good thing is it won't break the bank. Wonder if they were making a punt when they named it DnA
(3)
Alex D.
Highlights: 1) Fast. Both in service and food. 2) Cheap. Happy Hour $2-$4 plates. Dinner $5.50. I like this place and come here about once a month to once every few months. Their service is fast, but you really have to be able to understand their work ethic. They are really into fast-pace Hong Kong style service. You enter, sit, order, eat, pay, leave. Nothing in between. So if you're into getting quality service and sitting down to enjoy your meal, you most likely will be disappointed. Their food is cheap, especially during happy hour where you can get full in under $6. Tip is up to how much you want to give, around 10% is good enough. Their food is delicious. I've tried their fried tofu, fried calamari, fried chicken wings, empress chicken, sea snails, pig intestine, wonton noodle soup, mandarin noodle soup, octopus balls noodle soup, cold milk tea, and cold lemon tea. The only one that I did not like was the empress chicken, it was not fresh and tasted weird. Happy Hour special is from 3:00PM-6:00PM, but you have to order by 6:00PM. Come here for really good deals! Last Visited: August 20, 2009
(4)
Philip T.
This is an odd place to review because their food is honestly kind of shitty, but in a charming way. I only really come here for happy hour and this place is packed!! They must have something going on for them because this is probably the most popular restaurant in Oakland China town. The funny thing to non-chinese is that all their dishes with 'macaroni' are actually soup with macaroni in it. It's really cheap and the soup tastes like it is straight out of the can. I had their walnut prawn appetizer and it really tasted horrible and had a very "off" aftertaste. It just seems like most of their dishes are drenched in MSG and none of their happy hour choices ever get me too excited. But even though I am not a big fan of their food, I give this place an honest 4 stars for good reason. There aren't many places that offer quick and satisfying snacks, along with quality drinks and an atmosphere that allows you to just "chill out". The service is good and there are a lot of seats, along with several LCD TVs. Sometimes when this place is really crowded (which is often), they will offer to seat you in a big table alongside hungry people who are minding their own business, ravenously chomping down their meals. This place will not break the bank and it is a perfect place to go between the hours of 3-6 if you are in Chinatown. If anything, you might as well stop by and grab an ice coffee or a milk tea. I just wish their food was better.
(4)
Ava C.
Walnut shrimp and roasted squab were as good as I expected. It was a good value (I believe it was around $3 when I ordered the takeout during their happy hour). I'd been to this place years ago and remembered how inexpensive their walnut shrimp was so when I was back in Oakland again, I came to yelp to find the address/info. Glad D&A is still around! BTW I think they use MSG in their food so I wouldn't live off of it like you could plain spaghetti and chicken salad...
(3)
Jill k.
i honestly don't have very high standards when it comes to late-night eats, and that's exactly why 8th street cafe gets 4 stars. 8th street has tons of relatively tasty, greasy, chinese options here, and between 10pm - 1am, their menus are ridiculously cheap. so, take it for what it is, and maybe you'll see me here around midnight on a saturday night!
(4)
Mary N.
To think of this place being 4 stars is outrageously humorous. When my family to came here they had bad service. We asked for chicken and they switched it with beef. We told them of the mix up and they argued with us and told us to eat it anyway. The beef wasn't even that good and so after we finished and left, my mother signal not to tip at all. So when we left, one of the waiteresses told my father that we didn't pay for tip, my dad got angry and told them that the food wasn't good at all and the poor service didn't deserve tip. Of course they gave us a dirty look. It was way better before as D&A Cafe
(1)
Rachel L.
I am such a FAN of all their happy hour specials! From their rice plates to, humungo soup selection, I have always walked away with a stuffed tummy and a thankful wallet. Now I admit some of the things on their menu can be a bit salty and oily but you really have to expect that of their deep fried specials. For goodness sake you walk into the place and smell the MSG on the wallpaper but no one says that you have to order something deep fried! They have everything that you would normally find on a Chinese take out menu but they also have "exotic" items which include braised organs and deep fried creature feets. Personally, not my cup of tea but I have seen other tables order those things and to be honest with you it looked rather appetizing. The place is always packed which really tells you something. The crowd doesn't just consist of broke college students looking to stretch their buck.. you'll actually see table upon table of families sitting around enjoying a meal together so you know that if the food is good enough for mom, dad, and gramps.. it's a worthy place to sit and have a meal for yourself. Service is speedy, but beware if you don't speak any form of Chinese. Get used to pointing to the menu to make sure they mark you down for what you want. During one visit I asked our waitress what was in the house rice special and she ran back to the counter, talked about it amongst three other employees in a huddle and came back with the main ingredients on a piece of paper in squiggly written English. So besides the service and lack of English the food again is incredibly appetizing and quite inexpensive. Since moving to their new location the dining area is very clean and nothing like what D&A used to be. Thank goodness! I used to walk into the old D&A Cafe with bottles of hand sanitizer and baby wipes, no joke! Oh beware..8th Street Cafe only takes cash! I know.. how inconvenient. :(
(4)
chris w.
When your lunch descends into a contest to see who can keep the food in their mouth longer, I think its safe to say that you shouldn't come back.
(1)
Jonathan C.
worst of the D&A chain, by far. their food is the worst. they have the smallest restaurant. Yes it's cheap, but still I'd just take my business elsewhere if I a choice and remember how bad it is compared to the other bay area D&A's (on Clement in SF and "Broadway Cafe" on Broadway in SF). Now that I know better, I happily walk by and go elsewhere. I still remember this one time, a waitress was chasing this 4 inch (I thought it was a mouse first because of its size) cockroach through the restaurant; finally stepping on it after making quite a scene. She then proceeded to use a napkin to wipe it off her shoe, and went back to work shortly. I wonder if she washed her hand anywhere in between....probably not, yum! At least I got my food already, and as far I could tell, what I didn't know about my food's past didn't hurt me, except for the indigestion later.
(1)
Jennifer S.
i go here pretty much every other weekend with my family for lunch. the price is great if you do the 3 items for under $20 which includes rice and soup. although service is not great the cheap price is worth it. plus the food is delicious.
(4)
K W.
D&A just re-located around the corner to 337 8th Street (btwn Harrison & Webster). Floors are cleaner now since they're new. They have 2 flat screens usually showing Chinese programming but I've seen it switched to Monday Night Football too. There's only one thing really to say about D&A: 3 dishes with steamed rice $16.99 ($18.50 including tax). Just can't beat that. The wife and I can eat this for days. They'll throw in a nice big bowl of Cantonese style soup if you eat in. If you can get there early enough, the happy hour (3-6 pm) is excellent in terms of value. Cheap and decent food overall. Some dishes are above average and some are below, try everything once and you'll know what to avoid. Personally, on the 3 dishes menu, I like the dried scallop with fried tofu, beef with scrambled eggs, beef with chinese broccoli, combination tofu clay pot, filet of cod with greens, combination eggs over spinach, peking spareribs, walnut prawns. This is not a place to enjoy dining out. It's great for take-out or just a quick "order-eat--go". And being polite/shy/hesitant will get you nowhere fast. Frantically wave at anyone within 50 feet of you wearing a red polo shirt and start yelling out your order and you'll get out of there fat, happy, and with money left in your pocket in no time.
(3)
Andrew T.
this has become our "sobering up after somar spot"(as evident by the pic of our buddy "choom") because it's a good 20 minute walk each way, they fill you up, they are open super-late, and it's cheap! this place is right smack-dab in the middle of chinatown. the food isn't the greatest, but the prices are insane. $2.25 for an order of 8 salt & pepper chicken wings? $3.75 for chicken & fish fried rice? $1.88 for a tapioca drink? ridiculous... the wings are pretty awesome and everything else i've had was decent as well. i really liked the rice porridge. if you are partying in downtown oak, this place should be on your radar.
(4)
Mary R.
Cheap and salty. This place was formerly called D&A Cafe. I don't know why they changed their name, but the same bitter guy works the register and seats you.
(1)
N C.
HORRIBLE!!!!!!! their foods are extremely sickening...and OMG their service is even worse. FYI not healthy!
(1)
Stacey W.
I must say you really can't complain about the happy hour prices. You pay for what you get... which is cheap food and horrible service. Ever since the new location..which is bigger,cleaner,nicer, the service has hence gone downhill more then it was ever possible to go..apparently not. I love their lemon iced tea and french toast. I've been going here since high school, but since the new move and the very POOR service i only go here when I am desperate or low on cash. Once you are seated and your order is taken, that is the last you see of the srvice
(2)
Victoria W.
Depends on what you order here, but if you come often enough you know which are the best dishes. Their happy hour is the best ever! And who can beat fresh bobba smoothies for less than a couple bucks?! The tables are small and there's usually a wait, but it's worth it.
(4)
sammy z.
This is one of my favorite places for a late night food craving. They have all your hong kong style Chinese type fast food. Their chow fun and chow mein is tasty. They also have a very large selection of food from different rice plates to soup noodles and porridege. Very oily food but that's to be expected at a joint like this. The atmosphere is pretty clean and bright. Perhaps the reason why this place is so popular is the low prices. 3 dishes + rice and soup for $16? Very economical.
(4)
M E.
i give this place ONE star... they get this star for their honeydew drink and the fact that they are cheap, quick and open late. if it werent for those three things, i would give them negative stars... the complimentary soup is bland and everything is sooo over done cuz its sitting in pots for hours. seafood clay pot doesnt come in a claypot, but it is good honey walnut shrimp has too much of sauce. the other stuff was aight..... THE SERVICE IS HORRIBLE.... IF YOU DONT SPEAK THE LANGUAGE THEY PRETTY MUCH MAKE YOU FEEL COMPLETELY INADEQUATE. ADDITIONALLY, THEY ARE FUCKIN LAZY AS HELL.
(1)
Jeanette W.
Cheap and fast Chinese Food. Where else can you order 3 items with rice and soup for under $16. Top recommends: Honey Walnut Prawns, Beef Broccoli, Salt and Pepper Pork Ribs. Happy Hour (3-6PM) menu is also great. Dishes under $4. Sweet deal. There are also two other locations in the city.
(3)
Eileen L.
Came here with my friend a couple weeks ago because we couldn't find much other places to eat at in Oakland Chinatown . The food at this D&A tastes about the same as the D&As in San Francisco . Food is mediocre & cheap . However , this D&A is cleaner than the ones in SF . The service also sucks more . They just point to the table for you to sit and they don't even give you menus .. you have to get them yourself . You also have to call for them to order .
(2)
E. M.
This place cracks me up! The menu is huge so you're bound to find something you'll like but you have to sift through all the strange only-a-chinese from China-would-eat-that dishes (jelly fish with goose feet anyone?) My favorites are the mapo tofu and the honey walnut prawns-- really normal stuff. It's a nice refuge from the pretentiousness of celebrity chef-driven cuisine. Another funny thing is that any time you order a dish with squid it's all squid wings. I guess this is the cheapest part of the squid.
(3)
jacqueline c.
If i could give this place a zero star. This place definitely will get that. Even thought the food here is super cheap, Do no let the cheapness full you into a great bargain. It is super dirty and unsanitary even with the new location in oakland. But in San Francisco location it is YUCK!!!!!
(1)
Leo C.
First of all, I just want to say that the service isn't bad, it's terrible. The food and price is pretty decent. I don't really eat anything there except for their fried chicken but that's cause I love fried chicken. About this cafe, I think it's weird how you can order friend chicken for like 2.50, but you have to pay 3.50 for their salt and peppered fried chicken. They have salt and pepper on the table! I guess they want the extra dollar for the extra labor. Well, aside from that, the service... I just don't understand... why... why... it's soo terrible. One time, I paid for some fried chicken and the lady actually asked me where the tip was. I mean what the hell? Seriously? You're going to ask me for tip? That's just rude. Another time I ordered fried chicken and porridge but I asked them to cancel the porridge and they said okay. They brought it out anyway. Thanks a lot for listening to your customers. Oh yeah, the place is dirty. Don't go there, it's terrible.
(1)
Tiffany W.
Okay, the food there are not expensive, but they really need to tidy up the place some more. It is dirty! Even if they moved to this new location, they almost turned it the same way. One time I saw them do the strawberry drinks, I could not believe my eyes! They put some strawberries in the mixer, then the rest was just WATER, so it is basically strawberry plus water, and they serve it like that after they have mixed it. It disgusted me quite long. Then my family decided to eat there one night, because we were tired, and while i was eating my rice plate, i saw this HUGE cockroach! It was walking along the wall, I stopped eating then, I could not stand it no more. That is all left to say.
(2)
j f.
i wish there was a half star .. i came here one night with a bunch of friend either the server didn't like her job cause it was by far the worst service ever.. the lady threw our menus on the table and then when your soup is server they should serve it to you but she just place the soup on the table and walked away the refills on tea also she never came to our table and she was completely rude... don't go here if your a dark skinned toned Filipina that lady was rude cause of our skin tone and race... and our other friend who came with us were Chinese... its just sad... the food and prices aren't bad... but i refuse to go some where the server are just plain rude..the place had TV on Chinese channel good luck getting served cause the server are watching TV or just ignoring you...i give it a negative star on service... on it being clean 1 star...the floors and bathroom were sticky.. i dont recommend this place...
(1)
mai L.
D & A is a good place to go when you want to have some cheap and good Chinese food. Their price is really good but service is just okay (as many Chinese restaurants). Some of their food taste pretty good like "Fried Rice" but some are just so-so. There are many dishes to order so sometimes it really depends on your luck unless you stick with the ones you've had every time.
(3)
Peter C.
This place use to be really good and cheap for lunch. But somehow start going bad. It still cheap to eat there for dinner.
(2)
Emahlee H.
I used to always come here with my little friends in middle school and have a super cheap and filling afternoon snack/meal. What fond memories of innocent giggles over some french toast, fries and a bowl of noodles.
(3)
jenny t.
I learned of this place after I moved away from SF. I used to go to the one on Clement all the time which I believe is still better than this one. But what do you expect if it's still good and cheap! My favs are: various selections from the 3 dishes, soup, and rice menu (over 60 items to choose from), iced lemon tea, fried chicken wings, fried toast w/peanut butter, beef chow fun (under $5). Looking forward to visit their new location.
(3)
Cedric F.
i come here because i'm hungry not because i'm looking for something good to eat. the food is edible.. thats all i can say. but you get what you pay for.
(2)
Amy L.
My friend found a hair in his food. 'Nuff said
(1)
tina l.
D& A cafe is a great place to go. Their price is cheap and the portion is big. Their happy hours are from (3pm-6pm) and most dishes are less than 3 bucks. However, if you do go there, expect bad service. Once you order your food, that will be the last time you will see your server. They also have great deal during lunch hours (11am-3pm) One dish plus soup and a drink for less than 6 bucks.From (6pm-1Am) They have dinner offer for 17.99 which include three plates of meat/veggies of your choice, soup for everyone and rice. Food is actually pretty good for the price you pay.CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP.
(3)
E H.
4 stars for the price. Not the cleanest place and not the best service, but the happy hour is CHEAP. A whole page of menu items for $2 and the watermelon juice or strawberry juice for $1. The food tastes quite alright. The 3 Dishes + Rice dinner deal ($15) offers enough food for 2 people's dinner, then lunch, then the next dinner (okay may be not quite another dinner if you are a big eater). I can't remember if that includes Soup or not, but it certainly is a steal.
(4)
Susie A.
You pay for what you get. Cheap food, cheap price, so what about the QUALITY of the meat itself? So what if the items are cheap? Want to know what makes it good? MSG! And LOTS of it. If you like the $19.99 for 3 Dishes, why put yourself in agony of blistering blurring headaches and thristy for hours afterwards? My advice: GO to Chopsticks Chinese Restaurant on 328 14th Street, near Webster instead. Yes, THEY offer the 3-Dish @ $19.99 with tons of fantastic items of your own choosing, includes free house soup AND free rice - refillable. The food are FRESH and thank God, edible with GENEROUS portions. At Chopsticks, their waiters are pleasant, understands English and are attenative, NOT like 8th St. Cafe -- they have the worst of the WORST waitresses. They hate their job. No service, no smile, don't even want to come to the table to take your order -- so freaking lazy and they are the ugliless, unattractive group of women. They stand around in a bunch gossiping and don't even refill your cup of tea or make an effort to bring your bill. I say, if you don't want to do anything -- why bother to come to so-called "work"? Why not stay home and yell at your hubby & kids with that sourpuss face and bad attitude of yours? Gees!
(1)
Raz R.
This place is actually a lot more crowded than I had expected. I'm glad I ordered take out. The food is typical of what you mind find in an Asian cafe. It's on the salty/oily side and heavy on the sauce. But the dishes are big and they offer a wide selection. It's well priced though and I saw a lot families eating there.
(3)
Samantha T.
I do not come here expecting service, so maybe thats why it stays rated high to me. So I come here when I want a cheap breakfast, lunch or dinner because it is really an all-the-time restaurant. On the breakfast menu, I usually get the porridge combination with a plate of chow mein. Its pretty good porridge, watery rice with whatever meat of the day, I like the fish ones and the chicken and mushroom. The chow mein is not the best, but its pretty good with some red vinegar and chili sauce. For happy hour 3-6 I usually get the chicken wings, or some macaroni with spam or chicken. Its really simple food but it fills your stomach and it tastes good. For dinner, I like to get the 3 plate dinner, it comes with rice and soup, carrots and pork bones? and 3 dishes of whatever you like. I like the XO Beef with veggies, the walnut shrimp, the steamed tofu, and the salted fish with chicken. Their lemon tea and whatever juice of the season are really good. Also the service is fast. Four stars for getting the job done.
(4)
sherlyn c.
Always order Cantonese food in a Cantonese restaurant, and order Shanghai food in a Shanghai restaurant. Do not order Sichuan Ma Po Tofu in a Cantonese restaurant. This place serves good Cantonese food, but the service is lousy.
(3)
Joanne C.
I like this place. It has the best milk tea and baked pork chop in SF bay area. And the price is fair!
(3)
Cindy L.
although the food is cheap and portion is good, i did find a hair in my food once.
(2)
Wingbert C.
I've been eating in and getting take out from this place for years.. it is great because they stay open until 1AM (used to be 2AM though). I usually get the pork chop and spaghetti dish which is very good, pork chop is tender and sauce is excellent. When I eat in with my friends we usually get the 3 dish special for 17.99 (used to be a dollar or two cheaper at the old location) which give you a lot of items to choose from. I always HAVE to get the walnut shrimp and we randomly choose a beef and chicken plate. They also have a good variety of drinks, my buddies like the watermelon drink, i wish they serve thai tea though. The service however SUCKS. they are very busy during peak hours so I cant blame them too much. The food came out quickly but good luck waving them down for a refill of your water. My buddy must've asked 3 times before he got a glass of water. Overall good food, good price, bad service.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : No Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
Audrey H.
I was here for dinner on Saturday night. The shop has lots of sitting, and tables are pretty widespread. I ordered 2 of their porridge, and a Singapore style vermicelli. Portions are big and its a pretty good deal for that price. its cash only. However, the chairs are pretty worn out and that bothers me quite a bit. Recommended place for a quite meal, nothing fancy thou! I also had their watermelon juice boba. It cost $1.75. The juice was nothing special. But the boba was tasteless. However, the boba was al dente and was pretty good!
(4)Karen W.
For a late night snack, this is the place since there aren't too many places in Oakland that open til 1 AM. Just park close to the restaurant when it is late at night. We had just gotten back from a trip and were hungry so this place fit the bill and we always order out when we want a late night snack. We ordered the crispy house special chow mein, shrimp and scrambled egg chow fun, wonton ho fun, chicken with bean sprouts chow fun and macaroni soup. It's comfort food at reasonable prices. They have late night specials starting at 10 PM as well.
(3)Jessica T.
Their food is good but their service is horrible! So 3 stars it is... I always eat here with my family. Their food is good and it's cheap during happy hour. But their service is pretty slow and they don't speak English so it's really difficult to ask for some things. Today, we got the salt and pepper fried squid, salt and pepper fried fish, & Chinese beef broccoli. It comes with rice and soup as well. The soup is kind of bland but can't complain much because it's free. Overall, the entire meal was pretty good.
(3)Jun T.
Terrible service. They sat us down at a table with a dirty wet napkin on it and a eaten chicken wing under the table. They even gave us napkins and told us to clean it ourselves. Fearing for our lives, as the food may have cock roaches or some other infestation, we politely left. Im pretty sure they pay the health inspector because this place should already be shutdown.
(1)Irene L.
Cheap watermelon boba or bobaless drinks!
(4)Sean S.
Cheap eats at a good price for "happy hour". The place is a dive and the waitresses don't speak much English. Point, wait, and you can get out of there with 4 entrees for around $20. Good salty fish fried rice and chicken wings. Generous portions.
(3)Glenda J.
There are 2 lines at the entrance: one for dine in and the other for take out. We didn't have much of a wait for Monday lunch. Ordered shrimp scrambled eggs: delicious! Eggs were not rubbery but moist and soft, shrimp was fresh. Tomato beef: delicious. Has chunks of tomato, onion and green peppers. We added some gravy to the eggs and this turned out to be a great combination. Braised cod with tofu: very salty. Comes with bok choy, mushrooms and BBQ strips. Cod was battered but soggy and chewy. Will order the first two. All dishes served with steamed white rice. Soup to start (included): bitter melon and beef soup bones. Don't care for bitter melon. This seemed quite unusual to be used in a soup. Drinks: hot Chinese tea. Ordered hot milk tea: nice and strong. Would have liked condensed milk but sugar also does the trick.
(3)Noah U.
I have come here to imitate Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods. 8th St Cafe has some of the weirder foods in the United States, but of course that is not at all pertinent to the world. Sometimes, people just need to eat what's next to them in order to survive. Here you can have pork blood, pork intestine, beef tendon, duck gizzard and quail. They served me relatively quickly, though it was once difficult for them to tally up and remember my purchases. The prices were somewhat high, but maybe perhaps okay by Bay Area standards. The intestines were fairly good and crunchy. The chefs have some noticeable talent, but it would show better if this place weren't a dive. But a chef is supposed to make something seemingly unappetizing into something delicious. There are lots of beverages and a huge menu. You will not see Western fare that much, but you will have over a hundred meals to choose from. 8th St Cafe for all it's faults, brings a cultural experience that used to mean one had to go to China. Now they can have it here. Unfortunately, for the typical Bay Area resident this place likely isn't where they would want to hover around daily.
(3)Tony U.
Reviewing this as a cheap eats chinese restaurant to go. It's pretty good. I can vouch for the red bean ice drink, fried salt and pepper tofu (favorite plate here), the beef wonton noodle soup's awe-ite, the pigs blood and pork skin is verrrry good. The juk is excellent too. Pretty decent quality here for cheap eats. It's also available late at night for pickup at reduced prices.
(4)Melinda Y.
It was not my choice to go to this place. The quality of the food was subpar. We had this beef stew broad noodle, but you can count the number of pieces the size of sugar cubes. Not sure what compelled me to order the baked oyster in butter and garlic, but it was a mistake in retrospect. The sauce was nothing like the garlic butter I've come to know and love. I could not detect any hint of the aromatic garlic flavor in the thick white sauce, as described on the menu. It was the blandest thing I've ever had. We also had steamed chicken. By happenstance, I had to select the one piece with a short strand of hair laying on top of the chicken skin. Gross! The service was rude. We had a big party so we sort of over-ordered. We were chastised and charged $0.50 for a container to take home our leftover soup. The red-haired waitress said, with a scowl, we were expected to finish the food at the restaurant and not to be taken home. That's preposterous! I noticed in a tip tray, from another dine,r was only a dollar and some change. I don't blame them one bit. I wouldn't have given them a penny.
(1)Karen M.
Likes: warm bowl of beef stew with the thin egg noodles for $3.75, lunch special is a good deal (milk tea is $1.25) Dislikes: finding parking during busy hours and slightly slow service
(3)Sara W.
If you like good food, please don't eat here. I'm looking out for you, my fellow yelpers!! The food here is just terrible, and the service isn't much better. Look, I don't expect much going to any cheap Chinatown cafe, but even though my expectations were low, I was still disappointed. I ordered the black pepper steak with "spaghetti". First of all, the steak was COLD! I don't understand how that is possible, how hard is it to cook up a steak? It seemed as though they left it sitting for a half an hour before even serving it to me. It was also extremely chewy and I nearly broke a sweat trying to saw off piece after piece. The "spaghetti" is also just plain noodles. Okay, if you're going to call noodles spaghetti, at least add some tomato sauce or just say noodles. The waiters seemed very irritated all the time and act as though I'm inconveniencing them by asking for simple things such as napkins or more tea. I know being a waiter can be awful, but at least hide your irritation to customers asking for things politely! Now, if you DO want good food, head over across the street to St. Anna's. They serve their food on hot stone plates and are happy to do it! I can say with confidence that my first visit at 8th Street will certainly be my last.
(1)Nathan W.
Solid and definitely at the right price.
(3)Elaine P.
Bad customer service. We waited for half an hour and then we tried to follow up w our order and found out that they didn't enter our order to the system. Never again will we go back.
(1)David C.
Best price in town especially during their afternoon and late night special hours. Their hainanese chicken rice plus the red bean coconut drink combo for $6.25 is my favorite. I also like their fesh squeezed water melon, crispy chicken wing, prawn/scrambled egg chow fun and more.
(5)Kershan R.
We love the happy hour menu but the 3 items for 20.99 included house soup, a big bowl of rice, salt and pepper spare ribs, Chinese broccoli, and salt and pepper chicken. We also enjoyed the ginseng and honey tea. this place gives you more than enough, great service and food is delicious!!!!!
(5)Bernie C.
I am rather conflicted about this place. I'm a very non picky individual and have gone to these kinds of cafes on the regular. However, there's something off about this place that I cannot put my finger on. First and foremost, I came into this restaurant with the expectation that the service will be non-existent (which was pretty close to true). Secondly, I knew what kind of food I was going to get. So, that's pretty straight forward. As I went into the restaurant, I followed exactly what the sign said and waited at the area to be seated. However, nobody came to seat me. Another individual came in and stood at the to go line, and he got seated first. Huh? So I had to ask about being seated. It's okay, my expectations were met on this end. As I got a seat at a big table with other people who did not end up with their own table, I looked at the menu and decided. It took a good 10 minutes for them to take my order (once again, expectations met). I ordered the Black Peppered Beef with Spaghetti and to my surprise, the dish was better than I expected. The milk tea is pretty straight standard. I got out paying $12 bucks with tip. Not too bad. Honestly, if you prepare for the worse before you come here, you'll be fine. However, if you're coming here with the expectation of GREAT service and food, you're obviously dreaming. I don't blame this restaurant for being what it is. Sometimes, things are the way they are for various reasons.
(3)Royal C.
Delicious, cheap, relatively authentic chinese food from a shop that's open late.
(4)Eugene L.
I rolled my Hoop-tie there last night after work to grab a midnight snack. I was able to park right out in front. I rolled in and grabbed a table. I was brought a Hot Tea and a Menu . I perused the Menu and ordered Beef Chow fun and Vegetables with Gravy and Salt and Pepper Fried Chicken Wings. Fifteen minutes later I had my food the Chow fun was good and the Wings hit the spot . $10 dollars with Tip Cash Only and I was out of there. Happy Hour Pricing in effect. One of the Cheapest Places in Town . Definitely a Budget Special.
(4)Sandy Q.
This place is pretty much a HK cafe. Food is good and prices are good. They even have special pricing during certain hours for certain items. During dinner time, you can pick 3 dishes for around $20 that includes soup and rice if you eat there. If you opt to take it to-go, soup and rice are not included.
(3)Charles K.
TIP: Come during tea time!!! 3:00 - 5:00 PM and then after 10:00 - close. You can have a lot of food on the cheap! The food is pretty good. Not drenched in salt or MSG and their rice porridge is pretty traditional in it's consistency. It's not too watery or thick: just right. I suggest ordering a little more "to-go" so you have lunch the next day. The service isn't the best, but for what it is (and the price you pay), it's on par. I hate places that pretend to be high-class, charge high-class prices, but deliver no service. At least here, you get what you pay for. Just know what you want when you come in and don't expect to strike up a friendly conversation here. Come here, order what you want, eat it and enjoy the company you're with. Again, come during tea time if you get a chance, it's totally worth it!! Also, cheapest drinks in Chinatown (HK Milk Tea or Watermelon Slush w/ Tapioca), both for less than $2.50!
(4)Sandra N.
Ommmgggg this place is horrendous. Mediocre food and terrible service. I came here with my family on Father's Day and realized this was probably not good enough for celebrating Father's Day... but we got seated before we could decide on another place to go so we stuck with it. After being seated, they gave us only four cups of tea (for seven people). They also didn't give us enough spoons, plates, or chopsticks. We asked our waitress for more utensils and she pointed at the rack of clean utensils and bowls and said, "Oh they're over there. Can you get them yourself?" O_O! We were all like, "Did she really just tell us to get them ourselves?!" We all felt like we were eating at a cafeteria... The food arrived pretty quickly. I don't know all of the items my family ordered but a few stuck out. We got one of our favorites, honey walnut prawns, and they were okay. Nothing special. Also ordered drunken chicken, which everyone said was probably the best dish. Another dish was the combination tofu clay pot... which didn't come in a clay pot. But it was good, a little too salty. None of the dishes were good enough to make us come back though. The two drinks we got were almond milk tea and green tea milk tea. I didn't taste the almond one but my uncle didn't like it. I tasted the green tea one and it tasted interesting... but not in a good way :( The only good thing was the price. We ordered six dishes and two drinks and the total was only $50 and this fed seven people. Definitely not worth the bad service and food though. Never coming back!
(1)Elaine T.
This is one of my family's go to spot for take out. We usually get 3 dishes for $19.99 with complimentary soup and rice. Came here again recently around 8pm to order some take out. We ordered the corn sauce filet of fish (#24), braised beef stew (#46), Peking spareribs (#56), and a salted cod fried rice. The girl taking our order got called away by the kitchen staff (for an error on another ticket). We were left at the counter... trying to finish ordering our food. We waited around for about 5 minutes before someone else came over to help us. Our order was ready is less than 15 minutes. Overall, I'll be back again for more take out but maybe I'll call ahead next time.
(3)Michael L.
Hot food cooked when you order in the late night hours at a very affordable price... That's the only reason why anyone should go here. The service does not suck, their isn't any service!!! You don't go here for the service, (or anywhere in Chinatown in my opinion) you go here when you want something to eat and don't want to go to the late night drive thru at jack in the box, or Taco Bell, or anything like that. They have a special menu you can choose from many different rice plates that includes their soup of the day for under $6. Now that's a great deal given the situation.
(2)Quincy W.
I don't know if the owner has change or what has been change... The service is really bad now, and the food is not as good as before... And last time when I go there to get a watermelon juice Togo, that lady just use tap water right in front of me to make my juice... Even they have a filter water right next to it... So disgusting!!!! I will never go back again!!!
(1)George L.
This place has a variety of dishes and prices, if you're hungry and inquisitive enough wanting to explore here. They have "Happy Hour" the first hour they're open 10AM-11AM, then mid-afternoon 3PM-6PM, and lastly 10PM-1AM to get people to come in and order food for their "slow" periods which works for me with dishes for prices only during those times starting at USD 3.25 + tax. Then there are weekday lunch specials from 10AM-3PM USD 4.99 + tax. They serve Hong style milk tea, lobster if you wish to order one. Food is quite good, service not so good to poor, you may consider calling in your order, allow ten to fifteen minutes to pickup, cash only. I come here regularly because they offer good food at decent prices, so what if their service isn't good, I'm here for their food, order it for take away if you don't like their service, their food is still tasty. Lobster with noodles for USD 13.99 + tax, what a deal. foodspotting.com/places/…
(4)Alex H.
Recently, 8th Street Cafe is not 8th Street Cafe! You wanna know why? In like the starting of November, it was changed to Toishan Cafe, for some reason. I went there for a few times this two months. One time I went there 3 times in a row. There is a place in the menu that saids you can get 3 dishes, 1 big bowl of soup, and how many rice you want. It serves 4 people. It is only $19.99 plus tax for that! I just gave $3 dollars tips. I saw two times that they were holding a bunch of tea cups on the tray and they dropped it on the ground which was loud! Other than that, the customer service was really good. They give plates less than 10 minutes! Mostly, it just comes in 5 or 6 minutes. I think this is a really good cafe. The food also tastes really good. Not really as good as bird nest, but still really good. This is a "WOW" cafe!
(4)Jenny T.
Before I used to come here with my aunt and older cousin when we were in Chinatown, it's like a Chinese Diner I supposed where they have various Asian cuisines. I like the dry scalloped tofu, dry chow fun with beef, fresh watermelon juice w/ pearls, and to me it's all comfort food. The service isn't the best, but the food and the prices are worth it - if you're looking to dine out on a budget. I've ordered take - out and dined it. My family loves it here and it's became one of my favorite places to go if I'm hungry. I feel well fit in with the people and the atmosphere around me - I grew up in Oakland and ever since I was a little girl I always visited Chinatown to go buy groceries with my family, go eat Dim Sum in the morning during a peaceful weekend, go have some bubble milk tea, take the bus home after our day trips, hangout with friends after school. I'm familiar with the streets and areas in Oakland, and I wouldn't say it's the best city to live in considering it's now the second most dangerous city in the US.
(4)Mike L.
Solid hong kong style cafe. They have a lot of choices on their menu and specials. from 3-6pm they have a special where won ton noodle soup, beef stew noodle soup, and a whole bunch of other things are $2.50, which is a good deal. They also have those 3 items for $20 during dinner. The decor isn't as nice as let's say Shooting Star, which has a younger feel to it, but it's a good place. Like a lot of Chinese places they don't take credit.
(4)Desmond T.
I am gradually disliking Chinese food. Something about it... man, Chinese people don't care about customer service or how the food is cooked. Don't worry guys, I'm Chinese. I only came here because my grandparents wanted to eat here and apparently it's really cheap with some added lunch specials. Chinese service is always sub-par. Never expect to have a good time with them; very inattentive and rude. All they really care about is you paying the bill. This place is no exception. This a typical dirty hole in the wall. The food. oh man don't get me started. SUPER OILY. Chinese food is typically family style. Order a bunch of dishes and share. Ordered about 7 different dishes. Everything was bad here... vegetables, drenched in oil. The meat is dry and drenched in oil. The rice.. yeah it's old.. after a couple bites of everything, I already felt sick and stopped eating. Tried to pay the bill, but the waitresses kept walking around the restaurant aimlessly. It wasn't until my aunt yelled to get their attention for them to come to us. Cash only. Yeah this place was cheap, for good reason.
(1)Cassie X.
Really cheap food and it tasted pretty good too! If you're hanging out in Chinatown definitely check this place out and don't be confused by the restaurant name because they do serve authentic Chinese food (I would know. I grew up in China). The service is not that good but when you're paying such low prices you're lucky that the food shows up on your table at all. I highly recommend the honey walnut prawns. The servings are also really large so I recommend coming with a group of friends, that way you can try a variety of different dishes without taking home a shopping cart's worth of leftovers. If you're not super picky about quality gourmet Chinese food and you want to save a few bucks, then visit this restaurant!
(3)Bozena T.
We were in Oakland for an appointment so we decided to look for a place to eat really quick. Singaporean Chow Mi: $5.50 Hainan Chicken Rice: $5.75 Chicken Steak Spaghetti: $4.50 Food was pretty good and came out really fast! Service was good for a casual Asian cafe. Pretty good for a quick lunch place and cheap!
(4)Grace C.
I always came here for three dishes meal with rice and soup. And I never had any problem with either food or service. I visited on Aug/22 last time. Everything was perfect, even the bill. $22.49 + tax and tips. Paid cash! Less than $30 , I had good lunch with a new friend met at Oakland farmer market. Also brought some leftover for my home alone youth. Will visit often, even though it's quite long distance to me to travel.
(5)Arlene Y.
If you want to enjoy food and have a good time DONT GO HERE! 1. Service don't suck because THERE AIN'T ANY! 2. Refuse to accept card payment, when they do accept card! LIARS! 3. Cheap food but TASTE BAD! 4. They tell customers they have to be tip or they are not invited to eat there. 5. You have to wait for your drinks, longer than you're suppose wait for your food. 6. Forget what you ask them to get. For example, napkin, forks, chopsticks, and, add ons. I went out to eat and this lady refuse to accept my card payment. I didn't want to make a fuss so I got cash back from the ATM, I went up and paid for the bill and I paid in cash and coins. They refused to accept my coins because I paid 17 cents in pennies. Like wtf?! Then I was like, fine, this is only going to come out of your tip. I got my change then turned around to walk back to the table to leave my tip, as I turned around she was like, "WAIT, YOU HAVE TO TIP US!" I told her, no I don't, it's up to the customer to tip, tipping is optional. "BY LAW YOU HAVE TO TIP US." I said by law, you have to accept this pure legal tender, id call the cops but I don't have time to wast on this. "alright, don't come back here, we won't welcome and offer you service anymore." If you are smart DO NOT go there! They are disrespectful and rude. One star is too much already! They deserve nothing.
(1)Victor C.
Everything they cooking looks good and cheap, but everything is tasteless and it doesn't interest me. Not a good place to eat. It only fills me up with nothing.
(2)Sam T.
Lordy what happened to Chinatown?!?! Where is the hussle and bussle it was once known for? I walked two blocks to this cafe which use to be D&A and typically pretty crowded. It was fairly crowded here but nothing like it use to be. Food: Decent food for the price I guess. Did the 3 for $20 and ordered a 4th dish as well. The fried flounder was lacking a bit. I think the fish was not as fresh as it should have been. The walnut shrimp should be served in a smaller plate to minimize my eye brow raise. It looks tiny when the plate is so big and the serving is so small. Service: It's weird to see the majority of the staff eating at 7pm. There's like....customers to serve....and my tea is empty....and yeah...wth? Environment: Hole in the wall just the way I like it. Price: Not as cheap as you would think anymore but still very decently priced. Food: 3 Service: 2 Environment: 3 Price: 4
(3)Jeremy B.
NOT THE CHEAPEST MILK TEA IN CHINA TOWN... Just saying... Love reading reviews from employees / owners... Their milk tea drinks are alright.... The balls are a hit or miss. Sometimes extremely good... others.. either overcooked or straight gooey. Recommend: Fresh Fruit smoothies. Avocados are cut fresh (thank god) and go perfect with tapioca. The reason for 3 stars? Well... one late night.. roughly an hour till close.. we approach the restaurant to open signs and lots of light. As we walk in, the place reeks of bleach and we had to wait / absorb the smell for some time will we were finally approached by a staff member. Their were piles (YES PILES) of dirty grim, food, and god who knows what throughout the restaurant. Luckily, we were seated near one of them -.- Oh, an our before close... we were asked if we wanted to "take out" before we were seated.... seriously? a hour before close? Guess they do not want our service.. or anyone else. Denied 3 groups of people trying to in, two walked off without "take out" Overall, the food was so so, the drinks were alright... service.. welp yelpers.. Find out for yourself. We only go there for the smoothies now :)
(3)Holla F.
Cheap Chinese Hong Kong style food. Don't come here if u r looking for fabulous service or the most sanitary conditions either. 3 entrees for $20 is not bad and the dishes alone were decent--Chinese broccoli, oyster tofu clay pot, and fried pork intestine (not my choice). However, Doubt I will go back after witnessing one of the waitress sneeze without covering her mouth while another takes the trash out and continues working without washing any of their hands. Yuck. I won't let my parents choose this place again.
(2)Amy C.
Bad customer service. Food is ok. Do not go there and expect good service. They can't even offer good service on a slow weekday, imagine busy weekends. This applies to some asian restaurants, if you don't speak their language, their service gets worst.
(1)Winnie G.
Let's clear things up. 1. You're here for the cheap food, it's not supposed to be perfect and absolutely delicious. 2. It's Chinatown, you're not looking for 5 star service. You'd be lucky if you got some without having to say HEY LANG LIU (that's beautiful lady in canto) So two most important things about eating here and the general rule of thumb in Chinatown, Oakland. +great happy hour prices! Dishes start around 2 dollars +generous portions +menu comes with descriptions and pictures +lots of greasy comfort food +perfect for broke college student like myself and late night munchies +milk tea doesn't come with sugar, add your own +interior is not the cleanest but good enough +fresh watermelon juice, a box of watermelons sitting at the door +offers to go service (you can order during happy hour get happy hour prices, TO GO!) +dinner/lunch specials order 3 items comes with soup for under 20 bucks. +usually short wait, there are chairs for you to sit +cash only +dirty bathrooms +super noisy especially with loud chinese people! It's used to be D&A, I was coming here for the longest and noticed about 3 years ago that it was actually 8th street cafe. Can't miss it! Giant yellow banner and bustling of people.
(3)IsabeL S.
Very poor customer service and unsanitary establishment.. If you want better food go to the gold metal they are a little hole in the wall too but they have good food and they are not as rude. As I was already seated waiting for my food, They gave me my food in a to go container which I didn't ask for then on top of that as I was eating my food this older lady came and told me that I could not eat there because my food was to go even thou I never asked for my food to go. I felt very offended and humiliated by this establishment.
(1)Mar H.
Came here for the first time because I saw a crowd here so it can't be that bad? Lots of older folks here, family with kids. Its lunch time and the place is packed. I saw a lot of people complain about the service being bad and rude attitude. I don't think they are rude at all, maybe their english comprehension was lacking. I saw the waitress having a lot of conversation with the customers and of course you don't expect 5 stars service from a diner and the staff is a little ruff on the edges. I was comfortable the entire time I was there. The food and the set ups are the same as the one with the same name in the SF Chinatown, basically when the cook wait for a multiple orders of the same item and he cooks it all at the sametimes, therefore not everyone at the table gets the food at the same time. What was a very bad timing for the customer is great for the lazy cook! Your fellow diners' food will only arrive when you have finish eatting. They made up for the delay by giving everyone a great big portion. Great value for the price you pay. St. Anna across the street has the same kind of food. I have the lobster fried noodle, yummy!
(4)Carmen T.
I loved it when it was called D&A Cafe, their french toast was the bomb. Everything still tastes alright--it's one of my top Chinese Cafes.
(4)Shirlee L.
Because my parents were hungry & they had been here a week ago, they wanted to bring us all here to eat. It was happy hour on a Saturday night, so it was kind of busy. We waited for five, ten minutes just to get our orders-- even though we kept calling the waitress over. I even raised my hand and waved it around for a few minutes until they saw. After putting in our order, we waited a little longer for the food. We ordered three watermelon juices... Which we didn't get until the middle of our meal- they frwaking forgot about it. Then, we called them over six different times for water- they clearly saw and acknowledged us (very rudely) each time. But it wasn't until we asked one of the COOKS to get us water, we finally got our three cups of water. The food was pretty decent tasting. Not too bad, but nothing very significant except for the watermelon juice. We ordered a second plate of kai-lan & fish porridge... Didn't get it until thirty minutes later. We had to call them over another five times to get our check, only to see that they put in three other drinks that we never ordered. We told them and they seemed very ignorant and annoyed but I didn't care! They had put three other drinks from the other table into our order. Of course we'd be mad... Anyway, we left them a dollar tip. I told my parents not to even give tip- we wasted so much time here. So overall, this place was very mediocre. But it was cheap- I'll give them that. It's too far, so I really don't think I'll ever really come back here. Not worth the attitude. So not worth it.
(1)Alex Y.
First, let me say that there are two main reasons why people eat out: 1) To Enjoy Good Food, and 2) Enjoy Good Customer Service while Enjoying said Good Food. Otherwise patrons would just get their food togo, OR cook their meals at home. It is correct, this restaurant does have a large selection of very inexpensive foods entrees. Many reviews cite that customer service is horrible. I must agree. I've been here on at least 3 separate occasion and experienced horrible customer service consistently (at first i thought it was our waitress having a bad day, but it appears that some of this restaurant's staff is in need of additional training on proper customer service). Staff does not acknowledge patrons who are waiting and appears to give priority to "Chinese speaking people" more. You may receive the wrong order, and they will get into an argument with you; arguing that that's what you've ordered. Will not be coming back again. Would not recommend, unless you really want cheap, okay-tasting food, with little to no customer service at all. Be prepared to be treated horribly by the staff. It's disgusting. ... and please don't try to defend this restaurant by saying that "they're Chinese". One's cultural background should not be used as a defense as to what is expected when dining out. Do yourself a favor and dine at Saint Anna across the street.
(2)Jennifer W.
This place has HK food, but not HK service. We get seated quickly, but we sit there forever to get our food ordered. So know that you should flag down a server and do not spend your time waiting. My tea never gets refilled. I come here time and time again because it's cheap and open. Plus, you know what you're going to get. Even if you don't, you aren't paying much. So there are the dinner sets where you choose a certain amount of dishes for a certain price. I almost never order this because I almost never come here with a big group. In fact, this wouldn't be the place I'd choose to bring a group in the first place. Thus, I end up ordering something simple and easy like wonton soup, bowl of macaroni, or bowl of rice porridge. The food isn't fantastic, but it's cheap and easy. I hardly have to think about it. The bowls are a good size, so I get full. The rice porridges fillings are pretty generous, not just all rice porridge. Same with the macaronis. The wonton soup and siu gow are probably the things I order most often. Things that I don't really share with anyone else so I can wolf it down quick.
(3)Yx M.
Worst place I have never been. First time after we sat down, there was black beetle climbing on the chair next to us. Then I decided to go. Second time, I ordered food by phone, came to pick it half an hour afterwords as they told me how long it usually takes to be cooked, but they did not cook at all, till I waited there another half an hour, they start to cook my order. Third time, I came to there for lunch, I sat down by the table I want, there was not any sign, then a waiter came to me asked me for moving because they does not expect service one customer if the table is for more than one seats. I moved to a smaller table, she asked me to move again to a dirty corner close to kitchen. I went out, never do business with them any more! That really pissed me off. Horrible environment, the worst place to eat, the worst customer service.
(1)Eileen L.
Food is okay and cheap. But service is badddd. Another thing is that they dnt take credit card. Once me and my friends went there and we didn't have enough cash to tip. And the waiter chased after us and ask for tips. I mean their service doesn't worth any tips, and we were nice enough to tip them. However, what can we do if they don't accept card?!
(3)Janet T.
This place is delicious but the service is pretty bad. I come here a lot because the food is good and the portion sizes are good to feed the family. Most of the time when I come here, the waiters are hard to get a hold of. The waiters mostly only speak Chinese and can't understand us very well when we order. My sister likes eating the fried squid here so we always get it, plus I like the salt and pepper tofu which is really good. The place kind of looks gross and sometimes the table is sticky and nasty but it's still a good place to eat.
(3)Linny P.
Four words : BEEF STEW NOODLE SOUP. plus Two words: HAPPY HOUR (everything 50% off) equals THE MOST SATISFYING THREE DOLLAR MEAL you can get in the Bay Area. Okay okay, as a girl who's a Chinatown local, I've heard all about the restaurant's lack of hygiene and not so great service ... but seriously, the beef stew noodle soup makes makes you forget all the flaws. I always get wide rice noodles. They are very generous with the beef (which is always tender). The soup is very aromatic with a little spice and green onions. It's a simple and extremely fulfilling dish, reminiscent of something my grandma would make on a cold, rainy night. A must try, if you haven't already.
(5)Kayra B.
Very bad service - I think people came here because it's cheap - I'm not recommend come here -
(1)Victor G.
8th Street Cafe has their window pane plastered with pics of entrees and prices thereon.. service: don't expect it eats: won ton soup (4.25) 10ish pieces won tons, way too much msg -beef chow fun (5.5) very tender, marinated beef (probably baking sodas used, not healthy) when chow fun cooled, funny aftertaste occurs. leftovers: -food doesn't seem fresh -msg overdose -cheap food, reasonable portions -my tummy feels funny.
(2)Jeanette S.
I came here around 3pm and noticed a HUGE crowd of people eating here. So I thought that it must be good! But I didn't order any dishes because I already ate. So I saw the fresh mango pudding for only $1.38 w/o tax posted on the window, and got that instead. The waitresses are mean. They ignore you until you speak to them first. And then they ignore you some more. But I was pretty satisfied with my mango pudding. It was thick and COLD. I was thirsty. Next time I might get the watermelon juice with pearls to quench my thirst. That is only $1.50 too!!!
(3)Kimberly T.
Real quick.. They have now gone from one to two stars, We pass here all the time and it is usually packed or busy at the least. On our way to Joy Luck, my daughter urged me to give them another try. Without waiting this time, we kind of just sat ourselves and shortly after the waitress bought us tea and a menu. We placed our order. It came fairly quickly and wasn't half bad. I still like joy luck better, but fair is fair. We will see how many *stars* the future holds.
(2)angelita m.
HORRIBLE. The worst service. The waitress was rude and had the nerve to tell us that we were ordering too much food. Than they didn't check on us once. We had to get up and find to go boxes. She never brought the drink that I ordered. Then when we left she had the nerve to snap at us and tell us that we needed to leave a larger tip. I am never going back there.
(1)Jess s.
I'm a tad confused. I thought this place used to be d&a cafe. But when I looked outside, their sign said 8th street cafe. But their Chinese name and all their menu items are identical to d&a's Food wise, everything tastes great! We ordered the beef jook, foil wrapped chicken, fried quail, chicken wings, 2 watermelon juice with no tapioca (tasted more like watermelon slushie) and a passionfruit tapioca. For all that food, we only paid $22!!! what a steal!!! I'll definitely be back next time when i'm in oakland chinatown :)
(4)vic f.
Lotta food for a little money, CT has better but not at this bargain price. Gotta also speak up if you need help from the help. More diner than resto, be warned it is A LOT of food.
(3)Patra B.
Happy Hour at a Chinese cafe??? Who would've thought?? Apparently D & A did! Happy Hour runs from 3pm-6pm, and their specials are $3.80! Its another late night week for me at work, so my coworkers decided to pick up some dinner. I was hungry, and at $3.80 a pop, I couldn't refuse. I got the salted fish and chicken fried rice( static.px.yelp.com/bphot… ) and an order of gai lan( static.px.yelp.com/bphot… ). The fried rice could have used a little more chicken, but other than that it was pretty good. Great way to stink up the office! The gai lan was yummy...nice and tender with just the right amount of oyster sauce. I love me some veggies! Cheap and convenient....can't go wrong with that!
(3)Fanny Z.
Two words: happy hour. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here when it is running on non-happy hour hours. Their food is meh to me: they use a lot of oil, salt, and MSG. I guess such set up would not really work for my health-nut taste buds. There's nothing really memorable about their Chinese food, besides the unhealthy factor. I like their chow fun, but I think it is just the noodles that are good, not any particularity in their cooking.
(3)James T.
This is thee local dive to eat at. They are the perfect business model for a restaurant in Chinatown. When I go by they always have customers even when other restaurants are slow. They run a 3 entree special (which includes rice and soup) for $20. I see alot of other restaurants trying to copy this nowadays but I think they started it. This is Chinese food so expect everything to be a little greasy, service to be inattentive, and food piping hot. Parking sucks. You'll need to hit up the underground parking at Renaissance plaza or if it's after 6 just do street parking for free. They also have an identical restaurant in Clement Chinatown in SF.
(4)Christina T.
I have been eating at this cafe since I was a little girl. The food has always been decent, the service abhorrent. I came in here around 10pm to order take out. When I first walked in, nobody bothered to greet me and offer me a menu when I said I wanted to order take out. The lady that first saw me automatically assumed that I didn't know how to speak Chinese and called another lady who knew how to speak English to deal with me. I do know how to speak Chinese, thank you very much, lady. I ordered an ice milk tea, a salt and pepper smelt, and pork braised noodles. The milk tea was delicious, the right amount of sugar, water and tea. The smelt was good too, and the noodles were a bit too starchy and greasy for my taste. It took 10-15 minutes for my take out to be ready and the bill was $9.60. Not pricey, but the bad service is discouraging.
(3)Rob T.
Finally was able to try out 8th Street Cafe yesterday for dinner. $19.99 for 3 items and house soup (out of 108 dishes - some dishes have an astorisk next to them & cost 50 cents to $2 more). Can feed 3-4 people. - house soup = a nice way to start the meal - sweet and sour pork = my weakness....really good - soy sauce ginger chicken = nice portion, fresh chicken - beef stew = huge dish but too many tendon pieces, tasted a little funny too, would not order again ~ $1.62 Fresh Watermelon Slush - good if you like watermelon, which I do! They have a full menu of other fruit drinks too.
(4)Kevin L.
Food is probably slumming in the three-star a-ok tepid pool, but the low prices make it an aspirational 3.5 kind o' place. Definitely Hong Kong-style food, which means a bizarro blend of American and Chinese that evolved out of a separate family tree from the branch that brought us kung pao chicken and other fried battered sour n' sweet goodies. Whereas that's Chinese food for Amurikans, this is American food for Chinese people. So things are little sweeter and a little porkier. Classics are the baked protein on fried rice dishes. Pinnacle of this is their baked pork chop, which is apparently only $4.50 every day around lunch time, and it comes with two hefty chops mounded with red sauce (it certainly ain't tomatoes I've ever seen). I have a low bar for red sauce, but this one was a little clammy and stuck to the meat just a little too well. The fried rice was a little soggy in parts. How do Asians fuck up rice in this day and age of rice cookers? Tons of lunch specials (all hovering around $5 or $6 for way more food than you should be eating, fatty) and if you add a drink to your grab, it's only another $1.20. So lots and lots of bang for your buck, even if it's lukewarm bang..
(3)Robert Y.
They have a pretty good dinner for for 20 bucks that includes 3 side dishes and 1 soup (classic chinese style meal). First thing that the waiter said to us was "hurry up, what do you want?" lol. every chinese restaurant has poor service, but come on... that's over the line. dropped the restaurant from a 4 star to a 3 star. food was really good with large portions. favorite dish was the braised cod. soo good. also had the spinach with beef, which was bare, to say the least. overall, it was an ok chinese restaurant. i still prefer my monterey park chinese food though...
(3)Andy L.
Not too bad not too good
(3)Meilin W.
I don't know where you can go to get family style Chinese food as delicious and affordable as 8th St Cafe. This might not be the tidiest or the most high end restaurant in Chinatown, but it is definitely the place to go any time of the day with an assortment of Chinese dishes. I am rather surprised with the mediocre ratings 8th St Cafe received from Yelp reviewers, but the long lines I usually have to wait to get seated proved otherwise, and I think this restaurant is very popular among other non-Yelping customers. There's not a lot of places that offer 3 dishes for just $20 with free soup and refillable rice. I recommend the combination clay pots, green onion and soy sauce chicken, and the fried calamari. Their food is a little bit on the saltier side if you're one of those people who limit your rice consumption at restaurants. Their service is very prompt. We ordered 6 dishes and they all arrived within 5 minutes of our order. Also, don't expect spectacular service because this restaurant is super busy. Every time I visit my relatives in Alameda, we always go to this restaurant despite how inconvenient it is to find parking. But it's definitely worth going to and I will continue returning to 8th St Cafe for more of their food!
(4)Lauren K.
One of my parent's favorite restaurants closed down so we were stuck picking any random place. Originally looking for some dim sum, we gave up and settled with this place because it looked pretty crowded. I guess I should have thought something was weird when the family next to us left half of every dish and drink filled and didn't even bother to take it to go. The place looks like a hole in the wall and I guess it shows you get what you pay for. Prices are pretty cheap with the average dish at $6-7. We ordered Pan Fried Seafood Chow Mein, Beef curry, and Cod with bitter melon (off the lunch special). The Curry and the Cod came with a choice of Spaghetti (.......... I have no idea if this is good) or steamed rice. The Chow Mein was pretty good but a little oily for my liking. The beef curry was spicy and I felt like the beef wasn't cooked all the way. It was a bit mushy insteady of chewy. The cod was pretty good. The lunch special is probably the best deal served with rice or spaghetti & coffee or HK tea. It's $4.25 each from 11 AM-3PM Monday-Friday. They offer a choice of two different dishes to choose from. The waitresses seemed too busy stuffing their faces with food in their counter space area. Is that even sanitary? Maybe my expectations were too high coming in but I was a little grossed out when I saw the girl at the next table flossing her teeth... who does that? I only have this place 2 stars because of the prices and the quality of the food. I mean it wasn't horrible.. It filled up 4 people for $20 (tax and tip included).
(2)Wilson T.
Quality if food has simply diminished. It is mediocre at best. The milk tea used to be decent, now it's not up to par. Honestly if you want to go to a cheap mundane Chinese Cafe, go across the street to St. Anna.
(2)Winé C.
Late Night Happy Hour, 10PM-1AM Rockstar sign!
(3)Brinda J.
3 for $20 dishes. Oh yeah........You really can't go wrong when there is a line out the door and the place is filled with a bunch of Chinese people eating Chinese food. Short Beef Rib w/ Pepper Sauce Schezwan Eggplant Garlic Bok Choy Plus served with a ton of rice and yummy soup. Their Happy Hour is awesome. from 3-5pm and 10pm - 1am (?). Got their hot tea which made me soooo happy. Hence the point of Happy Hour. Now for the best part.... FRESH MANGO PUDDING. Would come here back here again and again.
(4)Constance C.
Interesting... I had no idea their name was no longer D&A Cafe. Anyhow, I like getting my HK style milk tea boba here in the afternoons because it's super cheap at $1.50 and I love how creamy and rich the tea is. DELISH! However, I must say that I no longer eat here because I am no longer a fan of their food since their move. So I'd say eat elsewhere but get your drinks to-go here. Before their move, they served breakfast sets and I used to absolutely love their omelette, but sadface those days are gone! They no longer serve breakfast in the mornings!
(3)Annabelle T.
We literally sat here for 40 minutes waiting for our food. My mom asked the waitress what was taking so long, and the waitress asked all the workers eating their lunch who took our order. The lady then got up from her lunch and put our order into the system. She didnt even apologize. She was obviously more excited for her lunch than anything else. Oh and as I'm writing this review, one of the other waitresses almost dropped a plate on me. Good thing I caught it. Their milk tea is good though.
(2)Kevin Q.
The food are delicious and cheap. They come in a huge amount that I can't finish by myself. However, you'll definitely lose some appetite after looking at their kitchen. Well, I never got sick after having food from this place, I guess the food is safe, and they come in tasty.
(4)Anna C.
After reading some of the bad reviews I have to say- 1) this place is definetly not gourmet 2) service is not the best 3) the decor is nothing much to show for With that said- 1) the food is cheap 2) portions are big 3) conveniently located in the heart of Chinatown 4) the food comes to you very quickly I think people gets very easily offended when bad service is presented to them...Get off your high horse and just enjoy cheap eats with your friends/ family! You can't beat the price and portions they provide here!
(4)Angela L.
I usually come here during happy hour with my family. ATMOSPHERE: Spacious, lots of table, good for larger parties. Bright and somewhat welcoming. Has two flat screen TVs usually on the TVB channel (I appreciate that lol ^_^) The location is convenient, it's in Chinatown. SERVICE: Poor. There's very few waitresses waiting on a lot of tables so you usually have to wait a bit before they take your order or get you plates/drinks. It takes a while to get their attention. PRICING: I usually only come here for their happy hour, and it's TOTALLY WORTH IT. Cheap and filling! We usually end up ordering a lot because of how cheap it is, but even then our bill isn't that high. ^_^ QUALITY OF FOOD: Not the best, but it's still good with a good portion of it! Their drinks are also inexpensive so give it a try! Fair warning: their milk tea here is different from the milk tea from Tap Ex, Quickly's, etc. it's more bitter and has more tea. NOM NOM NOM, ANOTHER PRO TO THIS PLACE IS IT'S OPEN LATE! WHAT A BLESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSING! If you've got a craving at 10PM, this is probably the only Asian place still open in the bay...lol
(4)Casey S.
Back when this place used to be D&A Cafe on Webster, it was the best. Happy Hours, quality food at great prices, and a nice vibe were all present. However, ever since it's move onto 8th Street a few years ago, everything has steadily declined. The food's your typical Hong Kong fare, which is good for those craving pan-fried noodles and deep-fried meat. It comes in plentiful portions, but it's so incredibly greasy that you want to quit before you're even halfway done. As mentioned in other reviews, the service here is atrocious, especially if you are not Chinese. Being a 6'3" white guy, I got the brunt of it...that is, when they finally got around to serving us 30 minutes later. I feel sorry for the Asian buddy I went with... The prices are still good, but they are nowhere as cheap as they were last year. Yes, we're still in a recession, but they have jumped up to ridiculous amounts. It's still cheaper than the more expensive places that serve that chop suey crap, but you can do much better in the Oakland Chinatown.
(2)Leslie L.
Used to go to D&A cafe which is now converted to 8th street cafe. For some reason, whether it was because I used to come here all the time as a high school student or my age... I always get terrible service. The waitresses never seem to want to come take my orders or process the check. Just know that the service is pretty bad. However, I did enjoy the snack time/happy hour foods. Though, I am not too fond of this place anymore. Also, don't bring a large group, they'll charge extra and it'll be a hassle.
(2)Ricky S.
Snails with black bean sauce and clams with black bean sauce were pretty good. Would go there again just for those 2 items!
(3)JM C.
I like the 3 entree for $20. Service is horrible, lady was rude. The only good thing about this place is the price. I will come back despite the service for the food and price.
(2)Mary C.
Just like my other Chinatown reviews, there's a few things you should ALWAYS keep in mind when going to Chinatown. +You won't have the most attentive service. Don't worry. Being a little loud to wave them down isn't too impolite if they start gossiping around the counter. +If you're confident and insistent, you will get what you want even if you order at 3:02 for a lunch special that ends at 3:00. [I learned this the other day from daddy] +Your food probably won't blow your mind but would sure hit a sweet homey feeling spot [if you're Chinese] Ok what WOULD blow your mind though is the happy hour specials. It's like happy-hour FOREVER here except before happy hour, it's the lunch specials. I love this place. $2.75 for my won-ton mein? YES please. We paid $9 for 3 bowls of noodles. YES. So you do want something that's mind-blowing? The baked porkchop dishes normally does the trick for me. Something like rainbows and immortal unicorns is incorporated in their sweet tomato sauces baked into the spaghetti or rice. This place was formally known as my all-time favorite D & A Cafe, but moved into a bigger spot. Do keep in my the baked dishes take a tad bit longer to come out. If you're looking for a happy hour every hour where the food is cheap, decent and filling, come grub with me.
(4)Karen L.
I noticed a lot of reviews mention the bad service--it may be true, but it's Chinatown, so you can't expect stellar service. Sometimes, you have to go get your own utensils. The food, after all, is really cheap, so I don't complain. I really like the lunch specials--it comes with soup and milk tea. If I'm lucky, they'll be serving my favorite special (baked pork chops!) that day. The food is good and tasty, though not exceptional. But for a cheap and quick lunch, this is a great place to go. Also, if you come here during happy hour, the food is even more cheap, and they have an entire happy hour menu with items for less than $5.
(3)Nathan T.
Love this place. Cheap HK style food/cafe - complete with rude waiters who don't think I can speak Cantonese and butcher their version of English for me. But it's okay because the food is good here.
(4)Shirley A.
I think this place is as authentic as it gets for the price you pay for. Happy hour from 3pm-6p and 10pm-close, decent portions ranging from $2.00-$5.50 per dish with also the 3 for $20 option all day. Some dishes to recommend during happy hour are walnut prawns, beef with veg chow fun, chowmein with beansprouts, french toast, yang chow fried rice, salt and pepper tofu, chinese broc with hoisin sauce, and white chicken feet. Dishes to recommend from the 3 for 20 deal are the beef tongue dish, beef and broccoli, crispy pig intestine, braised tofu, walnut prawns, beef short ribs, and salt in pepper tofu (even bigger portion than from happy hour menu) Service is average in this type of restaurant , however they do need more servers! Most of the time it's limited to two or three servers for the entire restaurant.
(4)Stacey H.
The service was really really bad. I called the lady to order for 3 times. She brought the tea,and inside the tea had aluminum foil in it. I showed her she didn't even say sorry and took the cup away and brought back another one. Who want to drink that kind of tea. After we finished we asked for check for 3 to 4 times. She saw it but she just act like she was busy and ignored us. I really pissed that lady. The food is not bad and also the price is right but that kind of service , I won't go back there. I gave her a penny tips. I don't think she deserve the tips but you know Chinese restaurant if you don't give them tips , they will run and ask for tips
(1)Paul W.
Just come here for the cheap food. Don't expect any sort of service, Unfortunately rude and dirty. Yet I still come here for the cheap food only.
(3)Alison S.
Normally I'd say the food was eehhhh but extra star because four of us got ridonkulously (my new word) full for $6 a piece. With leftovers!! We got the Hunan seafood pot (not in a pot), the seafood fried lai fun noodles, Szechuan green beans, and green onion and ginger chicken. Three of the dishes were part of the dinner special, and a big bowl of homestyle pork soup comes with the meal. We liked the green beans and the chicken the best. The seafood "pot" was okay, but I thought it was too saucy, and the seafood lai fun was tastier than it looked but still just o-kay. The ginger/green onion chicken, however, was tender and juicy and full of flavour! I'm so happy it's going to be my meal tomorrow as well. Service was okay for this sort of place. They didn't give me attitude, food came out fast, what more am I really asking for at this point? Note: if you come in a small group and end up at a big table, you might have to share your space. However, don't be like me and assume two people sitting in a big table are not part of a yet-to-arrive-party and steal one of their menus. :( Sorry strangers :(
(3)Jerrell J.
Roaches! It came out when our food did, alive and kicking. We stopped eating that very second, paid, no tip, left 4 plates full of food. Waitress played the language barrier game with me, as I tried to discuss the matter with her. Never again..
(1)Esther Y.
THREE STAR AVERAGE?! o_O I'm surprised. Really surprised. My Oakland-savvy friend took me and a couple others here for a late lunch Saturday afternoon. As always, Chinatown is crowded, and this little cafe was no exception. We came in, had a seat, and ordered from the special menu where you can pick any 3 items for $17.99, plus you get rice and soup too. Ok, let's get started, in the order things came out (and boy, things came out FAST!) Soup: I'm not sure exactly what kind of soup this is, we thought it was jook at first, but decided that it was probably a kind of seafood egg drop soup. But, OMG. THIS. WAS. SO. GOOD. All the Chinese people at the table were like...wow, wish I could make this...it was seriously a 5-star soup. Beef Broccoli: Wow...the beef was so tender and delicious. I did feel like there was more broccoli than beef, and I'm more of the meat kinda person, but this was still pretty much a 5-star dish for me. Scrambled eggs w/ prawns: Excellent. The eggs were soft and the prawns were succulent. Mmm! Kung pao chicken: Okay...this is the dish that brought the overall rating down to 4 stars. All the Chinese people said this was not the kung pao chicken we're used to. It was okay, the chicken was tender, and it was spicy enough, but it just wasn't up to par. We had 2 boxes of leftovers, and it came out to be $6 including tip, for all 4 of us. What a deal!! Looks like this place is open till 1 am...so probably good for a late night snack too. CASH only and good luck finding parking! Update 6/11: I've added pictures!
(4)Garry Y.
We stopped in for a quick lunch and ended up staying a long time. The previous yelpers were right you get seated fast but try getting a waitress to your table, good luck. My suggestion is to take pictures of the dishes on the window BEFORE you go in, as you get seated show them the pictures and place your order you might save 20 minutes. The food was ok, the best deal is the 3 items for $20.
(3)Johnny W.
Many years ago, this place was originally called "On On" and was located at 7th & Webster Street. Some years later, the name was changed to "D&A Cafe". Years after that, they moved to their current location at 8th Street. A few months later, they changed their name again to what it is called today. With all the changes over the years; the only things that stayed the same is their quality and prices has always been equally LOW! If you're willing to sacrifice on the quality and flavor of your food for quantity and affordability, then this has ALWAYS been the restaurant to go to! The prices are so cheap, you'll be amazed at how low the final total of your bill will be. Over the years, the menu has grown to be much larger in its selections, including a category for Tapioca drinks. The food here is really not good, but for its selections and the amount of food you get for the small price you pay, it's definitely worth your pocket change!
(3)Ngoc L.
I lovee this place...especially their happy hours! If you go here during their happy hour...everything is sooo cheap. You can feed a family of 4 for under 20! I never knew this place existed until my sister's ex bought over food for us a few years ago around 11pm and made me a fan of this place. I remember he bought over honey walnut shrimp and their deep fried flounder fish...all were very delicious! I recently dropped by this place with the bf when we wanted to check out oakland's chinatown. Coincidentally, we came during their happy hours and had a veryy cheap meal. We ordered their fried chicken wings, wonton soup, 2 lemon tea, and some other noodle plate for all under $20. Don't expect superb customer service here, you might even have to share a big table with other people..but in all, the food is good and fast!
(4)Judy Y.
Nope, terrible. Maybe they have good chicken wings that I may never try, but after ordering a couple of dishes from the lunch special and the normal menu, I am not a fan. The prices are pretty cheap, but the quality of their ingredients is atrocious. It's Chinatown, so do yourself a favor, and find a BETTER restaurant than 8th Street Cafe...
(1)Jeanette Y.
The table was sticky, the service was crappy, the food is very meh but I guess what keeps this place busy is their prices. PS. I like having my own menu to look at and not share ONE with five other people. PSS. Did I mention how crappy the service is? Well I had to mention it twice because it was THAT crappy. PSSS. Thanks for telling me that you don't want to give me a to-go box for my leftovers because the boxes are expensive. DUMB.
(1)Chris L.
This place is quick and the service is great for what kind of restaurant it is. In other words, don't expect great snotty service when you're coming to a Chinese Denny's (they even have the same dishes and cups as Denny's - the thick microwaveable, sturdy spotted neutral dish with brown lining, you know what I'm talking about!). Everyone here is pretty nice and I've come here for lunch twice. It's always super packed but they seat you quickly. Their lunch specials are $3.80 and change everyday. I don't know about you, but there is no lunch you can get take out for $3.80. On Fridays, it's curry pork with spaghetti or rice (not bad) and cod with bitter melon. Their baked pork chop dish is not bad (I think it was Thursday). I had the prawn spaghetti and it was pretty juicy and good ($5.50). Good portions too! They always oblige and give to go boxes and plastic bags. Fast and great service for what it is. I will take a picture of their daily specials and upload a picture next time I go. Also, you can add a hot milk tea with your $3.80 lunch special for $1.20 and 50 cents more for cold milk tea. Next door, there is this bomb ass Canto bakery. I ruv it. The grandma is really nice. I highly recommend the egg tart and creme horn. The people work hard here for their money and are efficient. I like Chinese Denny's. =D Also, just to confirm, you do NOT have to speak ANY Chinese to eat here.
(3)Marrione T.
Alright. I've been telling myself to yelp about this restaurant for a while but i haven't done so. We've been here a couple of times, and they always get dad's wonton order wrong. Every time we come there, they always get his order wrong. But it's okay, the food is fine, very unhealthy though, but it's really cheap. Really shitty service. The waitresses always has their heads down so that it seems like they are doing something. They always rush you and seems to forget everything that you ask for. Don't expect to be seated automatically, you have to ask them and point to which table you want to sit at. They do not give you the menu, so just walk up to the counter next to the cashier where all of the menus are. They don't give you the bill unless you frantically wave your hands or just save the trouble and just go to the cashier and ask them for your bill. Oh and they ask you to give them tips. They give you napkins and utensils in a pack, they don't separate and give it to you individually. One of the waitresses that gave us our drinks spilled the milk tea all over my bf's shorts and all she did was give him 2 napkins to dry himself. We went there again, but this time without our parents, we're 4 hungry teenagers. We ordered what we wanted, but only 1 order came out, and the waitress was like, "ohh you guys all share together." Who do you think you are? We won't walk into a restaurant and order 4 dishes if we can't afford it! We have money to pay for our food! Don't ignore our freakin' order! They gave us 5 milk teas even though there's only 4 of us. We ain't paying for the extra one! They asked me for tips, okay i'll give them tips! It took the lady 10 minutes to give us our bill, so we tipped them a dime!
(1)Hei Ming C.
Cheap during happy hour. Opens late. It's like any other asian place, the food is mediocre but when you are here, it's just a place for people to hang out and bs around while eating during late hours.
(3)Maria H.
Going to 8th Street Cafe was actually an accident. I was heading to St. Anna's right across the street for some baked plates when I realized it was closed at 3pm on a Tuesday, phooey. Since I've already paid the meter, I figured I might as well eat across the street. I've actually been here before when it was grand opening, after relocating from the old D&A cafe. I must report that I'll probably be back more fequently! Their happy hour prices are TO DIE FOR! Really? $3 for a bowl of noodles? My eating partner and I ordered 3 dishes and 2 drinks, and the bill came out to be $15 including tips! We ordered a Sup Chow (beef ho fun dish), Ja diye cherng (fried pig intestines), and a rice roll with mixed sauce. MMM... (I'm craving for it now) and got a redbean snow and a lemon iced tea. Decently delicious enough, and the prices definitely leaves room to explore your taste buds. GREAT ACCIDENT INDEED!
(3)Angela F.
This is a good place to have dinner. The food was great but it won't knock you off your feet. Its a good place to eat for 19.95 for how many people you can feed with 3 entries. But the service was very slow and not to nice.
(3)K C.
Everyone in Chinatown waits until 3pm to eat happy hour for lunch (I can't be the only one!) I really love their portions, because I feel that I get what I paid and some more =] Other happy hour places shrink your dish of food, so I don't eat there! Delicious food too, I recommend the fried tofu and beef "hall fun". CAUTION!!! Waitresses are extremely blind/purposely avoid you when it comes to taking orders or bringing your checks. In most restaurants, wave your hand, but here that won't do. You practically have to yell for them to remember a customer is at the table. Even if you wave as they are walking toward your table, they refuse to use peripheral vision. I bet this is one reason they don't get much tips! so I get the last laugh HaHa
(3)Anita W.
i only come here during their happy hour (M-F from 3-6p). their french toast, salt and pepper chicken wings, and chicken chow fun + watermelon juice makes me a happy camper. everything else is bland and i would rather get it elsewhere in chinatown. might die of thirst cause its so hard to get service for refills on tea!
(3)Kelly W.
WORST SERVICE EVER. I came here last week with a friend and waited a long time for them to take our order, but we sat there for so long, we ended up leaving because nobody seemed to be paying attention. As we were leaving, they just stared at us. I don't know what is up with all the waitress's attitudes, but every time I am here, there's always something to wrong. It takes them forever to take your order, and when you need something, they will look at you and ignore you. I try to give them more chances, but I really don't understand what their problem seems to be.
(1)Angela Y.
It's your typical cheap Chinese restaurant. Met here for lunch with my boyfriend and a couple of his friends. They already had ordered food. Food was decent, not the best you'll find but for the price, it's good. It's on the greasier side as well. It's cheap. Between the five of us, lunch only costs us about $8-9 each include tip and we were all stuffed. Service is any sort of service you'll get at a super asian place - to get their attention, you gotta call for them. They aren't going to come to you. Affordable, easy place to go if you're looking for a quick bite.
(3)Soumary A.
3 Words: CHEAP. GOOD. FAST :) I loved this place! i don't know how it got only 3 stars! I've actually never heard of a chinese restaurant ever having "happy hour", but this place has one! lol..come here from 3-6, or 10-close and they have a special menu to accomodate you with :) We ordered the "fried pig intestine" (SO good by the way..BETTER than it sounds lol), honey walnut shrimp(mm..what more could i say?), 2 country fried chicken..my bf got his over rice and i got mine over spaghetti...i tried both entrees and I say get the spaghetti..it tastes better :)..then we shared a mango pudding...ALL of that for only 20 bucks including tip! (YEAH, need i say more? LOL) The ONLY downfall to this place is that they have horrible customer service. Other than that, if you're ever hungry at a late hour and you live nearby oakland chinatown, come here!
(4)Daniel L.
Last night was my third visit to 8th Street Cafe, I was here to compare their porridge to the ones at Gum Kuo. What I found myself confirming was all the negative reviews that yelp members had written about 8th Street Cafe, or what is formerly known as the notorious D & A Cafe. What is confirmed is the slow and impersonal service, even during their down time. Food wise, it is also confirmed that Gum Kuo is far more superior--by leaps and bounds. Although 8th Street Cafe has the well lit ambiance and flat screen TV to appear inviting, their baked fried rice was too salty, porridge was bland and uninspiring, and I found their taro boba stale while the boring powder that was used put them at a distance from the authenticity of a good HK cafe. During my visit, I also saw one of the servers drop her wiping towel onto the floor and only to pick it back up, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and used it to wiped down the rest of soy sauce containers. Of the three times I was there, I only saw them refilling tea for large tables that are segregated in the back. By sitting at a one-person table, I had to wait additional time for my bill to arrive even though my porridge bowl, boba and tea cups had long been emptied. It was not until the arrival of my bill that they offered to refill my tea. I don't think I will be returning anytime soon. There are plenty of other restaurants nearby, including Gum Kuo.
(2)Barbara S.
The service is still terrible, especially from the newer servers. The cleanliness issue has improved. The low prices are still the top selling point. Don't be surprised at bad boba, milk tea and other mixed drinks at night. The servers at night usually don't know how to make these drinks properly and even joke with each other about customers at night complaining. If you are a frequent customer and the crew likes you, you may get much more meat or noodles in the same dishes as other customers. EDITED TO CHANGE FROM 3 STARS TO 1 STAR: Well, I decided to go there a couple of hours ago and boy am I sorry I did! Business was very slow tonight and the crew apparently wanted to go home early. So, about 50 minutes before closing time, the kitchen crew started blaring music, one of two servers disappeared, and one of the cleaning ladies started sweeping up the dining room and having LOUD conversations right next to my table. I had headphones on but more crew members joined in and it got so loud that my ears hurt and I was developing a headache. Finally, I just asked for my check and to go boxes and went home. Tonight was the first time in a very long time I left only about a 15% tip--still more than most of their customers usually tip and more than what this crew deserved, but much, much less than what I usually leave. BTW, a group of non-Chinese speaking customers came in at around 12:20 and most of the restaurant crew was so unhappy about it that they were complaining to each other about this in Cantonese right in front of the customers. Lovely.
(1)fish i.
Decent Chinese food. This place is always about 50%+ filled with customers. I think this is ideal because it means the food is decent. Full house would not be good for me, because it the workers will be over worked and possibility of mistakes, sloppiness increases, frustrated workers, etc. 50%+ filled also means the food moves quickly and we're not eating old food from the prior day. Dinner for $20: 3 dishes, rice, and soup. Cool deal. Dishes I enjoy: Ox tongue chicken hoinan Talipia "Dow mew" Egg plant Fried chicken wings are pretty good.
(3)Anna T.
I think this place is now called the 8th Street Cafe. I've had 2 bad experiences here, both involving cockroaches. The first time, I didn't see the cockroaches until after I finished eating and stepped outside. The cockroaches were practically the size of my face crawling up and down the building. I took a long break from the restaurant after that. When they relocated to a different street in Chinatown, I gave them another try. This time, I saw a cockroach (but a regular sized one) crawling on the ceiling halfway through my meal. I couldnt even finish my meal and just sat there and waited for my family. Towards the end of the meal, I look around the ceiling for the cockroach and I couldnt find it any where. I was thinking how glad I was that it had crawled some where else to scare the shit out of another hungry customer instead of myself. All of a sudden, I see the disgusting thing right by my elbow with its long, thin antennas wiggling around my plate. Ugh, they should post a sign, "EATERS BEWARE" BUT other than being infested by cockroaches, their prices are cheap for a fairly large portion. Just eat at your own risk..
(2)Daniel H.
+Very cheap Chinese food. Can't get much cheaper than this. 3 giganto plates for $20? Awesome. -This place is dirty, sticky, and dirty. It's dirty and unhygienic. The filthy dining room makes me wonder how much nastier the kitchen is. Better to come here
(2)Yen Yen C.
Although its now called 8th Street Cafe, I still refer to it as D&A and so does the millions in Chinatown. PRICE: Soup + 3 dishes + unlimited rice = $20 Can't really beat that price. FOOD: Don't have much complaints about the food. I like how the dishes aren't super salty or submerged in oil. Lemon Ice Tea here is pretty good. I always ask for extra lemon because the tea is a little too sweet. SERVICE: I really don't like the asian ladies that work here though! SO RUDE! Overall, come here for CHEAP chinese food during late nights!
(3)Thlel Yan D.
This is still D&A to me as well as all the other people who have been frequenting it for years, before it actually lived on 8th Street. Service is spotty, but the milk tea is a force to be reckoned with. And the happy hour (mid afternoon and late night) specials cannot be beat. All other times are ok, cheap and you get what you pay for.
(4)Norman L.
A little housekeeping before I review this place: Parking: Street parking, in Chinatown, prepare to circle around. How to pay: BRING CASH! Service: Um... it's Chinatown, lower your expectations. Okay, on to my review... This is the place where you can feed a family of 7 for about $25. How? Get the $20 family dinner combo. You get soup, rice, and 3 dishes from the menu. Eating alone? Got $5? Happy Hour! (More like happy hourS) When? 3pm-6pm and 10pm-1am. That's right, 6 hours of happiness. They have many items on the Happy Hour menu and the price ranges from $2.75 to $4.75. Note: Wonton ho fun? $2.75
(4)Garfield J.
simply put, the serve solid food here for reasonable money--- I was on a Gold Medal kick for a while and when leaving there would always walk by 8th Street Cafe and read their menu, see how it was always packed, and was drawn in my their Happy Hour specials which range from $2.75---$4.75----they also have a 3 item $19.99 special-----I kept saying to myself, why not try this place out for $2.75, what can go wrong?---- So, the $2.75 specials drew me in and since then, I have made this place my personal kitchen-----I now go pretty much any time of day, not just at Happy Hours--- the food---if you stick to the simpler traditional Chinese dishes, I found they are always solid and consistent. I tried their Kung Pao, and found it a bit weak ----- the clientele is almost al Asian---wonton noodlles are great here, Hong Kong Style Chow mein---seafood dishes are strong here--lots of filet of cod preparations--- they also have odd baked specials, which are kind of a mesh of American food with a slight Chinese twist----they actually work---the sauces are more American, but very tasty. Service-----I swear---why do people expect the same level of service from Asian joints than non-Asian places? there is a reason why they sell a whole crab for $9.99 here----that same crab would cost you over $20 at any other place. In terms of service, they are pretty simple, they sit you, they drop off 1 cup of hot tea and menus, they return to take your order---they drop off your food, they will drop your bill once you flag them down with an American dollar bill in your hand.------they won't, give you recomendations, they won't automatically refill your tea---they won't check on you and ask you how your food is-----it is simple as that----they also don't expect a 20% tip from you----I local/regulars often leave the change off the dollar, or 10%----
(5)Uland W.
Dinner special is $19.99 + tax for 3 items, rice, and soup (the soup is so-so nothing special); plenty of items to choose from. This is a great place if you are on a budget and don't expect 5 star dishes. CASH ONLY! Needless to say, they do specialize in a couple of items. I would try their string bean or snow pea dish, the fried quail, and probably their foil wrapped chicken (a little oily) but soft and tender. If you are ordering food to go, it usually takes 15-20 minutes so I suggest to phone it in if you already know what you want. In the past I go for one curry fish dish, XO seafood dish, snowpea dish, and a side order of fried quail from time to time. The portions are large and you will definitely about leftovers if two people are eating. The service is alright, but you might tend to wait at times since it always seems like the waitress are behind the counter and never out on the floor. Currently they do have a special on watermelon drinks $1.52, when you walk in you might run into a big bin of watermelon chillin at the store front. On a hot afternoon a nice juice of melon might hit the spot. The only downside is the PARKING! It's Chinatown and parking can be limited.
(3)Johnson N.
To set the record straight: this review revolves mostly around their great prices. To Order: Hainan Chicken --The rice isn't as flavorful as some of the places I've had in the past, but the chicken was better than expected. A vinegar-based onion dressing served as a blanket to the bed of chicken. The combination was quite tasty... and at $5.50 (including a drink!), it seemed to taste even better. Szechwan Style Scallops in Sauce --This was one of the more expensive items on the menu. As such, I expected it to be pretty good. Much to my surprised, it exceeded my expectations. In an LA based Chinese restaurant named Fu Shing, I used to order a relatively expensive dish called "Hot Braised Scallops." This $6.50 item (soup included!) tasted similar to what I used to have at Fu Shing. Impressed? Most certainly. The atmosphere was as you would expect of a cafeteria-style dining area. Imagine donut shop benches and tables to make up the "booths" at 8th Street Cafe. They've definitely taken on a bare bones appearance for the restaurant so that they can give back to their customers in the way of great prices. I'll definitely be coming back for late night meals if hungry and looking to save a buck or two. Beware, they're cash only!
(4)Andrew Y.
Good for late night eats. Cash only. The deep fried pork is really good (better than New Gold Medal). Yup, I said it. Also, had the wet egg over shrimp and rice. Not as good as New Gold Medal. The curry beef stew also really tasty. I ate the whole thing. So we'll probably come again.
(4)Allan Y.
i have been to this place twice, once before i started yelping and again today for lunch..i had the beef stew noodles soup both time cause thats my favorite and both time its really good!!!!! my wife had the chicken broccoli with rice, that was really tasty also... you get large portion of food for a VERY cheap price!!! its a MUST try!!!!
(5)Alicia A.
On the hunt for good chinese in Oakland Chinatown with friends on a 30 minute window.. I haven't ever eaten in Oakland Chinatown before - so I pulled up Yelp and picked the first place on the list on my phone. The place was clean and the service decent. The difficulty was trying to get my veg head friends something minus meat. Eventually after a raised eyebrow from the waitress when my friend said - she liked spicy food and ordered the szechuan tofu dish - we got our food to go with our tea. It was also the first time I got asked if I wanted my chow fun - wet or dry... Hmmm.. well I went with wet and I got a beef gravy over my noodles and beef. It was tasty.. and the noodles made the dish. Ordering from the menu and not the lunch specials got four people fed for under $25 - cha ching! Place is Cash only - and street parking - which means just take BART and walk over to save the gas from circling the block. As it was my first time.. I would like to explore the menu further but with someone more in the know of Chinese food.
(3)Kevin H.
The food isn't bad here, especially for what it costs (even compared to other joints in C-Town), but the poor service is reason enough for a lot of folks not to come back. The menu is pretty robust, boasting traditional rice plates with curry, beef stew (beware, it's like 20% beef and 80% fat) and much more... and with some interesting but yummy combinations like pork chop spaghetti. At our most recent trip for dinner, the lady messed up 2 out of 4 orders, poured tea twice in one hour (the place was at 40% capacity), I ordered the beef stew with rice and really wish I hadn't (very fatty and greasy here), the green onion pancake was crispy/oily and nothing like the picture (SURPRISE!)... so needless to say, I wasn't totally stoked about this particular visit. I'd go back but this place can be a real hit or miss sometimes. Happy hour and the hours overall do make it a happening joint otherwise.
(2)Olivia W.
It takes a lot for me to give a restaurant 1 star but this place really pissed me and my boyfriend off tonight. Service sucks ass. They waitresses are rude, lazy, and they chit chat way too much. I saw this these people drop a bowl under their table and of course it broke. Did the waitresses clean it up when the customers sitting there left? Nope. They just cleaned the table and left the broken glass bowl under the table. So anyway, my bf and I waited and waited for almost ten minutes to finally get a waitress to come over and take our order. The only reason we got their attention is because he started waving his menu around in the air. So the waitress looked up and said she'll be there in a minute. Waited.. Waited.. Almost 3 minutes then she comes over. Was she helping someone else? Nope. She's just doing her own thing. The food was mediocre. Nothing special but it's cheap but then again a bunch of restaurant joints are cheap in Chinatown. The thing that really ticked me off was my empty tea cup. The waitress was passing by and I asked her to bring me tea and she said okay she'll be right back. I watched her go behind the counter and make her little fat kids bobba drinks and did she ever bring the tea?! Hell to the no she never came back. The other waitress was going around to other tables filling up tea cups. She only filled two tables tea and totally ignored every one else. Seriously what the F*ck do I have to do to get some damn tea. We waved her down and finally we got her to fill our tea cups. Man was that tea hot. It was so hot it burnt my finger. I was so irritated. I'm still irritated by their ridiculous service. How are you going to give customers burning hot tea? We told the waitress to give us two boxes and the bill. She heard us I know she did because she said okay but of course she just ignored us. Instead she started chit chatting with the customer behind us and taking her sweet time to get us our boxes and the bill. My bf got so pissed off he just went to the counter to pay and get the boxes himself. I swear this is one of the worst places I have ever been to. I'm glad I didn't leave a tip to those useless tools they call "waitresses." Take a damn customer service class.
(1)Boning C.
best chinese food in the east bay
(5)Derek S.
Came by for some cold HK Cold Milk Tea and it was great! $1.20 and that was it! ...just like in HK! :D
(4)Omar K.
place is obscenely cheap, but that's no excuse for crappy food. having no service (i get it i get it, chinatown right?) doesn't help either. foiled wrapped chicken - 2.5/5 - kinda slimy and sticks to the foil a bit much singapore fried noodle - 1/5 - hard to fuck up fried noodles, but apparently it can be done. and why is this dish yellow? beef stew noodle soup - 2.5/5 - inconsistent. was really good the last time i came, but i had some uncomfortably chewy meat this time. better with egg noodles than with rice noodles no more visits from me.
(2)Henry S.
Came here for a late dinner over the weekend and had the green onion pan cake as an appetizer, house special chow mein (HK Style noodles) and a salted fish and chicken fried rice. First off service was a little slow but still acceptable. We were there at about 9:30 so they were not too busy. It took a while to get our drinks and our order in but it wasn't outrageous. The green onion pan cake appetizer was ok, my wife loved it but I've had better. Its just thinly sliced fried dough with green onions. Kinda greasy and crispy when it should be light a fluffy. The house special chow mein was basiclly HK style noodles with both crispy noodles and soggy noodles in gravy with bbq pork, bok chow, calamari, shrimp and veggies. The salted fish and chicken fried rice was decent. Not the best I've had but not the worst either. Overall ok food and ok service. Your options for dining in china town are limited after 9pm.
(3)Mari M.
On a Monday afternoon, I was searching for a place to eat that was near. We just cancelled our overpriced Dine About Town reservations. I just moved into Oakland, and was also kind of afraid to try Chinatown restaurants by myself. So a friend and I decided to walk around to see if we could be inspired by any of the restaurants. We decided to go into the restaurant with the yellow awning, clearly marked 8th Street Cafe. We looked at the pictures posted, since we couldn't read the very non-English menu. After deciding that the food looked delicious enough to try, we went in. We guage the authenticity of a place by not being able to understand the writings on the wall. We read in the menu that it was "Happy Hour." Yes, traditionally, "Happy Hour" involves some sort of alcohol, but from 3-6...we were golden. We ordered: salt and pepper tofu, spicy beef tendon, drunken chicken, dry beef chow fun, and two lemon iced teas all for $21...a generous tip included. We saw plenty of interesting things on the menu such as spaghetti and spam, black mushroom and chicken porridge, walnut prawns (which are normally 11 bucks anywhere else), and yin yang fried rice. Every time I eat at a Chinese restaurant, the service is OK in American standards. The wait staff sounds like they're being short with you or yelling at you, not attentive, etc. However, when I've traveled elsewhere, this seems to be the standard in Asian cultures. They serve you your food and leave you be to enjoy what you're eating. I've been informed that this is a Hong Kong style cafe...but I don't wanna say that and be it the truth when I'm not even sure it is. Food's good. Staff is good (depends on what your standard you're working with). Prices were FANTASTIC. I will definitely be coming back another time to try the other things on the menu. Yay for this place!
(4)Belle L.
We came here for lunch as we're already in Oakland one Sunday, we all ordered some kind of a noodle dish, the portions were large and we had to take them home. The food here is delicious and the price is cheap ..... this place is worth it when you're really hungry.
(4)Farrah F.
Not especially the cleanest place in the world. Not the friendliest service either (friendly would definitely be stretching it--try "forced"). However, I live for the watermelon juice here. ($1.30 for a big glass!) At their old location, the special used to be on the fresh strawberry juice, which was even more orgasmically awesome, but alas, I am too cheap to pay that extra $1 to get it here. Their happy hour special (3-6 p.m.) is pretty cool. There's a variety of items available for under $3, or for $3.80, and several set menu combos that come with rice or noodles, the soup of the day, and a drink. I went here with my parents today and we ordered about...7 things and the bill came out to about $25. We had lots to take home too. :D Cheap food + poor college student = win. (not that i go to school anywhere near there. whatever. the rule still applies.)
(4)Donato J.
I like this place! The food is pretty good, and they are "Famous" for their 3 dishes for $20 (and they are big dishes). This includes soup and "unlimited" rice! Service may need improvement though, but meh.
(5)Yu H.
The portion is huge. The price is inexpensive. The food is average. A good place for quick hunger.
(3)John G.
So the service is meh, but that's okay. I'm Chinese, so I'm used to this type of service from these types of restaurants before, and I don't expect this type of restaurant to provide me with 5-star service anyhoo. I recommend grabbing one of their To-Go menus to find out when their happy hours are. I believe it's in the afternoons, and then from 10pm til 2am, something to that effect. Like what everybody says, the food is cheap. Not to make it sound worse, but it is DIRT CHEAP. They have one entire page dedicated to each list of $4.50, $3.50 and $2.95 dishes! That's amazing. There's gotta be something in the list for everyone. The only reason that I'm giving them 2 stars is because the quality of food is sub-par. Chinese food, even the "Express" kind, is not supposed to taste like this. I ordered their Beef Chow Fun at $2.95 (what a steal!!!) during happy hour. It was a big portion, BUT it was extremely salty and it was too saucy. It's supposed to be a DRY dish. =T Bottom Line: If this is the only open place that you can walk to as you're sobering up, then please stop on by. If you ARE sober, think of healthier and tastier alternatives.
(2)James B.
The food is decent--the prices low. They're open fairly late. The service, like everyone says, is pretty bad. Yeah, I know they probably work 12 hrs/day for a pittance--I wouldn't care either. You'll wait at least 15 mins unless you wave your arms. The bill? Try walking out and see if they're really paying attention!
(3)Alan P.
8th street cafe is a pretty decent place if you're looking for chinese food on a budget, especially during happy hour (3-6pm). During happy hour, I usually get Beef Brisket Noodle Soup or Wonton Noodle Soup which are 2.75. They also have friend chicken wings, pepper&salt tofu and other stuff for less than $5. Some of their boba drinks are made using real fruit too. Cons: -Pretty bad service, you have to be patient waiting for someone to take an order, and getting the check
(3)Ella A.
Um......I keep telling myself I won't come here ever again, but I guess I lied to myself. I forgot how terrible the service is and how unappetizing the food is. The only thing I enjoyed eating was gailan(chinese broccoli). The dry beef chow fun was terrible! the noodles were ok but the beef wasn't even cut! (gross). We ordered this spinich duck egg plate and was way too salty. Ordered spicy chicken feet and it tasted ok at first, but i didn't want to start on a second one. The texture was kind of disgusting... We had to keep flagging down the waitresses. My boyfriend asked for tea and she was so smart to just refill his cup but not mine nor my mothers. I for real will say and do, i'm not coming here again.
(1)Silvia K.
Try the smelt and egg if you're going for adventure. Fried preggers fishies? Sounds intimidating, but not bad! If that ain't yo thang, try the honey walnut shrimp. Oh yes, this is a must. But, it is smaller in portion compared to the other dishes so make sure you fill up with other goodness. Refer to other yelpers on other recommendations.
(3)Aaron H.
Its not the most healthy food because you can almost taste the MSG they put in the food. This place is now called the 8th Street Cafe. This place isn't the best place where you get the best experience of chinese food but its cheap. For under 20 bucks you can get 3 plates and a rice. Its good for a party of 3 or 4. I normally order the Seafood hotpot (claypot), salt and pepper shrimp, salt and pepper pork. The food is decent and it will do when you hungry. For the price you can't really go wrong. I get off late from work and don't like to cook when I get off so I normally order over the phone an pick it up. For the 3 plate special. I have enough food for my girlfriend and I for dinner and extra for lunch the next day.
(3)Cindy C.
I don't like this place. I came in here to order my sister her FAVORITE--the watermelon juice tapioca which she claims-"is the bomb" (i totally disagree) but anyways, RUDE A$$ workers! Who didn't greet me. I was standing there waitting for them to take my order and they basically ignored me! I was iritated and waitted for 5-10 minute just for someone to help me. I dont care if this place is cheap or what but damn, i just want to get in and out and give me what i want so i can get the f- out. They need to work on their customer service skills!
(1)Philly S.
I personally like it here. Good: They have good prices, and it is a delightful taste food, which is worth 5 stars of course. I totally like it. It is seriously packed. Their tea time prices are better than their overall prices. Furthermore, they are open at 8 starting at January. Bad: None, except the service can better. Grades: Food: A - Tasty, but not as good as Gum Kuo Service: B- - Okay, but can be better. Price: B+ - Overall price is Okay, but go for their tea time prices. =)
(4)Rachel D.
I decided to go here for lunch with 4 people we got the curry beef tongue, chicken chow mein, baked pork chops, and the baked ox tail and a couple of milk teas. the milk teas come in like 2 minutes then the chicken chow mein and the curry beef tongue after about 5 minutes. the other 2 people start eating and we wait for ours 10 minutes...nothing 15 minutes... the food we ordered to go comes 20 minutes... nothing and the other people have already eaten. after 30 minutes of waiting we ask the waiter about our food and she comes back with it but its BURNT and we tell her we don't want it because she obviously forgot about it and its burnt but she said "it takes 10 minutes to cook" and then we say no. So we pay for the check and are about to leave and the waiter ASKS for a tip for the service and stood there pressuring us to give one so we gave $1. THEIR SERVICE IS HORRIBLE
(1)Doctor G.
Very popular dining spot. Crowded at lunchtime. I believe this place is open late in the evening. Impossible street parking.
(3)V Z.
My brother and I used to be fans of this place, that is before they moved to a bigger location. My grandparents would take us there when we were young, and we loved it. But after they moved, their service got so terrible. I went with a friend and their family, it took awhile for a waiter to come and serve us drinks or anything. We nearly sat there for half an hour to get noticed. But I noticed that whenever a Caucasian came in the restaurant, the waiters would run to their service, and not one, but two would be there serving him. Like come on now, that's messed up, leaving your own race to help someone who might give a bigger tip first? What I didn't like was when they asked for a tip at the end. Another incident is when my brother went once, he order honey walnut shrimp, but they brought him something else and said he order it and kept at it, so my brother just took it. When he left, they have the nerve to ask him "did you leave a tip."
(2)Darryl P.
What can I say about this place? Not much really other than it wasn't that great. The only thing that is worth getting here is the Hainan Chicken which I would give 4 stars. My family ordered Peking Spareribs, Ginger Chicken, Walnut Prawns and Tofu with Seafood. The Peking Spareribs were really fatty and the sauce was just like a sweet and sour pork sauce. Usually Peking Spareribs are dark red in color, not light red. The Ginger Chicken was pretty salty. The Walnut Prawns were just okay and the Tofu with Seafood didn't taste too fresh. Hainan Chicken is worth a lunch here. Other than that I think the rest of the food here is not that great.
(2)J B.
My hubby eats here like 4/5 days of the week. It's cheap + good! HK style cafe food.....daily specials....huge menu selection. I ordered one of their daily specials which included a baked pork chop/spaghetti + HK-style milk tea for only $5! This place totally beats Saint Anna which is right across the st. and serves the same type of food but for more $$.
(4)Shauna T.
Pros: --The Honey Walnut Shrimp was amaaazing for about $4 at happy hour! yuuuuuum. --The fried bananas plate was huuuge --The service was VERY quick and friendly Cons: --The milk tea tasted like it was made with lipton tea or some other not very good tea. --The fried bananas weren't crispy and might've been fried at too low of a temperature.. Verdict: Great place for a cheap delicious meal; just need to know what is good there
(4)Mike A.
"Happy Hour" is the best time to hit this place up... 10pm-1am for the late night diners. Most dishes fall between 3 and 4 dollars with a pretty good selection to choose from. Food is as good as it gets for the price (PRO TIP: Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings, Pork and Egg Porridge, and Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice) and the service is pretty speedy. Atmosphere can be lacking for some... but I think it gives it that "hole-in-the-wall" kind of feel. For the food and the price, I'll definitely be back.
(4)Kevin C.
This place is not as great as any other chinese restaurant however there is a happy hour but that does not compensate anything. It is one of those cheap chinese restaurant that kind of decent if your hungry and want something on the go. The service is horrible like any late run restaurant. Food quality is some what decent but its cheap. You get what you paid for.
(1)Teejay F.
I've always loved this place... Nothing really special... just greasy Cantonese food. Always hits the spot.... and they are open late...
(4)John D.
i found a long hair in my food!! and i never went back since.... typical dirty stinky chinatown, bad customer service! hair in food! grossed me out! none of them wears hair netz...
(1)Carl Z.
Restrooms are too tiny, but stocked finely and appropriately designed, unlike many other dingy Chinese restaurants I've come across in the bay area and elsewhere. All sorts of crowds are attracted to this place - couples, the young, the old, singles, middle aged. The smell outside is sometimes atrocious, dependent on what transpired on the sidewalk; someone remind me to bring a breathing mask next time I stand outside too long. Prices are okay. Food portions for the price charged... they're okay. This is irrelevant to the overall restaurant quality, but one of the waitresses is sort of cute, so that is a plus for eye candy in the morning =).
(3)Eric K.
My wife was in a conference at the Marriot Hotel, so my daughter and I walked into Chinatown. I was intrigued as we walked by the place. It's a dive. Not clean looking. Info about dishes plastered in no particular order on the walls. But filled with people and all sorts of exotic smells. We went in and ordered the chow main (good portion and flavor, probably assisted by the MSG), salt and pepper tofu (my daughter loved it), Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce (excellent!), and spicy duck wings (not spicy at all, and kind of tough). The food is basically good, but not gourmet or anything. You go there for the dive experience. Good food. Cheap. Quick. And an experience! Also it's open until 1:00 a.m., which is cool.
(4)Stella C.
2.5 stars. The cafe's in the Bay Area, sorry, just cannot compare to those in the SGV. We rarely have any up here, which is unfortunate. Whenever my family isn't in the mood to cook, we sometimes drop by to pick up takeaway from here. They mostly choose this place b/c of their baked dishes - baked porkchop, baked scallops, etc. over rice. My nephew loves their baked scallop dish! I always choose the black pepper steak with comes with spaghetti noodles or rice. I've perused the menu, but just haven't ventured out. The best part of the steak dish is the steamed corn on the cob, mmm! The steak is never properly cooked; it's always overdone and continues to cook in the container as you bring it home. A plus for them is that they have a lot of tapioca/boba drinks to choose from, I love having that with cafe food! For convenience (right in Chinatown) and cheap eats, this is a good alternative. For that I am rounding up the stars. The portions are big, and typically two people can share each dish.
(3)Claudia C.
I think I've been pretty generous with my ratings . . . Well, as generous as I can be while staying completely honest. So I'm here in San Francisco/Berkeley/Oakland for winter vacation. And we enter this restaurant in Chinatown, 'cos it's cheap and my parents don't like spending much on food (this is where Yelp comes in, lots of help and great reviews, thanks!). There's this one waitress (look for her next time you're here: stout, no glasses, short wavy hair, attitude), she was absolutely terrible. We were ordering, and I asked her what my options were for drinks (there wasn't even a drink section on the menu, what would you like me to do?). She puts her pen and paper back into her apron and walks back to the counter, saying,"tell me when you know what you want!" If I could, I would mugshot her so the world knows to avoid that woman. My dad called excuse me to her while she was walking 'round holding nothing, and this woman completely ignores him. To top it all off, the food was extremely mediocre, just your typical commercially-made Cantonese dishes. And what's up with these restaurants not showing their ratings? You know, those things that say A, B, or C? Do they not have that in San Francisco or what? Last note . . . The bathroom is a 2 on a scale of 1 - 10, 10 being the best. It's repulsive, and you pass by all this frozen meat before you finally reach the toilet. If that doesn't throw your appetite out of your mouth and make you want to hurl, I don't know what will. It's like a meat factory back there, yuck. Not too great for the kids, lots of smokers 'round the area.
(1)Rana A.
Came here on my friend's Dad's recommendation. Can we just say for cheap Chinese eats with huge portions, this is the place to go! I'm always a little weary to eat in China Town due to the fact that I'm not Chinese and always have issues communicating with the staff. This place was big, clean and you can totally order by numbers! They have a daily special where you can pick any 3 items from a menu of about 100 different dishes and it's $20!! The servings sizes are huge! For example, we got the salt & pepper chicken wings, and we got 14 pieces!!! Crazy I would definitely go back. This place is Cash Only!! It's also open till 1am nightly ( i believe).
(4)Allen S.
Came here on Saturday a little after 10 pm. This place was very busy at this time, but we were seated quickly. They have a happy hour menu that has a lot of choices at reduced prices from 10pm to 1am. I selected the pork and preserved duck egg porridge for $2.75. I also ordered a chicken dish that included a drink(can of coke) with a value of $1.95 for $5.50. This place has a couple of flat screen tvs on the wall that were showing chinese programming. As I waited for my dishes, I noticed they were using wooden clothes hangers to tag the dishes coming out of the kitchen. That's not very sanitary. My order came very quickly. The chicken came in its own bowl and two scoops of rice came on a separate plate. The portion size was huge. More than I expected for the price. The chicken had good flavor. My porridge bowl came next. I did notice a little gnat at the top of the porridge. I just scooped it out. The pork was salty just the way I like it. I enjoyed the duck egg with the porridge. Overall, great prices, big portions, and fast service. I will be back.
(3)Jennifer N.
I've only been here a couple times while visiting my family. The place is a bit dinky, but the happy hour deals are to DIE for. I totally recommend the fried squid, fried bannanas, fried smelt (type of fish with a ton of eggs inside..sounds gross but trust me, it's sooo good!). I can't find any of these deals where I live in San Jose. The happy hour drinks are incredible too! (non-alcohol though). They have the red bean ice, lemon ice tea, boba milk tea, and a assortment of hot drinks for $1.20. Extremely affordable for college students and anyone else. The food is very tasty and big portioned! I love it! Can't wait to get a side order of smelts before heading back to SJ!
(5)Jessica C.
I really like this place, and ate here a lot in high school and college, even though my mom had said I shouldn't go there because it was run by the Asian mafia. But personally I think she was making that up because she didn't want me to stay out late. But if I'm wrong and gangstas own this restaurant... can I say they make good Chinese food? This is where I used to go for rice cake noodle, and hot lemon honey tea. Where all the good stuff on the menu is written in Chinese on the walls. And funnily enough where I bumped into an old HS friend, who from this meeting at D & A, have kept in touch ever since. I also love that I can always confuse people about the name of this restaurant by saying the name like DNA Cafe.
(3)Wendy L.
I love grabbing food here for late night munchies (happy hour from 10pm-1am). I could get a full meal for $2-3. Beef brisket noodle and preserved duck porridge are always my favs. It's always nice to top off the meal with a cheap and delicious mango pudding (served with some evaporated milk on top). Service and food quality isn't the best, but hey, that's Chinatown. The food here is still pretty good though, and it tastes even better knowing you didn't have to pay very much for it.
(4)Persimmon W.
I keep coming back here for their refreshing watermelon juice...tonite we happened to be there during HAPPY HOUR!!!!! 1 Salt and Pepper Tofu 1 Walnut Prawns 1 Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings 1 Pork and Egg Porridge 2 watermelon juice 1 lemon ice tea 1 black jelly dessert 2 Yang Chow Fried Rice Total Bill-- $31.75 not including tip Happy Hour...beat that...
(5)Ian K.
Late night happy hour is back. I eat here all the fucking time. I think I'm in love with at least two of the waitresses. Strawberry juice. Mango pudding. Ice milk tea. Sticky floors. Mildly horrifying bathroom. Open until 1am. Consistent, good value for money.
(5)Eileen Z.
Use to be called D&A cafe but when I walk into the new 8th Street Cafe, it is very different. I like it better. I especially like their happy our special where there's a variety of dishes are all under $4.00. I especially like their salt and peppered smelt, chicken wings, and squids. It may be a bit salty..but who doesn't like salty? I am a weekly customer and I always walk out with a full stomach and all around 5$!! very cheap and delicious. After going there once or twice a week over the summer, you would think that the waiters/waitresses would remember me and my friend but it seems like their service is just..eh...I guess they don't care so much about us ABC's (American Born Chinese). It takes a while to get their attention for water refills or the check due to the busy-ness during happy hours .... but nevertheless, I leave satisfied.
(4)Derrick V.
Had the Beef Chow Fun with vegetables. The dish was kinda sloppy, noodles were overcooked and it was pretty saucey. The do give you a lot of food though. Down to 2.5 stars.
(3)Samantha K.
i eat here like a lot, and i mean A LOT. maybe a tad more than i should be. i look pregnant now, not really. O______O service is bad as usual, but prices& portions keep me coming back. Watermelon Tapioca- $1.52!!!
(3)Sandy L.
The food is not great, just decent...then I remember that I only paid $4.50 for their lunch special AND it came with a free HK style milk tea drink, so can't complain. The cheap prices and free drink keep me coming back.
(3)Sarah L.
I am in love with their salt and pepper chicken wings.
(5)Daniel A.
Expect horrible horrible rude service when you come here. Servers treat you like crap. Decided to come here a second time to see if it was a fluke and it wasnt seems to be standard. Food was very greasy and dirty restaurant. Surprised they would pass a health inspection. Sad to say I can over look a dirty restaurant if they at least have nice servers. Lol
(1)Alice C.
The prices at Happy Hour from 3-6pm are amaaaazing. Our table of 5 were full with 7 dishes for around $28, I think. Prettyyyy good deal, if you're willing to eat between those hours. Service is pretty bad during this time though since it's so busy, but I don't really mind having to go up and grab tea and menus for myself. :P
(4)Douglas G.
In search of food in Oakland's Chinatown. So different from San Francisco's. No chinoiserie pagoda roofs, no narrow alleys filled with last century's opium dens. Chinatown Oakland is stripped down, all business. And a bit dingy, too, in a way that shows up less quaintly than it does across the Bay. I scoured the streets for a restaurant with some life. A place from which I could hear yelling, drunken laughter, conflict, breaking glass, perhaps gunplay. Nothing. I strode down Webster Street, but the only noise was from cars on the nearby freeway. Occasionally a plaintive strain from the two-stringed erhu would waft out of a second-floor temple window, punctuated by the wooden clack of a muyu. Finally, avoiding places with one diner, or no patrons at all -- which promised little in the way a meal, or a story to tell about it -- I walked into the D & A Cafe. There's a D & A near where I live in SF, and I have never, ever seen a person of European origin eating there. Nor was there one to be seen in their Oakland location. With every table filled with Chinese people, I knew it couldn't be bad, but when I walked in, I felt ready to be treated as if I had transgressed some unwritten law -- to be stared at -- or even attacked! Some hopped-up, chisel-faced Joe Boy teaching me a lesson in front of everyone, slamming my head repeatedly into the table. But nothing happened. Nobody gave me a second glance. I was not beaten to a pulp, nor did I have to wait any longer than anyone else for my shrimp-and-vegetables chow mein. Still...damn if I didn't want a story. A snubbing, or perhaps some internecine conflict, juiced with semi-automatic weapons, a herd of wildebeest thundering through the streets...something! Nonetheless, the chow mein was excellent. Tender shrimp, baby bok choy -- infant bok choy, really -- but the attraction was the noodles themselves, tinted golden orange with some soy-sesame treatment I couldn't decode. A note on the menu: fulfilling its mission as a neighborhood cafe, the D & A offers along with chow mein and mongolian beef a full slate of corner diner favorites like French toast and eggs sunny side up. In fact, the kids at the next table ordered macaroni. The macaroni arrived topped with white cheese, bok choy, and pork. I had to look away.
(3)James D.
Came here with 2 friends that heard good reviews from them that i should check this place out. Parked on some sidewalk under a bridge in Chinatown that had construction around it, i admired the graffiti on trucks and shops as we walked to D&A Cafe. Waited in line for about 20 mins before we were seated looking at the plasma screen tvs, friends, family, business people, etc. I ordered some rice and beef with scrambled eggs on top. My friends, the beef stew and some chop suey looking dish. Within 5 minutes we were served complimentary soup, milk tea, and water. Soup's broth was flavorful but the veggies seemed bland and super tender like they melted in my mouth. 5 minutes after our food came, and the portions are large! The style of scrambled eggs look kinda uncooked but it tasted great, add soy sauce and pepper because seasoning is kinda plain. So for the price of about $6/person you get pretty stuffed. The selection of dishes is vast, and i found myself wanting 2-3 other dishes but was satisfied with my selection. Good experience, good food, not superior quality but tasty, service is not really attentive as they are trying to feed you and get you out so they can make money. Heard there is another one of these places in SF, gotta check that out.
(4)Stephanie D.
You can always count on D & A for a good meal fix whether it be snack, lunch or dinner. Great prices and the food is always satisfactory. My fave is the 3 dish special dinner. The fried flounder, combo eggs over spinach, beef stew curry, salt & pepp shrimp, basically all of that menu is YUMMERS. I'm glad they made the move from their Webster street location, what an improvement. More room for ppl, but they still get a packed house around 6-7pm dinner rush. So if you go there about those times prepare to wait. We resort to D & A for our 9-12am meal. No waiting, scattered tables occupied, no rushing. The one thing that's carried over to this new location is the wait staff. They concentrate on various tables all at once and tend to forget a request or two.
(4)Lilly L.
The only thing I normally dare to order here are the chicken wings (they come with really good Japanese-style potato salad) for $2.50. They're really plain by themselves, so I supe up the flavor with salt & pepper from the condiment tray on the table. Service sucks ass, once, while I was out with a friend, we paid the exact price and a waitress picked up the bill. We were going to leave a small tip (even though they really didn't deserve one) on the table as we left, but that tiny waitress had the nerve to come back and say, "Excuse me, where is the tip? It's not here?" I can't believe she had the nerve to ask us for a tip after the horrible service she gave us. Because of this embarrassing ordeal, I'll only be ordering take-out. Trust me, you might as well, waiting for a table and receiving crap service isn't worth it.
(2)William W.
Good food at really cheap prices and fast too. That's what you go here for. If you want service, or want to be waited on hand and foot, go some where else. Besides, you don't go to a chinese restaurant especially in Chinatown for the service!!!!!
(4)Parlando R.
Good, cheap, reliable...that's my idea of a homestyle Southern Chinese restaurant. I've cooked homestyle Chinese food for more years than I care to remember so I know a bit about the subject. The menu is so varied that it would take ages to go through it. We've not had a bad item yet. Servings are large, ingredients pretty good for a cheap joint, and dishes aren't inundated with oil to compensate for lack of flavor. Order specials off the wall and you get an added bonus. And, of course, happy hour prices are incredibly low. Service is all you need; you come in, you sit down, someone comes and takes your order, and food arrives.
(4)Ben T.
Cheap, simple Chinese food. The best is their "happy hour" menu, which is from 10p to 1a. Super cheap food at $2.75. Wonton noodles for two, all for less than 10 bucks!
(3)BigJohnS F.
This place was called D&A before... it's coming back to me. I guess I did eat here before... Not your typical Chinese menu... lots of seafood, and things that scare white people. But, the food is cheap, well prepared and the offal is *mostly* clearly labeled, so bring it on! I was in the mood for Congee (people here call it Juk, Zook, it was labeled as "Porridge" on the menu. Usually, I get Roast Duck or Chicken or Beef, but the choices were mostly scary so I opted for Scallops. Yum. People at my table had a variety of dishes and everyone seemed happy. I'd go back. Open late!
(4)Jennifer Y.
I have wrote that this place was bad in service but I guess the food and cheapness kind of lure me back. I will recomend it to those that's looking for cheapness. Hope you recieved good service though!
(3)Kani C.
not much selections. very dissatisfying an an utter disappointment. not worth it to go.
(1)Holly V.
my dad gf works RIGHT next to this place and we come here basically every weekend. this place has very good flavor in their food. i LOVE come here for their happy hour. i normally order the fried chicken wings and their fried pregnant fishies. their service can be very bad if you dont know how to speak chinese though..
(4)Stanley C.
8TH STREET CAFE When you're hungry, this is the place to go. Bring your appetite and treat yourself to some delicious Chinese food during Happy Hour! Yes, I said Happy Hour! Cheap Chinese food is always good, when it tastes good and costs less! So when you hear about Happy Hour at a Chinese Restaurant, it's time to go in with a big healthy appetite! From 3-6 PM, 8th Street Cafe has Happy Hour, where the dishes are $2.75 (porridge, wonton soup, noodles, french bread, cakes, etc.) and drinks are only $1.20 (lemon tea, HK Milk Tea, Red Bean Shake, etc.) Since it's a bistro-style restaurant, you can order the typical single-serving dishes, like porridge and soup noodles, but since it's so inexpensive, you tend to order more! I tend to order at least 3 dishes when I go; just can't resist a good deal and, of course, I have a huge appetite! Service: pretty lousy, but what'd you expect? Environment: a bit dirty, but again, what can you expect? Hours: Happy Hours are awesome and a huge plus for it being open very late, so it's a great place to come for a midnight snack and with a large group. Who says Happy Hour only involves beer? Chinese food and Happy Hour is a winning combination! Formerly called D&A Cafe; guess they changed it to 8th Street Cafe because it's on 8th Street.
(5)Jen J.
Not the best for you or the best chinese food but a lot for your buck. For $12 bucks my friend and I had a huge plate of chow mein and a spicy beef dish. Cafeteria type settings and can get a little loud but like I said before cheap food
(3)Tiffany L.
Boo, I'm kind of sad that a lot of people had bad experiences with this place. I love coming here and sometimes its a little difficult to order with my 'white-girl Chinese' but we always manage. They have a happy hour special from 3pm-6pm where a lot of their appetizers are cheaper but they dont have the later happy hour like the one on clement does. I love their fried chicken wings, friend peanut butter french toast, piggy intestines, baked steak with rice, and their salt and pepper tofu. They also have a 15 dollar special which includes rice, 3 huge dishes, and sometimes, soup. This place is a little dirty but i dont expect much from a Chinese fast food restaurant in chinatown.
(4)Yusaku G.
My first time here. Ordered 3 takeouts - beef stew soup HO FUN and LAI FUN noodles & wonton noodle soup. Pros: The food was very good, and great prices (doesn't get much cheaper than this folks). Sure it's dirty, but its actually one of the cleaner places I've seen for chinatown standards. It's hard to complain when their prices are set so low. Cons: Customer service does not exist here period. These people are like aliens from outer space. During the mere few minutes I was inside, I felt Iike I warped into a UFO. When I ask a question, they remain silent and don't respond, as if they spoke an unknown language from planet X. And this was just take out, where I only spent a couple minutes there. It was almost funny. Also, I ordered slippery soup noodles and soup Ho Fun, but they didn't bother giving me any chopsticks. They had disposable chopsticks by the wall near the pickup stall. They didn't even bother telling me about that. Conclusion: Good food, good prices, bad service. When will Chinese restaurants realize that good quality and customer service is just as important as low prices. Personally, I would rather pay a higher price for better service. If I were in the mood to cook, I wouldn't have come to dine at your restaurant, right? So since I've come to you, I'm not really in the particular mood to take sh*t from your employee's attitude problems.
(3)A L.
Only items I get when I go to D&A in Oakland or SF. Salt and pepper spareribs/chicken wings Dry fried beef chow fun fried squid Peking spareribs ...Everything else, just avoid it
(3)Jondi M.
I can't believe this place only has 2.5 stars. This is my favorite place in chinatown cause it sums up all of what chinatown food represents. Dirty bathrooms, cheap food, delishous food, and you can raise ure hand to get attention of the waitress and it's not even considered rude! Ok oK, this place isn't the cleanest place, but come one white people, it's real chinese food. Although I am a fan of the lemon chicken, but I challenge PF Changs to serve 3.50 lunches (including drink) or 3 dinner dishes for 15 dollars. Ok, maybe it's 16 dollars, but with the money you save, you can go buy your little lady some pearl drinks there.... oh wait, that's hella cheap too. Ok, so the food isn't 5 star presentation, but if you go with a ... chinese person to help you order.... its definitely an adventure.
(4)laura b.
Okay, first of all, we call this place "DNA Cafe" because I once saw a cook blow his nose on the ground in the kitchen. I'm just saying, you'll most likely be getting someone else's DNA mixed up in your peanut butter french toast. Second of all, there are NO things vegan on the menu but if you have someone who can read Cantonese (I think it's Cantonese?) then you are in. And by in I mean your friend can ask for something vegan for you and the waiter can laugh in your face. Third of all, everything I've ever had here has been tasty and CHEAP (especially during tea time special!) and they are open until 2 am. Fourth of all, I had a run in with an older Chinese man here once and it went like this: Him: "You are so fat!" Me: "I know you are old but I'm finna beat a bitch down." Him: "You are so fat, you look so good! So healthy!" Me: Oh, I understand, you are admiring my fat ass because it is a sign that I am wealthy enough to be properly fed (and then some) so I must belong to some sort of a privileged class. This point of view is held mainly by older people who were around before the Westernization of the entire world during which time fat became feared rather than lauded. I am of this new school mentality and so am naturally offended when you call me the fat ass that I am. But I am wrong, you are just paying me a compliment and I thank you for your kindness. By the way, are you single?* You know, during my travels in an African third world country where many do not have enough to eat and still die from shit like a cold, I heard two reoccurring ads on the radio. One was for skin lightening cream and the other was for diet pills. Ah, progress. *And yes, that is exactly what I said. And also, George W. Bush is the greatest president we've ever had (outside of Regan, of course) and damn, pig flesh is tasty.
(3)James L.
D & A Cafe used to be a place that I'd be a little weary of bringing my non-Asian friends because 1) the place wasn't so clean and 2) you might end up sitting at a round table for 8 with 2 other families that you've never met before. Well, now at their new location, they're a lot cleaner, but you still might find yourself eating a delicious and cheap meal with people you've never met before. Especially during their happy hour where you can get dishes for 3 some dollars, the place is PACKED. Their food is true to cantonese style food and is just plain old good. Its a must stop for me everytime I'm in the Bay Area.
(4)Daniel S.
ONE DISH PER PERSON. MAX. It's cheap. And decent. And cheap. And since the move to the new place, it's now degrubbified. The menu is long and stangely eclectic -- or so it seems, if you're not Chinese.
(3)Nancy J.
Honestly, everyone who gave this place 1 star because of the bad service, what did you expect from a late night Chinese eatery in the middle of Oakland Chinatown? I couldn't care less about the service at a place like this, as long as they take my order correctly and bring out the food fast, which they definitely do here. Delicious comforting late night eats at more than agreeable prices, what else could you ask for? They have the best Hainan Chicken! The meat is sooo tender and flavorful that I can even eat it without the sauce, which never happens when I eat Hainan chicken at other places since the meat is usually very bland. I don't know how they make their chicken but it is seriously delicious and a must try. I also love their Pork and Preserved Egg Porridge. They give you massive amounts of deliciously flavorful pork and huge chunks of preserved eggs. This is Chinese comfort food at its best.
(4)Charlie H.
I order food here few times a week their food was average good for the price you pay. I find this is the best D&A from others in the bay.
(3)Linda X.
The service sucks period. But hey what can you expect from a place like this?! I thought the D & A Cafe on Clement Street in San Francisco was bad.. this beats it hands tied down!!! The lady came to take our order and my brother was browsing for a drink and she says in Cantonese, I'll come back and take your order when you're all done. She walks away and I'm thinking I don't recall hearing the kitchen bell go off to alert her of a order that's ready. I looked back and she's conversating with some guys. How rude... the food was okay. We ordered Spicy Beef Tripe, Honey Walnut Prawns, and Salt and Pepper Chicken wings. To be quite honest for those of you who don't know .. the salt isn't salt .. they use straight up MSG!!!! OMG ... =.= bleh If I could give a negative star I would!!! Dang it
(1)Laynah N.
Three stars for the minced beef over rice. Other then that business has gotten worst over the years with it's service. It was better when it use to be around the corner. Utensils are unclean, it has been reported many of times that roaches are found in foods. Yet I still come here ordering the same thing every time. No one can beat the way they make the minced beef over rice not even the one in sf. Yes I will only come here for that plate and only. Other then that other places make better rice plates and noodle soups better then them. Aside from that deals you get for cheap gets another star although there are plenty other competitions around.
(3)Katie S.
How do they afford the ingredients to make and sell food this cheap? It is my theory that they purchased all of their ingredients in the 1950s, at 1950s prices, and have stockpiled them somewhere (perhaps a basement) in cans and jars and things. This would explain how four people ate dinner for $15 total, including french toast, fish fried rice, chicken, and several drinks each. It would also explain why nothing tasted remotely fresh. It's freakishly satisfying (particularly the fresh strawberry juice and the french toast stuffed with peanut butter), but also makes me feel a little sick to think about it.
(3)Brad L.
When the four of us arrived here for happy hour at 3pm on Sunday, the place was full already (by 3:30 the line was about fifteen people long). But we were seated quickly, and perused the long list of items for two or three bucks. Pork blood jook: A little thin, but the pork blood cakes were soft and well-formed. Chicken gizzards with preserved vegetables: The gizzards were quite hard, fun to chew though not much taste to them. Salt & pepper tofu and salt & pepper chicken wings: Tasted like actual salt and pepper and not MSG to me. Hot out of the fryer and crisp, not soggy. Drunken chicken: As I recall, it was the most expensive item, at a whopping $3.80. Chicken was tasty if sober. Not destination food, but better than many places that cost five times as much.
(3)Josh L.
Cheap, real, no thrills Chinese food. You can get almost anything including a BLT and baked pork chop with pasta. No reservations taken and does crowd up at the lunch and dinner hours. They have two LCDs with cable running and......will show NBA games! At a chinese restaurant
(4)Linda C.
Flashback to my last visit... Me: (poking at my chicken wings with HUGE, i mean 'UUGGEEE bits of msg staring at me) do i have to eat this!? Let me go cry in the corner... Honestly...I remember this place used to have pretty damn good chicken wings.....but no more! I shall measure the worth of the different D&A's by the tastiness of their chicken wings. I realize that all these places probably use MSG on their chicken wings but I have never... i mean never seen so much VISIBLE msg on my chicken wings. :: sob :: it was gross and I think my body just did a dive off a cliff in response to the saltiness and thirstyness that happened after the first bite... to be fair though, all the other stuff is mediocre and the curry fishballs are pretty good... alas, my poor poor memories of delectable chicken wings are shattered and dashed to pieces...
(2)Timothy Z.
I usually find this place decent. But not today. It was horrible here. The food wasn't that great either. The service was terrible: I order takeout for a fairly simple dish, as simple goes on the menu, and they get it done in what seems like it's 30 minutes. In actuality it was done a lot earlier, and I sat there and waited for them to call my number/order or call me over. I saw a bag with food in it, and thought it might be mine, but would rather not ask because of their attitude, so I made eye contact best I could. Eventually, I got sick of it after 30 minutes after my order, and asked the lady if it was mine. It was. I don't know if I was supposed to go up earlier... but I'm used to being called over or having my number/order called when a dish is ready for me. The lady that took my order made eye contact and didn't do swat. On the other hand, the food wasn't terrible. But it wasn't too spectacular... what could I say, D&A?
(2)Annie D.
There's not much to say about this place. It's not clean, typical Chinese restaurant with poor service, WAY TOO MUCH MSG and decor...what decor? Hopefully people are knowledgeable and realizing the food they are consuming when they go out to restaurants. My family has been in the restaurant business for over 30 years, so I know when the quality is there in the food. Please do not be fooled by the prices or the quantity of the food. Many people misinterpret the $$ over the quality of the food. The reason why restaurants are cheap in the their prices is because they use cheap products/ingredients that may do harm to our bodies in the long run. Think about it, restaurants must make a profit to earn money right? How this correlates to this review is that the quality of food from this restaurant is poor. This place consist of fatty meat disguised in breaded form or soaked in corn starch or sauce (unaware what your putting in your mouth), old veggies with stuck on dirt and god forbid when the last time they changed out their frying oil. This place is a no no.
(1)Fenny G.
OK! Price is Great because it's cheap and portion is good aka good for 2 person each dish, you can always get another one if not enough because the price is not expansive. Food is also good, that is why I keep coming back even the service in not great! The service OMG that is all I can say about the service! One guy with pale skin, a little bit cute (enough for his description) used to be very nice I think 5 or 6 years ago when he was a new co worker, but he is very stuck up now, I don't know what possessed him because nothing to be proud to work in this restaurant beside he is not the owner. Don't be surprise If you get really bad service, just think you go there for the food and price! Ok Recommendation Honey walnut shrimp, Bake sea food, Black paper beef, Salt and paper Spareribs Used to be $15 for 3 items, soup and rice I don't know about now because they just move to bigger place maybe the price went up. CASH ONLY!
(4)Ed C.
This place used to be called D&A Cafe but they recently changed their name to 8th St. Cafe. It's an OK spot to go, but not my top recommend in Chinatown. They are a little confused about what segment of Chinese food they want to serve. They have tapioca drinks, HK style rice/spaghetti plates, American (kinda) food, and normal Chinese fare. My recommend here is the basic staple Chinese items. Don't go for anything to fancy or you might be disappointed. I recommend simple fried rice dishes and/or good ole beef chow fun. I had the salt and pepper chicken wings and they were good too. The tendons & ligaments won-ton noodle soup wasn't bad either. That's right! I said it! Tendons & ligaments won-ton noodle soup. Yes. That wasn't a typo. That stuff is edible and you can order it. You can get pretty down and nasty in Chinatown, there's enough weird shit there to make Andrew Zimmerman think twice. The tendons & ligaments were delish. Chewy, tendered, and flavored well. The won-ton noodle soup part was only OK. Food is cheap, about $3-$7 a dish. They also have happy hour deals. But the prices are average compared to the rest of Chinatown. Service is bad, but that's pretty much how it is at all the smaller Chinatown restaurants. The servers are used to getting 0-$1 tips so they don't give much in return. If you don't feel like walking a block or so to other restaurants then I would recommend this place for some cheap Chinese food.
(3)Herbert K.
D & A Caf is a decent place for no-frills Chinese food. The soup prior to the main dishes was a bit bland. It could use some more bones of whatever animal is available (hopefully pork or beef) or some additional salt. We ordered from the 3 for $17 menu and the food was reasonable. The curry beef stew came out fairly quick but the potato wedges were a bit cold as if they were cooked prior and left hanging around until an order came in. The combination tofu and the chicken with green beans were fine. I think D & A does a better business with the Happy Hour menu were you get more "bang for the buck" situation. Service could have be more attentive but I got the items I requested- so no real negative rating there.
(3)Peter J.
I love the new place.No more rat's nest!! Shoot it's way cleaner than the dirty old place on 7th!!!!! ok you need to remember when you order here and not chinese you have to shout for help.I watched 2 people walk in after me and get their orders out before me and a friend.I almost lost it.Then I just raised my hand and said "hello!!"(ofcourse in a nice manner,don;t want no DNA snot in my food"lol (laura) Ok i ordered salt and pepper pork chops,west lake minced beef soup,honey walnut prawns,and mongo beef. The soup came last! haha Dude i'm making sure nest time I go here with my girl)she is chinese)!! overall I love the food and they stay open late.In the day i rather go to ABC at the plazza.
(3)Bella C.
Service was HORRIBLE! My family and I come all the time for dinner...and its pretty cheap with decent food... but one night... it was just four of my family members... We went in. Told the waitress we had a party of five. So we sat down and waited.... and waited..... and waited.... after about an hour... we were starting to get fed up...then a couple walks in and the waitress calls them two to sit down... on a table FIT FOR FIVE! And my mom was pissed! She stood up and basically said "We waited for so long...and you ignore us!?!?" Then we walked out... End of us going there ever for food!
(1)David S.
I'm going to try my best to explain to you how this is the worst food I've ever eaten. I'm going to start off by explaining that I eat in Chinatown nearly every day, I get a Vietnamese sandwich or a '2 item combo' at one of the bakeries. I have very low standards for food quality when the price is under 4 dollars and have never been disappointed. Today I decided to try this place because I saw it received some decent reviews here, at least for the price. I got the $3.80 (or is it $4.00?) lunch special with the added soup at an extra $.50. The woman asked me whether I wanted rice or 'spaghetti' and I went with the 'spaghetti' because I thought it was just a poor translation. I was wrong. I got some boiled spaghetti noodles with my double mushroom chicken. How is that even possible? Who would ever actually mean to order that? I sort of believe they gave me the noodles that way because I'm white, but that isn't a fact, just a hunch. I can't imagine someone who is clearly Asian walking in there, ordering noodles and getting spaghetti, but if so I apologize. They brought out the soup. It was watered down tomato juice with a couple carrots and some pieces of cabbage in it. I guess I was expecting hot and sour soup or egg flower or that corn soup. This was the first disappointment. It was bland and didn't really seem Chinese at all (not that I have had everything on every Chinese menu, maybe I've missed this one along the way, Chinese tomato bisque?). Then they brought out my double mushroom chicken (with green beans)...and spaghetti. The chicken was edible. The sauce was bland. The green beans were fine. But the mushrooms! They tasted like the rotting food stuck in my gums after I got my wisdom teeth removed! Needless to say I didn't eat them. My friend got the Kung Pao chicken. I can't even describe what this tasted like, it had some weird watery sauce on it, vaguely similar to mine, but slightly redder and thinner. His was the worst, the chicken was inedible. The food was so bad I told him I'd try some of his only if he ate one of my mushrooms. He nearly vomited. Then he had me try one of his green bell peppers, which was even worse than the chicken. It tasted like it had been soaked in disinfectant before it was stir fried! Neither of us could believe it. We were daring each other to eat pieces of each others food because it was so unbelievably bad, but it was REALLY funny, until we realized we had to pay for it. $5 a pop! Avoid at all costs.
(1)James N.
I have finally get to try out D&A when the moved to there new location. What can I say? I'm just as disappointed as before. There's a huge improvement in location however. It still fall short in quality. We still get the crap quality in the previous time. This time our Beef that we order came with a free rubber band that is cooked into it also. Yum!
(2)Will W.
The price is cheap,but the food is ok..
(3)Stephen H.
Four stars for the happy hour 3-6PM dirt cheap specials where $2 can fill your belly and $4 can stuff yourself silly. The strawberry ice for $1 at tea time is a good deal, real strawberrys. The ice bean drink for $1 is ok, not great not too horrible. The Mandarin Port Noodle for $2 is a great deal although the pork is fatty it is tasty and has a little kick. Not the cleanest place and is busy at 3-6 but it is one of my haunts.
(4)Jones D.
The fact that I nearly slipped upon setting foot in the place should have told me how greasy the food would be. One star for having (unadvertised) beer. One star for the fried chicken wings that tasted like a *donut*
(2)Jeffrey L.
My first one star review, and I mean it. We got the lunch special for something under $20. One of the dishes was alright, but the two squid dishes (salt & pepper squid, and something else) were pretty bad. I normally LOVE salt & pepper stuff, but this squid was way overdone with salt and bloated with MSG. I know, there's usually MSG in salt/pepper dishes, but this was ridiculous. Too salty, too much MSG. Also, the squid they used was fakish. Didn't taste like squid, and it seemed like it was made from some cookie machine, very disappointing. Bad choice. Then there was the service, ugh. Maybe it was because it was lunch hour or something, but the waiters never came to our table, we ended up calling them over. They seemed very impatient with taking our order and told us to hurry up and make up our minds while they went and did something else. After deciding (literally 5 secs), we got another waiter (also impatient but at least she took our order). Water never came. Had to make a trip up to the counter for some, even after asking multiple times. They even asked, ASKED us for a tip. They seemed really surprised I didn't give one. I've always given tips, but this place drove me nuts. Quite frankly, it was a huge disappointment. One star, really OK food with horrendous service. No way the food is making up for the service. And that's being generous.
(1)Willis L.
This place looks very unsuspecting from the outside, and inside you can still tell it is a little rundown, but very often this is the mark of a good Chinese restaurant. In this case, 8th Street has some pretty decent Chinese food, and it's fairly good at hosting large parties. I have only gone for dinner, but when I have their portions are always very generous and I eat my fill. (The dinner special of three items may even be enough for five people, or three college students, and it's only $20!) The taste is not that spectacular and the service is a little poor (unless you can speak Chinese?), so it's not quite up to four stars. Nonetheless it's a good place for a bunch of people to eat their full!
(3)Hilland C.
I really like the D&A Cafes in San Francisco, but I really abhor this one because of the service. I remember coming here when it just moved to a newer location in the Oakland Chinatown. I went with 7 friends there to eat after our practice nearby. I didn't really mind waiting in line to get seated. However, the hostess' attitude was unforgivable. Right when they seated us at a big round table, I spotted two smaller tables (each seating 4) nearby that are vacant. I asked her why don't we move there because I figured it's easier to split the check when there's less per table. The hostess angrily said do you want to wait in line again. In my my mind I was thinking "Where did that come from? I figured it would make it easier for you since there are bigger parties behind us." After that we begrudgingly seated ourselves at the big table. Then the waitress came and took our order. She didn't seem so much as angry, but was impatient with us (probably because not all us could speak cantonese). I was particularly annoyed by that. Finally, At the end of our meal I went to the cashier to get change. The guy asked me that I had to buy something. I had no choice but buy a small tapioca drink because I have to pay the bill. I really like the food here because it's cheap, but the customer service has to be better. I was really turned off by it.
(2)Deborah L.
I always order the yellow Singapore noodles here and they never disappoint. We also tried the honey walnut shrimp a couple times and they are yummy - if you like sweet. My husband's favorite is the beef in egg gravy. It sounds weird and looks a bit gross but it's delicious. This place is so worth the money because not only is it cheap but the portions are huge! Love that it's open late.
(4)Mr P.
Thought I would be the first to review this. Ahhhhh. We recently decided we have to get out of our rute and explore other restuarants in Oakland China town for jok and wanton noodle. DnA is a surprise. Nothing fancy. Good comfort food. Their menu is extensive. Our ambition is to try every single dish and the good thing is it won't break the bank. Wonder if they were making a punt when they named it DnA
(3)Alex D.
Highlights: 1) Fast. Both in service and food. 2) Cheap. Happy Hour $2-$4 plates. Dinner $5.50. I like this place and come here about once a month to once every few months. Their service is fast, but you really have to be able to understand their work ethic. They are really into fast-pace Hong Kong style service. You enter, sit, order, eat, pay, leave. Nothing in between. So if you're into getting quality service and sitting down to enjoy your meal, you most likely will be disappointed. Their food is cheap, especially during happy hour where you can get full in under $6. Tip is up to how much you want to give, around 10% is good enough. Their food is delicious. I've tried their fried tofu, fried calamari, fried chicken wings, empress chicken, sea snails, pig intestine, wonton noodle soup, mandarin noodle soup, octopus balls noodle soup, cold milk tea, and cold lemon tea. The only one that I did not like was the empress chicken, it was not fresh and tasted weird. Happy Hour special is from 3:00PM-6:00PM, but you have to order by 6:00PM. Come here for really good deals! Last Visited: August 20, 2009
(4)Philip T.
This is an odd place to review because their food is honestly kind of shitty, but in a charming way. I only really come here for happy hour and this place is packed!! They must have something going on for them because this is probably the most popular restaurant in Oakland China town. The funny thing to non-chinese is that all their dishes with 'macaroni' are actually soup with macaroni in it. It's really cheap and the soup tastes like it is straight out of the can. I had their walnut prawn appetizer and it really tasted horrible and had a very "off" aftertaste. It just seems like most of their dishes are drenched in MSG and none of their happy hour choices ever get me too excited. But even though I am not a big fan of their food, I give this place an honest 4 stars for good reason. There aren't many places that offer quick and satisfying snacks, along with quality drinks and an atmosphere that allows you to just "chill out". The service is good and there are a lot of seats, along with several LCD TVs. Sometimes when this place is really crowded (which is often), they will offer to seat you in a big table alongside hungry people who are minding their own business, ravenously chomping down their meals. This place will not break the bank and it is a perfect place to go between the hours of 3-6 if you are in Chinatown. If anything, you might as well stop by and grab an ice coffee or a milk tea. I just wish their food was better.
(4)Ava C.
Walnut shrimp and roasted squab were as good as I expected. It was a good value (I believe it was around $3 when I ordered the takeout during their happy hour). I'd been to this place years ago and remembered how inexpensive their walnut shrimp was so when I was back in Oakland again, I came to yelp to find the address/info. Glad D&A is still around! BTW I think they use MSG in their food so I wouldn't live off of it like you could plain spaghetti and chicken salad...
(3)Jill k.
i honestly don't have very high standards when it comes to late-night eats, and that's exactly why 8th street cafe gets 4 stars. 8th street has tons of relatively tasty, greasy, chinese options here, and between 10pm - 1am, their menus are ridiculously cheap. so, take it for what it is, and maybe you'll see me here around midnight on a saturday night!
(4)Mary N.
To think of this place being 4 stars is outrageously humorous. When my family to came here they had bad service. We asked for chicken and they switched it with beef. We told them of the mix up and they argued with us and told us to eat it anyway. The beef wasn't even that good and so after we finished and left, my mother signal not to tip at all. So when we left, one of the waiteresses told my father that we didn't pay for tip, my dad got angry and told them that the food wasn't good at all and the poor service didn't deserve tip. Of course they gave us a dirty look. It was way better before as D&A Cafe
(1)Rachel L.
I am such a FAN of all their happy hour specials! From their rice plates to, humungo soup selection, I have always walked away with a stuffed tummy and a thankful wallet. Now I admit some of the things on their menu can be a bit salty and oily but you really have to expect that of their deep fried specials. For goodness sake you walk into the place and smell the MSG on the wallpaper but no one says that you have to order something deep fried! They have everything that you would normally find on a Chinese take out menu but they also have "exotic" items which include braised organs and deep fried creature feets. Personally, not my cup of tea but I have seen other tables order those things and to be honest with you it looked rather appetizing. The place is always packed which really tells you something. The crowd doesn't just consist of broke college students looking to stretch their buck.. you'll actually see table upon table of families sitting around enjoying a meal together so you know that if the food is good enough for mom, dad, and gramps.. it's a worthy place to sit and have a meal for yourself. Service is speedy, but beware if you don't speak any form of Chinese. Get used to pointing to the menu to make sure they mark you down for what you want. During one visit I asked our waitress what was in the house rice special and she ran back to the counter, talked about it amongst three other employees in a huddle and came back with the main ingredients on a piece of paper in squiggly written English. So besides the service and lack of English the food again is incredibly appetizing and quite inexpensive. Since moving to their new location the dining area is very clean and nothing like what D&A used to be. Thank goodness! I used to walk into the old D&A Cafe with bottles of hand sanitizer and baby wipes, no joke! Oh beware..8th Street Cafe only takes cash! I know.. how inconvenient. :(
(4)chris w.
When your lunch descends into a contest to see who can keep the food in their mouth longer, I think its safe to say that you shouldn't come back.
(1)Jonathan C.
worst of the D&A chain, by far. their food is the worst. they have the smallest restaurant. Yes it's cheap, but still I'd just take my business elsewhere if I a choice and remember how bad it is compared to the other bay area D&A's (on Clement in SF and "Broadway Cafe" on Broadway in SF). Now that I know better, I happily walk by and go elsewhere. I still remember this one time, a waitress was chasing this 4 inch (I thought it was a mouse first because of its size) cockroach through the restaurant; finally stepping on it after making quite a scene. She then proceeded to use a napkin to wipe it off her shoe, and went back to work shortly. I wonder if she washed her hand anywhere in between....probably not, yum! At least I got my food already, and as far I could tell, what I didn't know about my food's past didn't hurt me, except for the indigestion later.
(1)Jennifer S.
i go here pretty much every other weekend with my family for lunch. the price is great if you do the 3 items for under $20 which includes rice and soup. although service is not great the cheap price is worth it. plus the food is delicious.
(4)K W.
D&A just re-located around the corner to 337 8th Street (btwn Harrison & Webster). Floors are cleaner now since they're new. They have 2 flat screens usually showing Chinese programming but I've seen it switched to Monday Night Football too. There's only one thing really to say about D&A: 3 dishes with steamed rice $16.99 ($18.50 including tax). Just can't beat that. The wife and I can eat this for days. They'll throw in a nice big bowl of Cantonese style soup if you eat in. If you can get there early enough, the happy hour (3-6 pm) is excellent in terms of value. Cheap and decent food overall. Some dishes are above average and some are below, try everything once and you'll know what to avoid. Personally, on the 3 dishes menu, I like the dried scallop with fried tofu, beef with scrambled eggs, beef with chinese broccoli, combination tofu clay pot, filet of cod with greens, combination eggs over spinach, peking spareribs, walnut prawns. This is not a place to enjoy dining out. It's great for take-out or just a quick "order-eat--go". And being polite/shy/hesitant will get you nowhere fast. Frantically wave at anyone within 50 feet of you wearing a red polo shirt and start yelling out your order and you'll get out of there fat, happy, and with money left in your pocket in no time.
(3)Andrew T.
this has become our "sobering up after somar spot"(as evident by the pic of our buddy "choom") because it's a good 20 minute walk each way, they fill you up, they are open super-late, and it's cheap! this place is right smack-dab in the middle of chinatown. the food isn't the greatest, but the prices are insane. $2.25 for an order of 8 salt & pepper chicken wings? $3.75 for chicken & fish fried rice? $1.88 for a tapioca drink? ridiculous... the wings are pretty awesome and everything else i've had was decent as well. i really liked the rice porridge. if you are partying in downtown oak, this place should be on your radar.
(4)Mary R.
Cheap and salty. This place was formerly called D&A Cafe. I don't know why they changed their name, but the same bitter guy works the register and seats you.
(1)N C.
HORRIBLE!!!!!!! their foods are extremely sickening...and OMG their service is even worse. FYI not healthy!
(1)Stacey W.
I must say you really can't complain about the happy hour prices. You pay for what you get... which is cheap food and horrible service. Ever since the new location..which is bigger,cleaner,nicer, the service has hence gone downhill more then it was ever possible to go..apparently not. I love their lemon iced tea and french toast. I've been going here since high school, but since the new move and the very POOR service i only go here when I am desperate or low on cash. Once you are seated and your order is taken, that is the last you see of the srvice
(2)Victoria W.
Depends on what you order here, but if you come often enough you know which are the best dishes. Their happy hour is the best ever! And who can beat fresh bobba smoothies for less than a couple bucks?! The tables are small and there's usually a wait, but it's worth it.
(4)sammy z.
This is one of my favorite places for a late night food craving. They have all your hong kong style Chinese type fast food. Their chow fun and chow mein is tasty. They also have a very large selection of food from different rice plates to soup noodles and porridege. Very oily food but that's to be expected at a joint like this. The atmosphere is pretty clean and bright. Perhaps the reason why this place is so popular is the low prices. 3 dishes + rice and soup for $16? Very economical.
(4)M E.
i give this place ONE star... they get this star for their honeydew drink and the fact that they are cheap, quick and open late. if it werent for those three things, i would give them negative stars... the complimentary soup is bland and everything is sooo over done cuz its sitting in pots for hours. seafood clay pot doesnt come in a claypot, but it is good honey walnut shrimp has too much of sauce. the other stuff was aight..... THE SERVICE IS HORRIBLE.... IF YOU DONT SPEAK THE LANGUAGE THEY PRETTY MUCH MAKE YOU FEEL COMPLETELY INADEQUATE. ADDITIONALLY, THEY ARE FUCKIN LAZY AS HELL.
(1)Jeanette W.
Cheap and fast Chinese Food. Where else can you order 3 items with rice and soup for under $16. Top recommends: Honey Walnut Prawns, Beef Broccoli, Salt and Pepper Pork Ribs. Happy Hour (3-6PM) menu is also great. Dishes under $4. Sweet deal. There are also two other locations in the city.
(3)Eileen L.
Came here with my friend a couple weeks ago because we couldn't find much other places to eat at in Oakland Chinatown . The food at this D&A tastes about the same as the D&As in San Francisco . Food is mediocre & cheap . However , this D&A is cleaner than the ones in SF . The service also sucks more . They just point to the table for you to sit and they don't even give you menus .. you have to get them yourself . You also have to call for them to order .
(2)E. M.
This place cracks me up! The menu is huge so you're bound to find something you'll like but you have to sift through all the strange only-a-chinese from China-would-eat-that dishes (jelly fish with goose feet anyone?) My favorites are the mapo tofu and the honey walnut prawns-- really normal stuff. It's a nice refuge from the pretentiousness of celebrity chef-driven cuisine. Another funny thing is that any time you order a dish with squid it's all squid wings. I guess this is the cheapest part of the squid.
(3)jacqueline c.
If i could give this place a zero star. This place definitely will get that. Even thought the food here is super cheap, Do no let the cheapness full you into a great bargain. It is super dirty and unsanitary even with the new location in oakland. But in San Francisco location it is YUCK!!!!!
(1)Leo C.
First of all, I just want to say that the service isn't bad, it's terrible. The food and price is pretty decent. I don't really eat anything there except for their fried chicken but that's cause I love fried chicken. About this cafe, I think it's weird how you can order friend chicken for like 2.50, but you have to pay 3.50 for their salt and peppered fried chicken. They have salt and pepper on the table! I guess they want the extra dollar for the extra labor. Well, aside from that, the service... I just don't understand... why... why... it's soo terrible. One time, I paid for some fried chicken and the lady actually asked me where the tip was. I mean what the hell? Seriously? You're going to ask me for tip? That's just rude. Another time I ordered fried chicken and porridge but I asked them to cancel the porridge and they said okay. They brought it out anyway. Thanks a lot for listening to your customers. Oh yeah, the place is dirty. Don't go there, it's terrible.
(1)Tiffany W.
Okay, the food there are not expensive, but they really need to tidy up the place some more. It is dirty! Even if they moved to this new location, they almost turned it the same way. One time I saw them do the strawberry drinks, I could not believe my eyes! They put some strawberries in the mixer, then the rest was just WATER, so it is basically strawberry plus water, and they serve it like that after they have mixed it. It disgusted me quite long. Then my family decided to eat there one night, because we were tired, and while i was eating my rice plate, i saw this HUGE cockroach! It was walking along the wall, I stopped eating then, I could not stand it no more. That is all left to say.
(2)j f.
i wish there was a half star .. i came here one night with a bunch of friend either the server didn't like her job cause it was by far the worst service ever.. the lady threw our menus on the table and then when your soup is server they should serve it to you but she just place the soup on the table and walked away the refills on tea also she never came to our table and she was completely rude... don't go here if your a dark skinned toned Filipina that lady was rude cause of our skin tone and race... and our other friend who came with us were Chinese... its just sad... the food and prices aren't bad... but i refuse to go some where the server are just plain rude..the place had TV on Chinese channel good luck getting served cause the server are watching TV or just ignoring you...i give it a negative star on service... on it being clean 1 star...the floors and bathroom were sticky.. i dont recommend this place...
(1)mai L.
D & A is a good place to go when you want to have some cheap and good Chinese food. Their price is really good but service is just okay (as many Chinese restaurants). Some of their food taste pretty good like "Fried Rice" but some are just so-so. There are many dishes to order so sometimes it really depends on your luck unless you stick with the ones you've had every time.
(3)Peter C.
This place use to be really good and cheap for lunch. But somehow start going bad. It still cheap to eat there for dinner.
(2)Emahlee H.
I used to always come here with my little friends in middle school and have a super cheap and filling afternoon snack/meal. What fond memories of innocent giggles over some french toast, fries and a bowl of noodles.
(3)jenny t.
I learned of this place after I moved away from SF. I used to go to the one on Clement all the time which I believe is still better than this one. But what do you expect if it's still good and cheap! My favs are: various selections from the 3 dishes, soup, and rice menu (over 60 items to choose from), iced lemon tea, fried chicken wings, fried toast w/peanut butter, beef chow fun (under $5). Looking forward to visit their new location.
(3)Cedric F.
i come here because i'm hungry not because i'm looking for something good to eat. the food is edible.. thats all i can say. but you get what you pay for.
(2)Amy L.
My friend found a hair in his food. 'Nuff said
(1)tina l.
D& A cafe is a great place to go. Their price is cheap and the portion is big. Their happy hours are from (3pm-6pm) and most dishes are less than 3 bucks. However, if you do go there, expect bad service. Once you order your food, that will be the last time you will see your server. They also have great deal during lunch hours (11am-3pm) One dish plus soup and a drink for less than 6 bucks.From (6pm-1Am) They have dinner offer for 17.99 which include three plates of meat/veggies of your choice, soup for everyone and rice. Food is actually pretty good for the price you pay.CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP.
(3)E H.
4 stars for the price. Not the cleanest place and not the best service, but the happy hour is CHEAP. A whole page of menu items for $2 and the watermelon juice or strawberry juice for $1. The food tastes quite alright. The 3 Dishes + Rice dinner deal ($15) offers enough food for 2 people's dinner, then lunch, then the next dinner (okay may be not quite another dinner if you are a big eater). I can't remember if that includes Soup or not, but it certainly is a steal.
(4)Susie A.
You pay for what you get. Cheap food, cheap price, so what about the QUALITY of the meat itself? So what if the items are cheap? Want to know what makes it good? MSG! And LOTS of it. If you like the $19.99 for 3 Dishes, why put yourself in agony of blistering blurring headaches and thristy for hours afterwards? My advice: GO to Chopsticks Chinese Restaurant on 328 14th Street, near Webster instead. Yes, THEY offer the 3-Dish @ $19.99 with tons of fantastic items of your own choosing, includes free house soup AND free rice - refillable. The food are FRESH and thank God, edible with GENEROUS portions. At Chopsticks, their waiters are pleasant, understands English and are attenative, NOT like 8th St. Cafe -- they have the worst of the WORST waitresses. They hate their job. No service, no smile, don't even want to come to the table to take your order -- so freaking lazy and they are the ugliless, unattractive group of women. They stand around in a bunch gossiping and don't even refill your cup of tea or make an effort to bring your bill. I say, if you don't want to do anything -- why bother to come to so-called "work"? Why not stay home and yell at your hubby & kids with that sourpuss face and bad attitude of yours? Gees!
(1)Raz R.
This place is actually a lot more crowded than I had expected. I'm glad I ordered take out. The food is typical of what you mind find in an Asian cafe. It's on the salty/oily side and heavy on the sauce. But the dishes are big and they offer a wide selection. It's well priced though and I saw a lot families eating there.
(3)Samantha T.
I do not come here expecting service, so maybe thats why it stays rated high to me. So I come here when I want a cheap breakfast, lunch or dinner because it is really an all-the-time restaurant. On the breakfast menu, I usually get the porridge combination with a plate of chow mein. Its pretty good porridge, watery rice with whatever meat of the day, I like the fish ones and the chicken and mushroom. The chow mein is not the best, but its pretty good with some red vinegar and chili sauce. For happy hour 3-6 I usually get the chicken wings, or some macaroni with spam or chicken. Its really simple food but it fills your stomach and it tastes good. For dinner, I like to get the 3 plate dinner, it comes with rice and soup, carrots and pork bones? and 3 dishes of whatever you like. I like the XO Beef with veggies, the walnut shrimp, the steamed tofu, and the salted fish with chicken. Their lemon tea and whatever juice of the season are really good. Also the service is fast. Four stars for getting the job done.
(4)sherlyn c.
Always order Cantonese food in a Cantonese restaurant, and order Shanghai food in a Shanghai restaurant. Do not order Sichuan Ma Po Tofu in a Cantonese restaurant. This place serves good Cantonese food, but the service is lousy.
(3)Joanne C.
I like this place. It has the best milk tea and baked pork chop in SF bay area. And the price is fair!
(3)Cindy L.
although the food is cheap and portion is good, i did find a hair in my food once.
(2)Wingbert C.
I've been eating in and getting take out from this place for years.. it is great because they stay open until 1AM (used to be 2AM though). I usually get the pork chop and spaghetti dish which is very good, pork chop is tender and sauce is excellent. When I eat in with my friends we usually get the 3 dish special for 17.99 (used to be a dollar or two cheaper at the old location) which give you a lot of items to choose from. I always HAVE to get the walnut shrimp and we randomly choose a beef and chicken plate. They also have a good variety of drinks, my buddies like the watermelon drink, i wish they serve thai tea though. The service however SUCKS. they are very busy during peak hours so I cant blame them too much. The food came out quickly but good luck waving them down for a refill of your water. My buddy must've asked 3 times before he got a glass of water. Overall good food, good price, bad service.
(4)