Love this little spot for Chinese food while I'm in Torrance. It's very authentic and completely hits the spot when you're craving that Chinese flavor. They have excellent lunch specials with many dishes. I usually get the pan fried noodles with beef and fish filet with vegetables. It's probably best to come here with a large party so that you can order more dishes and eat family style because everything is delicious! Definitely recommend this restaurant!
(5)
Aki H.
Nothing really special about this place, there are plenty of better and cheaper Chinese food around the area. I came in for dinner with my family and the place was pretty empty. The portion sizes are way too small for the price and the actual food was of average quality. I would not be coming back here anytime soon.
(2)
Kyung E.
Nice China Cafe is located in Rolling Hills Plaza. It is to the right (if you are facing east) of Trader Joe's on the PCH side. I had a hard time finding it, since I didn't know there were businesses on that side. I had to do a walk around the entire block. The plus side is that next time, I know there is a bunch of parking on that side because either no one knows about the stores there, or they are not that popular. ANYWAY, I ordered for lunch: Roast Duck appetizer $7.25: 3 stars. Perfect lunch portion (about 8 pieces), though you can get a half duck for $2 more, I didn't want to eat that much. The duck was good, nothing to complain about. It did not taste or look flash fried, but it was very very oily. Seafood and tofu soup ~$6: 2.5 stars. For some reason I was expecting whole shrimp, but it was chopped up bits of shrimp and white fish. It was not too salty which I appreciated, but not the best soup I have had. Kind of bland. When I walked in to pick up order, the place was completely empty. Not one diner. Even though this is usually a bad sign, the food wasn't bad at all. For some reason, cutlery was not included with my togo order. I got back to the office to realize I had no spoon to eat my soup. Kind of a down moment, and I should have asked, but still...MEH.
(3)
Jon T.
Decent.. the food was pretty good but as far as Chinese food goes the prices are a bit high for what you get which surprised me actually since this place looks like a cheap Chinese food place. Don't get me wrong the prices are not HIGH they are just high for what you get, the portions are small so plan on ordering a bit more than what you would normally get. Service was pretty good and you get a complimentary almond jelly dessert at the end which is pretty cool. The food itself tasted pretty good though, just wished they gave us a bit more
They are EXTREMELY rude. I don't really write reviews and i have worked in the restaurant business so I am very understanding but I will never be going back again.
(1)
Alice C.
Delicious! We got the 1) beef and radish, along with 2) soy sauce duck and 3) fish, tofu and chicken dish. All three were fantastic, especially the fish, tofu and chicken. It was sooo flavorful. Congee is available on the weekends and we got the traditional pork and preserved egg, along with the (melon and shrimp?) The first was spot on. I'd never heard of the later, and while it was tasty, there wasn't anything remarkable, and I hardly saw any ingredients in it at all, besides rice. Service is friendly, the space is clean, but a bit tight. It's in a large shopping center with a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Bed Bath and Beyond and, which is really convenient, if you have errands to run before or after.
(4)
I-Lin L.
This restaurant is supposed to be the best Chinese food in the South Bay. It's a tiny, non-descript place hidden in a strip mall, so one wouldn't know about this place other than via word-of-mouth. The joke is that doctors and lawyers eat here, so it must be good! Haha... But really, it's no-frills and not fancy at all, so if the doctors and lawyers we know could shell out their big bucks on other places but choose to come here instead, then you know that the food is good. The Chinese broccoli is sliced thinly and still crunchy. Not oily at all. I think this place is also famous for their roasted duck, which we got a huge platter of. The orange chicken was cut into thin strips, so you could really taste the crunchy coating on every bite, too. Make sure you make reservations in advance, as they will turn you away if there is no space. Dinner for 6 adults came out to just under $90 for 6 dishes.
(4)
Kyle M.
I often go to lunch there. cheap and delicious! My favorite is Chinese congee, but we can eat congee just weekend. I'd like to eat weekday too.
(4)
Charles M.
My wife and I have visited here several times on weekends for lunch. This is a very authentic Cantonese restaurant. I think the Soy Sauce Chicken is among the best I have ever had. Be sure to order the half chicken so you have some for home :-). The staff is very nice and makes sure we are happy. On our next visit we want to try out the roasted duck.
(4)
Hirotaka M.
There's a female waitress here, looks about mid-30s. She didn't even wanna take my order. She acted like I was bugging her for the only 2 min I was there, trying to order take-out. I had to bring up to her if there was anything wrong, then she started giving me the "...what??" thing, so I just found it so absurd and left the place without completing my order. ...What is this place??
(1)
Wise C.
Last week I searched for shrimp and string beans and decided to stop in. They charged me 12.95 for a decent portion. I came back tonight and ordered the same thing this time it was $14.95. Mind you the Broccoli Shrimp is $11.95 I substituted green beans for broccoli. When I asked why the dish cost more tonight than last week. The waitress said because that's what the owner told her to charge. I'm never going back.
I keep discovering new items here and I continue to be impressed with the quality of food and the incedible taste! During the holidays, my family ordered two of Nice China Cafe's specialities. We got the nan gua (baked pumpkin and spare ribs) and the soy sauce chicken. The nan gua is not on the menu but a speciality that they make if requested. This is one incredible looking dish. The bowl is basically a freshly baked pumpkin and then it is filled with the insides of the pumpkin and flavorful spare ribs. It's a unique and very flavorful dish. At first bite, you instantly taste the sweetness of the pumpkin and the tenderness of the spare ribs. It's very good, although afterawhile the flavor can get kind of overwhelming. It is best to eat with some plain white rice. The soy sauce chicken is a true winner. If the phrase "winner, winner, chicken dinner" was in the dictionary, there would be a photo of the Nice China Cafe soy sauce chicken. Tender, juicy and tasty, the chicken was simply mouthwatering. I know for a fact that I will be getting this again on a future trip. It is super good. Thanks to Nice China Cafe once again for their deicious food. I look forward to more trips here and to discovering even more yummy Nice China Cafe offerings.
(4)
Dangr L.
Absolutely horrible service. Been here for the 30 mins and the only thing that came out was the tea. While other table that came in after us got their dishes the server didn't even acknowledge that us asking for her. Nice China Cafe is anything BUT nice.
(1)
Conrad T.
Food is not bad, but not too great. I am giving this place only 2 stars because of the bad service we got from one of the waiters. For those who have gone to Chinese restaurants before, we got our usual free hot and sour soup. The soup we got was no longer warm, and we requested for warm soup. The waiter replied "It's free, if you want hot soup, you have to do an order". Not a place I would like to be eating in the future..
(2)
Iakona C.
In the area and really craving wonton noodle soup. Recall seeing this restaurant on Yelp but couldn't remember its name. Walked around Rolling Hills Plaza for what felt like an eternity and gave up trying to find this place. Drove off on PCH and low an behold I see it from the street. A quick U-turn and we're there.... Got in about 12 noonish to a packed joint. Nice lady sitting at a 4-top moved to a 2-top so my family could have a table. For once, having Jr with us paid off. Service a little slow but to be expected as crowded as they were. Here's the rundown: Jr: BBQ Pork and Duck with Rice. All deli bbq meats were well seasoned and tasty. Typical plate with choi in the side. Wifey: Same as Jr but with noodle soup. Okay dish the soup broth somewhat bland Me: Wonton noodle soup. Another okay dish. The soup broth of any soup noodle dish is the most important element. Unfortunately, the broth was not flavorful. Wife's was better mainly b/c it was seasoned with the roast duck jous... An alright experience. Not sure I would come back for these dishes. But did see some delish looking chow fun...
(3)
Kristine K.
Wow. I've been coming here since way back in high school, but I'm glad this place is getting a lot of attention. The food is absolutely great, and it has a hole in the wall feel. I'm a big fan of authenticity, so this doesn't bother me, but make sure to enunciate and point at the menu because the servers' English isn't perfect. I like getting the crunchy Hong Kong style noodles (although I did it before the change better. Instead of assorted veggies, they only have bean sprouts now) , honey walnut shrimp (although this one's a bit small), Peking duck, and the Seafood soup. Yum! I like getting take out from here also. Very convenient and yum!
(4)
Shazam L.
Rude. Pissy assed attitude. Gal hostess looked like she was pissed that you walked into the restaurant and bothered her.. 1 hour plus from call in for take out to obtain food. Sodium laden x 5 kind of Panda Express quality. To top it off, when we went to pick up food, she told us food wasn't ready after 60 minutes since call in but to pay for it first and come back in 15 minutes. Came back to get food and she said sorry, we made a mistake and charged you for the lunch portion but we only have dinner size even though it was clearly only their lunch menu and asked for another 8 dollars. NEVER EVER again. Don't need to pay for overpriced salt laden food and be pissed on by the Bitchy attitude of the NASTY GAL who acts like you are invading her space when you walk in to pick up your food. The name "Nice" cafe must have been the root of very sick sarcasm! COME here if you want to be abused, ripped off and have high blood pressure.
(1)
Lynn R.
Terrible. Place was filthy, everything was sticky, strange texture on "white meat" chicken. Didn't finish the dish, only ate the vegetables. Can't imagine anyone eating here more than once. Hope I don't get sick.
(1)
cdsgrp i.
Authentic Cantonese cuisine. Flavors are spot-on and consistently good. Reasonable prices. Popular dishes: Westlake Beef Soup, Roast Duck, Char Siew, Soy Sauce Chicken, Black Pepper Beef with Mushrooms, XO Tofu, Fried Oysters with Chives, Clams, and our favorite desert: Almond Cream with Black Sesame Rice Balls.
(5)
Robert R.
Not really a fancy Chinese restaurant. However, the taste of the food makes up for the lack of ambiance. For your first visit, I would suggest to go for lunch since their lunch special covers most of the dishes at very reasonable prices. It even comes with hot and sour soup. Our favorite dishes: Roast Duck (go around Noon or 5:30PM for freshly roasted ducks with hot crispy skin and tender meat). But if you want really indulge yourself: Peking duck with delicious bums. Chashu BBQ pork Minced beef Chowder (add white pepper and vinegar for extra flavor) Orange beef Shrimp with spicy garlic sauce Wonton noodle soup or pan-fried noodle (both are very good) Shrimps with spicy salts Water boiled spicy fish fillets You can pretty much order anything and it can't go wrong. Oh, fyi: the waiters can't speak very well English, sometimes extra patience is required.
The service here is terrible. The foods still good but this service just ruins the whole experience. The waiter does not pay attention to the customers and when he does either forgets half your order or writes the wrong thing down. It was a better restaurant back then.
(2)
Lisa A.
I've been here 3 times and it is always good, consistent , friendly and no-nonsense service. I would definitely recommend.
(5)
N L.
This is my favorite Chinese food restaurant in the South Bay! They have a simple lunch menu for reasonable prices. The food is great! The owner of the restaurant is also the cook. He uses only the freshest ingredients and does not use MSG in his cooking. I highly recommend this place, you won't be disappointed!
(5)
B V.
The staff here especially the only male waiter wins for the most incompetent, lazy, rude and racist I've ever encountered in a Chinese restaurant. Racist because it was clearly visible that the Staff especially the male waiter was only nice and attentive to Chinese speaking customers. Other customers, even Asians like myself and my family, who don't speak Chinese were mostly ignored and not attended to. Our food came out an hour late while the male waiter only laughed and laughed about it with no apologies that it was late. If I had not pointed out that other people's food, who came in after us but spoke Chinese got their food first, the male waiter would have not said anything. I've never witnessed such a lack of intelligence in customer service and bigotry from waiters. Even the second lady waitress was inattentive after requesting water. I can only imagine that the staff here is just uneducated. So that's for the service. To the chef's credit, the food was actually decent giving it 2.5 stars. With other way better Chinese restaurants like PV Palace, Sea Food Port, Sea Empress, and Tasty Kitchen in The South Bay, we won't be coming back here again. We have a lot of Chinese friends who are so nice, it's unfortunate to see this kind of behavior from the staff here. They give Chinese people a bad name.
(1)
Nikki O.
So I got the soy sauce chicken that everyone talks about and was very disappointed. Food was cold once we got it and also chicken had lots of bones in it. My boyfriend's mom didn't get her food till about 10-15 minutes after we got our food. She ordered the fish tofu. Service wasn't up to pat either. We weren't checked on and also didn't get refills on our waters. We won't be returning!
(1)
April N.
We've been meaning to come here for weeks, but their hours are split. First we went for a late lunch, but they close early and then reopen at dinner. Next we tried to go on a Monday, no luck, they're not open on Mondays. We finally stopped by when they were open. As soon as I walked in I was disappointed. For some reason I got the idea that this place was kind of upscale. No. We walked in and seated ourselves by the window. The waiter was very nice and brought over a pot of hot tea immediately. After ordering my dinner, I looked to my right and noticed the wall. It looked like it had never been cleaned. There was food and sauce residue splashed all over the wall. Pretty disgusting. In spite of all this, the food did taste pretty good, but no way am I dining there again. I will, however, consider calling in an order for pick up.
(3)
Loren L.
Very good food vegies have huge flavor meat is tender large portions and the cranky lady that runs the place is funny. Cause i try to make her smile Only once did i get a grin from her.
(4)
Rui Y.
food not that impressive, place not clean, service is not good. Have to wait for half hour to order when there are no people.
(1)
Iko H.
This restaurant is always my top choice when I go for chinese cuisine. You have to try their roast duck and "fish cooked in water." They are the best and strongly recommended!!!
(5)
Annet M.
We call it the "Not so Nice Cafe". We order to go, sometimes we eat in. Usually we are the only non- Chinese people in the place- so we see that as a good sign.The lady answering the phone is never nice, we order, she says "15 minutes" hangs up and never asks for our name or repeats order. We pick up, she says"30 dollar". No thank you, no smile - no emotion. However, bottom line is : food is great, especially the orange beef has a dark rich sauce- very unique. Walnut Shrimp is best around. So we come back for the food, not customer service. So don't expect "nice" but great food.
(4)
Joan S.
I discovered this little jewel of a restaurant 3 days ago, and I've been back 2 of the 3 days, that's how much I like it. The first visit I wanted a light dinner, so I got the roast pork with noodles soup. My server (the same friendly lady on both visits) reminded me that the pork is Hong Kong style, i.e. barbecued. There was also bok choy in the soup, and I love bok choy with a passion. It's very close to being my favorite food of all time. So, see the photo of my soup. My server noticed me struggling to eat the loooooog noodles with my chopsticks, and came over with a scissors! Haha she stuck that scissors right into my soup and shortened them noodles! Too cool! At 5:15 pm Friday I was the first guest for dinner, so I got the "first table", right by the window. It's a great table, you get to see the parade of doggies coming from the nearby groomer, as they are picked up by their owners. My heart goes out to the elderly big yellow lab forced to wear huge bows on his ears....... : ( How terribly undignified! Anyway, that soup was some of the best soup ever. I drank a whole pot of hot tea along with it, and dangit I was sweating! TMI? And hey.....no MSG. And my big bowl of soup cost only $7, such a deal. I was reading the menu as I ate, and noticed that the lunch specials are served on weekends, too........Tuesday thru Sunday. I told my server I would be back the next day, Saturday, for lunch. And so I was. This time the place had many diners, but I still got my table by the window. I guess I must be kind of a big deal.....haha................(not). (I'm the dork who needs a fork.......again, not.......). Anyways......this time I got shrimp with green vegetables, hoping for more delicious bok choy. And I was not disappointed. I should have taken a pic of the dish, I forgot. It was loaded with tender large shrimp, broccoli, bok choy, and flat green beans. Holy crap it was amazing. It came with hot & sour soup and steamed rice. Lunch special price: $6.50! The ingredients musta cost more than that. I'm not asking any questions, though, I am just planning to eat almost every meal at Nice Cafe until I get sick of bok choy (never). I love the background music, btw. 80's! Cher, the Eagles....... Woooohoooo! Life is good.
(5)
Bea S.
I don't come here often, but the food is always good. Nice little dessert they give you at the end of your meal. :)
(5)
FoodLover L.
One of the best Cantonese food restaurants in South Bay. But, service is the worst. It is a tiny hole in a wall kinna place. We used to come here every week, couple times a week. We brought friends etc., but after a few times of bad service (server has a bad attitude), we stopped coming. With better service, I would give it a 4-star.
(2)
Sue O.
Was this the place that used to be called "Leave Me Alone"? I came here on a Sat before my chiro appt to order food to go. I ordered Filet Mignon Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Shrimp Chow Mein, and Roast Duck. The Filet Mignon was no bueno. The meat was totally overcooked and tasted like jerky. It came with awesome mushrooms though, which made it an expensive Mushroom with Beef Jerky dish. The Roast Duck was really yummy. I got the appetizer size and it was a good sized portion. The Honey Walnut Shrimp, which is my favorite dish in the world was pretty good and the price was right ($11.95). The restaurant was filled with Chinese people and they were all eating noodle dishes, which I will have to try next time. FYI, they don't give you any free rice with To-Go orders. Boo.
(4)
Jane L.
Recommend soy sauce chicken and won ton soup!!
(4)
Lidiana W.
I love their wonton soup!
(4)
Ego A.
Good quality, clean atmosphere, good taste - consistency. Nice China Cafe is a breath of fresh air for us Chinese food deprived South-Bayers. Empress Pavilion can be gross and since the owner changed a few years back it is not the award winning dining experience it was in the 90s. This really is a good spot for Chinese food. I recommend the wonton noodle soup if you're not into a family style meal. Otherwise, just order away and you can't really go wrong. There area few spicy items on the menu as well which are nice. The eggplant is great and the soy sauce chicken is quite good as well If you go, I recommend going early so as to beat the crowds. Large parties may have troubles as well so call in advanced. The prices are very good as well so if you are looking to eat well on a budget, this is a good bet.
(4)
Lauren C.
Got the wonton noodle soup, char siu (BBQ pork, their specialty), eggplant, duck and soy sauce chicken. Would get the first three again.
(4)
Allen W.
I don't recommend Nice China Cafe unless you enjoy waiting. Went for weekday dinner, and only one waitress to take orders, serve food and clear nine tables. We ended up ordering two dishes plus soup for party of two, and waited almost an hour for something other than tea to be served. Dishes were very mediocre, and definitely not worth the long wait :(
(1)
Pickyeater W.
This is my go to Chinese place in the South bay! Always enjoy -- Beef noodle soup Congee (pork/thousand yr egg) Wonton noodle soup (or just wontons) Beef and egg over rice Beef with wide rice noodles Weekend soup special Roast pork Soy sauce chicken Orange beef (better than sesame beef) String beans House tofu Japanese tofu special It's a home-style Cantonese restaurant. Chef/owner makes all the dishes himself!
(4)
Joe C.
Food and price is OK, but service is down right torrible. The wistress is just rude. She doesn't seem like wanting to be in business and the customers are bothering her. Instead of telling people how long is the wait time, she would say, "we are too busy to serve you." Go somewhere else.
(1)
fmc c.
Food is ok, but the service varies. The owner was visibly upset when my wife and I showed up 30 minutes before they closed. The food quality is ok, but not really consistent.
(2)
Jack H.
This is the worst place I've been to. The employees are mean and rude to customers of all races, even Chinese themselves. I have no idea why so many people gave it 4 stars. The service is horrible. The employee stares at us and rarely speaks. They don't respond to you quickly either. They always seat us at the front with all that dust and wind. We've tried the barbecue pork many times, but it is always burnt and hard like a chicken bone. Out of the entire dish, we could only swallow 1/3 of it, the rest are put aside. Again, why 4 stars, I don't know. But I recommend you to stay out!!!!!
(1)
Eric J.
My wife's parents, who are Chinese, discovered this restaurant some time ago and, since then, our entire extended family has come here regularly. The food is terrific (especially the peking duck) and it is reasonably-priced to boot -- and the service is great.
(5)
H Q.
Very quaint little place. It's cold and rainy and I felt like getting some Won Ton Noodle Soup, so I gave this place a try. The restaurant is pretty small and cramped with tables. I didn't like how I was so close to the other table that when my order came the white guy within arms reach of me asked the person he was with "What's that he's having?" Like I wasn't there or didn't speak English. They were pretty busy and I think there was only two people working there, a host/waiter and the cook. So, service was a little on the slow side. They serve soup with all their lunch specials and I found it kind of funny that I was having soup as an appetizer for soup. It was corn and bean curd and it did make me more anxious for my won ton. When my main course finally came, it looked soooo good!. The portion was fairly large and the won tons were big and plump and there was a lot of noodles. The soup was delicious, too. Not much to say but I liked it. I liked it a lot. I will need to stop by hear again to try their chow mein. I saw it on several people's tables and it looked mouth watering. This place is in no relation to Nice Food in Anaheim (I think) which is "Nice," not "Niiiiiiiccccee." This place is "Niiiiiiicceee."
(4)
Marie B.
Nice China Cafe has the BEST Chinese food in the area! Great portions and you get soup and tea with your meal! Three of us ate for $19.00 (not including tip)! *The Kung Pow Chicken was so yummy!*
(5)
Kelly D.
We have a new champion!... by default. Slow when lone waitress overwhelmed.
(4)
Sherry W.
This cafe is located in a shopping center, next to Trader Joe's, on the PCH in Torrance. It's a cute little restaurant owned by Cantonese people, and like many other chinese restaurants, its interior is decorated with the past month's holiday decorations. I haven't had anything here that I didn't like. I like the soy sauce chicken, the sweet shrimp and walnut, and a tofu & fish dish. All the dishes are authentic, and eating here always allows my palate to reminisce about home cooking...
(4)
Cynthia W.
I love this place! My mom and I always come here....and after a few years, the waitress and waiter already know what we want. You typically get white rice, but if you ask for fried rice (like the second you sit down), then you can get fried rice -- it's great! :) I do love the mapo tofu, steamed fish with black beans (or something like that, haha), and sesame chicken/beef. The chef is also super friendly. :) The only downside of this place is that it is so tiny! But I guess it also gives a sense of "coziness" because its small size.
(4)
Sunny L.
I have eaten Nice China Cafe's food probably about 100 times. I do not exaggerate. What can I say; when my parents commit to a neighborhood restaurant, they *REALLY* commit. I ate here even back when it was under different ownership and had the super-emo name "Leave Me Alone." (Legend has it that the name served as some sort of angry message from the former owner to his father.) At any rate, Nice China Cafe has some pretty great food. Our family favorites include the following (all our descriptions based on Chinese translations into English, because my parents always order so I don't know what the heck the English names are): - shrimp stir-fried with scrambled eggs and chives - the eggs are so tender and fragrant with the chives! - tofu with salted fish and chicken - roast chicken with soy dipping sauce - BBQ pork (this is sometimes just ok) The owner is super-nice and always accommodates my dad's special dietary requests to reduce sodium and oil. I heart Nice China Cafe.
(5)
Henry H.
Finding authentic Chinese food in the South Bay is not easy. Being Chinese and growing up in Hong Kong and later in the San Gabriel Valley, I've gotten to be very critical of Chinese food. I had read about Nice China Cafe here on Yelp and was intrigued. Tucked away in a strip mall that's primarily dominated by little Japanese restaurants, I wouldn't think to look here for Chinese food. Nice China Cafe has all the makings of a great authentic hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant: zero decor, cheap tables crammed together, waiter and waitresses speaking with thick accents, and most important of all: a lot of Chinese diners talking loudly in Mandarin. We ordered from the lunch specials menu which has the typical menu items... General Tso's chicken, sweet and sour pork, shrimp in lobster sauce, etc. The menu's more on the Cantonese style of cooking. They even have wonton noodle soup and BBQ dishes (bbq pork, roasted duck). We ordered beef with green onions, and mabo tofu. The meal came with hot & sour soup. It had a tiny bit of sour, and a tiny bit of hot. I think it was watered down because they were cheap or to cater to westerners. However, the little bit of flavor I was able to taste, it was spot on with good authentic hot & sour soup. The beef and green onions came first. Delicious, and not too greasy like many other restaurants. The green onions were not overcooked so they still had a bit of texture and that sharp bite that you get from green onions. It went very well with a bowl of white rice (included with lunch specials). I think the kitchen cooks one dish for every table before moving on to cooking the second dish because we waited a while to get our mabo tofu, and everyone seemed to be in the same boat. However, it was worth the wait. The mabo tofu was fantastic. Plenty of tofu, right amount of kick, it was exactly how I expected mabo tofu to be. Overall, great food. Will definitely be going back again!
(4)
Jennifer N.
The word is AUTHENTIC... If you crave for AUTHENTIC Cantonese/ Hong Style Delicacy, this is the place!! The owner is the chef so he make sure the food quality is always at its best. Their Roast Duck are so delicious, not too oily and fatty like the ones you buy in Sam woo, not too salty where it tastes bitter. He only makes enough for the day so he keeps them fresh, once they are sold out, they are gone. You should try their fried rice and chow fun/ chow mein dishes as well too. too tasty to pass it by.
(4)
Laura S.
I love this place! I come here, without a doubt, every time I come home! It is my favorite chinese restaurant. Always get the soy sauce chicken, so good. Then there's a tofu dish (don't know what its called) but it's amazing. The house soup is also very good. The desert is a coconut jelly with yellow beans, which is very simple but very tasty. Definitely recommend this place!!
(5)
Christine L.
Oh wow.. thought I'd be the first one to rate this place! Anybody else thought their name was corny? :D Cantonese style comfort food here is pretty authentic. My coworker found this restaurant tucked in the corner of Rolling Hills Plaza. Boy, was I impressed -- BBQ soy sauce chicken in hot pot, mapo tofu with salted fish/chicken, and wonton noodle soup were all DELISH! The wonton soup was very light and refreshing, and the egg noodle was cooked just right. "Nice"..... ;)
(4)
Dee W.
Not bad option for a quick lunch for Chinese food. Overall, service is friendly and quick. Food is decent - we ordered a fish dish, mapo tofu, and a couple vegetable dishes (it was Lenten Friday). My favorite dish there was the fish which was fresh tasting and lightly seasoned. It doesn't look like much from the outside and don't expect too much besides some decent Chinese food at a cheap price. They also have take out if you're in a rush.
(3)
Earl U.
while dining we killed three cockroaches at our table...no apologies
(1)
Parker B.
For a hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant, this place rocks! We have never had a bad meal here. The price is right and the food is tasty. I am giving it a 4 star because you don't go in here expecting gourmet, but it is as good as it gets for the type of restaurant that it is. I would say one of the better Chinese restaurants in the area.
(4)
R C.
The food was ok and service was good, but if you get the woman as a server look out she appeared really rude to the table next to us. Plenty of food, Duck tasted great, though it was a little cool in tempature even though the server indicated it just came up
(3)
Donya M.
Nice cafe.... hmmmm, maybe not so nice? I have to say, it's not bad chinese food for the south bay, however, some of the employees are extremely rude and racist if you do not happen to be asian. how rude? well, let's see.... we went to pick up our food to go, and the person that seemed to be the owner was at the cash register. my husband was ready to pay when he noticed she did not put the rice he had ordered and did not give him any chopsticks or hot sauce. He had to ask for everything one by one, she would not voluntarily give anything. He also asked for some hot sauce, she said they didn't have any, but when the other waiter walked by, he pointed it out to us. like i said, the food is good, but i don't like to support rude people, especially when we are giving them our business.
(2)
Figaro A.
another place hyped up by yelpers (c'mon guys i know you're desperate for authentic chinese food but let's call a spade a spade & not exaggerate). as far as hong kong bbq goes, this place is no sam woo for sure... the roast duck & soy sauce chicken taste bland and dry. sam woo puts extra meat juice on the rice to make it smell so good! chinese food in the south bay still has a LONG way to go. drive the extra few miles and go to SGV.
(3)
Robert G.
Great little restaurant. Attentive staff and great food at a reasonable price. We love to go there. Sesame beef is awesome so is the General's chicken. Highly recommend this restaurant. It is small, like 6 or 7 tables and is family owned and operated.
(5)
Elizabeth S.
food was only ok. Overly salty. Sue's kitchen was better. Service was slow. Would not come back
(1)
J L.
This place is always great for home style chinese food. The peking duck is awesome (Pre-order) and the hot pot specials are always tasty and good. If you don't read chinese ask about the specials. The service is always good, but when the place is full it can be a little slow since its just one person working in the front. The general chicken is pretty good and the bbq pork is tasty.
(4)
Ivy B.
Food was decent but I wasn't blown away. Had the Sesame Beef and the BBQ Pork with Vegetables. The beef was nice and crispy on the outside. Veggies tasted fresh. Pork could have been a bit more flavorful. One thing I must mention; the cafe is right next to a dog groomers and we heard a doggie who must have been having a bath barking throughout most of our meal. It was no big deal but we just found it funny.
(2)
Ernie G.
I hate reading Jonathan Gold. As the food writer for the LA Weekly, he seems to have hit every Chinese joint in the San Gabriel Valley. My mouth waters as he eloquently describes the juicy dumplings or steamed buns of some of his favorite restaurants. But where does that leave us, the gastronomically-impoverished citizens of the South Bay, when we want good Chinese food? One hour commutes don't cut it, especially when your stomach is rumbling. The Nice Cafe, located in the behomoth Rolling Hills Plaza, offers a humble menu of standard dishes. While Mr. Gold probably won't drive all the way to Torrance to sample the food, this six table restaurant shows promise. On our recent visit, we sampled won ton soup, mafo tofu (very good), and a surprisingly tasty sweet sour chicken. Service was attentive.
(3)
R C.
The service was poor and the food was not very good. If you are looking for a Nice portion of food, this might be your place. If you are looking for Nice tasting food then this may not be the place for you. I did not like the food at this place.
(1)
adam p.
This location as long as I can remember has been the location of a hole in the wall Chinese restaurant. Originally the location of "Jimmy's Kitchen", this location in my opinion has always suffers from street presence. After a number of not so good places, finally a decent Chinese restaurant is back at this location. I've always been a fan of Hong Kong style chow-mien (both sides yellow). It's better to eat there in the restaurant when the food is hot. This place tends to be quite busy during lunch hour, so try to get their early. If you order it to go, they will keep the noodles separate so by the time you get home so it won't be soggy. Service can be slow when it gets busy, because they only have one person up front to take your order. The locals seem to know this place is good, so they should do well.
(4)
Seong P.
I lived near this for 5 years and never tried it. Finally tried it after reading yelp. I ordered beef with noodles and wonton soup. Both were very good. Wonton soup was very flavorful.
(4)
Dennis L.
I like the food, but I won't eat in. It's just too small. Feels like I'm eating in the kitchen. Shrimp and eggs is good here.
(4)
Filipina P.
Touting itself as "Hong Kong Style Barbecue", this little hole-in-wall doesn't impress with its decor or its service. There was only one server on a Sunday evening. However, the prices are right, with seafood dishes for $9.95 and other entress starting at $5.50. Lunch is open from 11-3, Tuesday to Sunday and you'll get a whole meal for less than $8. The shrimp lo mein was very garlicky and the noodles were chewy, a nice change from the normally greasy and soft noodles at most places. The orange chicken was a little rubbery but also nicely seasoned. Next time, we'll try the roast pork delight and the roast duck. This is one place to watch.
(3)
Anthony C.
Very, very good Chinese restaurant especially if you make it for their lunch special. Great food at a good price. I recommend getting the General Tao's Chicken. Yes, its a very American dish but I find that this place makes it the best. I usually like to couple that with the Black Bean Sauce Fish or the Mabo Tofu. Their soups are also very good.
(4)
Brent K.
This has quickly become my family's favorite Chinese Restaurant. My kids love the General's Chicken and Sesame Beef. It is a small place and they get busy, but the food IMHO is worh the wait.
(4)
Sarah H.
About three days before we go to visit my in-law's in the South Bay, my husband starts talking about "the chicken." Nice Cafe is one of our favorite places -- we get take-out from there on almost every visit, several times per month, and ate there at lunch on Christmas Day. The soy sauce chicken is so tender and flavorful, the BBQ pork tastes so good, and the shrimp and eggs is also great. The last time we went we tried the filet mignon/mushroom dish and found another favorite. We used to eat here when the restaurant was owned by a different family and served different regional Chinese food -- it's great that the current owners are occupying this space. The staff is very friendly and knows how to make tasty Chinese barbecue!
(4)
Kyle M.
I am astonished by the 4 star reviews this place has. Two words -- gloppy and salty. I am not sure how this is "Hong Kong" style as it is virtually the same food as Panda Express, except more expensive and with a worse ambiance.
(2)
susie y.
I almost never write reviews, but I have to say a few things about Nice Cafe. We love this place because the food is great! It's more homestyle Chinese cooking that is not nearly as greasy as most Chinese restaurants. Our favorites are the Barbque pork fried rice, fish filets with tofu in black bean sauce, black pepper beef filet stir fried with mushrooms, snow pea leaves stir fried with garlic, won ton noodle soup, dry fried string beans, and beef and vegetables in garlic sauce?(called you-shang beef in chinese). We go there every week and either take out or eat there. The prices are so reasonable too, not to mention the A rating that most Chinese restaurants in the area do not have. Five stars for tasty, healthy Chinese food at an unbelievable value!
(5)
Janet L.
a hole-in-the-wall chinese restaurant. they changed their names at least twice in the past years, maybe because of new managers? but their food is still basically your average chinese food. the place is rather small, but quite friendly.
(3)
Michael H.
Nice Cafe is located where Leave Me Alone used to be. With the change in ownership, the style of food completely changed. They now serve Chinese style BBQ and simple comfort dishes. I LOVE this place. Seriously, if this little restaurant doesn't make it, I'll be devastated. The food is excellent. But the dish that I crave is the BBQ soy sauce chicken. As with all their BBQ meats, they make the items fresh daily. They often sell out, so I call early and have them hold an order for me. Guys, this chicken is AMAZINGLY flavorful and juicy. Also, their char siu pork is tender and lean. They have a great tofu dish with salted fish and chicken. Shrimp and eggs is good, it's pretty difficult to mess up that dish though. I've only eaten inside twice. It's pretty small, and I generally find it easier to call in a take out order. But the service is friendly from what I experienced. Try this place out guys..... especially the chicken. I'm giving it 5 stars..... something that I don't often do.
(5)
Chris L.
The service there is nice, the waitress is helpful and polite. But the food is sub-par. Microwaved dumplings, non-fresh bbq, and very ordinary other dishes. Some other people say the place is too small, but its cozy, and the people there are quite nice.
(2)
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Address :2543 Pacific Coast Hwy,Ste B
Torrance, CA, 90505
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
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.
Tiffany V.
Love this little spot for Chinese food while I'm in Torrance. It's very authentic and completely hits the spot when you're craving that Chinese flavor. They have excellent lunch specials with many dishes. I usually get the pan fried noodles with beef and fish filet with vegetables. It's probably best to come here with a large party so that you can order more dishes and eat family style because everything is delicious! Definitely recommend this restaurant!
(5)Aki H.
Nothing really special about this place, there are plenty of better and cheaper Chinese food around the area. I came in for dinner with my family and the place was pretty empty. The portion sizes are way too small for the price and the actual food was of average quality. I would not be coming back here anytime soon.
(2)Kyung E.
Nice China Cafe is located in Rolling Hills Plaza. It is to the right (if you are facing east) of Trader Joe's on the PCH side. I had a hard time finding it, since I didn't know there were businesses on that side. I had to do a walk around the entire block. The plus side is that next time, I know there is a bunch of parking on that side because either no one knows about the stores there, or they are not that popular. ANYWAY, I ordered for lunch: Roast Duck appetizer $7.25: 3 stars. Perfect lunch portion (about 8 pieces), though you can get a half duck for $2 more, I didn't want to eat that much. The duck was good, nothing to complain about. It did not taste or look flash fried, but it was very very oily. Seafood and tofu soup ~$6: 2.5 stars. For some reason I was expecting whole shrimp, but it was chopped up bits of shrimp and white fish. It was not too salty which I appreciated, but not the best soup I have had. Kind of bland. When I walked in to pick up order, the place was completely empty. Not one diner. Even though this is usually a bad sign, the food wasn't bad at all. For some reason, cutlery was not included with my togo order. I got back to the office to realize I had no spoon to eat my soup. Kind of a down moment, and I should have asked, but still...MEH.
(3)Jon T.
Decent.. the food was pretty good but as far as Chinese food goes the prices are a bit high for what you get which surprised me actually since this place looks like a cheap Chinese food place. Don't get me wrong the prices are not HIGH they are just high for what you get, the portions are small so plan on ordering a bit more than what you would normally get. Service was pretty good and you get a complimentary almond jelly dessert at the end which is pretty cool. The food itself tasted pretty good though, just wished they gave us a bit more
(3)George L.
Ate here with my fiancé for lunch. I have been going here since it first opened back when I was in college. The chef is also the owner and he makes his food very well and home style. Our experience yesterday was horrible. The waitress was very rude and inattentive. She serves all other clients that came after us. I had to tell her what comes with the dishes that we ordered. Very unprofessional. I wish the owner can fire her!!!!!! We were so angry that our emotions kept us from enjoying the cook's food. She does not even give us eye contact. I think she purposefully withhold our food. Not sure how come she is like that. The stars is only for the chef. I recommend firing that waitress or at least have her trained. She is young to middle aged Chinese woman That worked on Saturday. She seems new too. Don't want the business to be hurtful to a horrible server.
(2)Diane A.
They are EXTREMELY rude. I don't really write reviews and i have worked in the restaurant business so I am very understanding but I will never be going back again.
(1)Alice C.
Delicious! We got the 1) beef and radish, along with 2) soy sauce duck and 3) fish, tofu and chicken dish. All three were fantastic, especially the fish, tofu and chicken. It was sooo flavorful. Congee is available on the weekends and we got the traditional pork and preserved egg, along with the (melon and shrimp?) The first was spot on. I'd never heard of the later, and while it was tasty, there wasn't anything remarkable, and I hardly saw any ingredients in it at all, besides rice. Service is friendly, the space is clean, but a bit tight. It's in a large shopping center with a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Bed Bath and Beyond and, which is really convenient, if you have errands to run before or after.
(4)I-Lin L.
This restaurant is supposed to be the best Chinese food in the South Bay. It's a tiny, non-descript place hidden in a strip mall, so one wouldn't know about this place other than via word-of-mouth. The joke is that doctors and lawyers eat here, so it must be good! Haha... But really, it's no-frills and not fancy at all, so if the doctors and lawyers we know could shell out their big bucks on other places but choose to come here instead, then you know that the food is good. The Chinese broccoli is sliced thinly and still crunchy. Not oily at all. I think this place is also famous for their roasted duck, which we got a huge platter of. The orange chicken was cut into thin strips, so you could really taste the crunchy coating on every bite, too. Make sure you make reservations in advance, as they will turn you away if there is no space. Dinner for 6 adults came out to just under $90 for 6 dishes.
(4)Kyle M.
I often go to lunch there. cheap and delicious! My favorite is Chinese congee, but we can eat congee just weekend. I'd like to eat weekday too.
(4)Charles M.
My wife and I have visited here several times on weekends for lunch. This is a very authentic Cantonese restaurant. I think the Soy Sauce Chicken is among the best I have ever had. Be sure to order the half chicken so you have some for home :-). The staff is very nice and makes sure we are happy. On our next visit we want to try out the roasted duck.
(4)Hirotaka M.
There's a female waitress here, looks about mid-30s. She didn't even wanna take my order. She acted like I was bugging her for the only 2 min I was there, trying to order take-out. I had to bring up to her if there was anything wrong, then she started giving me the "...what??" thing, so I just found it so absurd and left the place without completing my order. ...What is this place??
(1)Wise C.
Last week I searched for shrimp and string beans and decided to stop in. They charged me 12.95 for a decent portion. I came back tonight and ordered the same thing this time it was $14.95. Mind you the Broccoli Shrimp is $11.95 I substituted green beans for broccoli. When I asked why the dish cost more tonight than last week. The waitress said because that's what the owner told her to charge. I'm never going back.
(1)Eddie C.
Apparently, all the Chinese folks in the Torrance area knew about Nice China Café but me, including my parents, who by the way the waiter greeted have been coming here without their number one son! WTH!? The shopping center that Nice China Café is located in has not been known for restaurants frequented by Chinese folks for authentic food, so I was surprise to find a dining room full of Asians having dinner. I should have figured out from the sound of the conversations going on and by speaking with the waiter that our entrée choices needed to be limited to traditional Cantonese cuisines. Like many Chinese restaurants today, they also saw the need to offer popular choices that cover the spectrum of Chinese cooking. However, with the diverse styles of Chinese cooking, that strategy is bound to fail. This was the case with our Garlic Shrimp dish and beef dish (forgot the name), they both lack the delicate flavors of Cantonese style cooking. The veggie of the day, however, stir fried On-Choy was good, flavorful and tender - full of the delicate flavor that Cantonese cooking is famous for. Based on my dad's recommendation, Nice China Café is supposed to be known for their Chinese BBQ - BBQ Duck and BBQ Pork, I found both to be good but not exceptional. All in all, the food was decent, the service was good and the dining room about average. Next time? Won Ton Noodles - I will definitely give this place another chance to move up their score.
(3)Jenn G.
I keep discovering new items here and I continue to be impressed with the quality of food and the incedible taste! During the holidays, my family ordered two of Nice China Cafe's specialities. We got the nan gua (baked pumpkin and spare ribs) and the soy sauce chicken. The nan gua is not on the menu but a speciality that they make if requested. This is one incredible looking dish. The bowl is basically a freshly baked pumpkin and then it is filled with the insides of the pumpkin and flavorful spare ribs. It's a unique and very flavorful dish. At first bite, you instantly taste the sweetness of the pumpkin and the tenderness of the spare ribs. It's very good, although afterawhile the flavor can get kind of overwhelming. It is best to eat with some plain white rice. The soy sauce chicken is a true winner. If the phrase "winner, winner, chicken dinner" was in the dictionary, there would be a photo of the Nice China Cafe soy sauce chicken. Tender, juicy and tasty, the chicken was simply mouthwatering. I know for a fact that I will be getting this again on a future trip. It is super good. Thanks to Nice China Cafe once again for their deicious food. I look forward to more trips here and to discovering even more yummy Nice China Cafe offerings.
(4)Dangr L.
Absolutely horrible service. Been here for the 30 mins and the only thing that came out was the tea. While other table that came in after us got their dishes the server didn't even acknowledge that us asking for her. Nice China Cafe is anything BUT nice.
(1)Conrad T.
Food is not bad, but not too great. I am giving this place only 2 stars because of the bad service we got from one of the waiters. For those who have gone to Chinese restaurants before, we got our usual free hot and sour soup. The soup we got was no longer warm, and we requested for warm soup. The waiter replied "It's free, if you want hot soup, you have to do an order". Not a place I would like to be eating in the future..
(2)Iakona C.
In the area and really craving wonton noodle soup. Recall seeing this restaurant on Yelp but couldn't remember its name. Walked around Rolling Hills Plaza for what felt like an eternity and gave up trying to find this place. Drove off on PCH and low an behold I see it from the street. A quick U-turn and we're there.... Got in about 12 noonish to a packed joint. Nice lady sitting at a 4-top moved to a 2-top so my family could have a table. For once, having Jr with us paid off. Service a little slow but to be expected as crowded as they were. Here's the rundown: Jr: BBQ Pork and Duck with Rice. All deli bbq meats were well seasoned and tasty. Typical plate with choi in the side. Wifey: Same as Jr but with noodle soup. Okay dish the soup broth somewhat bland Me: Wonton noodle soup. Another okay dish. The soup broth of any soup noodle dish is the most important element. Unfortunately, the broth was not flavorful. Wife's was better mainly b/c it was seasoned with the roast duck jous... An alright experience. Not sure I would come back for these dishes. But did see some delish looking chow fun...
(3)Kristine K.
Wow. I've been coming here since way back in high school, but I'm glad this place is getting a lot of attention. The food is absolutely great, and it has a hole in the wall feel. I'm a big fan of authenticity, so this doesn't bother me, but make sure to enunciate and point at the menu because the servers' English isn't perfect. I like getting the crunchy Hong Kong style noodles (although I did it before the change better. Instead of assorted veggies, they only have bean sprouts now) , honey walnut shrimp (although this one's a bit small), Peking duck, and the Seafood soup. Yum! I like getting take out from here also. Very convenient and yum!
(4)Shazam L.
Rude. Pissy assed attitude. Gal hostess looked like she was pissed that you walked into the restaurant and bothered her.. 1 hour plus from call in for take out to obtain food. Sodium laden x 5 kind of Panda Express quality. To top it off, when we went to pick up food, she told us food wasn't ready after 60 minutes since call in but to pay for it first and come back in 15 minutes. Came back to get food and she said sorry, we made a mistake and charged you for the lunch portion but we only have dinner size even though it was clearly only their lunch menu and asked for another 8 dollars. NEVER EVER again. Don't need to pay for overpriced salt laden food and be pissed on by the Bitchy attitude of the NASTY GAL who acts like you are invading her space when you walk in to pick up your food. The name "Nice" cafe must have been the root of very sick sarcasm! COME here if you want to be abused, ripped off and have high blood pressure.
(1)Lynn R.
Terrible. Place was filthy, everything was sticky, strange texture on "white meat" chicken. Didn't finish the dish, only ate the vegetables. Can't imagine anyone eating here more than once. Hope I don't get sick.
(1)cdsgrp i.
Authentic Cantonese cuisine. Flavors are spot-on and consistently good. Reasonable prices. Popular dishes: Westlake Beef Soup, Roast Duck, Char Siew, Soy Sauce Chicken, Black Pepper Beef with Mushrooms, XO Tofu, Fried Oysters with Chives, Clams, and our favorite desert: Almond Cream with Black Sesame Rice Balls.
(5)Robert R.
Not really a fancy Chinese restaurant. However, the taste of the food makes up for the lack of ambiance. For your first visit, I would suggest to go for lunch since their lunch special covers most of the dishes at very reasonable prices. It even comes with hot and sour soup. Our favorite dishes: Roast Duck (go around Noon or 5:30PM for freshly roasted ducks with hot crispy skin and tender meat). But if you want really indulge yourself: Peking duck with delicious bums. Chashu BBQ pork Minced beef Chowder (add white pepper and vinegar for extra flavor) Orange beef Shrimp with spicy garlic sauce Wonton noodle soup or pan-fried noodle (both are very good) Shrimps with spicy salts Water boiled spicy fish fillets You can pretty much order anything and it can't go wrong. Oh, fyi: the waiters can't speak very well English, sometimes extra patience is required.
(5)Jackie C.
I love the Kung Pao chicken,orange chicken,some green veggies that seemed to have been sautéed in garlic :/ can't remember what specific veggie it was but it was good. Lol
(5)Adrienne S.
The service here is terrible. The foods still good but this service just ruins the whole experience. The waiter does not pay attention to the customers and when he does either forgets half your order or writes the wrong thing down. It was a better restaurant back then.
(2)Lisa A.
I've been here 3 times and it is always good, consistent , friendly and no-nonsense service. I would definitely recommend.
(5)N L.
This is my favorite Chinese food restaurant in the South Bay! They have a simple lunch menu for reasonable prices. The food is great! The owner of the restaurant is also the cook. He uses only the freshest ingredients and does not use MSG in his cooking. I highly recommend this place, you won't be disappointed!
(5)B V.
The staff here especially the only male waiter wins for the most incompetent, lazy, rude and racist I've ever encountered in a Chinese restaurant. Racist because it was clearly visible that the Staff especially the male waiter was only nice and attentive to Chinese speaking customers. Other customers, even Asians like myself and my family, who don't speak Chinese were mostly ignored and not attended to. Our food came out an hour late while the male waiter only laughed and laughed about it with no apologies that it was late. If I had not pointed out that other people's food, who came in after us but spoke Chinese got their food first, the male waiter would have not said anything. I've never witnessed such a lack of intelligence in customer service and bigotry from waiters. Even the second lady waitress was inattentive after requesting water. I can only imagine that the staff here is just uneducated. So that's for the service. To the chef's credit, the food was actually decent giving it 2.5 stars. With other way better Chinese restaurants like PV Palace, Sea Food Port, Sea Empress, and Tasty Kitchen in The South Bay, we won't be coming back here again. We have a lot of Chinese friends who are so nice, it's unfortunate to see this kind of behavior from the staff here. They give Chinese people a bad name.
(1)Nikki O.
So I got the soy sauce chicken that everyone talks about and was very disappointed. Food was cold once we got it and also chicken had lots of bones in it. My boyfriend's mom didn't get her food till about 10-15 minutes after we got our food. She ordered the fish tofu. Service wasn't up to pat either. We weren't checked on and also didn't get refills on our waters. We won't be returning!
(1)April N.
We've been meaning to come here for weeks, but their hours are split. First we went for a late lunch, but they close early and then reopen at dinner. Next we tried to go on a Monday, no luck, they're not open on Mondays. We finally stopped by when they were open. As soon as I walked in I was disappointed. For some reason I got the idea that this place was kind of upscale. No. We walked in and seated ourselves by the window. The waiter was very nice and brought over a pot of hot tea immediately. After ordering my dinner, I looked to my right and noticed the wall. It looked like it had never been cleaned. There was food and sauce residue splashed all over the wall. Pretty disgusting. In spite of all this, the food did taste pretty good, but no way am I dining there again. I will, however, consider calling in an order for pick up.
(3)Loren L.
Very good food vegies have huge flavor meat is tender large portions and the cranky lady that runs the place is funny. Cause i try to make her smile Only once did i get a grin from her.
(4)Rui Y.
food not that impressive, place not clean, service is not good. Have to wait for half hour to order when there are no people.
(1)Iko H.
This restaurant is always my top choice when I go for chinese cuisine. You have to try their roast duck and "fish cooked in water." They are the best and strongly recommended!!!
(5)Annet M.
We call it the "Not so Nice Cafe". We order to go, sometimes we eat in. Usually we are the only non- Chinese people in the place- so we see that as a good sign.The lady answering the phone is never nice, we order, she says "15 minutes" hangs up and never asks for our name or repeats order. We pick up, she says"30 dollar". No thank you, no smile - no emotion. However, bottom line is : food is great, especially the orange beef has a dark rich sauce- very unique. Walnut Shrimp is best around. So we come back for the food, not customer service. So don't expect "nice" but great food.
(4)Joan S.
I discovered this little jewel of a restaurant 3 days ago, and I've been back 2 of the 3 days, that's how much I like it. The first visit I wanted a light dinner, so I got the roast pork with noodles soup. My server (the same friendly lady on both visits) reminded me that the pork is Hong Kong style, i.e. barbecued. There was also bok choy in the soup, and I love bok choy with a passion. It's very close to being my favorite food of all time. So, see the photo of my soup. My server noticed me struggling to eat the loooooog noodles with my chopsticks, and came over with a scissors! Haha she stuck that scissors right into my soup and shortened them noodles! Too cool! At 5:15 pm Friday I was the first guest for dinner, so I got the "first table", right by the window. It's a great table, you get to see the parade of doggies coming from the nearby groomer, as they are picked up by their owners. My heart goes out to the elderly big yellow lab forced to wear huge bows on his ears....... : ( How terribly undignified! Anyway, that soup was some of the best soup ever. I drank a whole pot of hot tea along with it, and dangit I was sweating! TMI? And hey.....no MSG. And my big bowl of soup cost only $7, such a deal. I was reading the menu as I ate, and noticed that the lunch specials are served on weekends, too........Tuesday thru Sunday. I told my server I would be back the next day, Saturday, for lunch. And so I was. This time the place had many diners, but I still got my table by the window. I guess I must be kind of a big deal.....haha................(not). (I'm the dork who needs a fork.......again, not.......). Anyways......this time I got shrimp with green vegetables, hoping for more delicious bok choy. And I was not disappointed. I should have taken a pic of the dish, I forgot. It was loaded with tender large shrimp, broccoli, bok choy, and flat green beans. Holy crap it was amazing. It came with hot & sour soup and steamed rice. Lunch special price: $6.50! The ingredients musta cost more than that. I'm not asking any questions, though, I am just planning to eat almost every meal at Nice Cafe until I get sick of bok choy (never). I love the background music, btw. 80's! Cher, the Eagles....... Woooohoooo! Life is good.
(5)Bea S.
I don't come here often, but the food is always good. Nice little dessert they give you at the end of your meal. :)
(5)FoodLover L.
One of the best Cantonese food restaurants in South Bay. But, service is the worst. It is a tiny hole in a wall kinna place. We used to come here every week, couple times a week. We brought friends etc., but after a few times of bad service (server has a bad attitude), we stopped coming. With better service, I would give it a 4-star.
(2)Sue O.
Was this the place that used to be called "Leave Me Alone"? I came here on a Sat before my chiro appt to order food to go. I ordered Filet Mignon Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Shrimp Chow Mein, and Roast Duck. The Filet Mignon was no bueno. The meat was totally overcooked and tasted like jerky. It came with awesome mushrooms though, which made it an expensive Mushroom with Beef Jerky dish. The Roast Duck was really yummy. I got the appetizer size and it was a good sized portion. The Honey Walnut Shrimp, which is my favorite dish in the world was pretty good and the price was right ($11.95). The restaurant was filled with Chinese people and they were all eating noodle dishes, which I will have to try next time. FYI, they don't give you any free rice with To-Go orders. Boo.
(4)Jane L.
Recommend soy sauce chicken and won ton soup!!
(4)Lidiana W.
I love their wonton soup!
(4)Ego A.
Good quality, clean atmosphere, good taste - consistency. Nice China Cafe is a breath of fresh air for us Chinese food deprived South-Bayers. Empress Pavilion can be gross and since the owner changed a few years back it is not the award winning dining experience it was in the 90s. This really is a good spot for Chinese food. I recommend the wonton noodle soup if you're not into a family style meal. Otherwise, just order away and you can't really go wrong. There area few spicy items on the menu as well which are nice. The eggplant is great and the soy sauce chicken is quite good as well If you go, I recommend going early so as to beat the crowds. Large parties may have troubles as well so call in advanced. The prices are very good as well so if you are looking to eat well on a budget, this is a good bet.
(4)Lauren C.
Got the wonton noodle soup, char siu (BBQ pork, their specialty), eggplant, duck and soy sauce chicken. Would get the first three again.
(4)Allen W.
I don't recommend Nice China Cafe unless you enjoy waiting. Went for weekday dinner, and only one waitress to take orders, serve food and clear nine tables. We ended up ordering two dishes plus soup for party of two, and waited almost an hour for something other than tea to be served. Dishes were very mediocre, and definitely not worth the long wait :(
(1)Pickyeater W.
This is my go to Chinese place in the South bay! Always enjoy -- Beef noodle soup Congee (pork/thousand yr egg) Wonton noodle soup (or just wontons) Beef and egg over rice Beef with wide rice noodles Weekend soup special Roast pork Soy sauce chicken Orange beef (better than sesame beef) String beans House tofu Japanese tofu special It's a home-style Cantonese restaurant. Chef/owner makes all the dishes himself!
(4)Joe C.
Food and price is OK, but service is down right torrible. The wistress is just rude. She doesn't seem like wanting to be in business and the customers are bothering her. Instead of telling people how long is the wait time, she would say, "we are too busy to serve you." Go somewhere else.
(1)fmc c.
Food is ok, but the service varies. The owner was visibly upset when my wife and I showed up 30 minutes before they closed. The food quality is ok, but not really consistent.
(2)Jack H.
This is the worst place I've been to. The employees are mean and rude to customers of all races, even Chinese themselves. I have no idea why so many people gave it 4 stars. The service is horrible. The employee stares at us and rarely speaks. They don't respond to you quickly either. They always seat us at the front with all that dust and wind. We've tried the barbecue pork many times, but it is always burnt and hard like a chicken bone. Out of the entire dish, we could only swallow 1/3 of it, the rest are put aside. Again, why 4 stars, I don't know. But I recommend you to stay out!!!!!
(1)Eric J.
My wife's parents, who are Chinese, discovered this restaurant some time ago and, since then, our entire extended family has come here regularly. The food is terrific (especially the peking duck) and it is reasonably-priced to boot -- and the service is great.
(5)H Q.
Very quaint little place. It's cold and rainy and I felt like getting some Won Ton Noodle Soup, so I gave this place a try. The restaurant is pretty small and cramped with tables. I didn't like how I was so close to the other table that when my order came the white guy within arms reach of me asked the person he was with "What's that he's having?" Like I wasn't there or didn't speak English. They were pretty busy and I think there was only two people working there, a host/waiter and the cook. So, service was a little on the slow side. They serve soup with all their lunch specials and I found it kind of funny that I was having soup as an appetizer for soup. It was corn and bean curd and it did make me more anxious for my won ton. When my main course finally came, it looked soooo good!. The portion was fairly large and the won tons were big and plump and there was a lot of noodles. The soup was delicious, too. Not much to say but I liked it. I liked it a lot. I will need to stop by hear again to try their chow mein. I saw it on several people's tables and it looked mouth watering. This place is in no relation to Nice Food in Anaheim (I think) which is "Nice," not "Niiiiiiiccccee." This place is "Niiiiiiicceee."
(4)Marie B.
Nice China Cafe has the BEST Chinese food in the area! Great portions and you get soup and tea with your meal! Three of us ate for $19.00 (not including tip)! *The Kung Pow Chicken was so yummy!*
(5)Kelly D.
We have a new champion!... by default. Slow when lone waitress overwhelmed.
(4)Sherry W.
This cafe is located in a shopping center, next to Trader Joe's, on the PCH in Torrance. It's a cute little restaurant owned by Cantonese people, and like many other chinese restaurants, its interior is decorated with the past month's holiday decorations. I haven't had anything here that I didn't like. I like the soy sauce chicken, the sweet shrimp and walnut, and a tofu & fish dish. All the dishes are authentic, and eating here always allows my palate to reminisce about home cooking...
(4)Cynthia W.
I love this place! My mom and I always come here....and after a few years, the waitress and waiter already know what we want. You typically get white rice, but if you ask for fried rice (like the second you sit down), then you can get fried rice -- it's great! :) I do love the mapo tofu, steamed fish with black beans (or something like that, haha), and sesame chicken/beef. The chef is also super friendly. :) The only downside of this place is that it is so tiny! But I guess it also gives a sense of "coziness" because its small size.
(4)Sunny L.
I have eaten Nice China Cafe's food probably about 100 times. I do not exaggerate. What can I say; when my parents commit to a neighborhood restaurant, they *REALLY* commit. I ate here even back when it was under different ownership and had the super-emo name "Leave Me Alone." (Legend has it that the name served as some sort of angry message from the former owner to his father.) At any rate, Nice China Cafe has some pretty great food. Our family favorites include the following (all our descriptions based on Chinese translations into English, because my parents always order so I don't know what the heck the English names are): - shrimp stir-fried with scrambled eggs and chives - the eggs are so tender and fragrant with the chives! - tofu with salted fish and chicken - roast chicken with soy dipping sauce - BBQ pork (this is sometimes just ok) The owner is super-nice and always accommodates my dad's special dietary requests to reduce sodium and oil. I heart Nice China Cafe.
(5)Henry H.
Finding authentic Chinese food in the South Bay is not easy. Being Chinese and growing up in Hong Kong and later in the San Gabriel Valley, I've gotten to be very critical of Chinese food. I had read about Nice China Cafe here on Yelp and was intrigued. Tucked away in a strip mall that's primarily dominated by little Japanese restaurants, I wouldn't think to look here for Chinese food. Nice China Cafe has all the makings of a great authentic hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant: zero decor, cheap tables crammed together, waiter and waitresses speaking with thick accents, and most important of all: a lot of Chinese diners talking loudly in Mandarin. We ordered from the lunch specials menu which has the typical menu items... General Tso's chicken, sweet and sour pork, shrimp in lobster sauce, etc. The menu's more on the Cantonese style of cooking. They even have wonton noodle soup and BBQ dishes (bbq pork, roasted duck). We ordered beef with green onions, and mabo tofu. The meal came with hot & sour soup. It had a tiny bit of sour, and a tiny bit of hot. I think it was watered down because they were cheap or to cater to westerners. However, the little bit of flavor I was able to taste, it was spot on with good authentic hot & sour soup. The beef and green onions came first. Delicious, and not too greasy like many other restaurants. The green onions were not overcooked so they still had a bit of texture and that sharp bite that you get from green onions. It went very well with a bowl of white rice (included with lunch specials). I think the kitchen cooks one dish for every table before moving on to cooking the second dish because we waited a while to get our mabo tofu, and everyone seemed to be in the same boat. However, it was worth the wait. The mabo tofu was fantastic. Plenty of tofu, right amount of kick, it was exactly how I expected mabo tofu to be. Overall, great food. Will definitely be going back again!
(4)Jennifer N.
The word is AUTHENTIC... If you crave for AUTHENTIC Cantonese/ Hong Style Delicacy, this is the place!! The owner is the chef so he make sure the food quality is always at its best. Their Roast Duck are so delicious, not too oily and fatty like the ones you buy in Sam woo, not too salty where it tastes bitter. He only makes enough for the day so he keeps them fresh, once they are sold out, they are gone. You should try their fried rice and chow fun/ chow mein dishes as well too. too tasty to pass it by.
(4)Laura S.
I love this place! I come here, without a doubt, every time I come home! It is my favorite chinese restaurant. Always get the soy sauce chicken, so good. Then there's a tofu dish (don't know what its called) but it's amazing. The house soup is also very good. The desert is a coconut jelly with yellow beans, which is very simple but very tasty. Definitely recommend this place!!
(5)Christine L.
Oh wow.. thought I'd be the first one to rate this place! Anybody else thought their name was corny? :D Cantonese style comfort food here is pretty authentic. My coworker found this restaurant tucked in the corner of Rolling Hills Plaza. Boy, was I impressed -- BBQ soy sauce chicken in hot pot, mapo tofu with salted fish/chicken, and wonton noodle soup were all DELISH! The wonton soup was very light and refreshing, and the egg noodle was cooked just right. "Nice"..... ;)
(4)Dee W.
Not bad option for a quick lunch for Chinese food. Overall, service is friendly and quick. Food is decent - we ordered a fish dish, mapo tofu, and a couple vegetable dishes (it was Lenten Friday). My favorite dish there was the fish which was fresh tasting and lightly seasoned. It doesn't look like much from the outside and don't expect too much besides some decent Chinese food at a cheap price. They also have take out if you're in a rush.
(3)Earl U.
while dining we killed three cockroaches at our table...no apologies
(1)Parker B.
For a hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant, this place rocks! We have never had a bad meal here. The price is right and the food is tasty. I am giving it a 4 star because you don't go in here expecting gourmet, but it is as good as it gets for the type of restaurant that it is. I would say one of the better Chinese restaurants in the area.
(4)R C.
The food was ok and service was good, but if you get the woman as a server look out she appeared really rude to the table next to us. Plenty of food, Duck tasted great, though it was a little cool in tempature even though the server indicated it just came up
(3)Donya M.
Nice cafe.... hmmmm, maybe not so nice? I have to say, it's not bad chinese food for the south bay, however, some of the employees are extremely rude and racist if you do not happen to be asian. how rude? well, let's see.... we went to pick up our food to go, and the person that seemed to be the owner was at the cash register. my husband was ready to pay when he noticed she did not put the rice he had ordered and did not give him any chopsticks or hot sauce. He had to ask for everything one by one, she would not voluntarily give anything. He also asked for some hot sauce, she said they didn't have any, but when the other waiter walked by, he pointed it out to us. like i said, the food is good, but i don't like to support rude people, especially when we are giving them our business.
(2)Figaro A.
another place hyped up by yelpers (c'mon guys i know you're desperate for authentic chinese food but let's call a spade a spade & not exaggerate). as far as hong kong bbq goes, this place is no sam woo for sure... the roast duck & soy sauce chicken taste bland and dry. sam woo puts extra meat juice on the rice to make it smell so good! chinese food in the south bay still has a LONG way to go. drive the extra few miles and go to SGV.
(3)Robert G.
Great little restaurant. Attentive staff and great food at a reasonable price. We love to go there. Sesame beef is awesome so is the General's chicken. Highly recommend this restaurant. It is small, like 6 or 7 tables and is family owned and operated.
(5)Elizabeth S.
food was only ok. Overly salty. Sue's kitchen was better. Service was slow. Would not come back
(1)J L.
This place is always great for home style chinese food. The peking duck is awesome (Pre-order) and the hot pot specials are always tasty and good. If you don't read chinese ask about the specials. The service is always good, but when the place is full it can be a little slow since its just one person working in the front. The general chicken is pretty good and the bbq pork is tasty.
(4)Ivy B.
Food was decent but I wasn't blown away. Had the Sesame Beef and the BBQ Pork with Vegetables. The beef was nice and crispy on the outside. Veggies tasted fresh. Pork could have been a bit more flavorful. One thing I must mention; the cafe is right next to a dog groomers and we heard a doggie who must have been having a bath barking throughout most of our meal. It was no big deal but we just found it funny.
(2)Ernie G.
I hate reading Jonathan Gold. As the food writer for the LA Weekly, he seems to have hit every Chinese joint in the San Gabriel Valley. My mouth waters as he eloquently describes the juicy dumplings or steamed buns of some of his favorite restaurants. But where does that leave us, the gastronomically-impoverished citizens of the South Bay, when we want good Chinese food? One hour commutes don't cut it, especially when your stomach is rumbling. The Nice Cafe, located in the behomoth Rolling Hills Plaza, offers a humble menu of standard dishes. While Mr. Gold probably won't drive all the way to Torrance to sample the food, this six table restaurant shows promise. On our recent visit, we sampled won ton soup, mafo tofu (very good), and a surprisingly tasty sweet sour chicken. Service was attentive.
(3)R C.
The service was poor and the food was not very good. If you are looking for a Nice portion of food, this might be your place. If you are looking for Nice tasting food then this may not be the place for you. I did not like the food at this place.
(1)adam p.
This location as long as I can remember has been the location of a hole in the wall Chinese restaurant. Originally the location of "Jimmy's Kitchen", this location in my opinion has always suffers from street presence. After a number of not so good places, finally a decent Chinese restaurant is back at this location. I've always been a fan of Hong Kong style chow-mien (both sides yellow). It's better to eat there in the restaurant when the food is hot. This place tends to be quite busy during lunch hour, so try to get their early. If you order it to go, they will keep the noodles separate so by the time you get home so it won't be soggy. Service can be slow when it gets busy, because they only have one person up front to take your order. The locals seem to know this place is good, so they should do well.
(4)Seong P.
I lived near this for 5 years and never tried it. Finally tried it after reading yelp. I ordered beef with noodles and wonton soup. Both were very good. Wonton soup was very flavorful.
(4)Dennis L.
I like the food, but I won't eat in. It's just too small. Feels like I'm eating in the kitchen. Shrimp and eggs is good here.
(4)Filipina P.
Touting itself as "Hong Kong Style Barbecue", this little hole-in-wall doesn't impress with its decor or its service. There was only one server on a Sunday evening. However, the prices are right, with seafood dishes for $9.95 and other entress starting at $5.50. Lunch is open from 11-3, Tuesday to Sunday and you'll get a whole meal for less than $8. The shrimp lo mein was very garlicky and the noodles were chewy, a nice change from the normally greasy and soft noodles at most places. The orange chicken was a little rubbery but also nicely seasoned. Next time, we'll try the roast pork delight and the roast duck. This is one place to watch.
(3)Anthony C.
Very, very good Chinese restaurant especially if you make it for their lunch special. Great food at a good price. I recommend getting the General Tao's Chicken. Yes, its a very American dish but I find that this place makes it the best. I usually like to couple that with the Black Bean Sauce Fish or the Mabo Tofu. Their soups are also very good.
(4)Brent K.
This has quickly become my family's favorite Chinese Restaurant. My kids love the General's Chicken and Sesame Beef. It is a small place and they get busy, but the food IMHO is worh the wait.
(4)Sarah H.
About three days before we go to visit my in-law's in the South Bay, my husband starts talking about "the chicken." Nice Cafe is one of our favorite places -- we get take-out from there on almost every visit, several times per month, and ate there at lunch on Christmas Day. The soy sauce chicken is so tender and flavorful, the BBQ pork tastes so good, and the shrimp and eggs is also great. The last time we went we tried the filet mignon/mushroom dish and found another favorite. We used to eat here when the restaurant was owned by a different family and served different regional Chinese food -- it's great that the current owners are occupying this space. The staff is very friendly and knows how to make tasty Chinese barbecue!
(4)Kyle M.
I am astonished by the 4 star reviews this place has. Two words -- gloppy and salty. I am not sure how this is "Hong Kong" style as it is virtually the same food as Panda Express, except more expensive and with a worse ambiance.
(2)susie y.
I almost never write reviews, but I have to say a few things about Nice Cafe. We love this place because the food is great! It's more homestyle Chinese cooking that is not nearly as greasy as most Chinese restaurants. Our favorites are the Barbque pork fried rice, fish filets with tofu in black bean sauce, black pepper beef filet stir fried with mushrooms, snow pea leaves stir fried with garlic, won ton noodle soup, dry fried string beans, and beef and vegetables in garlic sauce?(called you-shang beef in chinese). We go there every week and either take out or eat there. The prices are so reasonable too, not to mention the A rating that most Chinese restaurants in the area do not have. Five stars for tasty, healthy Chinese food at an unbelievable value!
(5)Janet L.
a hole-in-the-wall chinese restaurant. they changed their names at least twice in the past years, maybe because of new managers? but their food is still basically your average chinese food. the place is rather small, but quite friendly.
(3)Michael H.
Nice Cafe is located where Leave Me Alone used to be. With the change in ownership, the style of food completely changed. They now serve Chinese style BBQ and simple comfort dishes. I LOVE this place. Seriously, if this little restaurant doesn't make it, I'll be devastated. The food is excellent. But the dish that I crave is the BBQ soy sauce chicken. As with all their BBQ meats, they make the items fresh daily. They often sell out, so I call early and have them hold an order for me. Guys, this chicken is AMAZINGLY flavorful and juicy. Also, their char siu pork is tender and lean. They have a great tofu dish with salted fish and chicken. Shrimp and eggs is good, it's pretty difficult to mess up that dish though. I've only eaten inside twice. It's pretty small, and I generally find it easier to call in a take out order. But the service is friendly from what I experienced. Try this place out guys..... especially the chicken. I'm giving it 5 stars..... something that I don't often do.
(5)Chris L.
The service there is nice, the waitress is helpful and polite. But the food is sub-par. Microwaved dumplings, non-fresh bbq, and very ordinary other dishes. Some other people say the place is too small, but its cozy, and the people there are quite nice.
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