Ok so we all know that Chinese food is terrible for you. But lets get real. That just makes it even more amazing! I go to shanghai waaaay too often, but my gym membership keeps my waistline in check ;) I usually order the sesame chicken combo with vegetable fried rice with an egg added to it with a wonton soup, and a small shrimp lo mein. I'm actually eating it while I'm writing this review! The food is solid, and the vegetables in the rice are always fresh. The broccoli in it is especially yummy, and makes me feel lest guilty. There is always a good amount of bite size shrimp in the lo mein, and the wontons in the soup are delicious. The food is always hot. The crab wontons, chicken with broccoli and bourbon chicken are all equally delicious. I really appreciate that with the bourbon chicken, the onions that come with it are well cooked, showing that they put time into preparing the food instead of just tossing some onions in a pan for 30 seconds. One negative thing would be the red headed male at the register/on the phone. He is rude and fails at simple tasks such as repeating back an order. You will be better off if the nice Chinese lady answers the phone :) Did I mention they deliver?? I live within a 3 mile radius, so it's free of charge! Perfect for a lazy Saturday afternoon with the boyfriend!
(4)
Shane F.
This is the best Chinese place in Gulf Breeze. The prices are very affordable and you get a lot of food. The food quality is also very good, and the best thing is THEY DELIVER!!!!!!! and when they say they will be to your house in 20-30mins that's when they will be there. This place is great I will be ordering from here more often. I am glad we finally got a Chinese place in Gulf Breeze that delivers.
(5)
M S.
Man this is truly not only the absolute worst Chinese food I have ever had the misfortune to eat, but the worst food I have ever had in my whole life. For some reason a very elderly relative likes this place so we decided to treat her to lunch here. Well I guess when you are in your 80s and all your taste buds have died, you're nearly blind, have no sense of smell left, and you have a stomach of steel, you can handle this nasty food. First, walk in and the place smells bad. That should have been my warning but I had already unloaded my aunt and her walker, and my husband and kids. The staff was not friendly. I ordered general tso's chicken with wonton soup. The soup literally tasted like what I would imagine dirty dish water to taste like. The wontons were so dried out they were brown and crispy around the edged, even sitting in the broth. They were literally inedible. The chicken was mostly breading with very little chicken hidden in the sticky sauce. The pork fried rice had no flavor at all (for which I was grateful). My husband got pork lo mein and it was disgustingly oily. My son got chicken wings and they were also disgustingly greasy and the meat had taken on a dark yellow color! Horrid! We got drinks from their tepid fridge and they had no ice. I was unable to eat much of my meal but forced some down to appease my elderly aunt. Let us just say that our toilet got more action than a prostitute at Mardi Gras. We were all sick as dogs for 2 whole days. Not food poisoning level sick, but a cousin to it. Do not eat here unless your plans include frequent trips to a toilet for a few days.
(1)
Erin P.
Guess I should have thoroughly checked the reviews before ordering take out here. YIKES! Ordered the Sesame Shrimp and Chinese Vegetables with steamed tofu. (also threw in a spring roll and egg roll). While the spring and egg roll were edible, the sesame shrimp was horrific. Took one bite and spit it out. Tasted like cardboard. The Chinese vegetables and tofu? What vegetables? Seriously -- there was about three sliced carrots, five sugar snap peas and one yes ONE slice of water chestnut. White rice tasted like it was a week old. If you are craving Chinese -- avoid this place!
(1)
Tansey T.
Typical Americanized Chinese carry out. If anyone considers this Chinese food, then they have never ate an authentic Chinese dish. I understand that this is a carry out, but to consider this anything other that below average food is stretching reality. I have spent most of my life in big cities that have China towns and markets. So, IF you are in a area with such great seafood, why waste your time with such low expectations. Folks....there are way better options for you. Just my thoughts, don't say you weren't warned.
(1)
Cris R.
While it's typical "Americanized" Chinese food, it's still pretty good, and doesn't cost much. The delivery is always fast, about 20-25 minutes on average).
(4)
Sandi M.
We just moved to the area and Shang Hai is the BEST delivery chinese food so far. We've ordered a few times and everything is always great! We've tried General Tsaos, Honey Chicken, Orange Chicken, Bourbon Chicken, Beef Low Mein, Cheese wontons. The fried rice is some of the best I've tasted. The Egg drop soup is very good too. You can even order online and get it delivered for FREE. :)
(5)
Jaime G.
FYI: I am a different Jaime G, not the one that commented previously :) My husband gives this a 3 and I give it a 4. My husband got curry chicken and said it was not flavorful enough (but he's the one that asked for it to be mild--normally it has some more spice). He also got fried dumplings and those were delicious. We got bourbon chicken for our daughter and we added broccoli. She loved it (she's three and very picky). It came with white rice (or fried rice if you wish) and an egg roll. The egg roll was pretty good. I got Mongolian chicken and was not very impressed, but I forgot to ask them to make it extra spicy. I also got hot and sour soup and it was delicious! Very fresh tasting. Definitely not slimy like some other restaurants do. The customer service was outstanding. We went in there about 45 minutes before closing (1030 pm) and it looked like the whole family was in there. They were all very kind and happy to make our dishes the way we wanted them (add this, take out that, etc.).
(3)
Jaime G.
I have to bring up an issue with the person taking our order on the phone. When asked how the chicken wings were, the response was "I am a vegetarian." Having seen the menu, one would beg the question, "With 95% of the food available containing meat, why would the first line of contact be someone who has no experience with the fare of the restaurant?" One's mouth literally drops when hearing this answer. Not just an answer, but an emphatic statement of purpose. The purpose seeming to be: "I really can't help you except to take your money in exchange for eating the flesh of helpless creatures born into a world of pain and suffering and your karma is at risk from here until you reach my state of enlightenment." That being said, we got our flesh in a very timely manner. But the food was not impressive, in fact it was standard at best, The fried rice was orange in color, the dumplings were very doughy and had some strange ball of meat in the middle. The shrimp toast was subpar and the Moo Goo Gai Pan was sloppy and the vegetables were stringy. If you order anything with scallops, they are the size of fingertips as best. James Kitchen in Gulf Breeze ws much better in fact. We would not recommend Shang Hai for anyone who knows real Chinese food.
(1)
Sean A.
This is definitely a go to spot for Chinese food in Gulf Breeze or for the beach community. The food is always flavorful. I highly recommend this restaurant. It's been our favorite for the last five years. Do yourself a favor though, eat inside the restaurant. I prefer to eat the food fresh so I always dine in.
(5)
William W.
UPDATE: i became pretty seriously ill / queasy / crampish / pukey for about ten hours or so later in the evening following the admittedly tasty dinner reviewed below... had nothing other than Soy Milk & Graham crackers afterwards that evening AND another member of the house who had a bite or two of my selected dishes described an unpleasant "Urgent" need to visit the ladies room later the next day, SSSSSO - not good for this place & I'm going to see if Gulf Breeze / Santa Rosa County has any info concerning issues... Background: I visit Gulf Breeze / Pensacola two or three times a year from Houston, Texas! and this evening the Man of the house ordered Chinese delivery since Mom was out at sorority meeting. What was ordered: Broccoli w/ spicy Garlic Sauce* [$6.80] + Beef w/ Mushrooms* [small] [$4.70] + Pork Fried Rice [small] [$4.20] - the potions were large in containers which allowed easy division or storage. * steamed white rice included General: prices listed in the in-line menu are one USD below the current prices & an update would be nice as would a complete menu since the printed copied which came along with the delivery was even larger than the LARGE variety shown on-line. Delivery was quick and food was HOT! to the single digit block of Camellia Street in Gulf Breeze "proper"; essentially right behind the police / fire station. Menu promises "NO MSG" and "100% VEGETABLE OIL" The food: Broccoli w/ spicy Garlic Sauce was VERY generous portion & included carrots, baby corn, green peppers, water chestnuts, green onion, onion and the sauce was nice & sticky if a bit greasy... spice level was about right for a "single pepper" rating although for sensitive tongues it should be made "plain". Beef w/ Mushrooms had VERY tender meat in a mild, very light brown sauce [almost a broth] that complimented the water chestnuts, green onion, snow peas and Proper Mushrooms... no canned nonsense as far as I could tell. Pork Fried Rice has a nice consistency - not to greasy not falling apart - and the pork is not stingy although it is certainly a more basic dish on a menu that boasts excellent variety and [as far as I could tell] outstanding execution. BONUS ROUND: the steamed rice is MADE for eating with chopsticks SO if you like to eat with sticks [me] or are just learning the preferred method of eating in most of the world then its a real bonus... silly American fluffy rice ;)~ . Complaints / Criticisms: I was unable to locate any nutritional information & this is becoming more common place in dining establishments, so dieters order cautiously as always I do NOT like green peppers and their presence in the Broccoli w/ spicy Garlic Sauce was a little off putting BUT the pieces were large enough to easily remove... the menu lacks detail SO if you dislike something the way I dislike bell / green peppers then be certain to ask since "special orders" don't seem to be a problem. Summary: a real score for delivery of Good to Great Chinese & i will certainly try to steer the family unit towards the brick & mortar location - in the same center with the Wally Mart Neighborhood Market - for the lunch buffet and / or some more trolling through the LARGE menu... did I mention their menu has a wide variety ? ;)~ Peaxe, Max, Rev. D., s999
(3)
Sarah K.
As far as the nitty, gritty "Chinese" places go, this place is pretty solid. The delivery and cook up is fast and the food is good. It's pretty clean for an establishment of this variety and you can get the usual fair.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Bike Parking : 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.
Emily A.
Ok so we all know that Chinese food is terrible for you. But lets get real. That just makes it even more amazing! I go to shanghai waaaay too often, but my gym membership keeps my waistline in check ;) I usually order the sesame chicken combo with vegetable fried rice with an egg added to it with a wonton soup, and a small shrimp lo mein. I'm actually eating it while I'm writing this review! The food is solid, and the vegetables in the rice are always fresh. The broccoli in it is especially yummy, and makes me feel lest guilty. There is always a good amount of bite size shrimp in the lo mein, and the wontons in the soup are delicious. The food is always hot. The crab wontons, chicken with broccoli and bourbon chicken are all equally delicious. I really appreciate that with the bourbon chicken, the onions that come with it are well cooked, showing that they put time into preparing the food instead of just tossing some onions in a pan for 30 seconds. One negative thing would be the red headed male at the register/on the phone. He is rude and fails at simple tasks such as repeating back an order. You will be better off if the nice Chinese lady answers the phone :) Did I mention they deliver?? I live within a 3 mile radius, so it's free of charge! Perfect for a lazy Saturday afternoon with the boyfriend!
(4)Shane F.
This is the best Chinese place in Gulf Breeze. The prices are very affordable and you get a lot of food. The food quality is also very good, and the best thing is THEY DELIVER!!!!!!! and when they say they will be to your house in 20-30mins that's when they will be there. This place is great I will be ordering from here more often. I am glad we finally got a Chinese place in Gulf Breeze that delivers.
(5)M S.
Man this is truly not only the absolute worst Chinese food I have ever had the misfortune to eat, but the worst food I have ever had in my whole life. For some reason a very elderly relative likes this place so we decided to treat her to lunch here. Well I guess when you are in your 80s and all your taste buds have died, you're nearly blind, have no sense of smell left, and you have a stomach of steel, you can handle this nasty food. First, walk in and the place smells bad. That should have been my warning but I had already unloaded my aunt and her walker, and my husband and kids. The staff was not friendly. I ordered general tso's chicken with wonton soup. The soup literally tasted like what I would imagine dirty dish water to taste like. The wontons were so dried out they were brown and crispy around the edged, even sitting in the broth. They were literally inedible. The chicken was mostly breading with very little chicken hidden in the sticky sauce. The pork fried rice had no flavor at all (for which I was grateful). My husband got pork lo mein and it was disgustingly oily. My son got chicken wings and they were also disgustingly greasy and the meat had taken on a dark yellow color! Horrid! We got drinks from their tepid fridge and they had no ice. I was unable to eat much of my meal but forced some down to appease my elderly aunt. Let us just say that our toilet got more action than a prostitute at Mardi Gras. We were all sick as dogs for 2 whole days. Not food poisoning level sick, but a cousin to it. Do not eat here unless your plans include frequent trips to a toilet for a few days.
(1)Erin P.
Guess I should have thoroughly checked the reviews before ordering take out here. YIKES! Ordered the Sesame Shrimp and Chinese Vegetables with steamed tofu. (also threw in a spring roll and egg roll). While the spring and egg roll were edible, the sesame shrimp was horrific. Took one bite and spit it out. Tasted like cardboard. The Chinese vegetables and tofu? What vegetables? Seriously -- there was about three sliced carrots, five sugar snap peas and one yes ONE slice of water chestnut. White rice tasted like it was a week old. If you are craving Chinese -- avoid this place!
(1)Tansey T.
Typical Americanized Chinese carry out. If anyone considers this Chinese food, then they have never ate an authentic Chinese dish. I understand that this is a carry out, but to consider this anything other that below average food is stretching reality. I have spent most of my life in big cities that have China towns and markets. So, IF you are in a area with such great seafood, why waste your time with such low expectations. Folks....there are way better options for you. Just my thoughts, don't say you weren't warned.
(1)Cris R.
While it's typical "Americanized" Chinese food, it's still pretty good, and doesn't cost much. The delivery is always fast, about 20-25 minutes on average).
(4)Sandi M.
We just moved to the area and Shang Hai is the BEST delivery chinese food so far. We've ordered a few times and everything is always great! We've tried General Tsaos, Honey Chicken, Orange Chicken, Bourbon Chicken, Beef Low Mein, Cheese wontons. The fried rice is some of the best I've tasted. The Egg drop soup is very good too. You can even order online and get it delivered for FREE. :)
(5)Jaime G.
FYI: I am a different Jaime G, not the one that commented previously :) My husband gives this a 3 and I give it a 4. My husband got curry chicken and said it was not flavorful enough (but he's the one that asked for it to be mild--normally it has some more spice). He also got fried dumplings and those were delicious. We got bourbon chicken for our daughter and we added broccoli. She loved it (she's three and very picky). It came with white rice (or fried rice if you wish) and an egg roll. The egg roll was pretty good. I got Mongolian chicken and was not very impressed, but I forgot to ask them to make it extra spicy. I also got hot and sour soup and it was delicious! Very fresh tasting. Definitely not slimy like some other restaurants do. The customer service was outstanding. We went in there about 45 minutes before closing (1030 pm) and it looked like the whole family was in there. They were all very kind and happy to make our dishes the way we wanted them (add this, take out that, etc.).
(3)Jaime G.
I have to bring up an issue with the person taking our order on the phone. When asked how the chicken wings were, the response was "I am a vegetarian." Having seen the menu, one would beg the question, "With 95% of the food available containing meat, why would the first line of contact be someone who has no experience with the fare of the restaurant?" One's mouth literally drops when hearing this answer. Not just an answer, but an emphatic statement of purpose. The purpose seeming to be: "I really can't help you except to take your money in exchange for eating the flesh of helpless creatures born into a world of pain and suffering and your karma is at risk from here until you reach my state of enlightenment." That being said, we got our flesh in a very timely manner. But the food was not impressive, in fact it was standard at best, The fried rice was orange in color, the dumplings were very doughy and had some strange ball of meat in the middle. The shrimp toast was subpar and the Moo Goo Gai Pan was sloppy and the vegetables were stringy. If you order anything with scallops, they are the size of fingertips as best. James Kitchen in Gulf Breeze ws much better in fact. We would not recommend Shang Hai for anyone who knows real Chinese food.
(1)Sean A.
This is definitely a go to spot for Chinese food in Gulf Breeze or for the beach community. The food is always flavorful. I highly recommend this restaurant. It's been our favorite for the last five years. Do yourself a favor though, eat inside the restaurant. I prefer to eat the food fresh so I always dine in.
(5)William W.
UPDATE: i became pretty seriously ill / queasy / crampish / pukey for about ten hours or so later in the evening following the admittedly tasty dinner reviewed below... had nothing other than Soy Milk & Graham crackers afterwards that evening AND another member of the house who had a bite or two of my selected dishes described an unpleasant "Urgent" need to visit the ladies room later the next day, SSSSSO - not good for this place & I'm going to see if Gulf Breeze / Santa Rosa County has any info concerning issues... Background: I visit Gulf Breeze / Pensacola two or three times a year from Houston, Texas! and this evening the Man of the house ordered Chinese delivery since Mom was out at sorority meeting. What was ordered: Broccoli w/ spicy Garlic Sauce* [$6.80] + Beef w/ Mushrooms* [small] [$4.70] + Pork Fried Rice [small] [$4.20] - the potions were large in containers which allowed easy division or storage. * steamed white rice included General: prices listed in the in-line menu are one USD below the current prices & an update would be nice as would a complete menu since the printed copied which came along with the delivery was even larger than the LARGE variety shown on-line. Delivery was quick and food was HOT! to the single digit block of Camellia Street in Gulf Breeze "proper"; essentially right behind the police / fire station. Menu promises "NO MSG" and "100% VEGETABLE OIL" The food: Broccoli w/ spicy Garlic Sauce was VERY generous portion & included carrots, baby corn, green peppers, water chestnuts, green onion, onion and the sauce was nice & sticky if a bit greasy... spice level was about right for a "single pepper" rating although for sensitive tongues it should be made "plain". Beef w/ Mushrooms had VERY tender meat in a mild, very light brown sauce [almost a broth] that complimented the water chestnuts, green onion, snow peas and Proper Mushrooms... no canned nonsense as far as I could tell. Pork Fried Rice has a nice consistency - not to greasy not falling apart - and the pork is not stingy although it is certainly a more basic dish on a menu that boasts excellent variety and [as far as I could tell] outstanding execution. BONUS ROUND: the steamed rice is MADE for eating with chopsticks SO if you like to eat with sticks [me] or are just learning the preferred method of eating in most of the world then its a real bonus... silly American fluffy rice ;)~ . Complaints / Criticisms: I was unable to locate any nutritional information & this is becoming more common place in dining establishments, so dieters order cautiously as always I do NOT like green peppers and their presence in the Broccoli w/ spicy Garlic Sauce was a little off putting BUT the pieces were large enough to easily remove... the menu lacks detail SO if you dislike something the way I dislike bell / green peppers then be certain to ask since "special orders" don't seem to be a problem. Summary: a real score for delivery of Good to Great Chinese & i will certainly try to steer the family unit towards the brick & mortar location - in the same center with the Wally Mart Neighborhood Market - for the lunch buffet and / or some more trolling through the LARGE menu... did I mention their menu has a wide variety ? ;)~ Peaxe, Max, Rev. D., s999
(3)Sarah K.
As far as the nitty, gritty "Chinese" places go, this place is pretty solid. The delivery and cook up is fast and the food is good. It's pretty clean for an establishment of this variety and you can get the usual fair.
(4)