4. Restaurants

Kai Garden

116 S Main St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104
  • (734) 995-1786
  • Store is closed

Kai Garden Menu

  • Appetizers
  • Soup
  • Salad
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Sweet And Sour
  • Fried Rice

Healthy Meal suggestions for Kai Garden

  • Appetizers
  • Soup
  • Salad
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Sweet And Sour
  • Fried Rice

  • Linda K.

    We've been coming to Kai Garden for 17 years now and will go nowhere else for Chinese food. Kai and Tina are like family. I hope the current health crisis with the member of their family will resolve favorably for all. Best wishes and thinking of all you.

    (5)

  • Peter H.

    This is my favorite Chinese Restaurant in Ann Arbor. I love the mongolian beef and I love egg rolls. Their egg rolls are prepared fresh and come out crispy. They have a mix of vegetable inside and not just cabbage like some places. Side note: Kai Garden is currently closed indefinitely. I can tell after reading comments on here that a lot of people are angry. I know the owners (husband and wife). Unfortunately, the husband is battling cancer right now, and the focus of the family is on him. Please cut them some slack and have patience and understanding.

    (5)

  • David B.

    I jus had about the worst restaurant experience of my life at this place. I get that it was New Year's Day and few places were open. They were, so I walked in at 6:45 and ordered takeout for my 7:38 train out of town. Guy at the counter takes the order and says it will be 15 minutes. Cool. Then, things went south. 7:00 comes and goes. The cab I called for 7:10 arrives and is nice enough to wait for a few minutes. I politely ask the guy at the front of Kai Gardens how much longer. He tells me my order is being cooked now and should be out very soon. Great. Another 10 minutes goes by without my order. It's been 30 minutes and now the guy at the front has retreated to the kitchen. He isn't coming back out. My cab leaves. I make a stronger play to know when my order will be coming out. The only waitress comes over to the counter after 5 minutes and asks what I am waiting for. She goes in to the kitchen and then comes back out and says it will be ready soon. Two more customers show up for their orders. Nothing. It's now 7:25 and make or break tine. I have been waiting 40 minutes and need to get to my train. I am forward with the waitress and tell her I need to know specifically how much longer. She goes back to the kitchen, comes out, washes her hands, gets rice and drinks for a few tables, tells me the curry is taking a while. It is 7:28 and my train is going to get to the station in 10 minutes. I call another cab and hope the food arrives in time. The cab shows up and I decide to leave. I tell the other customers waiting for their orders they can have mine or give it to the homeless. It's ok if you are busy, but don't tell me it will be 15 minutes when it will take longer than 45 and then hide in the back. Be honest at least.

    (1)

  • Olivia P.

    Best. Chinese. Food. In Ann Arbor. Hands down. I've tried many dishes here and my personal favorites are: 1) chicken and salted fish fried rice (huge portion, extremely well fried with wok hei/"breath of the wok") 2) taro duck (order as soon as you sit down because it takes longer to prepare than other dishes. Basically a layer of taro on top of the duck and fried together.) 3) salt and pepper squid (Kai garden's take on calamari. The topping is addictive!) 4) kang kong ma la jiang (morning glory stir fried with a chilli paste) Yes the portrait menu in the binder is extensive, but PLEASE try ordering from the laminated landscape menu that is just 1 double-sided sheet long. Actually, I insist you do. That menu is FAR more authentic and it has English translations. You won't be disappointed!

    (4)

  • Randy G.

    This is the real deal if you want it to be. You can get the American Chinese food if you wish but why when they offer real Chinese that allows you to experience the culture. I heard they offered pigs ears and knew I had to try that. I stopped in to JUST try the pigs ears and ended eating that, pigs intestines, and pork hock with jelly fish. I would have tried more except I already eaten dinner before stopping in for "desert". Lol. This food will excite your eyes, challenge your imagination, and wow your taste buds. The pigs ears, I didn't even know what it would look like or how it's prepared, but learned quickly that it's sliced thinly and prepared in a delicious spicy Chinese sauce. They are a bit chewy, which is what I expected, but not as bad as I thought. It was much more tender than I imagined. It was a great start. The pig intestines were prepared with the same marinate and spices as BBQ spare ribs. BBQ flavored, not really spicy at all, but also served with some salt to dip it in. The salty and sweet of the two work really well. It does have a gritty'ish flavor, I mean it is intestines, so expect that. It however was better tasting than other intestine dishes were I had them just sautéed or cooked in sauces. Lastly was the pork hock and jelly fish. The pork hock was actually nothing special, great tasting, but not some crazy exotic flavor to shock you. It's like eating some pieces of pork. The jelly fish add some flavor and mostly texture to the pork. They are also marinated well, sweet, to help compliment the pork's heartiness. The staff was amazing. They were so helpful in helping us pick some of the dishes, even though they were laughing at us the ehole time. Lol. I think they were so excited to see these non-Chinese patrons eating this food. It's worth the drive to Ann arbor, I would easily do it again.

    (5)

  • Three Dog Night T.

    Guess what fellow lunch yelpers...the Kai Garden has closed down lunch service on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. A hand written sign on their door greeted our lunch party as we walked from Campus to Main just for their delicious congee! Closed. Open for dinner service only. Now no Chinese old school restaurants exist on Main...if you want your fix of Asian specialties, hang around campus, gang. On a food level, I rate the place easily a four star establishment. On a management level...too bad. This bodes poorly for the future. Others have noted a decline in service. Well now, no service until 4 pm.

    (1)

  • Cary P.

    Place was empty on a Sunday, probably due to the bad weather. First the positives. Inside was very clean, nicely laid out, and the people working there were quite nice. Asked if I needed suggestions and took interest in what type of cuisine I like. Unfortunately, this is where the highlights end. I opted for the Dried Noodle/Chicken Broccoli plate. Not sure if I picked the wrong sauce or what, but there was very little taste to anything and the only thing I had running through my mind while I ate was "blandness". They seem to have a vast selection, so will probably give it another go before I write the place off.

    (2)

  • Abi J.

    Came here on the recommendation of someone who is from China and said it was super authentic. Overall I had a good time but there were a few things I didn't like. The ambiance was kind of weird. They were playing jazz music and it was dead silent in the restaurant- even though there were at least 4 tables with guests. The decor needs an update- I was surprised by how outdated it was- especially when they have prime real estate on Main street. Putting those minor complaints aside, the restaurant was clean, had a/c, and I didn't feel like I was eating complete crap. Anyway, the good was the food. Ordered crab rangoons and they were good. They were not as deep fried as other places and they seemed smaller. Every place is different- I think they just used a different pastry crust or something. The wonton soup was okay- kind of salty but good. The egg rolls were very tasty, In general I thought the portions were appropriate for splitting. I split the chicken szechuan and the orange chicken. I preferred the chicken szechuan with brown rice. I would consider coming back- possibly to try some of the more traditional dishes.

    (3)

  • Sandra C.

    Very very very bad service!! We have been there 2 weeks ago, and experienced a long waiting and unpleasant service. The waitress looked so busy but she only carried 1 item a time walking between tables and kitchen area. We asked 2 times for just waters, but she was so impatient to our requests. We waited for about 30 minutes and left without getting any service or even a glass of water. It was not a busy time, and only 4 tables of guests need to serve. I would not give them this star if possible.

    (1)

  • Melissah L.

    I'm sorry to say it but the nicest word I am willing to use to describe Kai Garden is "underwhelming". My boyfriend and I made the trek to Main Street from campus for lunch today. Since I usually grab a quick bite to eat from the Union or South U on school days, this basically constituted as a middle of the day date. I was impressed upon walking into the restaurant as the room has a nice ambiance (in a cheesy Chinese-restaurant sort of way) and is very spacious. My appreciation ended there though... because thereafter I was repeatedly disappointed with every dish I tried. From the tea cup-sized bowls of flavorless soup to rubbery beef and Panda Express-like sauces, I'm sorry to say Kai Garden will just never be my go-to Chinese restaurant. To be fair, I recognize that many dinnertime experiences are better than lunch-- so Kai Garden can still have three stars from me. :)

    (3)

  • Susan W.

    Back in Early Fall 2013....Hot and sour soup was perfect spice wise and served nice and hot temp wise which i really appreciate. The Scallion Pancake was good although a bit heavy with batter. For our main course choices we had,Roast Duck and Spicy Whole Fish. Oh my,the fish was the best I've had for several years. Succulent. Tender, moist and flaky with a sweet spicy sauce. Delicious when picked apart with chopsticks. I love it when enough time is allowed to really enjoy the meal and that was the case. My husbands duck was also moist, tender and delicious. Not fatty and no greasy taste. The chef came out personally to ensure we had enjoyed our food and also conversed with other guests. Service good, discussion occurred when ordering the fish to ensure I knew what to expect in terms of flavors and market price. It was a really enjoyable meal in a pretty non assuming building but it is on the A2 strip! Try it on- I don't think you will be disappointed!

    (4)

  • Beth H.

    This place isn't where you would go to get your socks knocked off, but if you want a decent, quiet lunch, with friendly service, that isn't going to put a hole in your wallet for lunching in Ann Arbor, this is it. The spring rolls always seem a bit raw in the middle, so stay away from those, but otherwise, I have no complaints. I visit this place about once every one or two months for the last 5 years. I like their constitancy and it's a friendly, affordable place.

    (4)

  • Patrick T.

    This place is okay. Kind of quiet for lunch. Came with my family when I first arrived in Ann Arbor. Certainly wasn't a memorable meal, but it wasn't terrible.

    (3)

  • Melissa S.

    I was really disappointed in how little chicken we got in the sweet and sour chicken. It was all onions and carrots, a bit of pineapple and maybe 7 pieces of chicken. The hot and sour soup was eh at best. Fried rice was good.

    (2)

  • Q Y.

    The portion is really small for the price, and the food is mediocre, except the pig ear which is probably the only redeeming quality about this place. From a Sichuan native's perspective, most of the Chinese dishes are just terribly done, authentic or not. I suppose I can call this authentically bad, if it's an consolation. The staff are helpful when you speak Chinese, but doesn't change the fact that food is bad, and overpriced. Except the pig ear, which is overpriced, but good.

    (1)

  • Jenna L.

    Really delectable meat dumplings! The chicken with fruit was delicious, a refreshing dish to see. The young chow fried rice was not authentic at all, but as a standalone dish, it wasn't bad. Just don't get it if you're looking for actual young chow fried rice. The seasoning is not the same. Not bad, just different. Service is ok, like any chinese place. Amusing colorful fish in the tanks.

    (3)

  • Beck E.

    Pretty standard American Chinese dishes. I haven't tried to see if there's a "hidden" menu because I rarely crave anything other than greasy American Chinese! The service is fine, and sometimes they are really nice. I ordered takeout and it was done in 10 minutes, which was just the right amount of time for me to walk over and pick it up.

    (3)

  • Jessica C.

    I've been a loyal Kai Garden customer for five years, but I'm going to take a break and try other places now. The last 2 times I've been in, the food has been really disappointing. Meat's been dry and overcooked, sauces incredibly salty, and rice undercooked. I'm sure I'll come back at some point and I'll update my review then, but I'm wondering now what's going on.

    (2)

  • Donna M.

    Was there for lunch on a Friday. Our 2nd visit in 2 months. Was ok the 1st time. Decided to give another try. Food was not good. I had sweet and sour chicken hubs had almond boneless. Portions were very small and there oil was way over due to be changed. Pop was flat and when we brought all this to their attention they did not care. Will NEVER go back. Refused to pay for drinks. HORRIBLE. Doesn't even deserve 1 star.

    (1)

  • Allen L.

    Just had a carryout from Kai Garden. It reminded me that there's a few things at Kai that are must try items: 1. steamed vegetable dumplings The pan fried pork dumplings are good of course, but the vegetable ones are fantastic and often overlooked. Super fresh, bright vegetables and delicious. 2. Roast pork and tofu hotpot 3. Candied walnuts The best I've seen. They are super light and the crispy glaze is well through the walnut. I asked Kai about them and apparently it's a very long and involved process that few people do anymore.

    (5)

  • Annette J.

    Kai Garden didn't knock me out but it didn't leave me bummed out either. I was recovering from a nasty stomach bug and my appetite hadn't returned 100% so basically whatever I felt like eating--that was what I was going to eat. So when I was craving some no-frills, middle of the road Chinese food I decided to give this place a try. I opted for the beef with garlic sauce which was definitely garlicky (tasted it throughout the rest of the night) but it was just missing something. I couldn't and still can't put my finger on it but every time I took a bite I was like, "OH SO CLOSE!" but it never really hit the mark. Had a bit of spice to it so it wasn't that....maybe one day I'll figure it out. Loved the egg roll though and the sauces for that they serve with them were also quite tasty. Tried a bit of the moo shu pork which I had never had before and I quite liked it. Maybe even more than my own beef with garlic sauce. Mostly I appreciate their huge menu and that everything here is made to order. That means, if you don't like things spicy, they can tone it down. Have an MSG sensitivity? They can work around that too. Helpful if you've got allergies or are dining with someone who does. The restaurant is clean and filled with a whole lotta mauve. The booths are comfy and the fish tank is really clean and beautiful to look at. Our waitress was really attentive and very sweet. I would also like to shout out her ability to carry like, 20 plates on one arm. I honestly thought they were all going to tumble to the ground but she has a GIFT. All in all I'd give this place another shot and try something a little different, especially since they have such a diverse and huge menu, but they didn't slay me on the first go 'round.

    (3)

  • Brent W.

    Just say no. Skimpy portions for the price, the plates are full of "filler". Unexciting menu (just because it's a part of an animal's body you wouldn't get at McD's does not make it exotic), everything drenched in brown sauce. I'm on a search for good Chinese food in MI, and after eating here, I'll keep looking.

    (2)

  • Brianna P.

    Poor service. We went for the Chinese New Year dinner, and made us wait for an HOUR- (20 mins to order, an hour for our food) The restaurant wasn't even full-it had 2 large groups. The waiters were only focusing on them, and when we asked why it's taking forever to bring the food out, they said that they try to serve one group at a time. What a bad strategy. The food is overpriced (small portion & OK-quality). The worst part is that they TIPPED THEMSELVES (we had 5ppl)- though we were going to tip, this irritated us as we thought their manners and services were poor. I would not recommend this place. Especially for a family.

    (1)

  • Richard F.

    I have no idea how so many people can possibly love this place. This is a throwback to the pseudo-Chinese restaurants of the '50s and '60s; except for one thing. Sometimes those family make-believe Chinese restaurants were good. Kai Gardens just was not. I have been traveling to Asia and most recently almost exclusively to China for my entire career. I have had Chinese food all over the US, all over Asia and even in Europe. I have had some really authentic Chinese food in places I would not have expected it. But after all the hoopla, I expected a really great experience at Kai Gardens and didn't get it. This stuff was not the real deal at all. The place was almost empty at lunch time. That should have been our cue to just leave. But we stayed based on all the good Yelp reviews. Too bad. After I saw how phony the menu was, I ordered something that I thought they couldn't possibly screw up. I ordered the Roast Pork Egg Foo Young lunch combo. It reminded me of the old Borscht Belt joke, where the first patron complains that "the food is not very good" and the second one chimes in and says "Yes, and the portions are so small too." I received one small rubbery and almost impossible to cut patty. This is about 1/2 to 1//3 of a normal sized lunch portion. I could not use chop sticks to eat it at all and I really could not break the thing apart with a fork either. Tough is a good word to describe tires, but this was a lot tougher than that. The brown sauce was pretty typical, except that it was so flour thickened that it tasted of raw flour. And whereas good Chinese places use chicken stock, soy sauce and some other tasty things like vegetable and fruit juices to make the sauce, this tasted like it contained only flour water and soy sauce with way too much flour. The combo lunch came with an egg roll. That was just OK, so maybe they got it at the supermarket. The white rice was OK too. I had Hot and Sour Soup to start (Suan La Tang) and that was heavily corn starch thickened and colored red with either red food dye or maybe ketchup. It was hot and sour, although not hot enough and not sour enough. My partner in crime had a noodle stir fry of some kind and it was also reported to be pretty crappy. It certainly looked uninspiring. There are some very good Chinese places right here in Michigan. If you want Hong Kong Style Chinese, try Shangri La on Orchard Lake Road in West Bloomfield for example. That place makes me feel like I am back on the street in Tsim Sha Tsui. But Kai Gardens was just not the real deal.

    (1)

  • Wally S.

    I've lived in the Ann Arbor area for nearly 18 years and I have never ventured into Kai Garden. We finally took a chance on them after a recent Yelp get together at Vinology and have found a Chinese restaurant that both myself and my wife can enjoy. Kai Garden has a very nice decor. Nicely done in Early American 1960s style Chinese Restaurant decor, but it's easy to appreciate and enjoy it. My wife ordered the Almond Boneless Chicken. She's not a hardcore Chinese eater and likes her dishes mild and predictable. Although I though the dish was a bit bland, it was consistent with what I expect out of Almond Boneless Chicken. I ordered the Singapore Pan Fried noodles and enjoyed the delicate taste of the thin noodles with chicken. It's been awhile since I've enjoyed one of these dishes and it definitely brought back memories. For an appetizer we ordered the Pan Fried Dumplings which are delicious with their salty brown soy sauce. Having quite a large appetite, I though that the serving sizes were a little on the small side but this was make up for by the moderate prices on all of the dishes. Next time I need to order something off of the "secret" authentic menu. I'd like to dig a little deeper into Kai Garden and see what other great things I can find.

    (4)

  • Josh C.

    I just tried out Kai Garden, and I was very pleased with it. Service was extremely friendly and accommodating, and certainly quick. The interior has enjoyable decor. The menu has a wide variety of options to choose between, including a number of special dishes I've never seen on a menu in any restaurant. I had the tofu and eggplant with garlic sauce hot pot, which was fantastic. The flavor was perfect, with enough spice to make me feel it (you can always order it mild, of course) and the consistency of the tofu was great. My companion tried the General Tso Tofu, which also was very delicious. She ordered it mild, so I was missing the heat, but the flavor was great. Also, they offer the option of brown rice, which is very exciting. The brown rice was light and pleasant, with a good consistency and stickiness enough for chopsticks. All in all, I'm impressed. Check them out for yourself.

    (4)

  • Lindsey A.

    I wish I could give 2.5 stars instead of 3, sort of. I've been looking all over the area for decent Chinese and have yet to find anything that really meets my standards. On a whim, I stopped in here one evening. The interior of the restaurant seems like an unintentionally hilarious retro-throwback to the Chinese restaurants of my childhood. But I really don't think the management intended this, for some reason. The food itself was alright, I guess, nothing special. And more than that, I just felt like the prices were way too expensive for the amount of food. It seems like a constant issue for many restaurants in this area, but this place was even more expensive than most and the dishes came out on small plates. I wouldn't have minded that had it been outstandingly delicious but it was just small servings of mediocre or plain food for a lot of money, which I don't appreciate.

    (3)

  • Marco T.

    Very good almond chicken lunch special

    (4)

  • Brandon O.

    My favorite - best master sauce in town.

    (5)

  • mariah c.

    This is one of my Michigan expat friend's favorite places. I honestly love the interior - sure, Lindsey may giggle, but I really like the decor. It's comfy and it does take me back to my childhood, and I think that's why I like it. I have memories of coming here when I was young (though no memories abotu the food stick out), and I love the giant fish tank. Still, I've ordered here a few times recently and though the food was OK, I had yet to be blown away. We took a stroll here this evening, though, and I think I found my jam! The tofu eggplant hotpot with spicy garlic sauce -- that's the ticket! And, the portion was certainly enough for 2 meals. I'm already looking forward to leftovers! My fella's Mango Chicken was OK, but I don't think it was a new favorite for him. Still, the lesson I think I've learned here is that the menu's fairly large, so it may take a few visits to find your "just-right" dish.

    (4)

  • Nick V.

    You can do better, even in Ann Arbor.

    (1)

  • LM G.

    Kai Garden is delicious! If you want some quality Chinese food at an affordable price I highly recommend it! It is vegetarian friendly (as long as you warn your waiter before) and the staff is GREAT. I've been there numerous times and I love bringing my friends for a casual night out. The atmosphere is calm and quiet but don't let that fool you, it isn't an uptight or stuffy place. So far I've tried: To-fu vegetable soup (for 2), vegetable steamed dumplings, vegetables szechaun style, spicy tofu (they'll make it in water for you as opposed to chicken broth if you're a vegetarian) the yushan vegetable special, pan fried noodles with vegetables, the fried ice cream, and the fried bananas. My friends rave about their egg rolls and sweet and sour chicken. Kai Garden is a must try for all Ann Arbor residents: 4 stars!

    (4)

  • Josh W.

    This place is a hidden gem among many over priced locations in down town Ann Arbor. They boast a huge menu with many vegetarian specific dishes including popular Chinese dishes done with specialty cooked tofu as opposed to the average stir fry and mixed vegetables that pass as vegetarian options in most restaurants. The wait staff clearly understood we were vegetarian and made sure the soup we ordered was made with the clear vegetarian broth as opposed to the non-veggie brown. Prices are great and tea is served gratis with your meal.

    (5)

  • Bryant B.

    This was my first time here and I have to admit I was a bit worried when we walked in on a Friday night around 7:00pm to see only a few other groups dining. The experience and the food however, was actually really good. We were seated right away at a table by the Main street window which allowed for some good people watching. Our server was friendly and quite helpful explaining the dishes as we had a number of questions. The menu was quite extensive and seemed to have options that ranged from the typical Americanized takeout fare to the more exotic and authentic side. We started out with spring rolls. They were pretty good. Fresh and hot. They also keep hot mustard and sweet & sour right on the table. For my entree, I went with the Hunan Chicken with brown rice. I wasn't sure if I would like it with brown rice but it worked surprisingly well. The dish was cooked perfectly. The chicken was cooked through but still tender and the veggies still had a slight crisp. The sauce was really tasty and had just the right level of spiciness. The portions here aren't super big. I was able to finish the entire dish which is rare for me to do at a Chinese restaurant. I certainly had more than enough to eat though. Big eaters may not feel the same way. Considering that this place is located on Main street in downtown Ann Arbor, I think that the prices are pretty reasonable.

    (4)

  • Winston C.

    I often ate at Kai Gardens as a student at U of M. Perhaps, it might not "knock your socks off" as some people have suggested but I have always found the food to be consistently good. The wait staff is friendly. One of the waitresses has an insane memory and she practically knows every regular's order. It's that kind of service that makes this place a 5 star to me. It's "comfort food" Chinese food to me.

    (5)

  • D. C.

    Dine elsewhere in Ann Arbor, simply put, our experience at Kia Garden at best was poor, a huge let down. Unlike every other restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor that had a minimum of a one hour wait time Kia Garden had immediate open seating and my wife and I were hungry. Although it was not our first choice is was an easy choice to grab a table there. Already seated were two larger tables with 9 in each group other than those tables, the restaurant was not busy yet the meal service was unacceptable. There was little focus on any other tables but the two larger groups. We started with soup for 2 which took an exceptionally long time to receive considering it was soup. When it did arrive the soup for two was more like soup for one but it did not matter anyway because neither of us wanted to eat the tasteless stuff. 50 to 60 minutes later the first of our two (my wife's) entrees arrived at the table, it was beef and scallops except there was but one scallop in the dish. Ten minutes after my wife was served my meal arrived. She was nearly done that's when the rice for each of our meals was served? After asking twice we never received chop stix either. The quality of the entrees was only okay, not nearly what you would come to expect at a sit down restaurant that was "well established" in the Ann Arbor area since the mid 90's. All in all a real mismanaged operation that needs overhauled until then, diner beware!

    (1)

  • Zack S.

    Kai Garden is the best. It's what Kai calls "new line" cuisine, meaning that he keeps it lighter (if you want a trashy grease bomb of chinese try China Gate). Overall it has probably been the best Chinese in Ann Arbor for some time, but not all of the run of mill stuff is so fantastic. Some of their dishes that are the best in town: steamed dumplings, hot and sour soup, egg drop soup, cold noodles, general tsoa's, singapore style noodles. The special menu is also pretty great, esp. the Chicken in a Pineapple Nest. You can also get fresh veggies cooked to order just ask Kai what's fresh. They have an extensive tofu and veggie menu, but the tofu is hit and miss. I always felt there is a wide variation on what people think is "good chinese," but to these lips this is the best in A2.

    (4)

  • Win W.

    The food is good but it never happened before to be charged for HOT WATER (not kidding .75$)... I guess the first case of discrimination toward not Asian looking customer

    (1)

  • Mark B.

    Nice Taiwanese. Try the fruit dishes!

    (4)

  • Clarence C.

    Food was adequate, but not out of the ordinary. The service seemed rather slow, even though there were not so many people in the restaurant. Entrees don't come with soup or anything else, although they cost about as much as other Chinese restaurants in the area. My previous trip to Kai Garden was several years ago, and I remember liking it a lot better that time, but maybe it suffers by comparison to similar restaurants.

    (3)

  • Mae S.

    We (4 of us) ordered around 6 items mostly from the Chinese menu and enjoyed all of them. The noodle soup with shrimp wanton was just great on a very cold night. The moo-shu chicken (American menu) was good, and the squid was very good -- spiced nicely. We were worried about the mixed reviews but we definitely fall on the enthusiastic side.

    (4)

  • Haroun K.

    Best Veggie Chinese food menu in the city. I once went to Middle Kingdom and got a meat filled "veggie spring roll." What I like best is that you can get your food really spicy here, none of this "American" spice levels, if you so desire. I love their mushrooms and broccoli and, well, everything. The menu is also quite inventive, with fruit accented meals. I would also recommend taking a look at the dessert menu. YUM!

    (5)

  • Amanda K.

    Without a doubt the only good chinese restaurant in Ann Arbor. I have grown up with Chinese food since I was little, and was very dissapointed with the selection in AA, but thank g-d for kai garden. kai garden's garlic chicken is what I highly recommend. Definitely check this place out!!!

    (5)

  • ChianWen T.

    This place really has the potential to go 5-star. It just lacks a little something. Maybe because everything is a bit too greasy. Maybe because they change the oil in the fryer too infrequently (you can tell in ingredients that required pre-frying, such as tofu). Don't expect this to be a cheap Chinese place with a ton of food. They serve the allowance recommended by the FDA which probably means about 1/4 American size. It's alright, I need to abort baby Buddha anyhow. I started out with 3 stars because they don't exactly deserve 4 stars. I am rounding way up due to their potential.

    (4)

  • Professional Eater S.

    To rebut all the naysayers, the real secret to Kai Garden is to order from the special Chinese dishes menu, which is this smaller laminated yellow thingie. If you order from the main large menu filled with your standard Americanized Chinese food, then you are sure to be disappointed. The pieces of chicken are scarily enormous, the sauces are weird, the ingredients are boring...but if you order from the special Chinese menu, then you're in for a treat. Talk to the owners, ask for suggestions, try everything! Those are the really good dishes and the ones they seem to like cooking the most. Overall, the food can be a little on the greasy side but just ask them to tone it down a bit and they will. My personal favorite dish is Santong young chicken - garlicky, crispy, juicy, flavorful chicken.

    (4)

  • David L.

    Kai Garden proves to be a great option when all other Ann Arbor take-out options seem oh-so-unappealing. Kai Garden earns a four star rating due in part to their late-night hours ('til 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays), but mostly due to their friendliness and reliable customer service. The food is good, although quality has varied from time to time. Solid options include the chicken lo-mein and the chicken broccoli (certainly not 'authentic' Chinese food). Whole grain Brown rice serves as a great substitute for the standard highly glycemic white rice option offered at most Chinese restaurants...oh, and their fortune cookie fortunes are DEAD ON! = P

    (4)

  • Kelan T.

    I was really hoping this could be my go-to Chinese restaurant in Ann Arbor, but the food was no good. They definitely had great service and everything else was fine about the place...but it's all about the meal. I had the strawberry beef, which sounded intriguing. Unfortunately the flavor combination did not work well mostly because of the cloying brown sauce that was pasted to chunks of beef.

    (2)

  • Nupur L.

    Hmmm, I looked at Yelp before I tried Kai Garden. Yelp was the reason why I tried Kai Garden. I tried their tofu and vegetables in curry sauce, which is one of my favorite chinese dishes, and a scallion pancake. The pancake was decent but nowhere near as crisp, flaky or full of scallions as China Gate, which got me hooked on them. The curry tofu was awful! The vegetables looked as if they had been sitting around for weeks and tasted like it. The tofu was fine and the curry sauce also tasted pretty bad. The service was truly excellent, probably the best I have encountered in Ann Arbor. Because Yelpers have rarely steered me wrong, I am willing to chalk my experience up as an anomaly and re-try Kai Garden-but only after I've forgotten those miserable vegetables.

    (3)

  • Amy W.

    A great veggie menu, it has separate veg and tofu sections of the menu. If you are a fan of tofu, or just a fan of food, i would highly recommend the generals tofu. a table full of people agreed that may be the best Chinese dish we have ever eaten. Parking is a pain, as it is with all downtown Ann Arbor businesses, but the Kai Garden does not have the ridiculous lines and wait of other downtown restaurants.

    (5)

  • Jay A.

    This is the best Chinese food in Ann Arbor. My favorite thing there is the Chicken in Pineapple Nest. Fantastic! The service is also top-notch - friendly and fast. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is really nice too. I highly recommend it.

    (5)

  • Shane H.

    if anything, Kai Garden is the restaurant that stands out the most on main street. the credit goes to the giant yellow sign they have. and i think they are the only chinese restaurant on main street. so if you live in ann arbor i guess this place is your fix. However, Kai Garden is what someone who's never had authentic chinese food would consider authentic. it's not bad. but it just takes a chinese food snob like myself to taste the difference. I came in here on a Saturday night for dinner. My beau ordered a scallop grill plate. and that was a lot of scallops. it was decent, but not great. I ordered a spicy beef noodle soup. it basically tasted like spicy pho. it might sound great. but in reality, if their food is a movie then this movie has no sex in it. it's just not passionately made.

    (3)

  • F Z.

    Kai Garden is a disgrace to Chinese food. The plusses of this place end at the great view of Main St, aesthetic decor, and attentive service. Aside from the acceptable salt and pepper pork chops -- which I've learned is my staple at most Chinese establishment -- everything else was memorable in a not-so-good way. The pi pa tofu is one of my all-time favorite dish and can make or break a restaurant. Oval shaped, deep fried tofu stuffed with shrimp , scallion, and other chopped up veggies served with a distinct soy sauce is the image that typically comes to my mind whenever I see it on the menu. Kai Garden's version featured tasteless, soggy balls of tofu stuffed with... Chinese sausage?! The beef with Chinese broccoli was discouraging in every way possible -- from the meek appearance to the taste (or lack thereof.) When all is said and done, Kai Garden can be added to my list of disappointing experiences in Ann Arbor. While I have to agree that most places on Main St boast overinflated prices on their menus, I'd rather spend the same amount on places such as Chop House.

    (2)

  • Tim N.

    The service at Kai Garden is consistently fast and friendly. The food is also consistently good (I typically get the Hunan Chicken) and they serve brown rice. On a busy evening in downtown Ann Arbor, this is a great option on Main St. since I have never experienced a wait (and I have lots of experience!). They have a full service bar (though you sometimes have to tell them what goes into your drink since they don't have a full time bartender). This is also a great place to take a group of 8-10 people because they have great round tables. The owners/waitstaff will engage in your party if you invite them and have been known to teach Chinese to those folks interested. They also serve great Sake Bombs. I find the prices reasonable for the food -- this is neither a cheap Chinese joint nor a fancy pants upscale restaurant. Additionally, they have a great lunch combo menu that is served quickly if you're in a hurry.

    (5)

  • brent b.

    Great service, and good (albeit Americanized) Chinese food. I've never been disappointed here. Good dumplings, good chicken friend rice, and a very friendly staff.

    (5)

  • Lisa W.

    Kai Garden was bland, cheap and bland. The tofu tastes like overcooked egg whites. The won ton soup was oily, I put tons of sugar in the tea. I guess the garlicky green beans I ordered with white rice was alright, except you know garlic makes your breath kick. My friend gave me an Altoid. The best part was the fortune cookie. His fortune said that he was going to have a great love life and we started cracking up because his current situation would be the exact opposite off that. My fortune said that I'm a good example and we started cracking up even more.

    (3)

  • Sabrina S.

    I've discovered in my travels that the further you are from the East Coast, the harder it is to find good Chinese food. The best Chinese I have ever had comes from the East Coast hands down, but for Ann Arbor, Kai Garden is currently my top choice. I am not expecting to find the same East Coast quality here, but for my Chinese Food fix, this is where I will go. I went there on the later end of a weeknight. We weren't the last ones to walk in, but I got the feeling that the waitress was concerned with when she could get out of there, and not with making a good impression. Definitely more oriented with speed than quality, and I felt rushed. I don't like walking into places so late, but it does happen from time to time. I always make it a point to make certain that they are really okay with serving so close to closing because I don't want to impose, feel rushed, and have service compromised. I think the food was pretty good, but certainly not the best I have ever had. Maybe good for A2. It felt like the waitress was trying to rush us at the end of the meal. Meh.

    (2)

  • Brad T.

    While I'd still argue that Ann Arbor lacks a truly amazing Chinese restaurant, the Kai Garden comes the closest for my tastes. I've been coming here for over a decade, and the lady who owns the restaurant remembers my face despite huge multi-month gaps between visits. The service is fast without being suspiciously fast and the enormous selection (as well as the dual menus) make for a very interesting batch of meal options. While most Chinese restaurants do at least a good job on their battered-and-fried chicken dishes, I really like the batter that Kai Garden uses. The sesame chicken in particular always comes out very crisp on the outside but tender and juicy on the inside (it's my second favorite menu item). There's an eggplant-themed dish on the vegetarian side that I like a lot (I'm blanking on the name), as well as a fried tofu dish that my wife and I have both enjoyed. Finally the fried squid is a very salty but awesome dish that my father (who spent a few years in Asia) commented was very much like a traditional fish meal from his experiences on that continent. My absolute favorite is actual the pork chop. The "American-style" pork chop is a juicy cut of pork with a rich, yummy sauce that really compliments the flavor of the meat, while the "Chinese-style" pork chop lacks the sauce but ads a salty and spicy mixture of spices that absolutely hit the spot. Even they will admit that this isn't an authentic Chinese dish, but it's so tasty that I just don't care. The decor feels very dated, albeit in an endearing way. I'm sure this was how Chinese restaurants were fashioned in the seventies, thus the dramatic paintings and sculptures (as well as the cylindrical fish tank in the front). I love the look, but I can see why the food snob crowd on Main Street doesn't even consider this place on a Friday night. After marrying a wonderful Jewish girl I found us spending out first Christmas away from my family. We decided to come to Kai Garden for Christmas Eve and I discovered that this place is filled to the brim with other festivity-skippers. Everyone was very social and having a great time, and it will always stand as one of my favorite Christmas experiences ever. Like most Chinese restaurants, the lunch specials are what keeps this place going. The portions are huge and you get several sides with your meal. For my tastes, I enjoy dinners here more because my favorite meals aren't wrapped up in the 20 or so lunch specials, but I know people who like this place exclusively because of the lunch special. To wrap this up, the bar is decently stocked (and don't be fooled, plum wine is more like whiskey than wine), the hot and sour soup is probably their best soup option, the dumplings are a great "safe" appetizer while the fried squid balls are a yummy weird appetizer, and they have a big dish of hot mustard on your table (HUGE PLUS in my book). This isn't the greatest Chinese you've ever had but for a consistent and satisfying meal, I'd easily go to Kai Garden above any other Chinese restaurants in town.

    (4)

  • Tara S.

    Almond chicken and sweet and sour chicken is great! I could do without the veggies in the sweet and sour but all in all great!

    (5)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Map

Opening Hours

    Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : No
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Quiet
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Categories

Chinese Cuisine

The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.

Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.

There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.

Kai Garden

Share with your social network

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

© 2024 Restaurant Listings. All rights reserved.