Anyone who gives this place less than 4 stars is mentally insane. Seriously! I have been coming here for 18 years. If this place ever closes I think a part of me will die! I have happy memories from childhood, of them giving me lots of umbrellas, and memories of coming here with family members who have since passed. The staff has been here for years and the food is consistent. I have never been disappointed. I compare any Chinese food I get to them and i don't think any other place has ever matched up. Thanks for the great food and my cute new calendar! The only possible thing the could do to improve would be delivery, but since I moved two towns away, that would really benefit me.
(5)
Colleen C.
My absolute favorite chinese restaurant! I always order my food to go and although it's a 30 minute drive away, the food is still piping hot when I arrive home. I always get the same thing for my family of 4... chicken fried rice, boneless spareribs, beef lo mein, chicken fingers, and chicken teriyaki. Yum! Can't go wrong here.
(5)
Alexander V.
In a nutshell: excellent quality Americanized Chinese food. In my recent travels away from RI I have realized how spoiled I was by the good quality food here. Recommendations: (1) wonton soup - amazing. Good roast pork (or chicken upon request) pieces, substantial wontons, nice broth, bok choy, and peapods. The wontons have a medium thick wrapper and are meaty. (2) hot and sour - always good. (3) egg foo young - great. One of the only places I've had this where it's not 'too heavy.' (4) Moo goo gai pain - basically chicken with vegetables. (5) Chicken with broccoli - excellent. (6) General Tso's - it's pretty good. Different than most other places but actually better.
(5)
Nev K.
My work orders from here often and its always great. We've dined there a few times, the server wasnt very friendly but i wouldnt call it rude. The soups are unlike anything ive ever had before; strong broth, different noodles and lots of bones. The hot vegetable noodles have a wonderful consistency. I like them extra spicy.
(3)
Jeff K.
Just got takeout and once again the food was great! If you're looking for really good Chinese food to take home look no further!
(5)
Linda P.
Fantastic service, delicious, and Fresh dishes. Enjoyed a wonderful lunch yesterday. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
STEVE T.
Let's start out by stating that Chinese food is regional. not by China region, but by where it is served in America. There is no other food like that served by Chinese restaurants in the Rhode Island area. Since relocating to Florida, we have missed that special touch that comes with local Chinese dishes. Cathay Garden is a shinning example of what Rhode Islanders crave. Egg rolls to die for, crisp outside with plenty of taste after the first bite. Ribs with succulent meat as well as Teriyaki beef that was fried crisp outside without rendering them tough or stringy. We ordered a family assortment that made everyone happy and none of us left hungry; (not even a hour later) Sincere thanks to the lovely young lady that waited on us. Trying to set her up with our grandson embarrassed her (and him) but she was full of good humor and extremely pleasant and efficient. She deserves special thanks for a wonderful experience.
(5)
Bobby G.
If I lived closer I would certainly come to Cathay Garden more frequently. It was a regular stop for me back in the 90's before I moved west. If you like Americanized Chinese food - this is a top notch restaurant and you will not be disappointed. The buffet is served nightly and items start rolling out between 4-430pm. Items are replenished frequently and are all delicious. If you're looking for more traditional, true Chinese cuisine, then you'll be better off elsewhere - but in terms of what most New Englanders consider great Chinese food then don't hesitate, this is a great spot. The staff is super friendly and helpful and there is usually ample parking either on the street or in the small lot on the side of the establishment.
(3)
Courtney F.
Best Chinese food i have ever had! I live right around the corner from this place so ill treat myself to chinese food like once every few weeks and i always look forward to cathay gardens food! The manager of the restaurant always remembers me and what i order even though I don't go their often. I have never really been an egg roll or fried rice fan but i love theirs. You get a ton of food with their combo plates, i always have enough food for three meals. I have also brought friends and family here and they were pretty impressed also. The combo plates are a few dollars more than where i come from but the taste and amount of food is soo worth it! And its expected being on main street in east greenwich everything is going to be a little bit more pricey (well most places are a whole lot more pricey)
(5)
Heidi T.
Always fresh, always just made, always delicious. Try sitting at the tiny bar and enjoying the corner quiet and view of the passers by. Great local place with quality.
(5)
Aly K.
I have been to Cathay Garden a few times. The food has always been good. The servers are adorable! Even when the restaurant is crowded, which seems to be most nights, the staff is always on top of their game! The food is tasty! Not the best Chinese food ever, but good! The buffet is a great option. They do not offer a lot of choices in the buffet, but it is more than enough to fill you up! The decor could use a little updating. Also, parking can be difficult as the lot is small and on street parking fills up fast in EG.
(4)
Jean F.
Great lo-mein! And the boys love the buffet (buffets aren't my thing, but this one doesn't totally skeeve me out!)
(4)
Robyn F.
So, I went here with high hopes but alas I was disappointed in the end. Mostly because yes this is a very americanized chinese restaurant. The server and the rest of the staff were very pleasant, but ordering mixed drinks was a bit difficult. We ordered a captain and gingerale ( or spiced rum ), and ended up with clear rum. The drink was horrible. The booth which my fiance was sitting at was wobbly, it needed to desperately be tightened. The thing that made me give this place 3 stars versus 2, is the proportion size. The proportions were huge. ( Pretty tasty too, but I have more to say on that. ) If it wasn't for the proportion size, and the taste/freshness of the food the following would have made me give the place a one star. I ordered the "Spicy duck", for 12.95 and I was expecting a few pieces of duck. The plate was LOADED with "Duck", when I say: " loaded ", I mean it was a 8 inch plate, and it was covered in "Duck" . While reading this you will probably keep asking yourself : " Why does she keep saying "duck" like that?" Because, well..Their Peking duck ( whole duck), was 27.00, and the amount of meat upon a "peking duck", would not put as much meat as I had on my plate. Duck is generally expensive, and it has a distinctive taste to it. So, I guess what I am trying to say-- and this is the first time I've ever doubted the food in front of me, was that the "Spicy Duck" in front of me, was.. well not duck. This meat was grainy, tough and yes it did have a skin on it, and yes it had a little bit of fat, but it just didn't taste like duck. If anything it could have been a goose, or some sort of freaky goose duck hybrid, but being that I LOVE duck, and I almost always order it when it is available, I know what duck tastes like. The proportion size and the price of the dish made it extremely suspicious. OVerall all, it did taste good, but I'm 98.9% sure that it wasn't duck. I've been to many chinese food places, and whenever people joked with me about mystery meat, I'd wave them off and tell them to stop being an asshole. So with that being said, I'm not trying to be one of "Those" people, but I have to say it : I really don't know what meat I was served and for that they wound up with 3 stars-- and the whole being too americanized bit. I
(3)
Justine Coderre R.
Fantastic here..way to much to eat..offers great variety, cooked fresh to order..very friendly attentive staff..we came on a Monday night and they normally have a fantadic buffet, but not tonight.we gladly ordered off the menu.atvthe end of dinner, they sent out a wonderful fruit platter with fresh strawberrys cantaloupe pineapple..love it here..highly recommend
(5)
Chris H.
Always kind and Great service. Great food. The D-44 is the way to go ... And Joe is the nicest guy around .. A++
(5)
Chris R.
I have been going here my entire life and the food is always good and the owners who's son runs now is one of the friendliest guys around. Best Pork fried rice and sweet and sour chicken I have ever had and I love Chinese food.
(5)
Blza R.
Above average American Chinese food. The pork lo mein here is outstanding. Tons of fresh vegetables served with a broad noodle. Works good with the sweet duck sauce. Buffet is on the small side, but has most favorites (egg rolls, general tso's, beef with broccoli, chicken with string beans, dumplings, fried rice, veggie lo mein etc) and they keep it fresh. Great service and a friendly staff.
(4)
Jason W.
Surprisingly good food. The buffet is a good deal - you get a variety of food that is all well-cooked. For example, the fried rice there is the same as what you'd get if you just ordered the Fried Rice for dinner. Typically, buffets would cheap out and serve up something crappier, but this place gives you quality Chinese-American food. There isn't a huge selection, but what they have is very good. And for about $12/person, it's hard to complain. WARNING (kind of): The buffet is only served for dinner. For lunch, you must order off the menu. No idea why, but if you want the buffet, come for dinner, not lunch. Parking is on the street, as it's near the East Greenwich downtown area. It's a quaint area, but the restaurant's decor is... sparse and tacky. But the buffet is worth it when you're hungry.
(3)
Dani G.
Hair in the pork fried rice....need i go on? Take-out was not impressive. Sweet and sour chix was overly fried (too hard) and barely any chix in there. sesame chix was soggy deep fried dark meat (the kind where you get the fatty stringy pieces that make you saY....cat meat??? Kung Pao chix was done well- fresh peppers and onions and good flavor. pork dumplings were hard and chewy and the egg rolls lacked flavor. i m still searching for delicious chinese in east greenwich- it is certainly not here!
(2)
Sarah C.
Hard to beat the buffet deal. I love the cheesy decor with moving waterfall photos.... when I go home I crave takeout from here.
(4)
Daniel L.
We were looking for some Chinese food last night and decided to give this place a shot. We usually go to Pagoda Inn when we're in the mood for Chinese, but we figured we'd give this place a try, seeing as we drive by it every day and always see a fair number of people going in and out. Anyway, I can hardly call this "authentic Chinese" food, but it's definitely "authentic American-Chinese" food. We perused the menu, which had the standard items (General Tsao's Chicken, egg rolls, dumplings, lo mein, fried rice, combination plates, etc. etc. etc.) but opted for the buffet, which had most of the same standard items. All the items were continually restocked, so everything seemed relatively fresh, at least while we were there. I loaded up on the fried rice and appetizer-type items (dumplings, chicken fingers, rangoons) and the boneless spare ribs and general tsao's. Everything was pretty good - not the absolute best Chinese I've ever had, but definitely pretty good, and most assuredly not bad. The service, as little as was needed (for drinks and for the check), was friendly and quick. Given the low cost and decent selection of items in the buffet, we would definitely return when we are in the mood to gorge ourselves on American-Chinese food. Of course, my fiancee didn't gorge herself, having only one plate. . . I did enough gorging for the both of us. . .
(3)
Nancy S.
I have been going to this restaurant for many years since I live a mile away. This restaurant is my go to place in RI for consistently good traditional style Chinese dishes. The beef teriyaki, steamed dumplings, spring rolls and pork fried rice are my favorites here. The owner is very honest, friendly and accommodating. The servers are competent. They do a brisk take-out business. While I do agree that the decor is somewhat lacking, the restaurant is clean and the prices affordable. Parking is really never an issue. They do have a small lot, but street parking is plentiful. Also there are several municipal lots on Main Street in East Greenwich just a short distance away. Look for the municipal lot signs.
(4)
Konnie M.
Great Chinese-American fare if you stick to the tried and true, but every once in a while I like to be adventurous and opt for something different, and this is where Cathay Garden really shines! Love, love, love the Singapore Mi Fun!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : 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.
Ashlee S.
Anyone who gives this place less than 4 stars is mentally insane. Seriously! I have been coming here for 18 years. If this place ever closes I think a part of me will die! I have happy memories from childhood, of them giving me lots of umbrellas, and memories of coming here with family members who have since passed. The staff has been here for years and the food is consistent. I have never been disappointed. I compare any Chinese food I get to them and i don't think any other place has ever matched up. Thanks for the great food and my cute new calendar! The only possible thing the could do to improve would be delivery, but since I moved two towns away, that would really benefit me.
(5)Colleen C.
My absolute favorite chinese restaurant! I always order my food to go and although it's a 30 minute drive away, the food is still piping hot when I arrive home. I always get the same thing for my family of 4... chicken fried rice, boneless spareribs, beef lo mein, chicken fingers, and chicken teriyaki. Yum! Can't go wrong here.
(5)Alexander V.
In a nutshell: excellent quality Americanized Chinese food. In my recent travels away from RI I have realized how spoiled I was by the good quality food here. Recommendations: (1) wonton soup - amazing. Good roast pork (or chicken upon request) pieces, substantial wontons, nice broth, bok choy, and peapods. The wontons have a medium thick wrapper and are meaty. (2) hot and sour - always good. (3) egg foo young - great. One of the only places I've had this where it's not 'too heavy.' (4) Moo goo gai pain - basically chicken with vegetables. (5) Chicken with broccoli - excellent. (6) General Tso's - it's pretty good. Different than most other places but actually better.
(5)Nev K.
My work orders from here often and its always great. We've dined there a few times, the server wasnt very friendly but i wouldnt call it rude. The soups are unlike anything ive ever had before; strong broth, different noodles and lots of bones. The hot vegetable noodles have a wonderful consistency. I like them extra spicy.
(3)Jeff K.
Just got takeout and once again the food was great! If you're looking for really good Chinese food to take home look no further!
(5)Linda P.
Fantastic service, delicious, and Fresh dishes. Enjoyed a wonderful lunch yesterday. Can't wait to go back.
(5)STEVE T.
Let's start out by stating that Chinese food is regional. not by China region, but by where it is served in America. There is no other food like that served by Chinese restaurants in the Rhode Island area. Since relocating to Florida, we have missed that special touch that comes with local Chinese dishes. Cathay Garden is a shinning example of what Rhode Islanders crave. Egg rolls to die for, crisp outside with plenty of taste after the first bite. Ribs with succulent meat as well as Teriyaki beef that was fried crisp outside without rendering them tough or stringy. We ordered a family assortment that made everyone happy and none of us left hungry; (not even a hour later) Sincere thanks to the lovely young lady that waited on us. Trying to set her up with our grandson embarrassed her (and him) but she was full of good humor and extremely pleasant and efficient. She deserves special thanks for a wonderful experience.
(5)Bobby G.
If I lived closer I would certainly come to Cathay Garden more frequently. It was a regular stop for me back in the 90's before I moved west. If you like Americanized Chinese food - this is a top notch restaurant and you will not be disappointed. The buffet is served nightly and items start rolling out between 4-430pm. Items are replenished frequently and are all delicious. If you're looking for more traditional, true Chinese cuisine, then you'll be better off elsewhere - but in terms of what most New Englanders consider great Chinese food then don't hesitate, this is a great spot. The staff is super friendly and helpful and there is usually ample parking either on the street or in the small lot on the side of the establishment.
(3)Courtney F.
Best Chinese food i have ever had! I live right around the corner from this place so ill treat myself to chinese food like once every few weeks and i always look forward to cathay gardens food! The manager of the restaurant always remembers me and what i order even though I don't go their often. I have never really been an egg roll or fried rice fan but i love theirs. You get a ton of food with their combo plates, i always have enough food for three meals. I have also brought friends and family here and they were pretty impressed also. The combo plates are a few dollars more than where i come from but the taste and amount of food is soo worth it! And its expected being on main street in east greenwich everything is going to be a little bit more pricey (well most places are a whole lot more pricey)
(5)Heidi T.
Always fresh, always just made, always delicious. Try sitting at the tiny bar and enjoying the corner quiet and view of the passers by. Great local place with quality.
(5)Aly K.
I have been to Cathay Garden a few times. The food has always been good. The servers are adorable! Even when the restaurant is crowded, which seems to be most nights, the staff is always on top of their game! The food is tasty! Not the best Chinese food ever, but good! The buffet is a great option. They do not offer a lot of choices in the buffet, but it is more than enough to fill you up! The decor could use a little updating. Also, parking can be difficult as the lot is small and on street parking fills up fast in EG.
(4)Jean F.
Great lo-mein! And the boys love the buffet (buffets aren't my thing, but this one doesn't totally skeeve me out!)
(4)Robyn F.
So, I went here with high hopes but alas I was disappointed in the end. Mostly because yes this is a very americanized chinese restaurant. The server and the rest of the staff were very pleasant, but ordering mixed drinks was a bit difficult. We ordered a captain and gingerale ( or spiced rum ), and ended up with clear rum. The drink was horrible. The booth which my fiance was sitting at was wobbly, it needed to desperately be tightened. The thing that made me give this place 3 stars versus 2, is the proportion size. The proportions were huge. ( Pretty tasty too, but I have more to say on that. ) If it wasn't for the proportion size, and the taste/freshness of the food the following would have made me give the place a one star. I ordered the "Spicy duck", for 12.95 and I was expecting a few pieces of duck. The plate was LOADED with "Duck", when I say: " loaded ", I mean it was a 8 inch plate, and it was covered in "Duck" . While reading this you will probably keep asking yourself : " Why does she keep saying "duck" like that?" Because, well..Their Peking duck ( whole duck), was 27.00, and the amount of meat upon a "peking duck", would not put as much meat as I had on my plate. Duck is generally expensive, and it has a distinctive taste to it. So, I guess what I am trying to say-- and this is the first time I've ever doubted the food in front of me, was that the "Spicy Duck" in front of me, was.. well not duck. This meat was grainy, tough and yes it did have a skin on it, and yes it had a little bit of fat, but it just didn't taste like duck. If anything it could have been a goose, or some sort of freaky goose duck hybrid, but being that I LOVE duck, and I almost always order it when it is available, I know what duck tastes like. The proportion size and the price of the dish made it extremely suspicious. OVerall all, it did taste good, but I'm 98.9% sure that it wasn't duck. I've been to many chinese food places, and whenever people joked with me about mystery meat, I'd wave them off and tell them to stop being an asshole. So with that being said, I'm not trying to be one of "Those" people, but I have to say it : I really don't know what meat I was served and for that they wound up with 3 stars-- and the whole being too americanized bit. I
(3)Justine Coderre R.
Fantastic here..way to much to eat..offers great variety, cooked fresh to order..very friendly attentive staff..we came on a Monday night and they normally have a fantadic buffet, but not tonight.we gladly ordered off the menu.atvthe end of dinner, they sent out a wonderful fruit platter with fresh strawberrys cantaloupe pineapple..love it here..highly recommend
(5)Chris H.
Always kind and Great service. Great food. The D-44 is the way to go ... And Joe is the nicest guy around .. A++
(5)Chris R.
I have been going here my entire life and the food is always good and the owners who's son runs now is one of the friendliest guys around. Best Pork fried rice and sweet and sour chicken I have ever had and I love Chinese food.
(5)Blza R.
Above average American Chinese food. The pork lo mein here is outstanding. Tons of fresh vegetables served with a broad noodle. Works good with the sweet duck sauce. Buffet is on the small side, but has most favorites (egg rolls, general tso's, beef with broccoli, chicken with string beans, dumplings, fried rice, veggie lo mein etc) and they keep it fresh. Great service and a friendly staff.
(4)Jason W.
Surprisingly good food. The buffet is a good deal - you get a variety of food that is all well-cooked. For example, the fried rice there is the same as what you'd get if you just ordered the Fried Rice for dinner. Typically, buffets would cheap out and serve up something crappier, but this place gives you quality Chinese-American food. There isn't a huge selection, but what they have is very good. And for about $12/person, it's hard to complain. WARNING (kind of): The buffet is only served for dinner. For lunch, you must order off the menu. No idea why, but if you want the buffet, come for dinner, not lunch. Parking is on the street, as it's near the East Greenwich downtown area. It's a quaint area, but the restaurant's decor is... sparse and tacky. But the buffet is worth it when you're hungry.
(3)Dani G.
Hair in the pork fried rice....need i go on? Take-out was not impressive. Sweet and sour chix was overly fried (too hard) and barely any chix in there. sesame chix was soggy deep fried dark meat (the kind where you get the fatty stringy pieces that make you saY....cat meat??? Kung Pao chix was done well- fresh peppers and onions and good flavor. pork dumplings were hard and chewy and the egg rolls lacked flavor. i m still searching for delicious chinese in east greenwich- it is certainly not here!
(2)Sarah C.
Hard to beat the buffet deal. I love the cheesy decor with moving waterfall photos.... when I go home I crave takeout from here.
(4)Daniel L.
We were looking for some Chinese food last night and decided to give this place a shot. We usually go to Pagoda Inn when we're in the mood for Chinese, but we figured we'd give this place a try, seeing as we drive by it every day and always see a fair number of people going in and out. Anyway, I can hardly call this "authentic Chinese" food, but it's definitely "authentic American-Chinese" food. We perused the menu, which had the standard items (General Tsao's Chicken, egg rolls, dumplings, lo mein, fried rice, combination plates, etc. etc. etc.) but opted for the buffet, which had most of the same standard items. All the items were continually restocked, so everything seemed relatively fresh, at least while we were there. I loaded up on the fried rice and appetizer-type items (dumplings, chicken fingers, rangoons) and the boneless spare ribs and general tsao's. Everything was pretty good - not the absolute best Chinese I've ever had, but definitely pretty good, and most assuredly not bad. The service, as little as was needed (for drinks and for the check), was friendly and quick. Given the low cost and decent selection of items in the buffet, we would definitely return when we are in the mood to gorge ourselves on American-Chinese food. Of course, my fiancee didn't gorge herself, having only one plate. . . I did enough gorging for the both of us. . .
(3)Nancy S.
I have been going to this restaurant for many years since I live a mile away. This restaurant is my go to place in RI for consistently good traditional style Chinese dishes. The beef teriyaki, steamed dumplings, spring rolls and pork fried rice are my favorites here. The owner is very honest, friendly and accommodating. The servers are competent. They do a brisk take-out business. While I do agree that the decor is somewhat lacking, the restaurant is clean and the prices affordable. Parking is really never an issue. They do have a small lot, but street parking is plentiful. Also there are several municipal lots on Main Street in East Greenwich just a short distance away. Look for the municipal lot signs.
(4)Konnie M.
Great Chinese-American fare if you stick to the tried and true, but every once in a while I like to be adventurous and opt for something different, and this is where Cathay Garden really shines! Love, love, love the Singapore Mi Fun!
(4)