A little spendy for dinner, but worth it. I've been a Plum Garden fan since I was a little girl, and everyone in my family loves their food. PG was always packed when it was a smaller restaurant and is still popular (but not too full) after the expansion. The Double Dragon (steak kew and Hong Kong chicken) is fantastic and a good balance if you can't choose between proteins. The Hong Kong chicken is best eaten fresh and in-house, though; any time I take home leftovers or do carry-out, the bottom breading of the chicken gets soggy on the vegetables underneath. Still, their breading is perfect: not too thick, not too greasy, unlike some other HK chicken I've had. Their wonton soup is amazing: paper-thin wontons made fresh along with a good amount of pork. My family also loves their Heaven's Nest, Perry's Lo Mein, BBQ Pork, and Mongolian Beef. Their cinnamon rolls are also a great way to end the meal. Try their house plum wine if you haven't; it's not like usual plum wines and is a deep, sweet red-hued wine instead of the lighter plum wine that you usually see. It's a little expensive, but we always splurge on it and have given it as a gift several times too. When I lived far from McHenry, I missed it! They have great lunch specials and also share deals on their site and Facebook. I also appreciate that Jason, their General Manager, takes the time to check up on reviews here and address problems that anyone has during their visits.
(5)
Nate C.
So I moved up here about 7 months ago, and the first thing I needed to do was establish my new go-to Chinese place. A good friend recommended this place to me so we gave it a try. Honestly, I was kind of unimpressed. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. After eating there a couple more times I've come to the conclusion it's just not worth the price. I'll still eat there if I'm part of a group that wants to go, but that'll about do it for me. Still searching for good Chinese in McHenry...
(2)
Dani B.
RUDE RUDE RUDE My family has always resorted to plum garden being our birthday meals and or celebration meals. Me and my mom went here right after the remodel. We were so excited!!! I had kids with me. 1 they barely sat us down. They said They couldn't figure out where too put us, no one was there... Rude!! Especially mery poy (how ever you spell it) and his son, JERKS!! Because we had kids and others were coming in for lunch, we got waited on last. We kindly said something to both, THEY DID NOTHING! Add still got waited on last! Food is becoming gross and WAY OVERPRICED!!! I was so excited to bring my boyfriend here and show off the amazing Chinese food, he's not from here, to be completely disappointed. We havn't been back yet and don't plan to. Worst part is, my dad knows mery poy personally as he's still a dick to us! Which.. you're not better then anyone! jerks!
(1)
Jiyoung P.
While I really hope for local businesses to stand out from chain restaurants, I just cannot give an endorsement to Plum Garden. I appreciate Plum Garden's community atmosphere, but the food in general is bland, salty, and overly "Americanized." I'm not a picky eater by any means and will clean up leftovers in a heartbeat, but I had to throw out my heaping amount of Plum Garden leftovers. The service was good, and staff were polite, but I can pass on the food.
(2)
LFoodie K.
Horrible Experience Would NEVER go back to Plum Garden. first of finding parking here takes forever there is no where to park unless you wanna park in an crack house ally. We got to the restaurant on a Friday night waited 20 mins just for someone to come to our table give us water which tasted like toilet water, seeing how long it took to just get water we placed our order right away.. waited another 30 mins for one egg roll by this time an hour goes by we still haven't seen our food no drink refills you think the waitress would at least let us know when our food would be out we arrived at 6:30 it was 7:50 still no food we then just got fed up walked out let the host know this place is a joke to first wait 30 mins to get one egg roll and then another hr for food no drink refills nothing. This is unacceptable service... there are plenty great restaurants in the area.
(1)
Pokher A.
This is Chinese food catered to the American palate. Don't get me wrong, it is very good but you can't compare it to a 4 star restaurant in Chinatown. Dragon Soup: good but it's only for 2. Duck Fried Rice: good. Triple Dragon: very good. Perry' Lo Mein: very good, one of the lunch time specials. Heaven's Nest: very good. Service was average but friendly since they do get busy and the waitstaff is a bit extended with the amount of tables that they cover but the bus folks helps them out. No communication barrier here since all of the waitstaff are Americans. Tip: try to seat away from the 3 window tables since it is adjacent to the restrooms and it's only parted by a half wall. A must try resto when you are around the McHenry area.
(3)
Donna M.
I have always loved Plum Garden however lately and I mean the last 4 times the food was barely edible. This time I have completely wasted 40.00 on food. The salt is so bad the food needed to be thrown out. Perry please do something about your quality standards since you have always been the best in McHenry until now. I also want to mention that the staff is very unhelpful and the extreme change to your menus and inflexibility are very concerning. Unfortunately I cannot afford to waste anymore money to purchase meals that need to be thrown away and I truly hope that I hear something positive so I can come back soon. I am not trying to be mean and I don't even want a refund, I just want the old PG back in all of it's glory.
(1)
Mark R.
Over rated, over priced and usually snotty service. It does not stand out from most suburban Chinese places and clings on to its reputation. But if you are in the Mchenry area, not much else to choose from.
(3)
Manny A.
Everything about this place is wrong. The water tastes like it came straight from the tap no filtration at all, egg rolls are soggy. Mongolian beff looked and tasted horrible. Food pricing is comparable to surrounding competition but the food is so not.
(1)
Michele B.
What a surprise! Who would have thought to go to downtown Mc Henry on Main St. for Chinese food! do not underestimate this gem. Excellent Hong Kong Chicken. Lots of food, Jessie gave us great service and the Volcano Drink is amazing!
(4)
Aly M.
Egg rolls are amazing! I would recommend their egg rolls, crab rangoon's, egg foo young, hong kong chicken, and fried rice. They redid the inside, its beautiful.
(5)
Karol B.
Used to love this place! Now the menu has changed, favorites are gone, and the prices are skyrocketing!! Very disappointed!
(1)
Vishal B.
Delicious, super fresh, completely remodeled! I just love the major overhaul that's been completed on a restaurant which had been in place for 50 years. Absolutely delightful staff, fresh and current offerings, stellar service too! My friend has been going to this place for ages and brought me here the first time almost a heat ago, at the time they had not remodeled and also goofed on my vegetarian dishes by using chicken broth and it got me sick. This place has changed everything and no worries, it's really good!! Fresh menu, clean, accommodating, reasonable and fresh. Really looking forward to the next visit to this little gem.
(5)
Aaron W.
Been going here since the 80 and still love the place. The egg rolls are awesome, fiesta fried rice and pork fried rice are delicious. Ling lo me in is mildly spicy and delicious. Of course Hong Kong chicken is their signature dish fried chicken and garlic sauce with fresh veggies. Whenever I come back into the area we always eat at The Plum. After living in four states including Ca this is the best most consistent Chinese I have ever had. I find myself always measuring other restaurants to The Plum and find them lacking.
(5)
Jordan D.
The food here is mediocre at best. The real kicker though, is that their website states clearly that they can make ANY dish soy or gluten free but any dish that has breaded meat comes pre-prepared and they have no alternative way to prepare those dishes. In short, their website has false claims about their sensitivity to any special dietary needs. Always verify statements made online and avoid this restaurant for misrepresenting itself so blatantly.
(2)
Andrew K.
I love Plum Garden. Been coming here since I was a kid and although my tastes have changed over the years they always have something that strikes my fancy. My personal favorite is Mongolian Beef, but other dishes are just as good. I also recommend the Hong Kong Chicken.
(4)
Jenny R.
Plum Garden recently catered our wedding. For just $13.95 per person, each guest was served 3 appetizers, a rice dish, a noodle dish, 3 different entrees and almond and fortune cookies. We ordered food for our 35 guests, but were brought enough food for 45 guests easily(my brother did not complain that he got all the leftovers-he had enough for a Bears party the next day). Mr. Moy & his staff delivered the food fresh, hot and on time with everything we needed to serve a fantastic buffet for our guests. The Hong Kong Chicken, eggrolls, and shrimp with Cantonese noodles were the big hits with everyone. Everyone loved the food-family members are looking forward to future visits to come see us so they "can eat Plum Garden again".
(4)
Amy B.
Wonderful, flavorful food! In the 6 years that I have been ordering from Plum garden, I have never been disappointed.
(5)
Kim J.
For sure some of the best Chinese food in McHenry. My girlfriends from high school and I always come here when we're all in town, and we have yet to be disappointed! My crew runs the gammut from vegetarians to hard-core meat eaters, and we're all pretty happy here. I've got to dock one star for the wait. No matter what time I make reservations for, we always end up waiting at least an extra 10-15 minutes for our table. Granted, there are usually 10+ of us, but still. If I tell you two weeks in advance that I'm coming, then why is it so hard to have our table ready?
(4)
Jack W.
Hong Kong chicken is outstanding. Clean and very friendly staff. Egg rolls are also great. Caroline was absolutely amazing and knew the menu to a tee!!!
(5)
Peter S.
Far and away my favorite place for oriental food in McHenry County. My wife and I order lunch here weekly. The lunch special for their legendary Hong Kong chicken is a fantastic deal. You get a generous portion of chicken and rice, a bit of vegetables AND an egg roll for well under $10. The staff is always friendly and the restaurant is almost never empty. The owner Perry Moy is a constant fixture in the building, greeting customers and talking with people is a norm. I have been visiting Plum Garden for over 20 years, ever since I was a kid. Time has not changed this iconic McHenry restaurant for the worse.
(5)
Tom E.
Food here is usually good. Hong Kong Chicken is quite delicious. Dragons double is my usual order. The steak is good but I have to order well done if not it comes too pink. I always get the food to go and find myself often waiting in their small bar area. It always seems that the food quality is better when the owner is present. Just something I noticed. Good place.
(4)
Melissa D.
Hong Kong Chicken... need I say more? Well since this is a review, I must. I've been going here since a kid. It is by far the best Chinese food I've had in my whole life... Chicken fried rice is soooo good. The eggrolls are famous. The owner is sweet. The drinks are good and strong... Service impeccable. Gosh, I wish I lived in the area. I'd go there right now.
(5)
Nancy E.
I personally prefer slightly more "authentic" Chinese food. That said, everything I have tried at Plum Garden thus far has been flavorful and fresh with attention to presentation. After Yee's in Harvard, IL closed, it is the only Chinese restaurant in Mchenry County that serves pressed duck. They don't have the classic WOR SIU OP, but it does the trick to kill my craving. BTW, I HAVE checked. I called every Chinese restaurant in the phonebook! Long live Pressed Duck!!!
(3)
Paul A.
I really don't get this place. The restaurant has supposedly been around forever. I was told by several locals that they love this place when I first moved here. I have eaten here twice, once for lunch and once for dinner. Both times the food just wasn't very good at all. The food was very bland and doused with very heavy sauce, smothering all other flavors in the dish. The decor was cheesy, and the place had an odd old man smell odor. If I ever have to eat here again, I'll give the Hong Kong Chicken a try. Supposedly that's what they're famous for.
(2)
Paul L.
The place I just "had to eat" when I first moved into town. Was the first place I ate after closing on my house and was sorely disappointed. Perhaps the Hong Kong chicken was built up too much and didn't meet expectations. I have ordered several times since then and must say it's good, but not a "omg it's the best Chinese food ever" type of place. It's pricier than most Chinese places you are used to, but that's because you can tell they use higher quality ingredients, like big chunks of white meat in the General Tsos. Try the fiesta fried rice, egg rolls, and Hawaiian love boat for two! appetizer.
(3)
Jeffrey O.
My family has been coming here for at least 2 decades. It's still worth the wait and the drive, but it's not as good as it used to be. Perry is a nice guy and it's nice to chat with him. Plum Garden is original Chinese food, not authentic (I don't know what authentic Chinese tastes like). They have the best Hong Kong Chicken I have tasted, but it doesn't taste as good as I remember. Since they have increased the size of the restaurant, it is easier to be seated and it is less cramped. Certainly, the amenities have improved. With that though, comes higher prices, and a smaller menu. We were just there and the menu is smaller and it has dropped many items we're used to seeing (Double Dragon, Phoenix Noodles, Pineapple South Seas). Where did those items go? Are new items coming? (We did not inquire about the missing items) The new menu was difficult for us to figure out and the Ling's Lo Mein did not say that it was spicy, and it actually did have the spicy peppers in it. Our server was ready to correct the problem, but we were okay. I would not get Ling's Lo Mein, it was mostly noodles and little vegetables and meat. Bird Of Paradise is very similar and is a better dish all-around. It wasn't as spicy as I remember it, because our non-spicy eater could eat it, and she couldn't tolerate the spice the last time we ordered it. I don't know why Ling's Lo Mein was marked on the menu as one of Plum Garden's specialties. I wouldn't call it that. Normally we have a hard time deciding what we want to order, but this time, we had a hard time finding anything that we wanted. My guess is that the menu is smaller to deal with a bigger dining room without a bigger kitchen. I was actually disappointed in the pepper steak with the black bean garlic gravy. I love that gravy sauce and it just wasn't as tasty, I'm afraid to say that it was a little watery and almost bland. I've had it for years to know what it is supposed to taste like. Not all of the entrees came with metal covers to keep them warm. We always have to wait longer than the average restaurant for our food. So we usually get egg rolls. I think Plum Garden is a good restaurant, and you certainly get plenty of food. We know the leftovers will cover our family for lunch the next day, and maybe smaller portions would be better than raising the price. They really could use some new entrees. I would not do carry out. I think we tried it once or twice many years ago and it just wasn't as good as dining in. I think Plum Garden is the only restaurant we have been going to at least once a year for decades.
(4)
John G.
Outstanding home made egg rolls, best shrimp fried rice I have had in a decade.. Very good... It was a very pleasant experience and it started with a really outgoing waiter. Ask for "Jessie" he is sharp and quick witted. He does not even keep a pad, he memorizes your order and delivers service promptly. I was impressed by the amount of food you get, when we left, it felt like we had placed another order to go. HUGE HELPINGS, there was 3 of us and we left with 5 to go boxes. The pricing is very reasonable for the portion size and quality of food. First visit and I will definitely be back.
(5)
Sal S.
Been coming here since I was kid and food continues to stand the test of time. Beef with broccoli and honk kong chicken are my 2 main dishes and both are excellent. Tip for those that are not huge bok choy and water chestnuts fans, have them throw the Hong Kong chicken on a bed of rice instead. Also for whatever reason PG has the best tasting fortune cookies.
(4)
Dallas T.
GREAT Chinese food sums it up...! No lines, no waiting today... Sat right down... Newly renovated since last time I was here. There's a larger bar and entry area, two large sized TV's at the bar. New and larger bathrooms with several choices of soaps to use (please use the soap before returning). The menu's the same including all their noted delicious signature dishes. There's sweet and sour sauce and hot mustard dispenser bottles on each table ... and a bottle of soy sauce too. The egg rolls are the BEST anywhere! So is their sweet and sour chicken (it's made with cherry's and pineapple). On occasion, I'll have their delicious signature Plum Wine (give it a try if you haven't already, sweet!). The beef tenderloin is awesome too. I've been here numerous times and food is always consistently delicious, the staff and owner are friendly, so that's why I like the place (as do so many others... obviously the place is very busy, it's been here at this location for a long time, and customers return again and again). And I plan on eating here again (and again) when I'm in the area craving Chinese food!!!
(4)
Rich P.
Went here this eve for MIL bday dinner. Quick look at the menu made me think that this place is very expensive. After the food came I can see that the portions are several meals. Started with an egg roll and commented afterward that the egg roll could possibly be the worst egg roll that I've ever eaten. It's huge, no question, but my first bite made me think it was filled with potato. As I kept eating I realized that it wasn't but the filling was definitely not what I'm used to. Very bland and soft. I had the Kung Pao chicken and it also was very different. The sauce was very thick and plentiful. I concur with a previous reviewer that the sauce was oddly sweet. There also didn't seem to be the variety of vegetables and water chestnuts that usually make up this dish. Wife's Mongolian beef was, in her words, kind of like a barbecue sauce. Again, oddly sweet. The Hong Kong chicken was probably the best received dish at the table but nobody was really impressed by any of the food. They did bring out some little cinnamon donuts with chocolate sauce for the birthday which was a nice touch. That was actually the best part of the meal for some of us.
(2)
Nick P.
This was one of the best meals I have had in years. I had the Hong Kong Chicken with egg rolls, won tons in a bed of vegetables. The portions were so big that I took home enough food for another full meal!! The chicken was breaded with a crispy light breading drizzled with a tasty oyster sauce and dice onions. OMG it was phenomenal. The restaurant was gorgeous inside, a long new modern bar was added along with a huge new dining room. I had a few of my favorite craft beers from the bar before we sat down to dinner. Who ever is selecting the craft beers on tap knows what their doing, great selection, cold and served perfectly. The restaurant was also very clean, the bathrooms were so nice it reminded me of the Trump Hotel. The host, a young Chinese man who was also a family member was so nice and welcoming. If you're looking for gourmet quality Chinese food this is the place. We will be back often.
(5)
ken k.
I don't know how anyone could give this place less than 5 stars. I have lived in Mchenry for over 20 years and this is the only consistent good Chinese food. The Hong Kong chicken is too die for and the egg rolls and fried rice are amazing as well. Spend a few more dollars and come here and don't support the crappy Chinese food places in Mchenry!!!
(5)
Dave J.
I've been here several times, and my most recent meal, with my aunt and my wife, was really outstanding. I'd give the place five stars, but the service was bit slow and as a result, we had to wait quite a bit for a table. The place was PACKED. There were a lot of people in the bar/entrance area waiting for either a table or a carryout order. I think the restaurant only recently started accepting reservations, so I'll be sure to call ahead and make 'em next time. Our waitress was very nice and did a really good job getting the food to us as quickly as the kitchen would allow. The restaurant has been here a long time, and I know it's very popular in the area, so with the experience they've had with crowds, they should step it up a bit service wise and turn the tables a bit quicker. They do a HUGE takeout business here, and it's easy to understand why...the food is EXCELLENT. And the portions are huge! Unless you're some kind of a glutton or starved yourself for a week or so, there's a real good chance you'll be taking home leftovers. My aunt had a spicy chicken entree, I cannot remember what it was called, but she really enjoyed it. My wife had the restaurant's famous Hong Kong Chicken, and I had the Lao Tze's Dream, a tofu dish with pan fried noodles and vegetables. We ate as much as we could before lapsing into food comas. We enjoyed a substantial amount of leftovers the next evening. The Won Ton soup is excellent. They put little peices of pork on top, and the wontons are PERFECT in texture and consistency...velvety soft and very light. They put a TON of these in a great big bowl with a tasty broth. I could take this soup intraveneously! Some of the reviews criticized the place as being too expensive. I disagree. C'mon folks, take a good look at the amount of food you're getting. Unless two or three of you are sharing ONE entree, you're easily getting a second, and perhaps a third meal out of one entree. And the quality of the ingredients also merit the higher price too. If you were getting inferior veggies, meats, and other ingredients in your entree, then it would be okay to gripe. But Plum Garden uses FRESH, top-notch ingredients...and plenty of them, so remember that next time you eat at Panda Express. You get what you pay for! Parking is on the street, but there is a small lot on the north side of the building with a few spaces. We were fortunate to arrive just as one of the multitude of carry out customers was leaving, so we got a prime spot in front of the restaurant. I've eaten a couple of other Chinese restaurants in McHenry County, and while I haven't tried ALL of them, I can say that Plum Garden is one of the BEST.
(4)
Ben W.
I would understand why the locals love this place, It is Americanized Chinese food. I heard it's been there for 40 years, it is so cool that a Chinese restaurant has become part of the small midwest town history. I would NOT recommend it to people who are looking for authentic Chinese food.
(3)
Aaron G.
Been a long time fan of Plum Garden (since the 80's) since I lived in mchenry in my childhood and having family in the area, just recently moved back into town. It is the best "Americanized" Asian restaurant in the area hands down. I love the Cabbage and chicken egg rolls with their signature sweet and sour sauce and spicy mustard and their Hong Kong chicken or Double Dragon for the entree, it's making my mouth water just thinking about it. And ever since they have expanded their restaurant into their neighboring building the comfort level has increased dramatically since how cramped it WAS, was my only complaint. Now having given it my praise I must warn new comers or people from out of town, this is not a hyper trendy cutting edge Japanese restaurant and it is not a high end luxury restaurant bent on "perfection" like you may find in the city. It is just a great local restaurant that has been offering something unique and delicious to the area for a long time. Plus the owner and his family are great and friendly people who deserve the support of their community. damn, after writing this review I now want some plum garden, guess I know what we are doing tonight for dinner.
(4)
Meghan I.
For years I've raved about this place to all my out of town friends: "Amazing Americanized Chinese food! You have to try their Hong Kong Chicken!" Although, after their remodel and expansion, I will never visit this restaurant again. For an early dinner, I decided to take my boyfriend here. I called 30 minutes beforehand to reserve a table for two, or at least get an idea of how long the wait time was. Well, there was a wait time: 2 1/2 hours. We decide not to wait for the table, and instead order to go. We get inside the restaurant to pick up the food, and from what I could see from the lobby, there were PLENTY of tables. Also, the bar was completely empty. MORE than enough room for 2 people. We bring the food home, ready to fill our bellies. The food is NOT what it used to be. I got 2 patties of the egg foo young. There was barely enough gravy in the container for 1 patty with rice. Also, it was tasteless and bland. I accidently ordered fried wontons instead of fried dumplings. But really? $5 for fried wonton wrappers? Who does that? The Hong Kong Chicken was good, as always, but everything else was just overpriced and BLAH. Tonight is Mother's Day. My mom wanted Plum Garden so we decided to order to go, for my whole family. We all chose what we wanted and I call in almost exactly at 5PM. The teenage girl on the phone tells me they are no longer taking carry out orders. A RESTAURANT, is no longer taking FOOD orders at 5PM. What a joke. I understand it is Mother's Day and very busy, but how do you turn away a customer, at FIVE IN THE EVENING. My family and myself would have been more than willing to wait. Otherwise, if the wait was too long, we would have gone somewhere else with complete understanding that it is over-the-top busy. I am in great awe that they turned us away. All in all, they expanded and remodeled, which is great, but in return, the service and quality completely plummeted. I will never order again from Plum Garden. Nor will anything positive come out of my mouth about this "restaurant" again.
(2)
Mandi G.
Not that impressed. Egg rolls are the worst. Confused as to how people love them..cabbage filled tasteless and soggy. Hong Kong chicken is good when on sale. Expensive when not. Everything else is just ok. Service was extremely slow. Dinner took 20 minutes to come out. No refills unless I asked.
(1)
Ken K.
Atmosphere - a litlle bar (5 chairs that is always full with people having 1 drink while waiting for take out orders) - BUT a really good mix of nuts to snack on while you wait. Decor is typical -a little nicer than the usual Chinese place (VERY cool neon dragons take up most of both walls) - bathrooms are tiny and in wierd spots - but it looks like the building is @100 years old, so that is what it is. Food - for most of the menu - above average Chinese....3-4 stars Why to go - HONG KONG CHICKEN - First, I am a Ron Swanson type of man - I usually consider Chicken woman's food, slightly above salad and yogurt. The Hong Kong Chicken from Plum Garden is, however - one of the best dishes I have ever had. With the entree, you get @3 huge chicken breasts, breaded in something that would make Col. Sanders wish he was Asian....covered with a great sauce....they throw some veggies in with it (for color I suppose) - which enhance rather than distract from the flavor of the chicken. I suppose you can put it over the rice provided - but it is absolutely fantastic on it's own.....this would make the top 5 of my "last meals on Earth" list.... Oh, and drinks are cheap - they had $3 Sapporo(sp?) as the special the month of May, 2012
Ok... I don't know what the hype is about this place, but it has never really impressed me. I grew up in McHenry and was always a China Light girl--when it closed I was pretty upset. Now, after living in Schaumburg and having some of the best Chinese ever (Fortune House).. I returned to McHenry for Plum and I can safely say its just OK. First of all, it is really expensive to eat here. Portions are huge I guess, but it would be nice to have different size options in order to have a smaller bill. The Hong Kong chicken is the best thing to eat, but that doesn't make for a great Chinese place. Our General Tso's Chicken had NO heat, it was very heavily soy based and just tasted like soy fried chicken. Egg Rolls are ok, a little bit too much cabbage for my liking. Its good, but there are def better places to get Chinese.
(3)
Erin D.
Plum Garden is a McHenry legend. There really isn't anything more that I can say that hasn't been said already. The home run here is the hong kong chicken. The cashew chicken and double dragon are my second and third choices here. I don't usually eat in here anymore, its a small space. Carry out is fast and always good as if you were eating there. Be prepared for a wait on the weekend. They also have great lunch specials!
(3)
Christine V.
Alright.. I get it that this place is a staple in McHenry county.. but when I see dishes coming out of the kitchen that looks like a monstrous fried chicken breast on top of some flaming orange vegetables, the LAST thing that comes to mind is "authentic" You leave smelling like grease and soy sauce... sexy
(2)
M H.
First of all, I want to say service is really good. We had a very friendly attentive server so it's too bad I am giving a less than stellar review. It started out great. They have great local beer on tap and their egg roll was really good so we figured the entree would be even better. It's like the appetizer and entree were made by two different chefs. i ordered the duck fried rice and my husband ordered kung pao chicken, both dishes which are classic American-Chinese dishes we felt they couldn't screw up. They were both oddly sweet, something we did not expect in a fried rice and Kung Pao chicken dish. If we ordered the orange chicken it would be a different story but these two dishes should not have been so sweet. My fried rice tasted like they made it with teriyaki sauce, which I'm not a fan of. Plus, the veggies were raw. I took a couple bites where there were huge chunks of onion that was completely raw and made me cringe. My husband's was disgustingly sweet. He was a sweetheart and ate it without too much complaint since I've been bugging him to try Plum Garden but he told me Panda Express has better Kung Pao, lol. I don't know if they have a new cook since there are a lot of raves from previous posts but the food now makes you wonder if the cook even knows what he is doing. I make better food than that. We didn't ask to have another entree because I've seen enough restaurant shows and I don't believe in ticking off the people that handle your food. They do have HUGE portions but that's not really a good thing when you don't love the dish; most of it was tossed afterwards. Except for the egg rolls, we would not order anything else. We would probably come back for drinks and appetizers but that's about it.
(2)
Jim W.
whats with the Hong Kong chicken enough salt in 1 order to last a month I'll try some leftovers tomorrow probally going into garbage
(1)
Steve K.
Large variety of choices, large quantities with take home required for almost every dish. Service is outstanding. With their newly expanded space even more inviting. We'll be back frequently.
(5)
Karen M.
This place is good. Nothing amazing though. I was shocked when I got the bill when I saw that my pinot grigio was $9 per glass. If this was a fine dining restaurant I would understand that price, but it's not. It's good but for the price of the food and drink I want to be wowed. I was not wowed.
(3)
Matthew O.
Something was very different about the egg rolls this time. The dough seemed completely different. Harder, crisper, and lacking the flavor I've become addicted to. Not sure if it was a bad batch or a newer (and cheaper) dough. I was pretty bummed and everyone at my table (all devout Plum Garden fans) noticed the difference. Also...tried the Shrimp Lo Mein for the first time. Unimpressed. Especially when the largest of the shrimp in the dish weren't deveined...when the smaller ones were. You CAN'T serve shrimp with the vein in it...come on. Lastly, the addition of the cinnamon doughnuts with chocolate sauce is great! They were delicious! And the Hong Kong Chicken....perfect as always.
(4)
Stef M.
My FAVORITE egg rolls ever. I have become an egg roll snob now that I have had the opportunity to sample these Burrito sized egg rolls. Other places egg rolls do not compare. Plum Gardens rolls are served just out of the fryer in a crispy shell. Yum. I think the egg rolls may be plain cabbage, but I like it. I try to limit the intake on fried foods, but this is a must-have on my list. I really like the Heaven + Earth Soup, as an entree. Its a steamy bowl of chinese veggies, mushrooms and tofu with a little kick. Meals are served on a platter with a lid to keep hot, with a plate on the side. Like it! Their no. 1 menu entree is the Hong Kong Chicken, which is their recipe for chicken in a delicate breading and sauce. Not for me but everybody raves about it! More good about this place? Nice staff, quick service, adequate street parking, email coupon program, plum wine, full bar, crowd pleaser.
(4)
Jason G.
The food is always great at Plum Garden but I have to say that the service has fallen off a bit. We are locals and regulars but mostly order the take out. We hadn't eaten at their facility in probably 3 years or better. We made reservations for 6 of us well in advance and they confirmed the six people for 7 o'clock. When we got their the place was packed and we checked in with the receptionist and told her that we were there are ready to be seated. We also informed her that we were only going to have 4 of us because two friends couldn't make it. We checked in at 6:40pm and you would have thought that reducing the size of our group to four (standard size table) would have made it easier to get seated. We didn't get seated until 7:45 after being told that it should only be about 15 minutes, 3 different times. I know the owner (Perry) somewhat well, who was there that night, and I was surprised to see that even walk-ins were being added to the list when people that had legitimate reservations had not been seated. But, on to the positives - the food was great as usual. I have to say, the food here is wonderful. If you haven't had it, you have to try it. I would have given them 5 stars if it wasn't for the wait and the service.
(3)
Linda B.
Had to check the new and improved Plum and was impressed with the new decor and renovations. Great job!! Our party of 8 had the Dragon dinner where the friendly server accommodated our preferences. The Hong Kong Chicken was everyone's favorite! The bar and restaurant staff are amazingly friendly and it's obvious they enjoy working together. What a delight! The food and atmosphere is well worth a visit to the Plum. Try their newest drink, the Volcano.
(4)
Troy M.
Here's the thing. It's not Chinese Food, it's Plum Garden. I've been coming to this place for 35 years and it has a legendary reputation in McHenry County that is well deserved, but don't confuse it with Chinese Food. This place is owned by multi-generational Americans of Chinese ancestry. When they came to this country Chinese food was not just exotic, it was something a white American wouldn't eat. The founder and her children built a menu that was unique and falls into the camp of "American Food with Chinese inspiration". That is what Plum Garden is. It's all-American comfort food with some inspiration drawn from Asian cooking methods (wok) and ingredients. Their Hong Kong Chicken is nearly world famous and they've sold more than 1,000,000 orders of the stuff since they opened the restaurant. The HK Chicken is mild, breaded chicken breasts that were battered and served over asian vegetables and drizzled with Oyster Sauce. The meal is then assisted by a really flavorful (but optional) home made sweet and sour sauce. This meal is unassuming and truly "comfort food". Their other hits include the "heaven's nest" (a nest of noodles with garlic tossed seafood) and their Steak Kew (cut steak tossed in a wok and served over vegetables). All of these entrees are fantastic but certainly are not "Asian Cuisine", they are the unique cuisines inspired by an Asian American family that has resided in this country for more than 50 years. If you're disappointed with Plum Garden it is only because the narrative in your mind is leading you to expect classic Chinese Mu-Shu or General Tso's or Beef with Broccoli. -This isn't that kind of place. This place is its own McHenry County institution.
(5)
Radford R.
I have been coming here for many years and they have the tastiest egg rolls and they are big. I almost always order the pressed duck with sweet onions and it is great and I happened to order the new Asian tacos as an appetizer last night and it really hit the spot as well. What a nice place to have dinner!!
(4)
Franklin D.
Food is pretty good. You can get your choice of appetizer with your lunch (won ton, giant egg roll, egg foo yung, etc.) and steamed or white rice. I got the Szechwan shrimp, which had a little too much sauce for my taste. I usually don't like too much goop on my food. But the flavor was very good. Next time I will go with the Hong Kong chx for sure. I overheard the owner telling a table that the place has been there since 1965 and he took it over from his mother. It's been around a while, and why so many people are very fond of it. Extra star for the very cool decor inside. All black walls with neon dragons and bright red Chinese decorations.
(3)
Dominik S.
A good atmosphere and very friendly staff. Other than that, meh. The food is average for a Chinese joint but priced like Filet Mignon. I can see where the bar is attractive for a few pops, but as a food establishment, I wouldn't recommend it. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind paying top dollar for excellent food and service, but this isn't it. The squeeze isn't worth the juice.
(2)
kelly t.
My family ate there last night, first time after the remodel / addition. I'm sorry to say we won't be going back and we have been regulars at this restaurant for many, many years. It was our go-to place when we wanted Chinese food. The new bar is lovely and spacious. The waiting room, I hope, is still being remodeled as it is just the old dining room with old tables still in place. Kind of strange to wait for a table while sitting at a table. Then they forgot to seat us. When we went us to ask how much longer, they asked our name. We were the ONLY ones sitting there. We were then brought to the worst table in the restaurant, one right as you walk into the large cavernous dining room. We noticed another open table further away and inquired politely if we might be able to sit there instead. The hostess said she would go check and NEVER came back. We just continued standing there until a waiter asked us if we wanted to move tables. That was strange. The new dining room is a large, open room, with no sound muffling at all. You couldn't hear your table mates speaking, but could hear other peoples conversations from across the room. The tables are VERY close together, so the ambiance is ruined. Food and drink - my martini was not good at all, tasted only like orange juice and it was served in a very small martini glass, one of my pet peeves. Please restaurants, use regular size bar ware. A but of confusion over the difference of an old fashion and a manhattan, but the drink when served was perfect. We ordered several meals. The Hong Kong chicken was delicious as usual, but almost too large of servings. Another dish we ordered with beef and shrimp had 4 pieces of meat in it. I had to inquire if this was how it was supposed to be served. We were told it was supposed to be six pieces of flank steak and they did bring out more 15 minutes later, which when served in a small dish, didn't help to make the meal any better, yet we were informed that the kitchen wanted to charge us extra, but the waiter informed them it was their error , therefor "the meat is on me". Well yes, it would be, wouldn't it. The egg rolls have absolutely no flavor whatsoever, and are literally dripping with grease and basically just all filler, no substance. The fried rice was dried out and cold when served. Everyone brings food home from this restaurant. There is always SO much chicken left. Perhaps they might want to lower the prices and lower the quantity. Our waiter was very nice however, so kudos to him. I realize that a lot of time and money was put into this addition, and they must be very proud. But to retain loyal clientele, they should really bring the food and drinks back up to par and somehow try to lessen the noise in the dining room. This all truly led to a less than stellar dining experience.
(2)
Erin O.
If Plum Garden was a little more affordable it would get 5 stars... Like so many others, I love their Hong Kong chicken. In fact, all their chicken is delicious - white, tender, and of good quality. I love knowing what I'm eating, as I'm not always sure with some of the mystery meat at lower-rent Chinese establishments. The owner is often in, ensuring your meal is up to par. The ambience is very dated, but at least it's festive.
(4)
Megan Q.
Plum Garden is one of the best Chinese restaurants I've eaten at in the McHenry County area. I'm pretty hooked on the Hong Kong Chicken, so I haven't tried much else on the menu - But the Hong Kong Chicken is AMAZING. Always fresh, very tasty and hits my craving for Chinese right on the head. I think the place has been family-owned through several generations and every time I'm there, the staff is always really nice and super welcoming. Is Plum Garden a fancy gourmet dinner place? No, but it doesn't try to be. The atmosphere is casual, the food is great and the portions are HUGE. Fantastic little spot for a quick, casual dinner out or to pick up and bring home (always, always fresh!). The generic quickie Chinese place in seemingly every strip mall, Plum Garden is NOT. I would recommend this place to anyone with a serious taste for good Chinese food. I am a definite fan and I look forward to going back often...Well, as often as my scale allows me :).
(5)
Roy C.
I walked in during the (busy time). 15 minutes later my food was ready. By far the best Chinese food I've ever eaten. Awesome
(5)
Scott M.
I've been very lucky in life to have had the opportunity to eat Chinese food all over the world - including mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. In addition, I have a lot of friends who grew up eating Chinese food - or as they knew it food - who have provided me with a considerable amount of guidance into eating as authentic Chinese food as one can in the United States. In my years, I've found that Chinese food in America varies by region. A dish will taste different on the west coast than it will in the south as the chefs modify their preparation to suit local tastes and product availability. (According to those I've asked, the most authentic preparations seem to be in San Francisco, Monterey Park and New York.) This brings us to Plum Garden... For someone who has been exposed to Chinese food outside of the mid-west, you're going to be disappointed. If this is what you're grown up with, I'm sure you'll be happy. For me, it was necessary to suspended my concept of Chinese food and accept what was being served as a totally different cuisine. Although there are those in my group who rave about their eggrolls, I thought they were horrible. I'm used to eggrolls that are about the diameter of a small hotdog. The one's at Plum Garden are the size of a small burrito and have so much cabbage in them that you cannot taste anything else. They are freshly prepared and served hot which is to their advantage. I only made the mistake of ordering their Hot and Sour soup once. Both my co-worker and I were put off by the strange orange colour and neither of us felt it was like any Hot and Sour soup we had ever had before in our lives. The Egg Drop soup was a bit bland, but it tends to be that way. Many in our party rave about the Won Ton soup. I wasn't that impressed, but I did appreciate the fact that the serving is enough for at least two healthy portions. For what their entrees lack in authenticity, they make up in size. They are huge - easily enough for two or more people. However, they tend to be a bit over generous with their batter on fried items with the dough often representing the greater portion of the portion. The staff is exceptionally friendly and accommodating. We would generally descend on them en mass and they were always able to accommodate us. On our two most recent visits, they provided us with almond cookies to take home since the group loved them. I wouldn't return to Plum Garden on my own accord, but I would as part of a group that was set on eating there.
(2)
Carl W.
This was a disappointing dinner for sure! It was not a busy Tuesday evening, so not a crowded room at all. My date and I were seated at the table, and needed a few minutes to decide. The waitress finally came back for the drink order, then didn't return for about 15 minutes. Took the order and delivered the Mai Thai. I finished the drink and ordered another which she failed to stop back at the table with, even after passing it multiple times. What made it worse was the inappropriate comments made by the owner about how attractive my date was. It wasn't low key at all as he brought his son out to show. Usually, I would have caused a terrible seen and spoke up however: the table next to us was a family with a few little ones and I just didn't want to cause a scene. The service was terrible! I would be more worried about the level of service rather than expanding the dinning area and commenting on other peoples dates! I would not return... ever.
(1)
Brian K.
We moved to Montana 11 years ago and when we are back in Illinois we always try to stop in at Plum Garden. We are never disappointed. The duck and the Hong Kong Chicken were still delicious and the place has really improved the "Chinese" look. The service is the only thing that kept the last star from appearing. It was adequate, but not outstanding.
(4)
Chriss M.
The food is good but nothing spectacular. The prices are higher than other Chinese Restaurants in the area. The last time I ate here, there was a large party seated in the side dining area, they shoved us in the corner behind the large table. We were completely blocked in and surrounded by the other party, that we unable to even get up to go to the bathroom. It was so loud we couldn't ever have a dinner conversation. Bad Experience.
(3)
Ashley W.
I grew up on this stuff which may be why I enjoy it as much as I do. The good: Their Hong Kong Chicken! And the owner, Perry Moy is very friendly as well and always has a smile on his face. The bad: When you call to order carry-out and they are *gasp* OUT OF EGG ROLLS! Their egg rolls are one of my favorite things there which is why it was disappointing that they were out of them on our most recent visit. Overall, all of my good experiences here over the last 20 some odd years leave me no choice but to give it a 5 star rating!
(5)
Ryan W.
We've lived in several different cities, and have found nothing that compares to some of the food that Plum Garden has. I'm guessing most of the poor reviews stem from the fact that they never tried the egg rolls and Hong Kong chicken, which is incredible. I recommend going at lunch time because they have a special deal where you get the egg roll, Hong Kong chicken, soup, and rice for a very affordable price.
(5)
Keith C.
Best Cantonese food besides Chinatown in Illinoise! Hong Kong chicken, Hawaiian chicken, egg drop soup, fried rice are soulful. Egg rolls are absolutely incredible, If Perry bottled that sweet n sour sauce he would make millions. Great local place that has been around since the 1960s.
(5)
Janna J.
THE best Chinese food I have ever in my life had. Seriously. I have been going here with my family since I was a wee tot and never have been disappointed! Everyone I know loves this place, and if they've never been there, I take them there myself or make sure they know about it. My all time favorite is the Hong Kong Chicken. It doesn't sound all that special but oh man it is! I have tried to find a substitute for this stuff but there just isn't one! The egg foo young here is also top notch and higher quality than I have ever had. Same goes for the egg drop soup. Amazing, I can't stomach the stuff most other places but here it's fresh and delicious! I could list every menu item here and write drool worthy antidotes but it just won't do it justice. Do yourself a favor and try this place out, you won't be sorry you did! Plum Garden, I just can't quit you.
(5)
Jason G.
I have heard from everyone that this is the place to go to for Chinese food in McHenry County, well I strongly disagree!! I have a few things that are a must in Chinese food ...one being really good egg rolls and the other being good flavors with fresh quality ingredients. Plum got the extra star for having really good quality fresh ingredients. BUT their egg rolls are NOT good. There is very little outside the cabbage in them! I mean give me some other veggies and some meat please! I have eaten here now a total of 3 times. We went here over the weekend for a Bday. Luckily we had reservations, cause the people waiting were staring at me eating the whole time. It appeared that they do much of their business via pick up. I think that plays into the long wait for your food, cause at one point I looked around the black walled restaurant to see that only one table actually had food on their table (@ 530 on a Saturday). They give you huuuuge portions, so we had tons of leftovers, to say the least. I ordered their signature dish Hong Kong Chicken & my wife ordered the Beef w/ broccoli. My dish was basically two large breast of chicken that had been deep fried in an extremely salty batter & topped with very little sauce...not worth the $16 price tag. My wife's beef was extra thin to add to the appearance that you are getting a lot of meat, but in reality all she had was broccoli and lunch meat like thin slices of beef. I understand that every town has their staple Chinese restaurant that they favor, but in my opinion there are much better options in New China in FRG & New Sunny in C.L. The service here is lousy. I don't think we caught one smile from our server until she gave us our fortune cookies and tab. I think she was more concerned about getting us out the door than making sure we were taken care of. They also had two young girls busing tables & that were really anxious to get our food in to go boxes. Just seemed rude and unneeded as I still had lot of food on my plate. I won't be going back here.
(2)
Richard R.
We went here with friends after this place had been recommended to us. The food was over cooked and tasteless. The service was indifferent. To say the least, we were embarrassed to bring our friends here.
(1)
C T.
First visit to Plum Garden, and it's safe to say I won't be going back. The tables are crammed so close together that if there was a fire, you would never be able to get out. Place also seemed dirty and had a funky smell to it. I had an eggroll appetizer, and Steak Kew for my main course. The eggroll was 99% cabbage, hard to tell if there were any other ingredients in there. Not too appealing. The steak Kew was just okay. The quality of the beef was decent, but the mushrooms were obviously out of a can. The rest of the veggies seemed fresh, and plentiful. Sauce was ok. Everything seemed to have a funny after taste - couldn't put my finger on what it was. No need to go on any more here, and no need to go back there.
(2)
V J.
Still trying to determine how after being gone from this area for 5 years, how one restaurant can still be in business with such poor customer service. Ordered takeout on 9/18/10 with family that I was visiting and the food was over an hour late from the time promised. We even built in extra time knowing this could be a problem yet. Will definitely not be back but instead will try one of the many other Chinese restaurants in the area. The only plus is the food WHEN it finally is ready. BUT in my book customer service is just as important. Partake only when you aren't entertaining or hungry or in a rush for time.
(2)
Frank N.
Bland at it's best. If you like basic, bland, unflavored Chinese food, then this is the restaurant for you. We ordered five different dishes and all of them were meh at best, and all tasted the same. There was just nothing exciting about any of the food. I felt that frozen stir fry veggies were better. I also felt that the restaurant looked like a strip club. Lots of black, lots of red, dimly lit, and lots of neon. We won't be going back there. Green Pea has far and away better food in my opinion, and a much more hospitable, friendly environment.
(2)
Cha Cha K.
The BEST chinese food in the world! I drive all the way from Chicago just to eat here! My parents have ate here since before I was born, now everytime they come for a visit they have to eat here! I can't eat chinese food anywhere else! Egg drop soup and the veggie chop suey are my favs!
(5)
Stacy O.
This place is stellar...I have been going here since I was 13 and will travel from anywhere to get it. The food is AMAZING!!! It is always fresh, always cooked to order and it doesn't taste like anything is ever frozen. The egg rolls are the biggest I have ever seen. Try it, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Mrs. G.
The Hong Kong chicken is tolerable, but these were the absolute worst egg rolls I've ever eaten! They were simply egg rolls filled with cabbage only - terrible! There was not one vegetable or bit of pork/chicken/beef in the egg roll - just cabbage, cabbage, cabbage. If a Chinese restaurant can't make a decent egg roll - they're out for me.
(1)
Joel Z.
On the plus side, Jason from Plum Garden followed up to explain the situation almost as soon as this review was posted, and was very cool about the whole thing. I have to tip my hat to people who are willing to own up to their mistakes; there are too few of them out there.
(2)
Robyn C.
The wait causes the 4 star rating. This is due, sadly, by the fact that all other Chinese restaurants in McHenry pale by comparison. I preface this by saying I'm a Chinese food snob, and while my palate has matured, I grew up on Plum Garden so I reserve a soft spot in my heart for it. It's been in McHenry forever and is an institution there. If you order (and order EARLY for pickup at a later time), do not miss the Hong Kong Chicken. It is what they're famous for. The egg rolls are also good, but not the best I've had. The steak fried rice good, but their others...eh. Stick to the other entree items, and if you like spicy go with Perry's selection. It's still McHenry, so if you want decent Chinese this is the definitely the place to go, despite the wait.
(4)
Samuel E.
Small place, McHenry institution. Also the only place left in the county to get pressed duck. And they have many different kinds. They may have other items on the menu, but I'll never know, all I ever order is some variant of the duck. About as authentic Chinese as Taco bell, but good food nonetheless.
(4)
Braden K.
Just a notice: Google maps is placing this at the wrong location. It's not in Cary, it's in McHenry. Map from their website: plumgardenrestaurant.com…
(3)
Laura R.
I agree that this restaurant has the best Chinese food in the area. If you have never eaten here before you MUST get the Hong Kong Chicken. I read on a previous review that the take-out wait is about an hour and a half..they are correct but this is ONLY on the weekends. I ordered take out from there a couple of days ago and it only took 15 mins, so just plan ahead if you want take-out on the weekends.
(5)
Derek P.
Outstanding food and service! Food was well worth it! Great staff! Highly recommended for those who enjoy Cantonese Style Food. Portions are sizable and more than generous. If you walk away hungry its your own fault or you have one hell of an appetite
(5)
Jacqueline R.
I used to love this place. But the last few times I have came here I tell myself I'm never coming back a few months go by and I give it another shot just to have the same feeling. One of my favorite things use to be the lunch special. It came with an entree, soup & a egg roll. Now everything is a la carte and the soup and egg roll is an extra $4. It should not be the consumers fault you extended the building and are tough on expenses. Today I came in at open 11 am. I sat down and with two layers a sweater and a jacket was cold until I got my soup which took 20 mins to get. Egg drop soup seemed watered down. These bench seats on the new edition are so terrible I can't believe no one sat in these before they installed them. The seams dig right into your legs, ver uncomfortable. The sweet and sour chicken taste like maraschino cherry juice. Horrible. The fried rice has really fallen off the deep end also. They sacrificed profit for costumer service and quality for sure on this new edition. Today I was the first table to sit down , at 11am, like I said took about 20 min for a cup of soup, and walked out at noon. It took way to long to receive my entree. If you are on lunch break for work I would not come here you will wind up missing lunch and not make it back on time. After this I will not be returning to plum garden and highly discourage going there.
(1)
Homer J.
I order carry out somewhat regulary from Plum Garden. As noted by others, the Hong Kong chicken dish is great. It's done nicely and seems to be made with quality ingredients. The egg rolls are among the best in the area, again with high quality ingredients and plenty of chicken, rather than a bunch of mystery vegetables other places tend to fill into the wonton leaf. Other dishes tend to be hit or miss, egg foo young for example is better at other places. Staff is always friendly and attentive.
(4)
Monica L.
For our asian food fix, we have been going to the Green Peapod which is thai, not chinese. We decided to try Plum Garden for variety. We ordered the beef & brocolli, shrimp fried rice, egg rolls, and sweet & sour pork (take-out). The egg rolls were alright I guess, mostly cabbage but at least it seemed fresh. Everything else I found to be pretty bland. The flavors to me seemed...watered down maybe? Something was definitely missing in the flavor department. The fried rice was like plain rice doused in soy sauce and not much else. I mean heck, I could do that at home and it would've cost me two cents. In short, I found their food quite bland and will not be eating there again.
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 : Average Alcohol : Full Bar 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.
Stephy M.
A little spendy for dinner, but worth it. I've been a Plum Garden fan since I was a little girl, and everyone in my family loves their food. PG was always packed when it was a smaller restaurant and is still popular (but not too full) after the expansion. The Double Dragon (steak kew and Hong Kong chicken) is fantastic and a good balance if you can't choose between proteins. The Hong Kong chicken is best eaten fresh and in-house, though; any time I take home leftovers or do carry-out, the bottom breading of the chicken gets soggy on the vegetables underneath. Still, their breading is perfect: not too thick, not too greasy, unlike some other HK chicken I've had. Their wonton soup is amazing: paper-thin wontons made fresh along with a good amount of pork. My family also loves their Heaven's Nest, Perry's Lo Mein, BBQ Pork, and Mongolian Beef. Their cinnamon rolls are also a great way to end the meal. Try their house plum wine if you haven't; it's not like usual plum wines and is a deep, sweet red-hued wine instead of the lighter plum wine that you usually see. It's a little expensive, but we always splurge on it and have given it as a gift several times too. When I lived far from McHenry, I missed it! They have great lunch specials and also share deals on their site and Facebook. I also appreciate that Jason, their General Manager, takes the time to check up on reviews here and address problems that anyone has during their visits.
(5)Nate C.
So I moved up here about 7 months ago, and the first thing I needed to do was establish my new go-to Chinese place. A good friend recommended this place to me so we gave it a try. Honestly, I was kind of unimpressed. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. After eating there a couple more times I've come to the conclusion it's just not worth the price. I'll still eat there if I'm part of a group that wants to go, but that'll about do it for me. Still searching for good Chinese in McHenry...
(2)Dani B.
RUDE RUDE RUDE My family has always resorted to plum garden being our birthday meals and or celebration meals. Me and my mom went here right after the remodel. We were so excited!!! I had kids with me. 1 they barely sat us down. They said They couldn't figure out where too put us, no one was there... Rude!! Especially mery poy (how ever you spell it) and his son, JERKS!! Because we had kids and others were coming in for lunch, we got waited on last. We kindly said something to both, THEY DID NOTHING! Add still got waited on last! Food is becoming gross and WAY OVERPRICED!!! I was so excited to bring my boyfriend here and show off the amazing Chinese food, he's not from here, to be completely disappointed. We havn't been back yet and don't plan to. Worst part is, my dad knows mery poy personally as he's still a dick to us! Which.. you're not better then anyone! jerks!
(1)Jiyoung P.
While I really hope for local businesses to stand out from chain restaurants, I just cannot give an endorsement to Plum Garden. I appreciate Plum Garden's community atmosphere, but the food in general is bland, salty, and overly "Americanized." I'm not a picky eater by any means and will clean up leftovers in a heartbeat, but I had to throw out my heaping amount of Plum Garden leftovers. The service was good, and staff were polite, but I can pass on the food.
(2)LFoodie K.
Horrible Experience Would NEVER go back to Plum Garden. first of finding parking here takes forever there is no where to park unless you wanna park in an crack house ally. We got to the restaurant on a Friday night waited 20 mins just for someone to come to our table give us water which tasted like toilet water, seeing how long it took to just get water we placed our order right away.. waited another 30 mins for one egg roll by this time an hour goes by we still haven't seen our food no drink refills you think the waitress would at least let us know when our food would be out we arrived at 6:30 it was 7:50 still no food we then just got fed up walked out let the host know this place is a joke to first wait 30 mins to get one egg roll and then another hr for food no drink refills nothing. This is unacceptable service... there are plenty great restaurants in the area.
(1)Pokher A.
This is Chinese food catered to the American palate. Don't get me wrong, it is very good but you can't compare it to a 4 star restaurant in Chinatown. Dragon Soup: good but it's only for 2. Duck Fried Rice: good. Triple Dragon: very good. Perry' Lo Mein: very good, one of the lunch time specials. Heaven's Nest: very good. Service was average but friendly since they do get busy and the waitstaff is a bit extended with the amount of tables that they cover but the bus folks helps them out. No communication barrier here since all of the waitstaff are Americans. Tip: try to seat away from the 3 window tables since it is adjacent to the restrooms and it's only parted by a half wall. A must try resto when you are around the McHenry area.
(3)Donna M.
I have always loved Plum Garden however lately and I mean the last 4 times the food was barely edible. This time I have completely wasted 40.00 on food. The salt is so bad the food needed to be thrown out. Perry please do something about your quality standards since you have always been the best in McHenry until now. I also want to mention that the staff is very unhelpful and the extreme change to your menus and inflexibility are very concerning. Unfortunately I cannot afford to waste anymore money to purchase meals that need to be thrown away and I truly hope that I hear something positive so I can come back soon. I am not trying to be mean and I don't even want a refund, I just want the old PG back in all of it's glory.
(1)Mark R.
Over rated, over priced and usually snotty service. It does not stand out from most suburban Chinese places and clings on to its reputation. But if you are in the Mchenry area, not much else to choose from.
(3)Manny A.
Everything about this place is wrong. The water tastes like it came straight from the tap no filtration at all, egg rolls are soggy. Mongolian beff looked and tasted horrible. Food pricing is comparable to surrounding competition but the food is so not.
(1)Michele B.
What a surprise! Who would have thought to go to downtown Mc Henry on Main St. for Chinese food! do not underestimate this gem. Excellent Hong Kong Chicken. Lots of food, Jessie gave us great service and the Volcano Drink is amazing!
(4)Aly M.
Egg rolls are amazing! I would recommend their egg rolls, crab rangoon's, egg foo young, hong kong chicken, and fried rice. They redid the inside, its beautiful.
(5)Karol B.
Used to love this place! Now the menu has changed, favorites are gone, and the prices are skyrocketing!! Very disappointed!
(1)Vishal B.
Delicious, super fresh, completely remodeled! I just love the major overhaul that's been completed on a restaurant which had been in place for 50 years. Absolutely delightful staff, fresh and current offerings, stellar service too! My friend has been going to this place for ages and brought me here the first time almost a heat ago, at the time they had not remodeled and also goofed on my vegetarian dishes by using chicken broth and it got me sick. This place has changed everything and no worries, it's really good!! Fresh menu, clean, accommodating, reasonable and fresh. Really looking forward to the next visit to this little gem.
(5)Aaron W.
Been going here since the 80 and still love the place. The egg rolls are awesome, fiesta fried rice and pork fried rice are delicious. Ling lo me in is mildly spicy and delicious. Of course Hong Kong chicken is their signature dish fried chicken and garlic sauce with fresh veggies. Whenever I come back into the area we always eat at The Plum. After living in four states including Ca this is the best most consistent Chinese I have ever had. I find myself always measuring other restaurants to The Plum and find them lacking.
(5)Jordan D.
The food here is mediocre at best. The real kicker though, is that their website states clearly that they can make ANY dish soy or gluten free but any dish that has breaded meat comes pre-prepared and they have no alternative way to prepare those dishes. In short, their website has false claims about their sensitivity to any special dietary needs. Always verify statements made online and avoid this restaurant for misrepresenting itself so blatantly.
(2)Andrew K.
I love Plum Garden. Been coming here since I was a kid and although my tastes have changed over the years they always have something that strikes my fancy. My personal favorite is Mongolian Beef, but other dishes are just as good. I also recommend the Hong Kong Chicken.
(4)Jenny R.
Plum Garden recently catered our wedding. For just $13.95 per person, each guest was served 3 appetizers, a rice dish, a noodle dish, 3 different entrees and almond and fortune cookies. We ordered food for our 35 guests, but were brought enough food for 45 guests easily(my brother did not complain that he got all the leftovers-he had enough for a Bears party the next day). Mr. Moy & his staff delivered the food fresh, hot and on time with everything we needed to serve a fantastic buffet for our guests. The Hong Kong Chicken, eggrolls, and shrimp with Cantonese noodles were the big hits with everyone. Everyone loved the food-family members are looking forward to future visits to come see us so they "can eat Plum Garden again".
(4)Amy B.
Wonderful, flavorful food! In the 6 years that I have been ordering from Plum garden, I have never been disappointed.
(5)Kim J.
For sure some of the best Chinese food in McHenry. My girlfriends from high school and I always come here when we're all in town, and we have yet to be disappointed! My crew runs the gammut from vegetarians to hard-core meat eaters, and we're all pretty happy here. I've got to dock one star for the wait. No matter what time I make reservations for, we always end up waiting at least an extra 10-15 minutes for our table. Granted, there are usually 10+ of us, but still. If I tell you two weeks in advance that I'm coming, then why is it so hard to have our table ready?
(4)Jack W.
Hong Kong chicken is outstanding. Clean and very friendly staff. Egg rolls are also great. Caroline was absolutely amazing and knew the menu to a tee!!!
(5)Peter S.
Far and away my favorite place for oriental food in McHenry County. My wife and I order lunch here weekly. The lunch special for their legendary Hong Kong chicken is a fantastic deal. You get a generous portion of chicken and rice, a bit of vegetables AND an egg roll for well under $10. The staff is always friendly and the restaurant is almost never empty. The owner Perry Moy is a constant fixture in the building, greeting customers and talking with people is a norm. I have been visiting Plum Garden for over 20 years, ever since I was a kid. Time has not changed this iconic McHenry restaurant for the worse.
(5)Tom E.
Food here is usually good. Hong Kong Chicken is quite delicious. Dragons double is my usual order. The steak is good but I have to order well done if not it comes too pink. I always get the food to go and find myself often waiting in their small bar area. It always seems that the food quality is better when the owner is present. Just something I noticed. Good place.
(4)Melissa D.
Hong Kong Chicken... need I say more? Well since this is a review, I must. I've been going here since a kid. It is by far the best Chinese food I've had in my whole life... Chicken fried rice is soooo good. The eggrolls are famous. The owner is sweet. The drinks are good and strong... Service impeccable. Gosh, I wish I lived in the area. I'd go there right now.
(5)Nancy E.
I personally prefer slightly more "authentic" Chinese food. That said, everything I have tried at Plum Garden thus far has been flavorful and fresh with attention to presentation. After Yee's in Harvard, IL closed, it is the only Chinese restaurant in Mchenry County that serves pressed duck. They don't have the classic WOR SIU OP, but it does the trick to kill my craving. BTW, I HAVE checked. I called every Chinese restaurant in the phonebook! Long live Pressed Duck!!!
(3)Paul A.
I really don't get this place. The restaurant has supposedly been around forever. I was told by several locals that they love this place when I first moved here. I have eaten here twice, once for lunch and once for dinner. Both times the food just wasn't very good at all. The food was very bland and doused with very heavy sauce, smothering all other flavors in the dish. The decor was cheesy, and the place had an odd old man smell odor. If I ever have to eat here again, I'll give the Hong Kong Chicken a try. Supposedly that's what they're famous for.
(2)Paul L.
The place I just "had to eat" when I first moved into town. Was the first place I ate after closing on my house and was sorely disappointed. Perhaps the Hong Kong chicken was built up too much and didn't meet expectations. I have ordered several times since then and must say it's good, but not a "omg it's the best Chinese food ever" type of place. It's pricier than most Chinese places you are used to, but that's because you can tell they use higher quality ingredients, like big chunks of white meat in the General Tsos. Try the fiesta fried rice, egg rolls, and Hawaiian love boat for two! appetizer.
(3)Jeffrey O.
My family has been coming here for at least 2 decades. It's still worth the wait and the drive, but it's not as good as it used to be. Perry is a nice guy and it's nice to chat with him. Plum Garden is original Chinese food, not authentic (I don't know what authentic Chinese tastes like). They have the best Hong Kong Chicken I have tasted, but it doesn't taste as good as I remember. Since they have increased the size of the restaurant, it is easier to be seated and it is less cramped. Certainly, the amenities have improved. With that though, comes higher prices, and a smaller menu. We were just there and the menu is smaller and it has dropped many items we're used to seeing (Double Dragon, Phoenix Noodles, Pineapple South Seas). Where did those items go? Are new items coming? (We did not inquire about the missing items) The new menu was difficult for us to figure out and the Ling's Lo Mein did not say that it was spicy, and it actually did have the spicy peppers in it. Our server was ready to correct the problem, but we were okay. I would not get Ling's Lo Mein, it was mostly noodles and little vegetables and meat. Bird Of Paradise is very similar and is a better dish all-around. It wasn't as spicy as I remember it, because our non-spicy eater could eat it, and she couldn't tolerate the spice the last time we ordered it. I don't know why Ling's Lo Mein was marked on the menu as one of Plum Garden's specialties. I wouldn't call it that. Normally we have a hard time deciding what we want to order, but this time, we had a hard time finding anything that we wanted. My guess is that the menu is smaller to deal with a bigger dining room without a bigger kitchen. I was actually disappointed in the pepper steak with the black bean garlic gravy. I love that gravy sauce and it just wasn't as tasty, I'm afraid to say that it was a little watery and almost bland. I've had it for years to know what it is supposed to taste like. Not all of the entrees came with metal covers to keep them warm. We always have to wait longer than the average restaurant for our food. So we usually get egg rolls. I think Plum Garden is a good restaurant, and you certainly get plenty of food. We know the leftovers will cover our family for lunch the next day, and maybe smaller portions would be better than raising the price. They really could use some new entrees. I would not do carry out. I think we tried it once or twice many years ago and it just wasn't as good as dining in. I think Plum Garden is the only restaurant we have been going to at least once a year for decades.
(4)John G.
Outstanding home made egg rolls, best shrimp fried rice I have had in a decade.. Very good... It was a very pleasant experience and it started with a really outgoing waiter. Ask for "Jessie" he is sharp and quick witted. He does not even keep a pad, he memorizes your order and delivers service promptly. I was impressed by the amount of food you get, when we left, it felt like we had placed another order to go. HUGE HELPINGS, there was 3 of us and we left with 5 to go boxes. The pricing is very reasonable for the portion size and quality of food. First visit and I will definitely be back.
(5)Sal S.
Been coming here since I was kid and food continues to stand the test of time. Beef with broccoli and honk kong chicken are my 2 main dishes and both are excellent. Tip for those that are not huge bok choy and water chestnuts fans, have them throw the Hong Kong chicken on a bed of rice instead. Also for whatever reason PG has the best tasting fortune cookies.
(4)Dallas T.
GREAT Chinese food sums it up...! No lines, no waiting today... Sat right down... Newly renovated since last time I was here. There's a larger bar and entry area, two large sized TV's at the bar. New and larger bathrooms with several choices of soaps to use (please use the soap before returning). The menu's the same including all their noted delicious signature dishes. There's sweet and sour sauce and hot mustard dispenser bottles on each table ... and a bottle of soy sauce too. The egg rolls are the BEST anywhere! So is their sweet and sour chicken (it's made with cherry's and pineapple). On occasion, I'll have their delicious signature Plum Wine (give it a try if you haven't already, sweet!). The beef tenderloin is awesome too. I've been here numerous times and food is always consistently delicious, the staff and owner are friendly, so that's why I like the place (as do so many others... obviously the place is very busy, it's been here at this location for a long time, and customers return again and again). And I plan on eating here again (and again) when I'm in the area craving Chinese food!!!
(4)Rich P.
Went here this eve for MIL bday dinner. Quick look at the menu made me think that this place is very expensive. After the food came I can see that the portions are several meals. Started with an egg roll and commented afterward that the egg roll could possibly be the worst egg roll that I've ever eaten. It's huge, no question, but my first bite made me think it was filled with potato. As I kept eating I realized that it wasn't but the filling was definitely not what I'm used to. Very bland and soft. I had the Kung Pao chicken and it also was very different. The sauce was very thick and plentiful. I concur with a previous reviewer that the sauce was oddly sweet. There also didn't seem to be the variety of vegetables and water chestnuts that usually make up this dish. Wife's Mongolian beef was, in her words, kind of like a barbecue sauce. Again, oddly sweet. The Hong Kong chicken was probably the best received dish at the table but nobody was really impressed by any of the food. They did bring out some little cinnamon donuts with chocolate sauce for the birthday which was a nice touch. That was actually the best part of the meal for some of us.
(2)Nick P.
This was one of the best meals I have had in years. I had the Hong Kong Chicken with egg rolls, won tons in a bed of vegetables. The portions were so big that I took home enough food for another full meal!! The chicken was breaded with a crispy light breading drizzled with a tasty oyster sauce and dice onions. OMG it was phenomenal. The restaurant was gorgeous inside, a long new modern bar was added along with a huge new dining room. I had a few of my favorite craft beers from the bar before we sat down to dinner. Who ever is selecting the craft beers on tap knows what their doing, great selection, cold and served perfectly. The restaurant was also very clean, the bathrooms were so nice it reminded me of the Trump Hotel. The host, a young Chinese man who was also a family member was so nice and welcoming. If you're looking for gourmet quality Chinese food this is the place. We will be back often.
(5)ken k.
I don't know how anyone could give this place less than 5 stars. I have lived in Mchenry for over 20 years and this is the only consistent good Chinese food. The Hong Kong chicken is too die for and the egg rolls and fried rice are amazing as well. Spend a few more dollars and come here and don't support the crappy Chinese food places in Mchenry!!!
(5)Dave J.
I've been here several times, and my most recent meal, with my aunt and my wife, was really outstanding. I'd give the place five stars, but the service was bit slow and as a result, we had to wait quite a bit for a table. The place was PACKED. There were a lot of people in the bar/entrance area waiting for either a table or a carryout order. I think the restaurant only recently started accepting reservations, so I'll be sure to call ahead and make 'em next time. Our waitress was very nice and did a really good job getting the food to us as quickly as the kitchen would allow. The restaurant has been here a long time, and I know it's very popular in the area, so with the experience they've had with crowds, they should step it up a bit service wise and turn the tables a bit quicker. They do a HUGE takeout business here, and it's easy to understand why...the food is EXCELLENT. And the portions are huge! Unless you're some kind of a glutton or starved yourself for a week or so, there's a real good chance you'll be taking home leftovers. My aunt had a spicy chicken entree, I cannot remember what it was called, but she really enjoyed it. My wife had the restaurant's famous Hong Kong Chicken, and I had the Lao Tze's Dream, a tofu dish with pan fried noodles and vegetables. We ate as much as we could before lapsing into food comas. We enjoyed a substantial amount of leftovers the next evening. The Won Ton soup is excellent. They put little peices of pork on top, and the wontons are PERFECT in texture and consistency...velvety soft and very light. They put a TON of these in a great big bowl with a tasty broth. I could take this soup intraveneously! Some of the reviews criticized the place as being too expensive. I disagree. C'mon folks, take a good look at the amount of food you're getting. Unless two or three of you are sharing ONE entree, you're easily getting a second, and perhaps a third meal out of one entree. And the quality of the ingredients also merit the higher price too. If you were getting inferior veggies, meats, and other ingredients in your entree, then it would be okay to gripe. But Plum Garden uses FRESH, top-notch ingredients...and plenty of them, so remember that next time you eat at Panda Express. You get what you pay for! Parking is on the street, but there is a small lot on the north side of the building with a few spaces. We were fortunate to arrive just as one of the multitude of carry out customers was leaving, so we got a prime spot in front of the restaurant. I've eaten a couple of other Chinese restaurants in McHenry County, and while I haven't tried ALL of them, I can say that Plum Garden is one of the BEST.
(4)Ben W.
I would understand why the locals love this place, It is Americanized Chinese food. I heard it's been there for 40 years, it is so cool that a Chinese restaurant has become part of the small midwest town history. I would NOT recommend it to people who are looking for authentic Chinese food.
(3)Aaron G.
Been a long time fan of Plum Garden (since the 80's) since I lived in mchenry in my childhood and having family in the area, just recently moved back into town. It is the best "Americanized" Asian restaurant in the area hands down. I love the Cabbage and chicken egg rolls with their signature sweet and sour sauce and spicy mustard and their Hong Kong chicken or Double Dragon for the entree, it's making my mouth water just thinking about it. And ever since they have expanded their restaurant into their neighboring building the comfort level has increased dramatically since how cramped it WAS, was my only complaint. Now having given it my praise I must warn new comers or people from out of town, this is not a hyper trendy cutting edge Japanese restaurant and it is not a high end luxury restaurant bent on "perfection" like you may find in the city. It is just a great local restaurant that has been offering something unique and delicious to the area for a long time. Plus the owner and his family are great and friendly people who deserve the support of their community. damn, after writing this review I now want some plum garden, guess I know what we are doing tonight for dinner.
(4)Meghan I.
For years I've raved about this place to all my out of town friends: "Amazing Americanized Chinese food! You have to try their Hong Kong Chicken!" Although, after their remodel and expansion, I will never visit this restaurant again. For an early dinner, I decided to take my boyfriend here. I called 30 minutes beforehand to reserve a table for two, or at least get an idea of how long the wait time was. Well, there was a wait time: 2 1/2 hours. We decide not to wait for the table, and instead order to go. We get inside the restaurant to pick up the food, and from what I could see from the lobby, there were PLENTY of tables. Also, the bar was completely empty. MORE than enough room for 2 people. We bring the food home, ready to fill our bellies. The food is NOT what it used to be. I got 2 patties of the egg foo young. There was barely enough gravy in the container for 1 patty with rice. Also, it was tasteless and bland. I accidently ordered fried wontons instead of fried dumplings. But really? $5 for fried wonton wrappers? Who does that? The Hong Kong Chicken was good, as always, but everything else was just overpriced and BLAH. Tonight is Mother's Day. My mom wanted Plum Garden so we decided to order to go, for my whole family. We all chose what we wanted and I call in almost exactly at 5PM. The teenage girl on the phone tells me they are no longer taking carry out orders. A RESTAURANT, is no longer taking FOOD orders at 5PM. What a joke. I understand it is Mother's Day and very busy, but how do you turn away a customer, at FIVE IN THE EVENING. My family and myself would have been more than willing to wait. Otherwise, if the wait was too long, we would have gone somewhere else with complete understanding that it is over-the-top busy. I am in great awe that they turned us away. All in all, they expanded and remodeled, which is great, but in return, the service and quality completely plummeted. I will never order again from Plum Garden. Nor will anything positive come out of my mouth about this "restaurant" again.
(2)Mandi G.
Not that impressed. Egg rolls are the worst. Confused as to how people love them..cabbage filled tasteless and soggy. Hong Kong chicken is good when on sale. Expensive when not. Everything else is just ok. Service was extremely slow. Dinner took 20 minutes to come out. No refills unless I asked.
(1)Ken K.
Atmosphere - a litlle bar (5 chairs that is always full with people having 1 drink while waiting for take out orders) - BUT a really good mix of nuts to snack on while you wait. Decor is typical -a little nicer than the usual Chinese place (VERY cool neon dragons take up most of both walls) - bathrooms are tiny and in wierd spots - but it looks like the building is @100 years old, so that is what it is. Food - for most of the menu - above average Chinese....3-4 stars Why to go - HONG KONG CHICKEN - First, I am a Ron Swanson type of man - I usually consider Chicken woman's food, slightly above salad and yogurt. The Hong Kong Chicken from Plum Garden is, however - one of the best dishes I have ever had. With the entree, you get @3 huge chicken breasts, breaded in something that would make Col. Sanders wish he was Asian....covered with a great sauce....they throw some veggies in with it (for color I suppose) - which enhance rather than distract from the flavor of the chicken. I suppose you can put it over the rice provided - but it is absolutely fantastic on it's own.....this would make the top 5 of my "last meals on Earth" list.... Oh, and drinks are cheap - they had $3 Sapporo(sp?) as the special the month of May, 2012
(5)Ryan B.
Worst Chinese food ever probably. If you love the food here then you've probably never had Chinese food...anywhere...or ever. Everything was bland...rice, egg roll, and the legendary Hong Kong chicken. I thought I was the only one but my fiancée and her best friend (McHenry native) think the same thing.
(1)Donna R.
Ok... I don't know what the hype is about this place, but it has never really impressed me. I grew up in McHenry and was always a China Light girl--when it closed I was pretty upset. Now, after living in Schaumburg and having some of the best Chinese ever (Fortune House).. I returned to McHenry for Plum and I can safely say its just OK. First of all, it is really expensive to eat here. Portions are huge I guess, but it would be nice to have different size options in order to have a smaller bill. The Hong Kong chicken is the best thing to eat, but that doesn't make for a great Chinese place. Our General Tso's Chicken had NO heat, it was very heavily soy based and just tasted like soy fried chicken. Egg Rolls are ok, a little bit too much cabbage for my liking. Its good, but there are def better places to get Chinese.
(3)Erin D.
Plum Garden is a McHenry legend. There really isn't anything more that I can say that hasn't been said already. The home run here is the hong kong chicken. The cashew chicken and double dragon are my second and third choices here. I don't usually eat in here anymore, its a small space. Carry out is fast and always good as if you were eating there. Be prepared for a wait on the weekend. They also have great lunch specials!
(3)Christine V.
Alright.. I get it that this place is a staple in McHenry county.. but when I see dishes coming out of the kitchen that looks like a monstrous fried chicken breast on top of some flaming orange vegetables, the LAST thing that comes to mind is "authentic" You leave smelling like grease and soy sauce... sexy
(2)M H.
First of all, I want to say service is really good. We had a very friendly attentive server so it's too bad I am giving a less than stellar review. It started out great. They have great local beer on tap and their egg roll was really good so we figured the entree would be even better. It's like the appetizer and entree were made by two different chefs. i ordered the duck fried rice and my husband ordered kung pao chicken, both dishes which are classic American-Chinese dishes we felt they couldn't screw up. They were both oddly sweet, something we did not expect in a fried rice and Kung Pao chicken dish. If we ordered the orange chicken it would be a different story but these two dishes should not have been so sweet. My fried rice tasted like they made it with teriyaki sauce, which I'm not a fan of. Plus, the veggies were raw. I took a couple bites where there were huge chunks of onion that was completely raw and made me cringe. My husband's was disgustingly sweet. He was a sweetheart and ate it without too much complaint since I've been bugging him to try Plum Garden but he told me Panda Express has better Kung Pao, lol. I don't know if they have a new cook since there are a lot of raves from previous posts but the food now makes you wonder if the cook even knows what he is doing. I make better food than that. We didn't ask to have another entree because I've seen enough restaurant shows and I don't believe in ticking off the people that handle your food. They do have HUGE portions but that's not really a good thing when you don't love the dish; most of it was tossed afterwards. Except for the egg rolls, we would not order anything else. We would probably come back for drinks and appetizers but that's about it.
(2)Jim W.
whats with the Hong Kong chicken enough salt in 1 order to last a month I'll try some leftovers tomorrow probally going into garbage
(1)Steve K.
Large variety of choices, large quantities with take home required for almost every dish. Service is outstanding. With their newly expanded space even more inviting. We'll be back frequently.
(5)Karen M.
This place is good. Nothing amazing though. I was shocked when I got the bill when I saw that my pinot grigio was $9 per glass. If this was a fine dining restaurant I would understand that price, but it's not. It's good but for the price of the food and drink I want to be wowed. I was not wowed.
(3)Matthew O.
Something was very different about the egg rolls this time. The dough seemed completely different. Harder, crisper, and lacking the flavor I've become addicted to. Not sure if it was a bad batch or a newer (and cheaper) dough. I was pretty bummed and everyone at my table (all devout Plum Garden fans) noticed the difference. Also...tried the Shrimp Lo Mein for the first time. Unimpressed. Especially when the largest of the shrimp in the dish weren't deveined...when the smaller ones were. You CAN'T serve shrimp with the vein in it...come on. Lastly, the addition of the cinnamon doughnuts with chocolate sauce is great! They were delicious! And the Hong Kong Chicken....perfect as always.
(4)Stef M.
My FAVORITE egg rolls ever. I have become an egg roll snob now that I have had the opportunity to sample these Burrito sized egg rolls. Other places egg rolls do not compare. Plum Gardens rolls are served just out of the fryer in a crispy shell. Yum. I think the egg rolls may be plain cabbage, but I like it. I try to limit the intake on fried foods, but this is a must-have on my list. I really like the Heaven + Earth Soup, as an entree. Its a steamy bowl of chinese veggies, mushrooms and tofu with a little kick. Meals are served on a platter with a lid to keep hot, with a plate on the side. Like it! Their no. 1 menu entree is the Hong Kong Chicken, which is their recipe for chicken in a delicate breading and sauce. Not for me but everybody raves about it! More good about this place? Nice staff, quick service, adequate street parking, email coupon program, plum wine, full bar, crowd pleaser.
(4)Jason G.
The food is always great at Plum Garden but I have to say that the service has fallen off a bit. We are locals and regulars but mostly order the take out. We hadn't eaten at their facility in probably 3 years or better. We made reservations for 6 of us well in advance and they confirmed the six people for 7 o'clock. When we got their the place was packed and we checked in with the receptionist and told her that we were there are ready to be seated. We also informed her that we were only going to have 4 of us because two friends couldn't make it. We checked in at 6:40pm and you would have thought that reducing the size of our group to four (standard size table) would have made it easier to get seated. We didn't get seated until 7:45 after being told that it should only be about 15 minutes, 3 different times. I know the owner (Perry) somewhat well, who was there that night, and I was surprised to see that even walk-ins were being added to the list when people that had legitimate reservations had not been seated. But, on to the positives - the food was great as usual. I have to say, the food here is wonderful. If you haven't had it, you have to try it. I would have given them 5 stars if it wasn't for the wait and the service.
(3)Linda B.
Had to check the new and improved Plum and was impressed with the new decor and renovations. Great job!! Our party of 8 had the Dragon dinner where the friendly server accommodated our preferences. The Hong Kong Chicken was everyone's favorite! The bar and restaurant staff are amazingly friendly and it's obvious they enjoy working together. What a delight! The food and atmosphere is well worth a visit to the Plum. Try their newest drink, the Volcano.
(4)Troy M.
Here's the thing. It's not Chinese Food, it's Plum Garden. I've been coming to this place for 35 years and it has a legendary reputation in McHenry County that is well deserved, but don't confuse it with Chinese Food. This place is owned by multi-generational Americans of Chinese ancestry. When they came to this country Chinese food was not just exotic, it was something a white American wouldn't eat. The founder and her children built a menu that was unique and falls into the camp of "American Food with Chinese inspiration". That is what Plum Garden is. It's all-American comfort food with some inspiration drawn from Asian cooking methods (wok) and ingredients. Their Hong Kong Chicken is nearly world famous and they've sold more than 1,000,000 orders of the stuff since they opened the restaurant. The HK Chicken is mild, breaded chicken breasts that were battered and served over asian vegetables and drizzled with Oyster Sauce. The meal is then assisted by a really flavorful (but optional) home made sweet and sour sauce. This meal is unassuming and truly "comfort food". Their other hits include the "heaven's nest" (a nest of noodles with garlic tossed seafood) and their Steak Kew (cut steak tossed in a wok and served over vegetables). All of these entrees are fantastic but certainly are not "Asian Cuisine", they are the unique cuisines inspired by an Asian American family that has resided in this country for more than 50 years. If you're disappointed with Plum Garden it is only because the narrative in your mind is leading you to expect classic Chinese Mu-Shu or General Tso's or Beef with Broccoli. -This isn't that kind of place. This place is its own McHenry County institution.
(5)Radford R.
I have been coming here for many years and they have the tastiest egg rolls and they are big. I almost always order the pressed duck with sweet onions and it is great and I happened to order the new Asian tacos as an appetizer last night and it really hit the spot as well. What a nice place to have dinner!!
(4)Franklin D.
Food is pretty good. You can get your choice of appetizer with your lunch (won ton, giant egg roll, egg foo yung, etc.) and steamed or white rice. I got the Szechwan shrimp, which had a little too much sauce for my taste. I usually don't like too much goop on my food. But the flavor was very good. Next time I will go with the Hong Kong chx for sure. I overheard the owner telling a table that the place has been there since 1965 and he took it over from his mother. It's been around a while, and why so many people are very fond of it. Extra star for the very cool decor inside. All black walls with neon dragons and bright red Chinese decorations.
(3)Dominik S.
A good atmosphere and very friendly staff. Other than that, meh. The food is average for a Chinese joint but priced like Filet Mignon. I can see where the bar is attractive for a few pops, but as a food establishment, I wouldn't recommend it. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind paying top dollar for excellent food and service, but this isn't it. The squeeze isn't worth the juice.
(2)kelly t.
My family ate there last night, first time after the remodel / addition. I'm sorry to say we won't be going back and we have been regulars at this restaurant for many, many years. It was our go-to place when we wanted Chinese food. The new bar is lovely and spacious. The waiting room, I hope, is still being remodeled as it is just the old dining room with old tables still in place. Kind of strange to wait for a table while sitting at a table. Then they forgot to seat us. When we went us to ask how much longer, they asked our name. We were the ONLY ones sitting there. We were then brought to the worst table in the restaurant, one right as you walk into the large cavernous dining room. We noticed another open table further away and inquired politely if we might be able to sit there instead. The hostess said she would go check and NEVER came back. We just continued standing there until a waiter asked us if we wanted to move tables. That was strange. The new dining room is a large, open room, with no sound muffling at all. You couldn't hear your table mates speaking, but could hear other peoples conversations from across the room. The tables are VERY close together, so the ambiance is ruined. Food and drink - my martini was not good at all, tasted only like orange juice and it was served in a very small martini glass, one of my pet peeves. Please restaurants, use regular size bar ware. A but of confusion over the difference of an old fashion and a manhattan, but the drink when served was perfect. We ordered several meals. The Hong Kong chicken was delicious as usual, but almost too large of servings. Another dish we ordered with beef and shrimp had 4 pieces of meat in it. I had to inquire if this was how it was supposed to be served. We were told it was supposed to be six pieces of flank steak and they did bring out more 15 minutes later, which when served in a small dish, didn't help to make the meal any better, yet we were informed that the kitchen wanted to charge us extra, but the waiter informed them it was their error , therefor "the meat is on me". Well yes, it would be, wouldn't it. The egg rolls have absolutely no flavor whatsoever, and are literally dripping with grease and basically just all filler, no substance. The fried rice was dried out and cold when served. Everyone brings food home from this restaurant. There is always SO much chicken left. Perhaps they might want to lower the prices and lower the quantity. Our waiter was very nice however, so kudos to him. I realize that a lot of time and money was put into this addition, and they must be very proud. But to retain loyal clientele, they should really bring the food and drinks back up to par and somehow try to lessen the noise in the dining room. This all truly led to a less than stellar dining experience.
(2)Erin O.
If Plum Garden was a little more affordable it would get 5 stars... Like so many others, I love their Hong Kong chicken. In fact, all their chicken is delicious - white, tender, and of good quality. I love knowing what I'm eating, as I'm not always sure with some of the mystery meat at lower-rent Chinese establishments. The owner is often in, ensuring your meal is up to par. The ambience is very dated, but at least it's festive.
(4)Megan Q.
Plum Garden is one of the best Chinese restaurants I've eaten at in the McHenry County area. I'm pretty hooked on the Hong Kong Chicken, so I haven't tried much else on the menu - But the Hong Kong Chicken is AMAZING. Always fresh, very tasty and hits my craving for Chinese right on the head. I think the place has been family-owned through several generations and every time I'm there, the staff is always really nice and super welcoming. Is Plum Garden a fancy gourmet dinner place? No, but it doesn't try to be. The atmosphere is casual, the food is great and the portions are HUGE. Fantastic little spot for a quick, casual dinner out or to pick up and bring home (always, always fresh!). The generic quickie Chinese place in seemingly every strip mall, Plum Garden is NOT. I would recommend this place to anyone with a serious taste for good Chinese food. I am a definite fan and I look forward to going back often...Well, as often as my scale allows me :).
(5)Roy C.
I walked in during the (busy time). 15 minutes later my food was ready. By far the best Chinese food I've ever eaten. Awesome
(5)Scott M.
I've been very lucky in life to have had the opportunity to eat Chinese food all over the world - including mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. In addition, I have a lot of friends who grew up eating Chinese food - or as they knew it food - who have provided me with a considerable amount of guidance into eating as authentic Chinese food as one can in the United States. In my years, I've found that Chinese food in America varies by region. A dish will taste different on the west coast than it will in the south as the chefs modify their preparation to suit local tastes and product availability. (According to those I've asked, the most authentic preparations seem to be in San Francisco, Monterey Park and New York.) This brings us to Plum Garden... For someone who has been exposed to Chinese food outside of the mid-west, you're going to be disappointed. If this is what you're grown up with, I'm sure you'll be happy. For me, it was necessary to suspended my concept of Chinese food and accept what was being served as a totally different cuisine. Although there are those in my group who rave about their eggrolls, I thought they were horrible. I'm used to eggrolls that are about the diameter of a small hotdog. The one's at Plum Garden are the size of a small burrito and have so much cabbage in them that you cannot taste anything else. They are freshly prepared and served hot which is to their advantage. I only made the mistake of ordering their Hot and Sour soup once. Both my co-worker and I were put off by the strange orange colour and neither of us felt it was like any Hot and Sour soup we had ever had before in our lives. The Egg Drop soup was a bit bland, but it tends to be that way. Many in our party rave about the Won Ton soup. I wasn't that impressed, but I did appreciate the fact that the serving is enough for at least two healthy portions. For what their entrees lack in authenticity, they make up in size. They are huge - easily enough for two or more people. However, they tend to be a bit over generous with their batter on fried items with the dough often representing the greater portion of the portion. The staff is exceptionally friendly and accommodating. We would generally descend on them en mass and they were always able to accommodate us. On our two most recent visits, they provided us with almond cookies to take home since the group loved them. I wouldn't return to Plum Garden on my own accord, but I would as part of a group that was set on eating there.
(2)Carl W.
This was a disappointing dinner for sure! It was not a busy Tuesday evening, so not a crowded room at all. My date and I were seated at the table, and needed a few minutes to decide. The waitress finally came back for the drink order, then didn't return for about 15 minutes. Took the order and delivered the Mai Thai. I finished the drink and ordered another which she failed to stop back at the table with, even after passing it multiple times. What made it worse was the inappropriate comments made by the owner about how attractive my date was. It wasn't low key at all as he brought his son out to show. Usually, I would have caused a terrible seen and spoke up however: the table next to us was a family with a few little ones and I just didn't want to cause a scene. The service was terrible! I would be more worried about the level of service rather than expanding the dinning area and commenting on other peoples dates! I would not return... ever.
(1)Brian K.
We moved to Montana 11 years ago and when we are back in Illinois we always try to stop in at Plum Garden. We are never disappointed. The duck and the Hong Kong Chicken were still delicious and the place has really improved the "Chinese" look. The service is the only thing that kept the last star from appearing. It was adequate, but not outstanding.
(4)Chriss M.
The food is good but nothing spectacular. The prices are higher than other Chinese Restaurants in the area. The last time I ate here, there was a large party seated in the side dining area, they shoved us in the corner behind the large table. We were completely blocked in and surrounded by the other party, that we unable to even get up to go to the bathroom. It was so loud we couldn't ever have a dinner conversation. Bad Experience.
(3)Ashley W.
I grew up on this stuff which may be why I enjoy it as much as I do. The good: Their Hong Kong Chicken! And the owner, Perry Moy is very friendly as well and always has a smile on his face. The bad: When you call to order carry-out and they are *gasp* OUT OF EGG ROLLS! Their egg rolls are one of my favorite things there which is why it was disappointing that they were out of them on our most recent visit. Overall, all of my good experiences here over the last 20 some odd years leave me no choice but to give it a 5 star rating!
(5)Ryan W.
We've lived in several different cities, and have found nothing that compares to some of the food that Plum Garden has. I'm guessing most of the poor reviews stem from the fact that they never tried the egg rolls and Hong Kong chicken, which is incredible. I recommend going at lunch time because they have a special deal where you get the egg roll, Hong Kong chicken, soup, and rice for a very affordable price.
(5)Keith C.
Best Cantonese food besides Chinatown in Illinoise! Hong Kong chicken, Hawaiian chicken, egg drop soup, fried rice are soulful. Egg rolls are absolutely incredible, If Perry bottled that sweet n sour sauce he would make millions. Great local place that has been around since the 1960s.
(5)Janna J.
THE best Chinese food I have ever in my life had. Seriously. I have been going here with my family since I was a wee tot and never have been disappointed! Everyone I know loves this place, and if they've never been there, I take them there myself or make sure they know about it. My all time favorite is the Hong Kong Chicken. It doesn't sound all that special but oh man it is! I have tried to find a substitute for this stuff but there just isn't one! The egg foo young here is also top notch and higher quality than I have ever had. Same goes for the egg drop soup. Amazing, I can't stomach the stuff most other places but here it's fresh and delicious! I could list every menu item here and write drool worthy antidotes but it just won't do it justice. Do yourself a favor and try this place out, you won't be sorry you did! Plum Garden, I just can't quit you.
(5)Jason G.
I have heard from everyone that this is the place to go to for Chinese food in McHenry County, well I strongly disagree!! I have a few things that are a must in Chinese food ...one being really good egg rolls and the other being good flavors with fresh quality ingredients. Plum got the extra star for having really good quality fresh ingredients. BUT their egg rolls are NOT good. There is very little outside the cabbage in them! I mean give me some other veggies and some meat please! I have eaten here now a total of 3 times. We went here over the weekend for a Bday. Luckily we had reservations, cause the people waiting were staring at me eating the whole time. It appeared that they do much of their business via pick up. I think that plays into the long wait for your food, cause at one point I looked around the black walled restaurant to see that only one table actually had food on their table (@ 530 on a Saturday). They give you huuuuge portions, so we had tons of leftovers, to say the least. I ordered their signature dish Hong Kong Chicken & my wife ordered the Beef w/ broccoli. My dish was basically two large breast of chicken that had been deep fried in an extremely salty batter & topped with very little sauce...not worth the $16 price tag. My wife's beef was extra thin to add to the appearance that you are getting a lot of meat, but in reality all she had was broccoli and lunch meat like thin slices of beef. I understand that every town has their staple Chinese restaurant that they favor, but in my opinion there are much better options in New China in FRG & New Sunny in C.L. The service here is lousy. I don't think we caught one smile from our server until she gave us our fortune cookies and tab. I think she was more concerned about getting us out the door than making sure we were taken care of. They also had two young girls busing tables & that were really anxious to get our food in to go boxes. Just seemed rude and unneeded as I still had lot of food on my plate. I won't be going back here.
(2)Richard R.
We went here with friends after this place had been recommended to us. The food was over cooked and tasteless. The service was indifferent. To say the least, we were embarrassed to bring our friends here.
(1)C T.
First visit to Plum Garden, and it's safe to say I won't be going back. The tables are crammed so close together that if there was a fire, you would never be able to get out. Place also seemed dirty and had a funky smell to it. I had an eggroll appetizer, and Steak Kew for my main course. The eggroll was 99% cabbage, hard to tell if there were any other ingredients in there. Not too appealing. The steak Kew was just okay. The quality of the beef was decent, but the mushrooms were obviously out of a can. The rest of the veggies seemed fresh, and plentiful. Sauce was ok. Everything seemed to have a funny after taste - couldn't put my finger on what it was. No need to go on any more here, and no need to go back there.
(2)V J.
Still trying to determine how after being gone from this area for 5 years, how one restaurant can still be in business with such poor customer service. Ordered takeout on 9/18/10 with family that I was visiting and the food was over an hour late from the time promised. We even built in extra time knowing this could be a problem yet. Will definitely not be back but instead will try one of the many other Chinese restaurants in the area. The only plus is the food WHEN it finally is ready. BUT in my book customer service is just as important. Partake only when you aren't entertaining or hungry or in a rush for time.
(2)Frank N.
Bland at it's best. If you like basic, bland, unflavored Chinese food, then this is the restaurant for you. We ordered five different dishes and all of them were meh at best, and all tasted the same. There was just nothing exciting about any of the food. I felt that frozen stir fry veggies were better. I also felt that the restaurant looked like a strip club. Lots of black, lots of red, dimly lit, and lots of neon. We won't be going back there. Green Pea has far and away better food in my opinion, and a much more hospitable, friendly environment.
(2)Cha Cha K.
The BEST chinese food in the world! I drive all the way from Chicago just to eat here! My parents have ate here since before I was born, now everytime they come for a visit they have to eat here! I can't eat chinese food anywhere else! Egg drop soup and the veggie chop suey are my favs!
(5)Stacy O.
This place is stellar...I have been going here since I was 13 and will travel from anywhere to get it. The food is AMAZING!!! It is always fresh, always cooked to order and it doesn't taste like anything is ever frozen. The egg rolls are the biggest I have ever seen. Try it, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Mrs. G.
The Hong Kong chicken is tolerable, but these were the absolute worst egg rolls I've ever eaten! They were simply egg rolls filled with cabbage only - terrible! There was not one vegetable or bit of pork/chicken/beef in the egg roll - just cabbage, cabbage, cabbage. If a Chinese restaurant can't make a decent egg roll - they're out for me.
(1)Joel Z.
On the plus side, Jason from Plum Garden followed up to explain the situation almost as soon as this review was posted, and was very cool about the whole thing. I have to tip my hat to people who are willing to own up to their mistakes; there are too few of them out there.
(2)Robyn C.
The wait causes the 4 star rating. This is due, sadly, by the fact that all other Chinese restaurants in McHenry pale by comparison. I preface this by saying I'm a Chinese food snob, and while my palate has matured, I grew up on Plum Garden so I reserve a soft spot in my heart for it. It's been in McHenry forever and is an institution there. If you order (and order EARLY for pickup at a later time), do not miss the Hong Kong Chicken. It is what they're famous for. The egg rolls are also good, but not the best I've had. The steak fried rice good, but their others...eh. Stick to the other entree items, and if you like spicy go with Perry's selection. It's still McHenry, so if you want decent Chinese this is the definitely the place to go, despite the wait.
(4)Samuel E.
Small place, McHenry institution. Also the only place left in the county to get pressed duck. And they have many different kinds. They may have other items on the menu, but I'll never know, all I ever order is some variant of the duck. About as authentic Chinese as Taco bell, but good food nonetheless.
(4)Braden K.
Just a notice: Google maps is placing this at the wrong location. It's not in Cary, it's in McHenry. Map from their website: plumgardenrestaurant.com…
(3)Laura R.
I agree that this restaurant has the best Chinese food in the area. If you have never eaten here before you MUST get the Hong Kong Chicken. I read on a previous review that the take-out wait is about an hour and a half..they are correct but this is ONLY on the weekends. I ordered take out from there a couple of days ago and it only took 15 mins, so just plan ahead if you want take-out on the weekends.
(5)Derek P.
Outstanding food and service! Food was well worth it! Great staff! Highly recommended for those who enjoy Cantonese Style Food. Portions are sizable and more than generous. If you walk away hungry its your own fault or you have one hell of an appetite
(5)Jacqueline R.
I used to love this place. But the last few times I have came here I tell myself I'm never coming back a few months go by and I give it another shot just to have the same feeling. One of my favorite things use to be the lunch special. It came with an entree, soup & a egg roll. Now everything is a la carte and the soup and egg roll is an extra $4. It should not be the consumers fault you extended the building and are tough on expenses. Today I came in at open 11 am. I sat down and with two layers a sweater and a jacket was cold until I got my soup which took 20 mins to get. Egg drop soup seemed watered down. These bench seats on the new edition are so terrible I can't believe no one sat in these before they installed them. The seams dig right into your legs, ver uncomfortable. The sweet and sour chicken taste like maraschino cherry juice. Horrible. The fried rice has really fallen off the deep end also. They sacrificed profit for costumer service and quality for sure on this new edition. Today I was the first table to sit down , at 11am, like I said took about 20 min for a cup of soup, and walked out at noon. It took way to long to receive my entree. If you are on lunch break for work I would not come here you will wind up missing lunch and not make it back on time. After this I will not be returning to plum garden and highly discourage going there.
(1)Homer J.
I order carry out somewhat regulary from Plum Garden. As noted by others, the Hong Kong chicken dish is great. It's done nicely and seems to be made with quality ingredients. The egg rolls are among the best in the area, again with high quality ingredients and plenty of chicken, rather than a bunch of mystery vegetables other places tend to fill into the wonton leaf. Other dishes tend to be hit or miss, egg foo young for example is better at other places. Staff is always friendly and attentive.
(4)Monica L.
For our asian food fix, we have been going to the Green Peapod which is thai, not chinese. We decided to try Plum Garden for variety. We ordered the beef & brocolli, shrimp fried rice, egg rolls, and sweet & sour pork (take-out). The egg rolls were alright I guess, mostly cabbage but at least it seemed fresh. Everything else I found to be pretty bland. The flavors to me seemed...watered down maybe? Something was definitely missing in the flavor department. The fried rice was like plain rice doused in soy sauce and not much else. I mean heck, I could do that at home and it would've cost me two cents. In short, I found their food quite bland and will not be eating there again.
(2)