Rice Garden

Horrible.
The container my food was placed into seemed to be molded out of toilet paper. It was already in danger of falling apart by the time I walked out, and eating from it proved an awkward challenge. I expected the food to fall onto my lap any moment.
And the food was not good. Not fresh, not tasty.
Will not be back.

No food ready at 12:18pm?
Lady on her big ass phone while takg an order and shouting at guy ordering;(food was bland & dry, ate here last week just remembered to review.

Okay, well, it’s been nearly a-​year-​and-​a-​half since my last visit and post. We were finally ready to give this place another try. After all, it was good at one time. But, noooo. Twas not to be. Instead, my son called to say the place is closed. Doesn’t know if it’s closed for good, but it’s closed now. Was this a sign?

I like this place, and how theres frequent wine tasting next to it.
THe staff always remembers my name too and they even have a nickname for me they call me the coupon guy.
I like how they are very sanitary and the food is very fresh.

Rice Garden used to be very good. I used to like their bbq pork. But lately the quality of food went down. They also seem to have changed their staff. Ada, who is my favorite server, is not there most of the time. I was told that the manager cut her hours while hiring new people. Big mistake since the other servers are so unfriendly. Guess I won’t be going there anymore. Bad food and bad service.

A quick update.
A week ago I Unilocaled Rice Garden in San Carlos. I have been coming here literally almost every Sunday for a long time to pick up our party tray. Today I came in and Ada, my favorite lady who runs the hot line and cash register, had a big smile on her face. She told me my review went through to their face book. I am not on face book so I didn’t know but I was so happy she got good words put in for her! She told me they should be mailing me a 50 percent off or BOGO complimentary coupon. I told her they don’t have my email address? and I am not on FB and that it wouldn’t matter because I will still come every week because I love her and the crew… and our party trays!!!
I asked her the name of the nice man who always makes our trays. His name is Chow, Kok. He has been working there a long time and knows how to cook good Chinese food. This is not a sit down restaurant but a hot line. The thing is though, Chow’s cooking does not taste like stale hot line food! He always has his flavors, textures and cooking temps perfect! He uses fresh vegetables and does not overcook them. They are always perfectly wok’d or al dente. His food is not too sweet, not too spicy, not too oily and not too salty. He is good with special requests too like how we like our party try. He learns fast and remembers, so does Ada. They are a treat of a team!!! Rice Garden, where did you find these 2 amazing hard workers? Please make sure they stay put here a very long time! They would also make a great team for catering events with Chow as the cook and Ada with prep and set up help and sales/​management. She can really take charge and make sure everything is perfect and complete!
I just really love these folks and good people deserve good praise and reviews. There are some places that just really make you feel at home and special… like people care even if they don’t know you personally. These are the kind of people and places that really touch your heart and make you happy to be around. Rice Garden San Carlos does this for me. I shop in that Lucky’s ALL the time during quick errands and even if I am not ordering from Rice Garden that day I still drop by to say hi and know I will be in on Sunday to get my sunshine smile fix from Ada and awesome partry tray from Chow, Kok. You all WOK!!!

Meh. Went at 5pm to pick dinner for family. The food looked like it had been sitting there for hours and tasted that way. Won’t go back again.

So, I was really excited about going to get my food to go here since I am still trying to find a good and fast chinese food to go after moving to san carlos from sf. I saw the ad for $ 19.99 family feast to go outside since it looks like a good deal for husband and me. When I went inside to order the food from the chinese lady, she was like ok. When I was about to pay, it cost me $ 33.32! WHAT? She then said that she does not offer $ 19.99 family feast, but only $ 29.99 GRAND family feast in this location! Now, how am i suppose to finish a $ 30 bucks of cheap chinese food? The offerings are the same: 3 meat entrees, 2 side entrees and 4 egg rolls! I took the menu and show it to her that even on the menu, it does not offers GRAND family feast, she said that in this location, they only offers GRAND family feast. So, I told her that i don’t want it and she said no, I have to take it and go. People, BEWARE! She will trick u into buying more items so that she could get rid off the food and go home!!! I don’t believe in supporting business that is unethnical and trick u into paying more money, I hope that the mgmts that manages this location knows abt this and resolve the issue ASAP. Guess I will not b eating Rice Garden no more!

Terrible-​terrible, the selection is very limited and the food looks like it’s been sitting out for too long. The string beans are wilted and the sauces have a yucky glaze. They have 2 carton sizes, med $ 5.99 and large $ 8.99. You can just go to a local restaurant and order something freshly made and the portions would be bigger and cheaper. Believe me when I say Panda Express is gourmet compared to this place.

I really like Rice Garden. The service is fast, inexpensive, and the food is delicious. So far I have gotton their Taiwanese Noodle, Kung Pao Chicken, Fried Rice, Chow Mein, Egg Roll (Vegetarian), and everything tastes very good! Highly recommanded! :)

Rice Garden is located inside of Lucky’s Supermarket. It’s a small Chinese take out, like Mr. Chaus but not as impressive in food options.
I ordered 2 3-​item combos, extra sweet and sour sauce and a regular sized fried rice. Grand total? like $ 21 and not worth it. The 3 item combos are $ 7 something each, rice was $ 3 something and the extra sauce was .25 cents. The sauce was the only thing worth it. They have a soda machine for drinks.
My combo plates were not overloaded how I prefer them. I got small scoops of chosen entrees. I guess I have been spoiled at Mr. Chaus because here they put everything in a foam container and at Chaus your third combo item comes in a little box. Rice Garden doesn’t cram either, they are more modest. I was disappointed to see how little food I got per container. After she filled both my containers I saw a sign on the wall for family meals which would of given me more food for the same price. I was pretty upset and told her «shucks, maybe next time» to see if she’d let me slide and order that in stead but she didn’t offer and looked as if she knew what was up my sleeve. Darn! She made up for it though because after I paid I asked if she put extra sauce on my pork which I didn’t realize did not come with sauce so she opened my container and put extra teriyaki on my chicken. Yum.
Their food is nothing exciting. It’s a quick fix, that’s all. I give them 2 stars. I had to pay for the extra sweet and sour sauce.
Combo items ordered:
Chow mein with both containers — no meat, no nothing really, more like noodles lighted tossed in a sauce with some shredded cabage and onion slivers if you are lucky.
BBQ pork — has fatty bit on the ends of some pieces, good flavor, tender, cut to order
Terriyaki chicken w/​extra sauce on top — good, salty, sweet, saucey, tender, cut to order
Broccoli beef — average… big broccoli pieces, chewy sauced meat
Lemon chicken — average, your basic cheap battered dark meat chicken dunked in lemon sauce — some pieces of chicken are dry chewy crap, the kind you keep chewing and chewing and nothing dissolves and becomes nothing but a ball of chewed up chicken mess. The lemon sauce is sweet and delish though.
Sesame chicken — same quality as the lemon chicken, sweet and subtle with a little tang, barely any seasame seeds
String bean chicken — average, saucey string beans, dark meat chicken slices, more veggies than meat
Sweet and sour sauce — side order like half a pint or something? I loved it, taste like those sweet hawaiian style packets but in bulk amounts for overdosing purposes.
Then my order of rice… POOR! dry as a desert! I had to reheat it with WATER IN THE CONTAINER to moisten it up some. I also poured half my container of sweet and sour on it to give it more flair n flavor. Rice Garden, your rice takes more like the ground of a garden — dry and flavorless. Okay people, picture long grain white rice cooked and then brown in a wok with a stingy handful of frozen peas and carrots. No egg? No way. What gives? How you going to hold on on a brotha like that? I feel like a trick or treater that goes to a front door and get 1 piece of candy like some dull sweet tarts… just one candy and the person at the door makes sure they selected just 1 to give out too and when they see your frown they give you a plastic ass smile. Rice Garden’s fried rice: just say NO!
Rice Garden has all the basics. You can order combo plates, individual sized boxes or dinner deals. Menu items on hot take out bar vary depending on what they have made. They have appetizers and hot and sour soup. They also have 3 kinds of rice (fried, steamed, brown) and 2 kinds of noodles (the very thin kind and chow mein). You can buy little containers of crispy noodle toppers and fortune cookies — they do not come with the meal.
I do backflips for cheap Chau’s anyday compared to Rice Garden. Mr Chau’s in Redwood City has been replaced with New Canton and they are almost as cheap/​greasy-​good as Chau’s. Chau’s in Menlo Park was replaced with Spice Hut so I really miss me some Chau! The one in Palo Alto was even replaced awhile back by China Mei! I have yet to try both replacements but seriously what gives? where have all the Chau’s gone?!? They are so seductively shitty but actually worth it, unlike Rice Garden.
I got this amount of food to last two binges and sadly the amount I was given could last me 1 binge sitting… major disappointment when I have my high horse hopes up for 2 solid binge sessions. Next time, if there is, I will just try the family meal package.