Cock, cock, as far as the eye can see! The proprietor even commented on my chicken purse(#Henbag FTW). Food was good, though they got our order wrong.(Ordered Hainan chicken, got some kind of pork dish.) Warmed the cockles of my heart to hear Cantonese spoken by the proprietor’s family, though he spoke Mandarin to me when I walked in. Not sure if that’s because Mandarin is more common around here or because I’m ethnically Taiwanese(though raised by Shanghai-born Hong Kong natives). Open on the late side. I really want this place to succeed. Fuck Happy Kitchen. More like Suicidal Kitchen.
Yihan P.
Place rating: 1 Pasadena, Los Angeles, CA
I ordered a Man Chan chicken with rice, and it came with a free dead fly! The worst part was that the waitress did not even give me a new one. She just took my plate to the back and removed the fly. OMGHOWDIDTHEYGETAN A FROMLASTHEALTHINSPECTION?
Joanne L.
Place rating: 1 Walnut, CA
Hate this restaurant!!! Service is so rude specially the old man. He so rude when we asked to change the water that he served without ice at the fist time. also i saw he picked up the ice using bare hand put into our cups. OMG!!! i can ‘t belived how they passed health inspectived Also the rice came with the hannilhn chicken was old and burned. This is the first time i left small tip 10%ever so far. please do not go!!!
Ming Ming Y.
Place rating: 5 Monterey Park, CA
wow, I was blown away when I first had their special chicken with red scallion in wood pot. I ordered to go and hubby is sweet enough to pick it up for me! :) The SAUCE is like this soy sauce sweet onion flavor heaven that sings in my mouth, and the quality of chicken… you know not the complete opposite of costco chicken!!! They give you so much sauce and you know they soak those sauce into the chicken it became«jelly» like the next day. I put my own chicken breast for the leftover and it still came up EXCELLENT! I know I need to come back and order some more this time. We tried beef chow fun, and ask for what kind of fried rice they have, the person on the phone(probably the owner)…named a few, it wasn’t my liking… and I ask if they have preserved meat with fried rice, he pleasantly said«YES», you have no ideal how much I fall in love with this guy already, cause ALMOSTALL cantonese speaking restaurant people are in some kind of «nazi» state that they thought they rule the world, even I know I am paying for their food, sometimes their attitude are worst than chinese Hitler! Then, when I saw bitter melon on the menu(one of my fave but sometimes they don’t serve it cause it’s not in season), he again says«YES», oh, bing bing bing, I thought I hear the sound of lottery, cause I jackpot this time! And I can’t believe what he says next, «how would you like your bitter melon? stir fried with eggs, or with pork rib? and his tone sounds like I can chose whatever I want to pair my bitter melon with… oh…are we in french restaurant now? You mean, I can pick? I thought that kind of welcoming attitude can only come from home! ha! I arrived at the restaurant this evening and peek at the kitchen, they are ALL chinese older folks cooking, not mexican or other ethnicity, so strange! and that make sense to me now the food can remain that great taste that you can only find in Asian. On the side note, we ordered beef chow fun, fried rice, both came out a little bit oily than I would like, but the way I was treated and served, they win me over BIGTIME! Maybe if I order rice dish next time, I will stick with the hainan chicken, it’s seriously the best! Savoy is good but I think sometimes their nose is on their forehead, cause they know they are busy. Anyway, when I went tonite around 9:00pm, this place is still busy. So it’s legit! we foodie in 626 knows the best and it’s man chan. They open late and open EVERYDAY! it’s godsend to us like Elvin C says! but I feel bad for the people who work there, hope they have a break every now and then!
Ming Y.
Place rating: 4 Los Angeles, CA
This place is a hidden gem! If you’re Canto you’re going to love the free bowl of soup they give you at the beginning of the meal(you can also order this soup). My favorite dish is the bitter melon and pork ribs, though last time I was here they didn’t have bitter melon. 1 star off for the bathroom being outside of the restaurant and down the parking lot and into the weird alley way. Cash only unless you spend more than $ 20.
Jessica Y.
Place rating: 4 South Pasadena, CA
bookmarked this restaurant for way too long, so I finally decided to try it last night . First thing first: CASHONLY! And there are plenty of parkings in the plaza. It’s a very Chinese restaurant with not a lot of seatings, but people finished their food fast enough for me to just waited for 5 mins I ordered their famous chicken rice with dark meat(+$ 2 if you like dark meat), and it was really really good ! I actually like the rice more than the famous savoy, because the rice has chicken sauce in it.(not like sauce sauce, but they mix it with chicken sauce to make it taste better) Adding the dark meat the whole meal is actually $ 14-$ 15 if you plus tax, so it is more expensive than savoy. Yet this is a pretty decent dish, and the service is very nice. Solid four star !
Elvin C.
Place rating: 5 Monterey Park, CA
Man Chan is the solution for people who like Cantonese style café foods, but they expect better quality and consistency. This place is right there on the spectrum between HK cafes and sit down Cantonese seafood restaurants. The menu is full of the typical Chinese dishes like ma po tofu, hainan chicken rice, curry, scrambled eggs with shrimp, etc. in addition to their own special offerings. For a night owl like me, Man Chan is a godsend. They close past midnight, when everything except absolute junk food and HK cafes(that don’t seem to give a crap about their quality anymore) remain open. And I can’t eat In-N-Out every single day. Their specialty is hainan chicken rice and the wood pot chicken with shallots, garlic, and soy sauce. Both are pretty good and make for a nice little home style meal. If you’re a big baby like me that hates bones in every bite of meat then you can tell them to take them out. The chicken is moist and juicy and the chicken flavored rice is also on the moister side. The sauces for the hainan chicken are alright, I’ve had better but they’re not bad. The ma po tofu here is thick and very spicy in case you’re the type to go for the milder versions of it. The lamb belly hot pot here was hearty and hit the spot since I was looking for some comfort food. Pretty much everything I’ve tried here has been good, so order whatever you think sounds good to you. The restaurant is somewhat small with booths for seating, but not too small that you feel cramped. Since the restaurant is small, service is usually good. Once in a while they might be inattentive or doing something in the back so don’t be shy to try and get their attention if you need something. Parking is pretty easy since it’s in a plaza. Although this place is a small chain, it has the feel of a mom and pop establishment. The owner is a very nice man and always shows gratitude for my business when he sees me. The bang for your buck is also a major plus here too. They’re roughly the same prices as the HK cafes(but like I said, with better quality). I love supporting family run places like Man Chan and that’s why I’m dropping this fire Unilocal review with 5 stars(just don’t expect it to be an eye-opening transcendent meal).
Lily Z.
Place rating: 3 Alhambra, CA
Wanted chicken for Chinese New Years. Came here for Hainan chicken. Very good dish with mixture of white and dark meat. However, a lot of bones.
Alice W.
Place rating: 3 San Gabriel, CA
Came here for wen chan chicken and traditional Cantonese daily soup! The wen chan chicken is really good, taste good and with a good presentation. Overall is good, nothing really surprise me. We ordered a seafood stew too. Light flavor. They are famous for the coconut desert too. Come try one if you stop by.
Fan H.
Place rating: 5 Brea, CA
When I got to slave girl’s house tonight, she already ate prior to my arrival. Well I was hungry so I picked Man Chan because they open late(1am) and I didn’t have to rush it. Man Chan was once open in Rowland Heights and now in San Gabriel. I was told the Rowland Heights location was sold but the new owner insisted to keep the name(smart move), and that’s why you see two of them on Unilocal but this place is the legit one. We ordered dry beef chow fun and house chicken with red scallion in wood pot(#3). The chicken we ordered was one of their signature dish and I have to agree it really was one of the best chicken I have ever tasted. It’s supposed to be in a wood pot, but they were placed inside a steel container to keep the dish warm. The broth was oily but flavorful. The chicken was tender and well marinated. They gave us a bowl of rice without us asking and it was the best thing ever when you pour the broth over the rice. The beef chow fun was also excellent. It’s the most common dish to make but the hardest to make it good. This place made it not just good, but great. The free soup we got was also tasty and not your typical whatever daily soup. It had pieces of chicken and lotus root in it. For a limited time during Chinese new year, they also do family style meal with 10 dishes(including dessert) for $ 113. 88. The menu looks good and I hope we can gather enough people to come and try it before it goes away. Overall experience was pleasing, especially during the late hours. Friendly service, decent price, and fantastic food. I would come back for sure.
William L.
Place rating: 5 Walnut, CA
Good quality food at a reasonable price. Every time we are in the area the kids want to stop by. The hainam style chicken rice is a must. The Tom yum style rice noodle and stir fried green beans are also good. Most items I have tried are pretty good here. If you are in the area stop by and try.
Lance H.
Place rating: 4 Alhambra, CA
I’m a fan of this place! How have I lived in the SGV(San Gabriel Valley) without hearing of this place?! Food tastes great, prices are reasonable, service is top notch, and there’s a huge parking lot! I went with a group of friends very late in the evening and thought that we would either a) get turned away or b) they might do something weird to our food. But no, we were greeted by the sweetest couple! To top it off… They open until 1am daily! FOOD Hainan Chicken Rice — the rice here is very flavorful and not as oily as Savoy or other places — normally it’s way too oily and the rice tastes old and microwaved. That’s not the case here! The chicken tastes fresh(even though we know it’s been sitting there). It’s seasoned perfectly and was not dry and definitely once again, not as oily as Savoy. My only gripe here is I wish they gave more rice chicken. It’s like one small bowl + one chicken leg! Filet Mignon Cubes with Red Rice — I’ve tried this two times now, and both times I’ve enjoyed it! The portion of filet mignon cubes was relatively generous when compared to the Hainan chicken. You could really tell the quality of the meat they use, since it melted in my mouth! As for the rice, it was nice to finally have red rice that wasn’t plastered with a ton of tomato paste. Complaint? Give us more red rice please. Just a bit. Bean Curd with Mixed Fungus — fungus? It’s more like Asian mushroom, so don’t fear! I’m normally not a fan of bean curd because of the soft texture that weirdly melts in your mouth. But let me tell you. I was in for a surprise! The bean curd was cooked with some type of thick(starchy) sauce that tasted amazing. There was also some mushrooms and snow peas in it too! If you like bean curd, I would definitely try this out! Stir Fried On Choy — veggie was fresh and green! Don’t you hate it when you order veggies from a restaurant and it’s either«wirey» or off-color because it’s old? That’s not the case here! The portion was good for 3 – 4 people but we still had some left over after! SERVICE The couple and their workers here are very friendly and engaging with their customers. They constantly ask how we are doing, always have a smile, and will NOT rush you even if you come in right before closing!
Miho N.
Place rating: 4 San Gabriel, CA
Man Chan Cuisine is my new Hainan Chicken spot. The dishes I order are always on point — the #3 House Special Scallion Onion Chicken, which is kind of like braised chicken in a soy sauce broth with shallots, scallions, garlic and ginger. The aroma and flavor of this dish is heaven. The texture of the chicken is so tender. I take every bite with a sip of the broth and spoonful of rice,(which is also cooked in chicken broth it seems). Very comforting food. The Hainan chicken is good too. The chicken is cooked perfectly and the sauces are decent. I’m not picky when it comes to Hainan chicken because it’s a simple dish and hard to mess up. Comes with some pickled carrots, daikon and cabbage that compliments the dish nicely. Also, the homemade coconut jelly dessert, according to my mom, is the best coconut jelly ever. It’s a little pricey, like $ 4 for a cup but they don’t dilute it like all the other dessert places. Another thing I want to add is the staff is very nice! Language barrier is a little bit difficult sometimes, but they’re pretty attentive for a Chinese restaurant.
Eva L.
Place rating: 4 Arcadia, CA
Ahhh, now this is a great Mom & Pop restaurant that serves delicious Chinese food that it makes me homesick for my mom’s cooking! My bf and I shared their stir-fried veggies with garlic as well as the French style beef with tomato fried rice. The flavors of the filet mignon was pretty good, and the rice went great with it. Although it didn’t have that pop-out WOW factor, the dish itself was very pleasant and pleasing for the stomach. It was a good meal, especially with the veggies. They were seasoned perfectly and stir-fried just like my mom’s cooking style. This place is located in a plaza so it’s easy to find. There’s parking outside as well as underground parking. Just be aware that this place is cash only. I hear good things about the Hainan chicken, but I didn’t get a chance to try it — but next time, I will!
Shanon Y.
Place rating: 4 Covina, CA
Friendly service, great food, and closes late! The group of 4 of us arrived an hour to closing time(12AM) and we were pleasantly greeted and attended to upon arrival. We decided to order the Laksa noodle soup, French Style Filet Mignon, and Hainan Chicken rice to share family style. Everything tasted great and I was surprised that the Hainan chicken was just as good as Savoy’s! Although they did skimp on the meat and we got mostly pieces of chicken with bones, but the flavor of the chicken, the rice, and the sauces were on par with Savoy’s. The Laksa noodle soup was flavorful and the portion size was decent to share. The French Style Filet Mignon with red rice was also pretty good and had me craving for more. I’ve read great things about the coconut dessert which I’ll definitely be coming back to try!
Edric H.
Place rating: 4 Temple City, CA
We ordered the laksa noodle soup, beef cube with tomato rice, and the hainan chicken rice. The soup’s broth was surprisingly very tasty and they gave a nice giant bowl to hit the spot. The beef cube with tomato rice was filling and the meat was tasty. The rice was underwhelming and kind of bland. The hainan chicken rice was a little disappointing. The rice was really flavorful. Probably one of the best chicken-flavored rice I’ve had, but the amount of actual chicken meat they gave me was paltry. It was like 70% bone and 30% meat. Not a good combination for someone who needs his protein! Service is prompt and polite. Really enjoyed their hot tea on a late cool Saturday night.
Sylvia C.
Place rating: 4 Los Angeles, CA
Always in to trying new mom and pops. My husband is a picky yet simple eater(if that even makes sense) and loves his simple Cantonese food. He also loves Asian style soups with everything he eats. This place offers just that so I know I can’t go wrong, right? We came during dinner time and it was 50% full. We got the free lotus root soup as we were ordering our food. Hubby got the Hainan Chicken which he lobed. Oh good lord. Hearing fellow Unilocalers complained that there wasn’t much meat which is a bit true. It’s a hit and miss in my opinion. As my husband like to refer it as, he prefer quality and flavor over quantity any day. So if this is you, you should try it. It has really good flavors which they added Anis Star to cook it to give it more flavor which was yummy. I got the French Style Fillet Mignon with Red Rice. I do have to agree with fellow Unilocalers that it is a little overpowering on the black pepper. All I saw was black pepper! Very flavorful though i do have to say and was still delicious. Just scrape off some of the pepper if you want less pepper but if you love black pepper(like my little bother), he can eat this everyday! The Red Rice can be improved with a little more ketchup or tomato(or whatever the heck they cook it with) but better than plain rice so Im not going to complain. With this kind of hot weather, I couldn’t resist but to try out the coconut cake its seems to be known for as well(almost every other table ordered one). If you have drank coconut water and canned coconut milk before, than can pick up the idea of this flavor. it literally taste like coconut water(but in a jelly form) and topped with coconut milk which when placed in fridge, gave it this custard like texture. Very simple yet refreshing especially on a hot day! I had to minus a star for it to be much more expensive compared to surrounding restaurants which makes it a more rare occasional visit for me. The Hainam chicken(descent yet not the largest portion) cost $ 8.50 and my filet mignon was $ 10.25! If these were $ 1 less, I may visit more on a regular basis. Unless you don’t mind paying for good quality and full flavored food then you may love the eat here. The coconut cake was costly too. The large(the whole coconut) is $ 7.50 but I got a small(6oz cup) for $ 4.50! Overall: Service is great. Place is clean, parking is ok(park underground). I will still return to try their other food though but again, due to cost, not too often.
Chris H.
Place rating: 5 Los Angeles, CA
This review is solely for their coconut cake. My amazing chiro(Dr. Wong ) knew I’m training for a half marathon and he wanted me to try this great recovery snack that’s also healthy. It’s not cake per se. It’s served inside a coconut with the top part looking like yogurt and the lower portion like white jelly. One spoonful and I was hooked. You could taste the freshness. Velvety, perfect amount of sweetness, it didn’t even taste like they added any sweetener. If there is one dessert/snack I’d be fine eating every single day, this is it. Planning on going to try their Hainan chicken, too.
Joanna L.
Place rating: 4 Los Angeles, CA
My mom saw an ad for this place on the Chinese newspaper and decided to try it since it opened up not that long ago. So about a week ago, my parents, brother and I came here for lunch. It was pretty empty for a Saturday — but then it was a late afternoon. So we each ordered a different dish — I had the Garlic Pork Ribs with Rice, my brother had the Filet Mignon Cubes with Red Rice, dad had the Hainan Chicken and my mom had some kind of Chicken Stew that was topped with a Fried egg. Everything was really good and I was pretty surprised. Every dish was very flavorful and the meat was tender. The service was okay — it was during their lunch time as well but the waitress helped us before sitting down to have her lunch. The owner was pretty nice too. Overall the food and service was very good and at reasonable prices per dish.
Tim C.
Place rating: 4 San Gabriel, CA
I heard about this new place a week ago. Who told me that? Unilocal! Came here yesterday night to get the Hainan Chicken of course. Surprisingly they give you soup for free. And they have a huge refrigerator full of healthy chinese tea. Don’t ask me what kind of tea it was all in chinese. On the menu it says Hainan Chicken for $ 8.85 or something but they only charged me $ 7.70? Maybe they have late night discount? — NOWIFI(that’s what the guy told me that moment I turned my head, but I was checking out the interior — EASYPARKING — ACCEPTCARDS — emhh… no toilets? I don’t know. I couldn’t find it. (Ohh and the cantonese TV reminds me a lot of Hong Kong… homesick, but great feeling. I’d go their to watch TV)