China Moon Restaurant

Food was ok have had better. Drinks were good. No AC on so hot in there very uncomfortable. Most likely won’t return

I love coming here and the owner’s are great people. Someone is always there to greet you with a smile and the staff is very courteous. The lunch buffet has a large selection of food, the menu has much to choose from!
All around great atmosphere, I highly recommend!

I went here a few years ago because a visiting relative wanted to take a trip down memory lane. It was every bit as bad as I’d remembered. Dirty and the food is disgusting. I thought it a miracle that I didn’t get sick. Can’t figure out how this place is still in business after all these years. It is GHASTLY. I’m not talking about the outdated décor — one could overlook that if the food was good. But it’s barely edible. Stay far, far away.

I been once. Not good. I don’t suggest it. There are many other good places in Stoneham

I decided to try this place out because it was local, and was hoping for a hidden gem like my usual Chinese spot. I was sadly mistaken.
The décor maybe outdated but that usually has its charm. What I couldn’t get past was the dirtiness. If it’s that dirty in the dining room I’m scared to wonder what the kitchen looks like.
No body was there so they sat the buffet up just for us. The food was good/​mediocre but I still couldn’t help but wonder if I’d be sick later.
I got a scorpion bowl and 2 sips in I noticed a few fruit flys. I’ve seen enough bar rescue to know what this meant.
Everyone was super nice but I don’t think this would be a place I’d want to go again.

Went there for lunch and hated it. The place was not as clean as I expected and the food not the best. Their crab ragoons were ok tho.

Meh. Ok not great. Kinda run down. Service was ok. Food was not great, but not horrible.

China Moon’s a venerable Stoneham dining landmark. It seems unchanged from 1961, when I was last there. The place is so tinged with memories it’s hard to write objectively about it. Certainly the mediocre food, large portions and dismal décor remain and are part of its timeless charm. The staff’s still friendly and – surely I’m wrong – seem not to have aged. (Pity I have). Still a nice place after all these years. Long may it endure. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I am an avid fan of Mai Tais and exotica/​tiki/​Polynesian drinks of the variety that you usually find in old Chinese restaurants, and China Moon would fit into that category.
So: this place is pretty large but pretty dismal on the outside and the inside. It smells kinda weird inside and hasn’t been updated since at least the 1970s by the looks of everything.
I went in for the lunch buffet and there was only 2 – 3 other diners in there, all middle-​aged single guys slurping down cocktails and eating from the buffet. So I silently joined this group by ordering a Mai Tai and heading to the buffet.
It was pretty gnarly there. There was a layer of film over nearly everything. The chicken wings were all pretty dried out. However, the boneless spare ribs, the lo mien and the crab rangoon were all pretty good. And yeah, egg rolls were huge all right.
But, I don’t go to these places for the food: just the drinks. So straight up to business; I had two pretty potent Mai Tais and their drinks menu was pretty extensive with the usual suspects: Zombies, Headhunters, Suffering Bastards, Navy Grog and the like. Reasonable prices too — I believe my Mai Tai was under $ 6. No complaints there.
Service was very good. The staff are all very friendly and prompt.
Overall, I’d go back! For the egg rolls, the crab rangoon, and the drinks. Would love to check out their Suffering Bastard. Don’t go in expecting much, try to stay away from the film-​covered items on the buffet stand, and order a couple drinks.

Sigh…
Even when lowering the bar for Chinese food in the Boston Area as one reasonably should, China Moon still falls into the category of «Things that make you go ‘Meh.’ «
Yes, their dinner combination is a darn good value when you consider the total amount of food given. A sizable entrée, a side of rice (white or pork fried), and even a choice of appetizer. I went for the pork lo mein with pork fried rice and boneless spareribs. Pork, pork, and more pork, literally. At $ 9.60 tax-​included, It’s a reasonably cheap Chinese chow fest.
But the quality of said smörgåsbord is barely passable. I couldn’t finish the fried rice it was so flavorless. The lo mein was marginally better, but made with a very odd kind of noodle, a flat wheat type that raised more questions than answers.
The boneless spareribs had no sugary sauce on them as one might expect, though they were considerably better when doused in the apparently homemade duck sauce that comes with it. I’d say this was the highlight of the meal, if I had to name one.
Can you get your Chinese food fix here without getting sick? Yes. But the compliments end right about there.

I haven’t been here in about 10 years we were in the neighborhood today and stopped in for lunch. Food was still very good but walls at our booth and all around were so dirty and mens bathroom was dirty. Place also has a funny smell when you walk in. I think it just needs to be remodeled.

I guess this place has been around here for hundreds of years. in any case the food is relatively cheap and ok, if you want to stuff yourself or if you are with your work buddies, or your family of 3,4,5,6 this is the place, but if its a romantic date? Nooo. The place actually has a retro vibe to it, in fact it looks like something out of Scorsese movie like Mean Streets or Goodfellows. The buffet is great. You know the funny thing, you look around this place and feel like if there is going some sort of hit on the guy in the next booth.

Our waiter on ny was a pusher.
He really was pushing the buffet. Not sure what buffets are all about; but I am pretty sure I dont do them.
This place is a time capsule, and I lived for it. So retro, with the wood wallpaper, so into it. Thansk for the booth, because it was comfortable.
Dont order the egg drop soup. The recipe was dropped on its head.
Huge egg rolls.
Crispy crab rangoon.
What was up with the plates? yes, they were ceramic, but why did they have the plastic bbq separator thingies. Those plates were everything. They actually, actually no, they get in the way of eating properly.
Strong tea.
They serve bread whilst you wait? (confused)
Server was really nice.
cold outside, cold inside.
My favorite part was listening in on a conversation between local people. It appears as though they may have been chain restaurant waitresses/​hostesses/​bartenders. All ladies. And the most crass individuals on the planet. I LIVED FOR THEM. keep on talking, because you are a north shore version of Samantha Jones, and you made new years day so interesting.
not sure why we drove here, but something about this place caught our eye. not sure I will be back. but thanks.

After a few long-​time locals recommended China Moon, we decided to give it a try despite the otherwise uninviting bleak exterior. After all, one should not judge a book by its cover. Well, in this instance, the cover tells just about the whole story.
First of all, the good: The servers and host were very friendly, accommodating and professional. The cocktails were EXCELLENT. Some of the best Polynesian drinks we’ve ever had.
The décor is worn but retro stylish. I must say everything appeared to be clean.
So the bad news: The food taste and quality was a great disappointment. The crab Rangoon was okay. However our dinner entrees were, well yikes. The chicken dish was funky. The calamari was just odd and completely unappetizing. We could only take a few bites and had to politely decline a box to take it home.
If the owners could update their recipes and menu, I think they could improve their business and see a few more customers in their sadly empty dining room.

I always feel bad leaving average reviews for Chinese restaurants as I feel like I owe it to my peeps to keep them in business. My husband, daughter, and I showed up on a rainy morning after running some errands. Our infant daughter was not happy after having been in the car for so long already so my husband perked up when he saw the Chinese buffet on Main St. I told him I was skeptical of the faded sign and décor, and murky windows, but a content baby outweighed my foodie demands. We tugged on the door, but it turned out it was only a little past 11 and the place opened at 11:30. The staff was very friendly, however, and allowed us to come in early. Hopefully they took pity on us in the rain with a baby and it wasn’t because they were desperate for our business.
Anyhoo, the buffet food looked like it had been sitting there a while or just reheated from the day before. The signs were covered in a film of grease. Most of the food was fried, brown, or both fried and brown. The crab rangoons were not tasty at all, which is often a good predictor of a good Americanized Chinese food joint. The chicken wings were just okay and I have barely met a chicken wing I didn’t like.
The buffet was only $ 8.50 for lunch so it was a cheap lunch, but I don’t know if I would ever go back. I am sure this place was happening decades ago, but it is definitely time for some renovation! I think one of those Food Network shows, such as Restaurant Impossible, would have lots of potential to work with at China Moon. The service was friendly, prompt, and efficient and it is clear that they know their customers. A bunch of regulars came in separately and the entire staff seemed to know each and every one of them.

I love this restaurant! Seriously the best Chinese food I’ve ever had! Everything tastes home cooked, not frozen like most other Chinese restaurants. Their egg rolls seem to have more spices than other restaurants and are delicious! I also recommend the subgum chow mein and crispy beef. I’m getting hungry just writing this.
The restaurant itself is like a time capsule. I LOVE it! I love the classic retro feel! I live in Plymouth MA and I drive to Stoneham just to go to this restaurant.
DON“T EVER CHAAAAAAANGE!

Not sure how many times I’ve been here but I LOVE IT! Please give this place a try. The Mai Tai’s are delicious, the chicken teriyaki is amazing served with it’s own little flaming pot! The wait staff is unbelievably attentive and friendly. Great prices for excellent food too! The Buffet looks great too but haven’t tried it yet. I highly recommend! It’s old school but I like it better than most other places I’ve been!

A while back, I was driving down Main street with my husband and a friend, and we spotted China Moon. I literally had not been there since the 70s, when my Dad lived around the corner from it, and I was a kid. They were excited to try it, so tonight, we headed over there.
The décor is absolutely unchanged since the 70s. It’s divey and dim, dated and a bit downtrodden. To me, this is a plus, as I loved seeing it just as it had been when I was a kid. My friends loved it as well, but I can understand how others might be turned off by it.
Drinks were super-​cheap and excellent. There was no messing around; they were highly alcoholic.
There was a buffet with an excellent variety of dishes, so we all agreed to order it.
There were all the classic pu pu platter items: crab rangoon, beef teriyaki (in nugget form), chicken wings, boneless pork, chicken fingers, and eggrolls. All of it was excellent, especially the teriyaki.
There were other appetizer items that were a little less frequently seen: vegetable tempura and Korean bulgogi beef. There was also a vat of hot & sour soup, which, while not pretty, was delicious.
The main dishes had quite a variety, including subgum chow mein, beef mushroom chowyoke, General Tso’s chicken, lobster sauce, and more. All were quite tasty, with the exception of the General Tso’s. It was just too thickly breaded to be really enjoyable, although the sauce was tasty. The chowyoke and lobster sauce were both fantastic.
When the bill came, there was a lot of double-​taking. Three of the four of us had had two alcoholic drinks each, and I, the designated driver, had had two sodas. We’d all ordered the buffet. The total for all four of us was $ 75.00! I guess the prices are still in the 70s, too!
Basically, if you’re looking for a ritzy, glamorous restaurant, you are barking up the wrong tree. But if you want something kitchy and tasty and dang cheap (and good quality for the money you pay), this is a great place to go.

Taking a step inside China Moon is like stepping into an old school 1970s style Chinese restaurant, groovy!!! The place looks like it hasn’t been updated in a very, very long time, if ever. China Moon was established in 1953.
I stopped in here recently for lunch takeout around 2PM. It’s back to 1975 and the place was very quiet and empty with a few friendly staff present and ready to take my order. I quickly looked over the takeout menu at the counter. The prices are reasonable to 2012 standards, most dishes on the menu $ 5.95-$ 10.95. Several «order by letter» (A-​U) Luncheon Combinations ($ 4.50-$ 7.95) and Rice Plates ($ 5.95-$ 6.50) are offered Mon-​Sat 11:30AM-3:00PM.
I decided on Lunch Combination P ($ 5.75) Pork Lo Mein, Fried Rice & Crab Rangoon, which was ready to go in about 5 minutes. Not too shabby! Back outside to 2012!
As for the good portion of food, the pork lo mein consisted of wide rice noodles (like pad thai) with roast pork strips, sliced canned mushrooms, sprouts, & green peppers, very soft and overcooked (reheated) but tasted decent. The pork fried rice (lightly cooked) had a soft texture with big chunks of roast pork (some fat pieces), onions, and sprouts. The 3 crab rangoons were really good, which were light, crispy and had a tasty cheese filling.
I would probably stop in at China Moon again if I ever felt like going back to the 1970s and picking up some reasonably priced decent Chinese food at the same time.

This place is so bad, it’s good.
I went here last night. I haven’t been here in… 20 years? It has not changed ONE SINGLE BIT! Maybe that’s a good thing?
Eons ago, a typical Friday/​Saturday night would be to play mini golf at Hago Harrington’s and then stuff ourselves at China Moon. Also, after a night of drunken debauchery, we would end up here. We went here a lot — taking up that large row of tables in the middle of the restaurant, eating from pu-​pu platters and just being obnoxious. I do remember the staff always being quite friendly. I remember those zodiac paper placemats. I remember the tea we never drank.
Well, not much has changed.
We went there last night on a sudden urge for Chinese food. Well, why not China Moon? I haven’t been in forever — let’s see what happens! It is the EXACT same. I mean EXACT. The wood-​panel walls, the cruddy decorations, the old bar with stools just as you walk in, the friendly staff, the old yellowed lighting making your food look all that more unappetizing… it’s all there.
They had a buffet open and we opted for that since we were hungry. The food has not changed at all. This is what I call white-​people Chinese food. Not a chopstick in sight. MSG up the ying-​yang. Food so bastardized that it no longer resembles it’s Chinese counterpart.
It’s so bad, it’s good.
Peking ravioli whose dough is so thick and creamy it’s like glue sticking to the roof of your mouth once you bite into them. Egg rolls so stuffed with minuscule shredded meats and/​or vegetables but who cares because you douse the whole thing in duck sauce anyways. Chicken fingers that are just like every other chicken finger you’ve ever had in your entire life. Overly-​sweet General Tso’s chicken that you just shudder in amazement with every bite — chicken should never be so dangerously like candy.
For $ 20 we stuffed ourselves with some of the most atypical American Chinese food you’ve ever seen in your life. This place should have a sign out front: «White people only» — and I mean no disrespect — only that this is the type of food we Americans consider «Chinese» when it is anything but. And, true to form, there was a large group of younger people in the middle of the place sitting around loudly talking and cursing up a storm… ah the glory days…
I can’t recommend this place — I’ve outgrown this food long ago. But — if I am drunk and feel the need to go to a place that has never changed, that will shoot MSG directly into my veins, a place where they always greet you with a smile, I’ll head here again…