Dong Nguyen Restaurant — Restaurant in Alhambra

Came here with a few high school friends to see what the hype about the hainan chicken rice was all about. I think this place is definitely overrated. Located in the 168 plaza, Dong Nguyen is a small restaurant with very friendly staff.

You get complimentary vegetable and chicken feet broth that is placed down before you the minute after you sit! The hainan chicken came out fairly quickly as well. As four of us ordered the same dish, each one had a different amount of chicken on it. I think I got the least amount of chicken on my mountain of rice. Hainan chicken atop a bed of rice with a side dish of sauce and two cucumbers and tomatoes. I liked the picked carrots and radishes, but oh well.

My friends mentioned that the rice tasted a bit like fish. Maybe it had fish oil in it? It was too mushy for me. The chicken was decent, but there were way too many bones. One friend mentioned that Savoy had more chicken with dark meat in it, which tasted a bit better than this place. For my plate, I just felt like there was barely any meat on the chicken. The sauce was also a little strange. Tasted like sweet and sour sauce (and looked like Italian dressing!) The dish was okay, but I have had better. I think JJ Cafe's hainan chicken rice is even better!

I think I want to try the cornish hen with red rice or the filet mignon cube with red rice that I see people raving about in the reviews. The hainan chicken was a miss for me. The people working here are pretty nice and friendly, as we sat for awhile just talking and they didn't come by or anything. But there also weren't too many tables...

Came here because I was looking for a place with good Hainan Chicken and this was one of the first options available in the area that I was searching. I always went to the 168 Market here but I never noticed this particular restaurant. I have ate at the Vietnamese restaurant nearby, but never here. I decided to give it a try after a friend recommended it and it did not disappoint.

When I first came in here, it smelled "Vietnamese" and knew I was immediately at the right place. The people who served me, and I assumed owned the restaurant as a family spoke both Vietnamese and Cantonese so I knew they were Vietnamese/Chinese. They were really friendly and understanding after I realized that the restaurant was cash only. I had to run to 168 to get cashback.

Now for the food. I ordered a Hainan Chicken Rice and my friend ordered the Cubed Steak with Red Rice. They were both extremely delicious and the ginger and sweet sauce they gave me was excellent. They even went around and refilled both my water and sauce a few times. I demolished my food, and my friend who ordered the steak with red rice said hers was really good as well.

I would definitely come back here as the food portion are huge and the prices...

Been a long time customer here. Food is delicious and service is great. Best hainan chicken rice plate ever and their pork ribs combo is also great. The sauce that comes with it makes the plate. They also have delicious steak cubes with tomato paste rice. Comes with soup and free iced tea. Only thing a little disappointing lately is their chicken portion seem to have been reduced . Ordering an extra chicken thigh or strip of chicken would cost $3 more which I did but it didn’t look like I got a lot. I get more chicken at Church’s chicken for that price and I get at least 3 pieces of full chicken thighs and legs that I feel will fill me . I don’t see why a steamed or boiled chicken would cost so much more for so much less. Parking is plentiful. Restaurant is small and quaint. Service is friendly and fast. They always offer you extra soup when packing Togo or give you extra sauce.

They’ve reopened indoor dining now as...