Hula's Chinese Bar-B-Q — Restaurant in Chico

Very good service and the food is still just as tasty as always. This last visit was disappointing but that's because of luck. We ended up getting a very well used grill so the flavors of the last 30 people were added to our dishes. It's fine. I expect that, and it was pure luck that we weren't a little slower. The other grill was being cleaned as we brought our bowls up. Just have to take the cards as they're dealt!

Now normally I start with the negatives, so I'll put what I didn't love here first and get it out of the way.

Today was a fairly warm day and the AC in Hulas was just not cutting it for me. At were seated away from the ceiling fans, which didn't help. Next, they were out of Modelo. A real shame and I ended up just getting Coors Light, for $5.50 a pint. This would be understandable, but this was a Friday, the first day of their work week. For lunch service no less. Somebody needs a taking to in management. Either than or the supplier needs a serious taking to. Next, the price. Hula's has never been the cheap option but between the 5x+ upcharge for the beer and the high price of single-bowl lunch, we ended up paying $50 for lunch. Not an everyday mask for sure. I understand that California has ruined the cost of eating out but that's still a factor. The chicken bok choy soup had a strange, chemical taste to it and was very peppery, so my mom, who has chronic dry mouth, want able to eat it and I just didn't love the taste, nor the disturbing lack of, well, chicken Finally, it's been over 5 years since I read last in, and I get that Covid regulations ruined just about everyone who did self serve but the removal of lamb from the protein choices kinda sucks. Last complaint: the fortune cookies were unwrapped and pretty stale, but who cares about the cookie?

Okay that's a lot of negativity but usually it's still hula's and it's still tasty. There were absolutely some improvements and they didn't get down on using two bowls. I'll explain that for the uninitiated soon.

The general feel of the place has survived Covid well. They always had a good sneeze shield over the ingredients, but they have improved multiple parts of the assembly. First, cheaper bowls that aren't going to shatter if they get dropped. Second, TRAYS! They're just the right size for your bowl and the squisher bowl. Second: they added a nice hole-filled plate around the sauces. This is more a quality of life issue for the workers but it's nice they added it.

Now for you newbies, this is the part you want to read. You go in, get seated, order your drinks, and then the fun begins. You'll grab two bowls and a tray. Load up as much meat as you want, and don't be stingy. Now, take your second bowl and squish your meat slices down and add more! Then, and only then, should you pile on the delicious Shanghai noodles that come next. After that, add the veggies you want. Keto on mind they're all getting cooked together at some night be under done and some over. This is the trade off. Finally you come to the sauces. You might think that's enough teriyaki. You're wrong. Add some more. That's still not enough. Add more. Put chili oil in. It's not that hot. Dunk to the bottom of the garlic sauce and put some minced garlic on. Be brave you should see the sauces peeking over your ingredients. They will be cooked off.

Everything still tastes exactly as awesome as before the pandemic. Tip your cooks. Tip your waitstaff. They work hard, and despite the fact that California is unique in requiring waitstaff to be paid state minimum wage, it's still expected and you will want to come back.

Overall, if you're unfamiliar, it's basically like stir-fry that you design yourself. Definitely worth trying but be warned:...

Would give this place 3 stars except for the numerous health code violations that have been allowed to keep happening for years here. Honestly, as far as all the germs and waste at buffet-type places goes, this place is just gross.

Before Hula's, I'd never been to a restaurant that didn't understand how to rinse and steam white rice correctly. 🍚 After all these years and recent new ownership, this still boggles me. 😵‍💫

The high prices with regard to meat-eating vs vegetarian (and a few other things mentioned below). The meat undeniably costs much more than the veggies do but the bowl price is a flat rate. The high price for everyone attempts to compensate for the huge amount of meat some guests eat, passing the extra costs onto the only-veg folks.

Effectively, the vegetarian people wind up subsidizing the meat-folks' meat habit while already sacrificing our ability to even eat the soup since it always has meat in it. 👀

BTW, the owners respond to people's price commentary by saying that CA's increased minimum wage has something to do with their increase in prices. As an employee, getting paid a MINIMUM wage always tells you one thing: "I'd pay you even less if I could...but the law won't let me."

And, as we all well know, a minimum wage is not a living wage. If you can't afford to pay your workers a dignified wage and to train them/supervise them properly, you can't afford to stay in business. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Still, I find myself at a loss for suggestions on how to solve these problems other than yet another new ownership. I don't see how anything else could work with the current business model and layout of the restaurant. They cater to the bootstraps crowd and I've overheard more than my share of racist/sexist comments from customers each time I've gone there.

However, requiring guests to indicate their preference for meat vs veggie and paying beforehand (meat area could be proctored by a single employee and meaties could be given a reusable "meat-ticket" to turn in or something like that?) could help cut down on some of those dine-and-dashes I have seen posted about on social media..

If this place ever improved in other respects, it WOULD be nice to have at least ONE option each day for vegetarian soup. 🤷🏽‍♀️

They are not open on the weekdays for lunches. It's a bummer having to wait for a super crowded evening or weekend to visit. This crowding also reduces the ability of the staff to provide high-quality customer service and increases the success-factor for folks trying to sneak out without paying. 🙄

Still, if you're a big meat-eater, this place is for you. You won't find a cheaper option for the amount of meat you can stuff into a bowl here anywhere else in town, as...

Chinese Bar-BQ? Perhaps in some mysterious way. Mongolian, yes. Saw the place quite by accident as I was leaving Target last night, very busy so today after reading reviews, went for it. Place definitely commands a crowd, and all staff move fast and efficiently. As for the food this is my take: having visited several establishments in the past with the same concept, some good, while others not very much so, I rapidly started the line, which now I understand why several patrons stuffed their bowls to great amounts, and certified skills, mounds way above the capacity of the size of the generous bowls. Plus an additional reduced size bowl apparently for the sauces at the end of the line just to pour the almost full with combination of sauces onto the impressive bigger bowl, which is received by the very adept cooks to cook the raw ingredients. Monkey see, monkey do, I tried to fill mine to the same proportions as to the lady ahead of me to disastrous results. Why when is an all you can eat? Simply because a person could eat half and take the rest home without breaking the house rules. Still is better to do the same gigantic bowl and take it to go for a lesser price minus full price and gratuity. Which I did not regret at the capable and friendly service provided by Abby? Truly an asset to the locale. Food: Protein frozen thin mostly, pork-beef-chicken all tasted the same, perhaps the chicken slightly different, so it is kind a let down. Tried a little spicy sausage and kielbasa sausage but low grade, not an inedible memory by a long shot. Zero seafood, possibly not business savvy. Meats at most 2.5 Stars. Vegetables, now that caught my attention fast with a long list, mostly fresh 95%, and probably a great option for veggie lovers. Wish I was a vegetarian but sadly no dice. 4 Stars! Abby brought to the table some kind of chicken noodle soup, not spectacular but edible. 3 Stars. Also won ton skins and 3 egg rolls, way past their normal cook, but easy to eat. Additionally hot tea, all these part of the price of admission, 3 Stars. The sauces were typical for this kind of fare, not one better than the other. Some contend that soaking all food with sauce is best, like their food dark from the surface of the grill, not the recently cleaned. 3 Stars. Service 4 Stars! Total for 2= almost $50 plus a nice gratuity for the very nice Abby. Needless to say, once will do it. They sure...