Yat Son Restaurant — Restaurant in East Helena

To me, leaving a negative review is a difficult decision. On one hand I want to let people know of my experience, but on the other hand I feel for small family owned businesses especially in the service industry. That being said; I took 4 of my employees here after working in town. We ordered Kung Pao Chicken (without peanuts), egg rolls, the boneless fried chicken, fried shrimp, and the beef and broccoli. To say the food was some of the worst we’ve ever had is not an exaggeration. The kung pao had peanuts, and the sauce def was not kung pao sauce. The chicken was precooked and cold and some of the toughest meat I’ve ever had. The Fried chicken was raw and the batter wasn’t even cooked all the way through. The sweet and sour dipping sauce must have been out of a packet and sitting under a heat lamp for a while. It was basically a piece of jello. The fried rice had diced pork that was like eating dried pork. You could tell the rice had been reheated and wasn’t made that day. We could only eat one bite of the egg rolls. They were soggy and reheated at best. The Beef and Broccoli had stewed tomatoes and tasted more like sautéed beef tips. This was by far the best dish of the lot. And that’s not saying much. The beers we ordered were so warm one of my guys resorted to using a glass of ice to cool it down. To top it off, when I got the bill to pay it with our company card, we were informed they only took cash. No signs anywhere. No notification of any kind. I had to walk down to a bar and get cash out of an ATM to pay the bill. The best part of the meal was the store bought ice cream that came with the meal for dessert. I feel for this place and the owner. But c’mon. Take some pride...

Great nostalgia and freindly staff, but flavor needs improvement. I grew up eating at Yat Sons when downtown, right above the old Gaslight cinema. The teracotta soldier, the oriental lamps, the black laquer booths; all brought back memories. Staff welcoming, friendly, the owner came out from the kitchen, and greeted everyone. Good food value, our 4-person group ate for $47 (minus tip), everyone served a large portion. Liked that the meat for my chicken noodles served on the side, allowed me to 'eat vegetarian'. Having enjoyed Chinese cuisine from Hawaii to Atlanta, sadly found Yat Son's flavor lacking. Everyone in our group commented about blandness. There were no flavors we've grown accustomed in Chinese cuisine; ginger, red pepper, curry, etc. Others around us seemed to enjoy their meal and we noticed a brisk takeout service. Warm service and large portions may work for many. However, we do not see ourselves returning. Back to impersonal...

One of our family favorites. Thursday nights if we aren't dining at Yat Sons, we wish we were. My brothers favorite is the Almond Chicken with fried rice and my favorite is Kung Poa Chicken, although the Egg Foo Yung is a close second.. Be sure and try the appetizers and soups, the spring rolls are AWESOME, and the Wonton soup is so good we usually order an extra one to take home. One of Yat Sons specialties are their homemade noodles, a family tradition since 1889, they are homemade and truly a hometown Helena treasure, just ask my kid, he has been...