Silver Dragon — Restaurant in Everett

Updated 8/17:

I'm downgrading my original review. This place was all fine and good when we were just getting take out but when we dined in, they lost us. I'll keep this short. If you up-charge us for a substitution that doesn't change your cost to prepare a dish just because you can, you demonstrate that you're not a restaurant that we want to do business with. We liked your food but you have lost our business. That's probably going to amount to a fair amount of money considering your proximity to our home and my love for Chinese food. The China Garden in Mill Creek is just as good and the service and value are great. I'll drive further just for that.

Original Review Below:

This place is great and I love it. It also serves as a cautionary tale for people who buy existing restaurants and don't rename them. Better to build your own brand than try to keep one going that may have come with some unwanted baggage. We moved to this area 20 years ago and tried this place sometime in the first five years we were here. We were very unimpressed. The food was very light on veggies and not particularly good.

The other day, it was late, we hadn't had dinner and this was the closest open Chinese joint to our house so we grudgingly gave it a second try. Imagine our surprise when the angels of Chinese food sang. My wife doesn't usually even like my favorite dish, Almond chicken, and she finished the portion. The House Chow Mein was fresh and delicious. There were veggies and the meat was perfectly cooked. At first we were kicking ourselves for writing off such a great place after only trying it once. The following week I returned and ordered a wider variety of dishes. this time, I asked the owner how long she had owned the place and she said 13 years. I told her about our first experience and that I wished we'd known that it had changed ownership because we would have been very regular customers.

The Pork chow yuk was so tasty and the won ton soup had great flavor. The sweet and sour chicken was great as well. Every dish we had was outstanding and we still need to try the mu shu pork, egg fu yung and a lot of other offerings. We judge our Chinese restaurants based on freshness and good use of veggies. This place is a total winner and we'll be back often. The fact that it's the closest Chinese restaurant to our home is just icing...

It’s interesting to read some of the other reviews. (Let me try to be diplomatic) I disagree with them based on my own experiences, as my family have been coming here for close to 30 years. I’ve had nothing but the best service from the owners and they recognize and greet us warmly every time we come in. Now look, my tastes are different from anyone else’s but based on 30 years, they are solid. When I come in and order Beef Chow Mein or Salt and Pepper Shrimp, I know what I’m going to get. Every time. Consistency is key and they deliver.

I realized on this excursion, that I prefer the Beef chow mein over the House chow mein. I think since the House chow mein has shrimp and Chicken on top of Beef, that there are too many competing flavors. Just pick the meat of your choice and you’ll be fine.

The Salt and Pepper shrimp are an absolute staple in my outings. The potstickers are good, not the best, but good.

The Szechuan Beef was tasty, though I believe my better half liked it more since she ordered a second order to go

One reviewer had a problem about price, ok, but I see every other place increasing prices. Inflation. They need to make a profit while maintaining quality and just a good business. This place has been for at last 29 years. How many other businesses can say that? They must have gotten something right. I will keep coming here until they close the doors for good, and I hope that’s a...

I try to give restaurants several tries before making a decision about one. You could get their worst cook, the waitress with a bad day, or just not enjoy that one item on the menu you tried.

After trying this place several times i have made the decision never to return. They are never on time with their pick-up times and im left standing an extra 5-10 minutes every time. They charge you for extras you order but never put them in your food. Every time ive ordered Beef Fried Rice with extra beef they never put any extra in. I have ordered both normal Beef Fried Rice and with the extra on seperate occasions. Same amount. They are either playing the race card with not understanding English well or they are severely challenged intellectually. I also need more than 2 tiny packets of soy sauce for a LARGE fried rice. When i asked for more packets they wanted to charge me $2. They have bottles of soy sauce on every table and i HIGHLY doubt they ask customers to pay extra if they pick up the bottle. I have NEVER been to a chinese place in my life that didnt let you take a handful of sauce packets. Most have a big box right by the checkout that you can take from. I am incredibly disappointed with their timeliness, order taking capabilities, business practices, and underhanded cheating of not giving what you paid for.

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