Chef Lee's Mandarin House — Restaurant in Monterey

This was, by far, the worst dining experience I have ever had in my life. We ordered the Sweet and Sour Shrimp, Orange Chicken and Cream Cheese Won Tons. The server brought the Won Tons out first and when I first opened it, it was not white like cream cheese is supposed to be, which I thought was weird. My girlfriend tasted it and spit it out into a napkin and said "that is not cream cheese......whatever that is, it is disgusting". So when the server finally came back to check on us, I explained that we ordered Cream Cheese Won Tons and she said those were Cream Cheese. I said where I come from Cream Cheese is white and this filling is orange and does not taste like Cream Cheese. She said you ordered it so you have to pay for it. I said please take it away from our table so I don't have to smell it. Then when she brought our entrees, my Sweet and Sour Shrimp did not look like any shrimp I had ever seen. So we opened up one of the pieces of what was supposed to be shrimp and it was pork. I hate pork and would never have ordered pork. When the server came back to the table after at least 15 minutes to check on us, I said that I ordered Shrimp and this is Pork. She looked at her order book and said, "oh I will bring it back and get you shrimp". I said no, don't bother because I am no longer hungry and we just wanted a box for my girlfriend's orange chicken which was the only thing they did get right on the whole order. When she brought us the check, I could not even read what she wrote or what she was trying to charge us for but the total bill was $35 and some change. We were going up front to pay and I asked the person what exactly we were being charged for? She said the Orange Chicken and the Won Tons. I said that I was not paying for the Won Tons cause they were not Cream Cheese Won Tons and they were disgusting. She went back into the kitchen and got the plate and brought it out and opened one up and said these are Cream Cheese Won Tons. I said they do not taste anything like cream cheese and I am not paying for them. I said I will pay for my girlfriend's orange chicken plate and that was all I was going to pay for. She finally said my total then was $19.65 so I gave her a $20 bill and we walked out. As we were walking out she slammed the register drawer and yelled something to us in a harsh tone of voice in her language and motioned for us to get out of the restaurant. Instead of apologizing for our bad experience and their mistake on our order, they were rude and not willing to even discuss what our issues were with this entire experience. I would highly recommend staying away from this place if you are looking for good quality Chinese food and a staff that cares because they have neither. Very...

After having a horrible experience at a famous clam chowder restaurant on the wharf, I called this place when I was drunk and hungry! And angry too! I was REALLY hungry after the ‘famous-garlic-bread bowl-clam-chowder-restaurant’ refused to give me my food to go, so I called in a to-go order from this restaurant. I was in no mood for wasting time so I ordered enough food to feed an army—I spent $143.00 on food for myself! Needless to say, I ordered enough food to get a good idea of what this place is all about. Every single dish I received was extraordinary! Delicious!

It’s really hard to say this, because my ego and worldly travels don’t want to admit the simple truth: This place served me the best (‘Americanized’) Chinese food I’ve ever had.(it I know there are haters out there that will read this review and laugh at me. Fine. Let them. I simply don’t care. I know what good food is, and I’m the middle of a dinner rush this restaurant served me food that was perfect! The walnut shrimp was unique, and better than any other walnut shrimp dish I’ve ever had. The lemon chicken was succulent and breaded CRISPY! The Kung Pao was Kung Lao! (“Finish him!!!”) {I hope you get the reference, and I mean no offense.} I also ordered beef chow fun—which was so damn flavorful and LOADED with juicy steak strips!

The egg rolls and fried shrimp were a familiar type, but fortunately for me that’s exactly what I hope for—say what you want about quality, but I actually look for this exact type of example for nostalgic reasons. And, it’s DELICIOUS!!!

I have been craving the food here ever since I left Monterey—4 weeks ago. Sadly, this is a true gem. I can’t wait to eat here again, this time as a dine-in on October 21rst. I really love the food here, I couldn’t be happier. Like, Kung Fu Panda happy! Sometimes a restaurant reserves a special place in your heart: I’ll never again be able eat walnut shrimp without thinking about this BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANT. Thank you to the people here who served me an...

Chef Lee's HAS some things I like? AND some things I don't like! THEIR food is always delicious, hot and fresh! Sadly, I no LONGER GO here to eat BECASUE THE atmosphere seems so stressed and uptight I actually get creeped out! THE lady (dragon) I assume IS THE owner or the manager stands over her restaurant LIKE A NAZI prison guard, with this very aggressive and MEAN spirited LOOK on her face?? HER employees seem to WALK around on egg shells HOPING not to incur her wrath?? THIS seems to make the waitresses LESS than friendly, cold, disinterested and nervous? I thought that type of Gestapo management style went out in the 80's, but Prima Donna has gone back in time to bring this unnecessary and damaging management style to chef lees! It's only a couple of blocks from my house but I can no longer TAKE THE air OF heaviness and unhappiness that makes eating in impossible for me and my wife! I do on occasion ORDER take out, because LIKE I said the food is good. BUT ONCE again? Even in takeout, her cheap penny pinching can be seen as if your lucky you'll get 1 packet of soy sauce, and it's out luck on whether you'll get chop sticks? I managed restaurants for 30 years, and it saddens me to see a place with such great food and potential, being run by a tyrant that makes it uncomfortable to work and...