Lily Kai Chinese Cuisine — Restaurant in Petaluma

We stopped at Lily Kai Chinese Cuisine in Petaluma for dinner after a long day at the Russian River Rodeo. The restaurant is tucked away in a small center just off Lakeville Highway, but inside it’s surprisingly spacious and comfortable. We were seated right away, and the staff was friendly and efficient throughout the meal.

For starters, we ordered the Crispy Spring Rolls, which are shown in the first photo. They came out hot and crisp, served with sweet and spicy sauces on the side. The rolls were light and not greasy, which is sometimes an issue at other places. Along with the appetizer, they brought out a pot of hot tea, which was actually very good—a nice touch that added to the experience.

For mains, we had the BBQ Pork Chow Mein, Mongolian Beef, and General’s Chicken, as you can see in the second photo. The portions were generous, and each dish was fresh and well-prepared. What stood out was that nothing was drowned in sauce—each dish had its own distinct flavor and you could actually taste the ingredients. The General’s Chicken had a good balance of sweet and savory, and the BBQ Pork Chow Mein came with plenty of tender pork and fresh noodles. The Mongolian Beef was loaded with vegetables and had a bit of a kick, but not overpowering.

Service was quick and our orders came out in good time. The dining area was clean, and everything seemed to be well-organized. There weren’t really any downsides on this visit—everything went smoothly. Lily Kai has been a local staple in Petaluma for years, and based on this experience, it’s easy to see why people keep coming back.

If you’re looking for solid Chinese food in the Petaluma area, this is a reliable choice with fresh ingredients, good service, and a...

Went with my family for the first time for my birthday and we had a great time!

We got there just before 6pm and it was empty but by the time we left the restaurant was almost full so you may want to consider a reservation on weekends.

We ordered way too much because we expected the portions to be smaller and were pleasantly surprised! Apps we got the green onion pancakes, pork potstickers, and bbq pork buns. The pancakes were a thick, fluffy pastry dough that was super crispy on the outside. I loved these! The potstickers were HUGE. You could easily make a light meal out of an order. For our mains we got spicy basil chicken, Manchurian beef, general's chicken, bbq pork fried rice, and spicy and hot string beans. I didn't find anything particularly spicy or notice any numbing spice from Szechuan peppercorns (granted I am getting over a cold lol). That said we loved our meal! For 4 people we ordered WAY too much but happily took it home. Overall we all loved the string beans (has a delicious garlicky sauce), Manchurian beef (fried and has a sweeter sauce), and general's chicken (fried with a savory/salty sauce). We loved that the rice had slices of bbq pork instead of small chopped pieces. I loved the basil chicken, but my family found it a bit too saucy. We also had a pot of hot tea for the table and drank probably 4 pots because it was a really nice jasmine tea, not bitter or overwhelmingly floral.

Shoutout to Diana who checked on us throughout our meal, joked with us, and made us feel like we had been coming there for years. Honestly everyone we met...

Gave Lily Kai another chance, and for awhile it was working out. Had a good rapport with the owner, Lily, and everything was good. That was until last night. Called in my order for delivery, spoke to Lily, explained exactly what I wanted and when I got my food, Princess Prawns, the shrimp were like mini rocks. Ever taste food that was over cooked in microwave? Well that's what these shrimp taste like. I called up and complained and of course Lily wasn't there, so the person on the phone had to call her and find out exactly what it was that I wanted. He called me back and asked me if I could pick it up myself. Told him no, I couldn't. Asked him to send me another side dish since mine is now ice cold. He said he was going to charge me for that. After going back and forth, he said my side side dish would be free. 1 hr later I get my Princess Prawns and now they are soggy! Bottom line........I paid $48 for the meal (this includes another dish for my grandson) and a $20 tip for the guy because I felt bad he had to deliver twice. So $68 for nothing but aggravation, and a bunch of terrible food. I would like my & money back, but I doubt that will happen. I get the "the third time is a charm"), but not this time. I've had enough of Lily Kai! My advice to Lily is........eat the Prawn shrimp and see for yourself how terrible this dish is before you charge the public good $ for that...