The Huntington's Jade Court Cafe — Restaurant in San Marino

So I hardly make reviews and I don't really ever want to or like to but I'm just coming here as a human to another human. the people who were working on Sept 9th in the jade court cafe are completely awful heartless people. Jade court was closing early )and as someone who works in customer service and has worked in several different restaurants I understand when you're closed you're closed) but what they did was evil imo. My mom was visiting from out of state and I have not seen here in almost half a year and we had made an appointment at the tea room a while back for when she got here. we were aware of the weather that day but we had an umbrella for shade and we were completely stocked with water. we were doing great but as we neared the middle of the Chinese gardens my mom started to feel pretty lightheaded and her face was blood red. my mom is completely healthy and I knew she had been constantly drinking water but I was like oh I really need to get her into some air-conditioning so she can cool down. I knew there was a little museum building in the Chinese gardens so I headed towards them. When we got there we realized it was closed so I was like okay well jade court is open as it showed online so we headed in that direction as it was the closest air-conditioning to us. we got there and the doors were locked and the people working were closing up early. I knocked on the window and told them hello ! we don't need to buy anything and we don't need anything could I please just bring my mom into the air-conditioning for a bit so she can cool down and feel better. and immediately we were told NO! i pleaded with them again and told them i understand they are closed but we just want to stand inside for 5 minutes to cool off and one guy inside yelled We can't help you ! I tried to get their attention a few more times and I was ignored. we poured some water on my mom and got her in some shade under the umbrellas and after some time sitting down she started feeling better. I just wanted to tell my story for no other reason than to just ask people to please be a little more compassionate. We are lucky my mom wasn't so bad off but it could have ended really badly if it had been someone older and...

Upon entering the Jade Court Cafe, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. The location is stunning - nestled within the Huntington Gardens, surrounded by the lush greenery and calming waters of the Chinese Gardens. Every detail of the garden is intentional and nothing short of breathtaking. However, it's the food at the Jade Court Cafe that left me feeling less than inspired.

I was disappointed to find that the menu didn't quite live up to the surrounding beauty. As a lover of Asian cuisine, I was excited to try some of the dishes that the cafe had to offer. Sadly, the flavors and execution were a far cry from what I was expecting. The lackluster flavors left me feeling unsatisfied and wishing I had just brought my own lunch instead.

Despite the cafe's location and ambiance, the food was average at best. The dishes lacked the flavors and intentions that one expects from Asian cuisine. I felt like I was paying more for the location and the view than for the actual food itself.

It's a shame that the food at the Jade Court Cafe couldn't quite match up to the incredible surroundings. With so many fantastic Asian restaurants in the 626 area, the Jade Court Cafe doesn't quite make the cut. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone who is looking for an authentic, flavorful, and satisfying Asian meal.

However, if you're just looking for a peaceful location to sit and take in the beauty of the Chinese Gardens, the Jade Court Cafe might be worth a visit. Just be sure to manage your expectations when it comes to the food, and maybe bring a snack to munch on...

Let me be honest... most of the times that I come to the Huntington Library it is for the restaurants LOL

I specifically LOVE this place! Yes, it is a long @$$ trek to find this place in Huntington Gardens, but it's worth it.

Plenty of outdoor seating here with umbrellas, so peaceful. Also, they offer a beer and wine selection to complement your meal. Food was presented rather nicely and didn't take much time to come up after ordering inside.

We had the Chinese Chicken Salad, Ginger Duck Fried Rice, and Minced Chicken Wrap with Butter Lettuce. I had an AMAZING Jasmine Passionfruit Iced Tea by Art of Tea -- I of course made a "B-Line" over to the gift shop to see if they carried the tea, but alas they don't (you can get it on the Art of Tea...