China Garden (Nebraska Ave) — Restaurant in Tampa

I hope someone important will read this. I'm not sure where to begin, so i'll start with the reason why I decided to finally leave a review and take some time out of the peak of my Friday night to leave this review. I have frequented this establishment (literally weekly, if not bi-, or even tri-weekly) for the past, 6 or so years. I believe it to be family run, could be wrong, but always have an excellent in-out experience for the most part. However this visit this evening was very different than usual. I had to wait in what you would call a "rush" during a peak Friday night (as to be expected) and witness such "kid-iotic" behavior by some adults whom to have just experienced what you would call A LINE for the first time. It rained late this evening, so it was probably extra busy than usual. I patiently waited AND HAD NO PROBLEM DOING SO because I can not begin to describe properly the QUALITY and overall responsiveness that I have had. I chatted with some other locals in line, some coming longer than I, coming to this same agreement. I order the House Tofu and Veggie Lo-mein EVERYTIME and it has never once been nothing but perfection. In addition, usual a protein dish is involved and the amount of things I could say ALONE about the Bourbon Chicken combo is a review all in its own. Other dishes I can personally call out - Boneless Spare Ribs, Chicken & Broccoli, literally all the soups, and the desserts.

I want to stress the importance again of why i'm here leaving this 5 STAR review. I took at least 20 extra minutes of my Friday evening to immediately leave this review, and thank the gentleman who could not handle himself, to inspire me to leave a review for a place that has long been overdue for it....

We tried China Garden to compare it to the Chinese place right by our house where we regularly go. We got the same thing we regularly do. China Garden was pretty good, but not as good as China Moon (on MLK).

I always get the General Tso's Chicken. China Garden's General Tso's Chicken was good. Solid 4 out of 5. The sauce was a little browner and richer than the General Tso's Chicken we usually get, which usually has a slightly redder sauce. The difference in flavor was rather subtle, but I prefer China Moon's. Even so, it was good.

My wife got the homestyle tofu. It was also very similar to China Moon's. The difference there was even smaller, though my wife said she was give the edge to China Moon.

My son got the fried dumplings and shrimp lo mein. The dumplings were good, with a fair amount of flavor without the sauce. The sauce was more of a seasons soy sauce with a fair bit of kick (not really spicy, but there was some spice). China Moon wins on the dipping sauce, but it was probably sixes on the dumplings themselves. The shrimp lo mein was the big disappointment. It was the most bland lo mein I have had in a long time. There wasn't any real flavor to it. Lo mein can be done a number of ways, but it should have some flavor. China Garden's shrimp lo mein was very underwhelming.

The price was similar to China Moon - perhaps slightly more.

Service was fast (we ordered online). The store itself is definitely a hole in the wall, but seemed fine for that. It looks to have a reinforced counter area, suggesting they are trying to avoid robberies.

I'd go back for the General Tso's chicken, homestyle tofu, and dumplings, but definitely not for...

They're available on DoorDash and GrubHub possibly UberEATS. I dropped the stars from a 5 to a 5 (hahaha you thought I'd change it?? Nope!!)

Don't get me wrong food is freshly cooked but they definitely have gotten skimpy skimpy on the cheese steak egg rolls not the same I've been ordering from here for every bit of 18years or I guess it depends on who makes them at the time. This is and has always been an Amazing FAMILY owned and operated restaurant. Even the kids know how to operate the establishment but they will rush your order but always get it right. So know what you want when ordering they are usually super busy especially from dinner rush and late night. The best around locally that I've had. Everything they make is great but I recommend their crab Rangoon, orange chicken, fried dumplings or beef and broccoli also their sweet tea and lemonades. They do have vegetarian options available as well. Also theirs a store in the place for other things if needed. Just South of the Publix on...