Jade Villa Chinese Restaurant — Restaurant in Virginia Beach

It was my second time here, and I felt so compelled to leave this review. Both times, I went for the weekend dimsum, which runs from 12-3pm, but with different individuals. The first time, I went with a coworker at noon and everything was good that I considered bringing a family member here during his spring break. However, my second visit was very different. This time, we went at around 1 pm and got seated immediately since there was quite a number of available tables. The dimsum carts came around, and we picked up a few items. However, most of them were cold and not even lukewarm. Then not too long afterwards, a fairly young woman with the soup cart stopped by our table. We decided to try one of the soups. However, right before serving us the soup, she sneezed and coughed into her hands. She sneezed multiple times throughout and did not even wear a mask. This sight was difficult for us to process at the time. Right after she set the bowl onto our table, I told another server that we don’t want the soup anymore and told him what the soup server did. Not too long afterwards, another older woman, presumably the manager, came over. She tried to guilt trip us into consuming the soup by saying, “she is going to have to pay if you don’t want it.” My family member told her that she sneezed directly into her hands. The older woman took the soup away and crossed it off from our check. I would like to ask, would they eat something someone else had sneezed on? The lady explained that the soup server had come from China just one month ago, so “she did not know and is new [to America].” She was probably getting paid under the table with cash. Maybe about five minutes later, the soup server came out again and started going around serving soups and coughing and sneezing. This whole thing with the soup server killed our appetites. My second time shows that this restaurant does not have any regard for its diners especially when people’s memory of Covid is still fresh. Besides, the food was not good at all with most of them being cold and with limited options. Very disappointing and will not be back. If you eat here, dine at your own risk. Who knows what actually goes on behind the scenes in the kitchen? If this place was good in the past, it has spiraled downward very quickly. Maybe that is why it was easy to be seated during what should have been a...

Service was very slow. My friends and I waited 30 minutes for a table and although there were tables constantly opening up, we weren't seated for half an hour. 20 of those waiting minutes were spent waiting for them to pencil us in for a table. When we finally did get to the table, we ordered after looking through the menu (most items were unappetizing) and waited for 40 minutes before the food came out. Waitresses were looking around with my order trying to find the customer that ordered it. When the food came out, I was sorely disappointed.

As a fan of dim sum, the food was greasy and tasted awful. Maybe it was because I ordered it at night instead of for brunch or breakfast, but the food was rather bland, covered in grease and had strange textures. I didn't eat about half of the dishes I ordered (after spitting them back out). I won't lie, I was honestly shocked at how bad it was. It's the only dim sum place around according to Google Maps and I'm new to the area so I decided to check it out.

Judging by the quality of food for how long we waited to actually eat it, I can safely say I will never come back. Actually, even if we were seated immediately and the food came out quickly and the service was spotless, the quality of the food prevents me from coming back here to give myself food poisoning.

Looking through the other reviews, I am baffled by the amount of 4 and 5 stars given out. Do people just have really low standards for Chinese food or something? The restaurant is run down, with chips of paint on the carpet by the walls. The atmosphere is terrible. The food is awful. No one is at the front desk to put your name down when waiting for a table. Now, I don't exactly have high standards for food and it doesn't take a lot to impress me, but it certainly takes a lot to make me write a review like this.

I only ordered the dim sum dishes so I do not know how the non-dim sum dishes are but looking at the other tables, their food looked as unappetizing and disgusting as ours. How they are still in business should be featured in a...

A Portal to Authentic Chinese Cuisine Hiding in Plain Sight For years, I treated Jade Villa as my go-to for fantastic, American-style Chinese food. Their General Tso's is top-tier, the beef and broccoli is always fresh and crisp, and the service is consistently warm and welcoming. It has always been a reliable five-star spot in my book for just that. But a recent visit transformed my entire understanding of this neighborhood gem. During a conversation with one of the incredibly friendly owners, I mentioned my travels in Asia and my love for the cuisine there. A smile spread across their face, and they returned to the table with a different menu, one not typically handed to every customer. This was the key to a completely different world. This "secret" menu was filled with dishes you'd find on a family's table in Hong Kong or a bustling eatery in Guangzhou – items that might seem "weird" to some, but are the heart and soul of authentic Chinese cooking. We decided to be adventurous and dive in. We ordered the braised chicken feet in black bean sauce, something I hadn't enjoyed since a trip abroad. They were phenomenal—tender, gelatinous, and packed with savory flavor. We also tried the salt and pepper squid, which was perfectly crispy without being greasy, and a soul-warming bowl of century egg and pork congee that was the ultimate comfort food. It was like being transported thousands of miles away. What makes Jade Villa truly exceptional is that they masterfully cater to two different worlds. They execute the American Chinese classics with a freshness and quality that is hard to beat, while also offering a genuine taste of Asia for those willing to ask. The staff is more than happy to guide you through the traditional menu with pride. If you think you know Jade Villa, I urge you to ask about their other menu. You'll discover it's not just a great Chinese restaurant; it's a culinary passport. An absolute...