Dragon's Arch — Restaurant in Walnut Creek

Dragon’s Arch is the kind of spot that turns “Where should we eat?” into an automatic answer. My boyfriend and I swear by this place. It sits perfectly in downtown Walnut Creek, a quick stroll from Barnes & Noble and the movie theater, so our favorite date night looks like this: park once, browse some books, wander over to Dragon’s Arch, then walk to the theater.

The food? Hands down, no contest, the best Chinese we have ever had. The chicken fried rice and veggie chow mein are non-negotiables on our table, and we rotate through our favorite entrees like sweet-and-sour chicken, beef and broccoli, black bean chicken, even the mango chicken when we are feeling tropical. Everything arrives piping hot in under twenty minutes, even when the dining room is buzzing, because their service team runs a tight ship without ever making you feel rushed.

If you can swing a midday visit, the lunch special is the steal. About thirteen bucks gets you soup to start, an entrée, rice (steamed or fried), plus a salad or egg roll. The portions are generous enough to split or to box up for round two later. Quality clearly tops their priority list, and it shows in every bite and every interaction.

In short, Dragon’s Arch isn’t just dinner, it’s become the anchor of our downtown adventures and I can't recommend this...

WONDERFUL DELICIOUS TASTY AND VARIETY OF DISHES TO CHOOSE FROM..THE PLACE IS VERY CLEAN. EVEN THE BATHROOM! THE AMBIENCE IS NICE..GREAT SELECTION OF NAPA WINE..GREAT PRESENTATION ON THE FOOD BEING SERVED FRESH..DELICIOUS..TASTY AND PLEASING TO THE PALATE! LAST BUT LEAST..BUT MOST OF ALL.. THE OWNER "LILY LO", IS VERY SWEET..KIND..GENEROUS AND CARING .. MOST OF ALL VERY ATTENTIVE TO HER CUSTOMERS .. VERY FRIENDLY AND HAS A PLEASANT AND PLEASING PERSONALITY. 1 OF MY HOBBIES IS EATING AT REAL GOOD RESTAURANTS AND THIS IS THE FIRST RESTAURANT I HAVE EVER BEEN TO.. (FOR I HAVE GONE TO MANY RESTAURANTS) AND THIS OWNER GIVES HER 100% TO HER CUSTOMERS.. VERY EXCELLENT AND OUTSTANDING SHE GOES FAR AND BEYOND.. AND I'M SO VERY GLAD THAT ON THE 4TH OF JULY 2019 MY FRIENDS AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE PLEASURE OF MEETING SUCH A WONDERFUL OWNER OF DRAGON POND RESTAURANT. IF YOU HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PLACE IN WALNUT CREEK I REALLY WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU DO! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT! .. I WILL CONTINUE TO SAVOR THE ABUNDANCE OF THE MANY FLAVORS THAT SATISFIES MY PALATE. I CAN GUARANTEE, YOU WILL BE VERY SATISFIED. UNTIL THEN THANK YOU SO MUCH LILY LO FOR THIS WONDERFUL DAY! WAS A PLEASURE MEETING YOU! HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! HAPPY LIFE! HUGS! SINCERELY. ROSE PADUA A VERY...

Maybe it was because they were busy tonight. I decided to try it because of the positive reviews, but once was enough. First, because they are currently open only for takeout, I attempted to call in my order, but they would not answer their phone. Upon arrival, my first impression was the foul odor. The lighting was very dim and because I used to work in restaurants, I can usually judge that dim lighting with an obnoxious smell is a good indication that things are not being cleaned. After waiting to order, I then had to wait outside for 30 minutes before the food arrived. That would have been ok too, except that nobody likes really overcooked, soggy veggies in a weird-tasting and very watery sauce. Being hungry, I might have even been ok with that, but it all tasted like over-cooked bell peppers. I had requested no bell pepper because it can be overpowering, especially if overcooked. It seemed like maybe they had cooked a bunch of veggies together and then just removed the peppers from my dish. Meanwhile, the fried calamari looked generous, but it was mostly fried breading. Despite all, I tipped very generously for just takeout to support a local business while the person who took my payment just turned and walked away with it. I guess "thank you" is not part of...