In short, this place is not authentic Chinese food at all. Everything we had was just bland and flavorless. The General Tso's chicken I ordered was the worst I've ever had in my life...it was totally dry and had no flavor, just bone-dry bland fried chicken...also, the menu says its spicy but it is NOT at all. The green onion pancake doesn't actually have much green onion at all, thereby lacking flavor. The hot and sour soup is also very bland and boring...just barely qualifying as hot & sour soup. Finally, they have no egg drop soup at all...what kind of respectable Chinese restaurant doesn't have egg drop soup? The only decent thing I had was the cheese wantons, which is an incredibly simple dish.In short, I don't know how this place has a high rating. I would not go to this place if you're looking for real and flavorful Chinese food.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
Macy Ma
I could give negative star if I could, it is not only not delicious at all, IT IS NOT FRESH, we have nausea/vomit after 3 hours dine in, the server is nice but the dishes are all awful ???
Just authentic top notch Shanghainese cuisine.We appreciate the dedication and effort of the restaurant, allowing us to enjoy genuine hometown dishes.The service has improved significantly since the soft opening. The speed of serving has also increased considerably.H1. Shanghai Pan Fried Noodle, G5. Shanghai Pork with Bamboo Shoot Soup, B2. Duck Seasoned with Soy Sauce, E4. Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables are our favorite dishes.Thank you Chef Zhu for your exquisite craftsmanship!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
JD C
3rd time coming back to Chef Zhu- great food and fantastic . Love the garlic chicken, lo mein, green beans and eggplant. Highly recommend!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Elizabeth Cason
We found this place a few weeks ago and have been back several times since. Really great food, terrific service, would definitely recommend!
Lucien Wang
Great Shanghai food—I lived in Shanghai for ten years and this is very decent. Will be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sissi Fan
Owners of old Double Happiness Del Mar opened this new Shanghainese restaurant. We’ve tried both dine in and takeout multiple times, and the food quality and service have been awesome. Every time we take friends and family to dine here, we feel confident that our guests can have the best experience.Our favorite dishes are braised pork with preserved veg, braised meatball, house special soup pot, and shepherd’s purse rice cake, but we ordered something different this time: hot and sour soup, preserved veg with bean curd sheet, kong pao chicken. I’m a vegetarian, and the restaurant was very accommodating, and even offered to cook a sautéed vegetables dish rather than the regular braised version for me. So considerate! We’ll return for sure!Vegetarian options: Ask your server for vegetarian alternatives
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: D5 Sweet and Sour Chicken, House Special Soup Pot, J10 Shepherd's Purse Wonton Soup, G1 Hot and Sour Soup, E4 Braised Pork with Preserved Veg, E6 Shang Hai Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs
William B. Glassman
Could have been too busy that day for 5 star service. However, the employees were nice when they came around to the table.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Katie Kreitzer
Delicious take out and quick delivery!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Joy
If I can give negative 5 stars, I will. First of all, I’m from Shanghai, and it’s so insulting for them to call themselves “authentic Shanghainese cuisine”. They’re far from being even close. The food is ridiculously ugly and not cooked or made properly as you can see in the pics. I’ve been there twice and tried 8 dishes. Let me make this clear - none of the 8 is good. The quality of service is so ridiculously bad to the point that even made me laugh. With only 6 tables during non busy hours, we sit there without any food for 1 hour after we ordered and no one even bothered to check or ask if we’ve been served already. I was so hungry to the point I had to ask and was told that they forgot to submit our order… EXCUSE ME?? They said they’ll have the owner talk with us for our poor experience but then of course it didn’t happen. Instead, they gave us soy milk for free trying to make it up but the way they did it even made things worse. They offered one cup for two people and gave us an empty cup asking me to pour half from my cup to the other for us TO SHARE. The cups are in the shape you know for sure it will spill if you pour from one to the other. I’m literally speechless. Am I the only one feeling I’m somewhat insulted by the way they handle this?? I wouldn’t even think of going back even if they pay me. DO NOT RECOMMEND AT ALL!!! I’d be so mad if any Shanghainese calls this restaurant authentic. Btw if you see any 5-star reviews mentioned hungry panda, they paid those ppl to submit such dishonest review?Update: they responded to my review in such an unprofessional way. To the restaurant owner: which one of the thing I experienced was not true huh? You just seriously refuse to take any criticism. You can take whatever legal action you want and I can assure you that you will be the one taking all the consequences. I’ve already received quite a few other people’s feedback saying they found body hairs and flies in your dishes. Disgusting ?
A Welcome Addition to Torrey Highlands: A Review of [Restaurant Name]The recent addition of Chef Zhu to the Torrey Highlands shopping center has been met with much excitement, and after my visit, I can confidently say that it's a worthy addition to the culinary landscape. Despite initial reservations about its proximity to Joyee's dumplings, I'm delighted to report that Chef Zhu holds its own.Arriving on a leisurely Sunday afternoon, I was pleased to find ample parking available in the center, making access a breeze. The restaurant itself has undergone a stylish redesign from its previous incarnation as a BBQ joint, boasting an inviting interior that sets the stage for a memorable dining experience.While the customer service initially left something to be desired – perhaps due to a focus on online orders – the staff proved to be friendly and accommodating once we garnered their attention. Despite being the only patrons at the start of our meal, we found ourselves waiting longer than expected for assistance. However, once attended to, our orders were taken promptly and accurately.As for the food, it did not disappoint. We opted for the Chicken Lo Mein and Orange Chicken, both of which arrived as generous portions bursting with flavor. The Lo Mein, in particular, stood out with its delightful smoky undertones and perfectly cooked noodles. Meanwhile, the Orange Chicken boasted a delightful balance of sweetness and crunch, leaving us eager to explore more of the menu offerings.Overall, Chef Zhu offers excellent value for money, delivering ample portions of high-quality Chinese cuisine in a pleasant setting. While there may be room for improvement in terms of service efficiency, the delicious food more than makes up for any minor shortcomings. I look forward to returning to sample more of their enticing menu offerings.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
vanessa pager
Great food!
James Amberg
I just stopped by for a quick lunch. I will be back soon. Very nice hot and sour soup. Fair prices. Easy parking.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
jane keenberg
We have only ordered takeout from them but the food is so good. Authentic Chinese.
In short, this place is not authentic Chinese food at all. Everything we had was just bland and flavorless. The General Tso's chicken I ordered was the worst I've ever had in my life...it was totally dry and had no flavor, just bone-dry bland fried chicken...also, the menu says its spicy but it is NOT at all. The green onion pancake doesn't actually have much green onion at all, thereby lacking flavor. The hot and sour soup is also very bland and boring...just barely qualifying as hot & sour soup. Finally, they have no egg drop soup at all...what kind of respectable Chinese restaurant doesn't have egg drop soup? The only decent thing I had was the cheese wantons, which is an incredibly simple dish.In short, I don't know how this place has a high rating. I would not go to this place if you're looking for real and flavorful Chinese food.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
I could give negative star if I could, it is not only not delicious at all, IT IS NOT FRESH, we have nausea/vomit after 3 hours dine in, the server is nice but the dishes are all awful ???
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: J10 Shepherd's Purse Wonton Soup
Just authentic top notch Shanghainese cuisine.We appreciate the dedication and effort of the restaurant, allowing us to enjoy genuine hometown dishes.The service has improved significantly since the soft opening. The speed of serving has also increased considerably.H1. Shanghai Pan Fried Noodle, G5. Shanghai Pork with Bamboo Shoot Soup, B2. Duck Seasoned with Soy Sauce, E4. Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables are our favorite dishes.Thank you Chef Zhu for your exquisite craftsmanship!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
3rd time coming back to Chef Zhu- great food and fantastic . Love the garlic chicken, lo mein, green beans and eggplant. Highly recommend!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We found this place a few weeks ago and have been back several times since. Really great food, terrific service, would definitely recommend!
Great Shanghai food—I lived in Shanghai for ten years and this is very decent. Will be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Owners of old Double Happiness Del Mar opened this new Shanghainese restaurant. We’ve tried both dine in and takeout multiple times, and the food quality and service have been awesome. Every time we take friends and family to dine here, we feel confident that our guests can have the best experience.Our favorite dishes are braised pork with preserved veg, braised meatball, house special soup pot, and shepherd’s purse rice cake, but we ordered something different this time: hot and sour soup, preserved veg with bean curd sheet, kong pao chicken. I’m a vegetarian, and the restaurant was very accommodating, and even offered to cook a sautéed vegetables dish rather than the regular braised version for me. So considerate! We’ll return for sure!Vegetarian options: Ask your server for vegetarian alternatives
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: D5 Sweet and Sour Chicken, House Special Soup Pot, J10 Shepherd's Purse Wonton Soup, G1 Hot and Sour Soup, E4 Braised Pork with Preserved Veg, E6 Shang Hai Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs
Could have been too busy that day for 5 star service. However, the employees were nice when they came around to the table.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Delicious take out and quick delivery!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If I can give negative 5 stars, I will. First of all, I’m from Shanghai, and it’s so insulting for them to call themselves “authentic Shanghainese cuisine”. They’re far from being even close. The food is ridiculously ugly and not cooked or made properly as you can see in the pics. I’ve been there twice and tried 8 dishes. Let me make this clear - none of the 8 is good. The quality of service is so ridiculously bad to the point that even made me laugh. With only 6 tables during non busy hours, we sit there without any food for 1 hour after we ordered and no one even bothered to check or ask if we’ve been served already. I was so hungry to the point I had to ask and was told that they forgot to submit our order… EXCUSE ME?? They said they’ll have the owner talk with us for our poor experience but then of course it didn’t happen. Instead, they gave us soy milk for free trying to make it up but the way they did it even made things worse. They offered one cup for two people and gave us an empty cup asking me to pour half from my cup to the other for us TO SHARE. The cups are in the shape you know for sure it will spill if you pour from one to the other. I’m literally speechless. Am I the only one feeling I’m somewhat insulted by the way they handle this?? I wouldn’t even think of going back even if they pay me. DO NOT RECOMMEND AT ALL!!! I’d be so mad if any Shanghainese calls this restaurant authentic. Btw if you see any 5-star reviews mentioned hungry panda, they paid those ppl to submit such dishonest review?Update: they responded to my review in such an unprofessional way. To the restaurant owner: which one of the thing I experienced was not true huh? You just seriously refuse to take any criticism. You can take whatever legal action you want and I can assure you that you will be the one taking all the consequences. I’ve already received quite a few other people’s feedback saying they found body hairs and flies in your dishes. Disgusting ?
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Everything here is top
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A Welcome Addition to Torrey Highlands: A Review of [Restaurant Name]The recent addition of Chef Zhu to the Torrey Highlands shopping center has been met with much excitement, and after my visit, I can confidently say that it's a worthy addition to the culinary landscape. Despite initial reservations about its proximity to Joyee's dumplings, I'm delighted to report that Chef Zhu holds its own.Arriving on a leisurely Sunday afternoon, I was pleased to find ample parking available in the center, making access a breeze. The restaurant itself has undergone a stylish redesign from its previous incarnation as a BBQ joint, boasting an inviting interior that sets the stage for a memorable dining experience.While the customer service initially left something to be desired – perhaps due to a focus on online orders – the staff proved to be friendly and accommodating once we garnered their attention. Despite being the only patrons at the start of our meal, we found ourselves waiting longer than expected for assistance. However, once attended to, our orders were taken promptly and accurately.As for the food, it did not disappoint. We opted for the Chicken Lo Mein and Orange Chicken, both of which arrived as generous portions bursting with flavor. The Lo Mein, in particular, stood out with its delightful smoky undertones and perfectly cooked noodles. Meanwhile, the Orange Chicken boasted a delightful balance of sweetness and crunch, leaving us eager to explore more of the menu offerings.Overall, Chef Zhu offers excellent value for money, delivering ample portions of high-quality Chinese cuisine in a pleasant setting. While there may be room for improvement in terms of service efficiency, the delicious food more than makes up for any minor shortcomings. I look forward to returning to sample more of their enticing menu offerings.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Great food!
I just stopped by for a quick lunch. I will be back soon. Very nice hot and sour soup. Fair prices. Easy parking.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We have only ordered takeout from them but the food is so good. Authentic Chinese.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: F2 Dry Fried String Beans