Excellent service by experienced waitress. Food we ordered was delicious. Restaurant is the Taj Mahal, however the restaurant was a very clean. Crisp and genuine decor, not gaudy. Superior ambiance of a restaurant that been in business for many years. Definitely will patronize this restaurant .
HELL WITH IT!! B. L. A.
The young man working was very politeBut, the food was very disappointing.Fried rice was bland. Egg foo young had a taste of something extremely unpalatableTeriyaki beef just chunks in some form of brown gravy that was bland as the rest of the mealI don't recommend this place for eating dinner. Maybe breakfast is better?Even the prawns were tasteless and chow mein, lol. Little bit of bacon greese and cabbage or green onions sure would be a big help.Overall. 4 out of 10..
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Teng C.
Food was American Chinese, and it's flavorful and in good value. I ordered the signature combo which was pretty big. I packed the leftover and it was a decent second meal. The waitress was really nice and friendly. It was a pleasant experience to dine here.
D. G.
Really nice staff, great history (oldest Chinese restaurant in California) and ambiance like crazy. Unfortunately, that's all negated by the filthiest kitchen, most disgusting bathrooms and complete disregard for cleanliness I've ever encountered. Don't do it. The gastric distress I suffered for days afterward was assuredly not worth it.
Lori H.
Excellent Food! Traditional Chinese food at a very reasonable price$$ Good service with friendly server Diana! Been enjoying their food for over 40 years!
Melissa Belis
Paul has one of my favorite cafes to visit. I eat there every time I'm in Woodland. Dinner Deluxe, for one, is my absolute favorite. It comes with teriyaki steak, prawns, pork fried rice and noodles ? delicious.Parking: There is a small parking lot in the back alley behind restaurant if street parking is full.Kid-friendliness: Kid friendly
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bacon and Eggs, Mushroom Chow Mein, Vegetable Chow Mein, Beef Tomato Chow Mein, Combination Noodles, Chow Mein, Small Chow for 1 with Crispy Noodles, Beef Teriyaki
Kassandra S.
Literally, the best! Woodland's best kept "not so secret, secret?" If there is such a thing :P. Recently named the oldest Chinese food restaurant in California ( - it's my number one pick for pork fried rice & hot mustard! Sometimes (especially during lunch) it gets pretty busy and there's only one waitress - so you'll need to be patient, but she really does go out of her way to try to keep everyone satisfied. I don't think I've ever seen the woman sit down or rest lol. I would definitely go check it out if in the area. Can't go wrong with a deluxe dinner for one!
Jovina B.
Came here for breakfast while car is being serviced next door. Food was great and service was excellent. Definitely 5 stars; however, lunch is a different story. They were super busy with only 1 waitress. We walked in after the lunch crowd and all the tables have not been cleaned. We sat at the bar patiently waiting to be served but couldn't wait any longer. The waitress apologized hence the 4 stars. Plenty of street parking.
Bernice Yee
A quaint step back in time at an old fashioned, family run diner with a limited menu of traditional, atypical, yet delicious Chinese food and a pretty full menu of American fare.The building has quite a bit of history. There is a wall of past and recent news aarticles leading to a U C. Davis professor's recent designation of this establishment as the oldest, longest running Chinese restaurant in CA and possibly in the U.S.The Chicago Cafe is ccurrently owned and operated by the original owner's senior grandson and his wife. If traveling nearby, it is definitely a great place to stop by for a bite.They apparently adjust their closing time with the time change, between 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. - depending on daylight savings, and are closed on Thursdays. It is safest to call ahead in case they occasionally close earlier.
Recent newspaper articles that claim Chicago Cafe is the oldest contiguous Chinese restaurant in the US apparently has bumped up business, according to the charming silver-haired waitress. Checking the menu prices between those shown in 2021 and now, the prices have increased 25%+. Don't know if this is due to higher inflation or the owners capitalizing on the publicity. The most popular items seem to be the Chicago combination plate for one at $11+. It consists of some chow mein, fried rice, egg foo yong, fried shrimp, and soup. One of our party of 4 ordered that. Two ordered chow mein, and I ordered a ground beef patty American dinner. The food is not memorable and the chow mein is saturated with an overdose of bean sprouts. The best thing about the place is the iced tea and the wonderful service we received from our harried but efficient waitress who manages the whole place on her own. If you are visiting Woodland, I would spend more time walking through old town. However, making a long drive from the Bay Area to dine here is not worth it. 2 Stars for the food and 4+ stars for the service.
My family has been going here for yeeeeeaaarsss they have great food. i love the paper wrap chicken hands down the best I've had but I know they have phenomenal chicken fried steak in was my parents favorite
Excellent service by experienced waitress. Food we ordered was delicious. Restaurant is the Taj Mahal, however the restaurant was a very clean. Crisp and genuine decor, not gaudy. Superior ambiance of a restaurant that been in business for many years. Definitely will patronize this restaurant .
The young man working was very politeBut, the food was very disappointing.Fried rice was bland. Egg foo young had a taste of something extremely unpalatableTeriyaki beef just chunks in some form of brown gravy that was bland as the rest of the mealI don't recommend this place for eating dinner. Maybe breakfast is better?Even the prawns were tasteless and chow mein, lol. Little bit of bacon greese and cabbage or green onions sure would be a big help.Overall. 4 out of 10..
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Food was American Chinese, and it's flavorful and in good value. I ordered the signature combo which was pretty big. I packed the leftover and it was a decent second meal. The waitress was really nice and friendly. It was a pleasant experience to dine here.
Really nice staff, great history (oldest Chinese restaurant in California) and ambiance like crazy. Unfortunately, that's all negated by the filthiest kitchen, most disgusting bathrooms and complete disregard for cleanliness I've ever encountered. Don't do it. The gastric distress I suffered for days afterward was assuredly not worth it.
Excellent Food! Traditional Chinese food at a very reasonable price$$ Good service with friendly server Diana! Been enjoying their food for over 40 years!
Paul has one of my favorite cafes to visit. I eat there every time I'm in Woodland. Dinner Deluxe, for one, is my absolute favorite. It comes with teriyaki steak, prawns, pork fried rice and noodles ? delicious.Parking: There is a small parking lot in the back alley behind restaurant if street parking is full.Kid-friendliness: Kid friendly
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bacon and Eggs, Mushroom Chow Mein, Vegetable Chow Mein, Beef Tomato Chow Mein, Combination Noodles, Chow Mein, Small Chow for 1 with Crispy Noodles, Beef Teriyaki
Literally, the best! Woodland's best kept "not so secret, secret?" If there is such a thing :P. Recently named the oldest Chinese food restaurant in California ( - it's my number one pick for pork fried rice & hot mustard! Sometimes (especially during lunch) it gets pretty busy and there's only one waitress - so you'll need to be patient, but she really does go out of her way to try to keep everyone satisfied. I don't think I've ever seen the woman sit down or rest lol. I would definitely go check it out if in the area. Can't go wrong with a deluxe dinner for one!
Came here for breakfast while car is being serviced next door. Food was great and service was excellent. Definitely 5 stars; however, lunch is a different story. They were super busy with only 1 waitress. We walked in after the lunch crowd and all the tables have not been cleaned. We sat at the bar patiently waiting to be served but couldn't wait any longer. The waitress apologized hence the 4 stars. Plenty of street parking.
A quaint step back in time at an old fashioned, family run diner with a limited menu of traditional, atypical, yet delicious Chinese food and a pretty full menu of American fare.The building has quite a bit of history. There is a wall of past and recent news aarticles leading to a U C. Davis professor's recent designation of this establishment as the oldest, longest running Chinese restaurant in CA and possibly in the U.S.The Chicago Cafe is ccurrently owned and operated by the original owner's senior grandson and his wife. If traveling nearby, it is definitely a great place to stop by for a bite.They apparently adjust their closing time with the time change, between 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. - depending on daylight savings, and are closed on Thursdays. It is safest to call ahead in case they occasionally close earlier.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Tomato Chow Mein, Chow Mein
Recent newspaper articles that claim Chicago Cafe is the oldest contiguous Chinese restaurant in the US apparently has bumped up business, according to the charming silver-haired waitress. Checking the menu prices between those shown in 2021 and now, the prices have increased 25%+. Don't know if this is due to higher inflation or the owners capitalizing on the publicity. The most popular items seem to be the Chicago combination plate for one at $11+. It consists of some chow mein, fried rice, egg foo yong, fried shrimp, and soup. One of our party of 4 ordered that. Two ordered chow mein, and I ordered a ground beef patty American dinner. The food is not memorable and the chow mein is saturated with an overdose of bean sprouts. The best thing about the place is the iced tea and the wonderful service we received from our harried but efficient waitress who manages the whole place on her own. If you are visiting Woodland, I would spend more time walking through old town. However, making a long drive from the Bay Area to dine here is not worth it. 2 Stars for the food and 4+ stars for the service.
Restaurantji Recommends
The only place I can get my pork noodles. The fried rice is the best and I love the family atmosphere.
Good old fashion Chinese food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great authentic Chinese our favorite restaurant for over 60 years. Best pork fu young. And truly authentic chow main
. Chicken chow mien, , teriyaki beef, pork fried rice,fried prawns. Perfect.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Teriyaki, Chow Mein
My family has been going here for yeeeeeaaarsss they have great food. i love the paper wrap chicken hands down the best I've had but I know they have phenomenal chicken fried steak in was my parents favorite
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5