Yahoo! - Recommended Restaurants: Chinese

Recommended Restaurants: Chinese

Price Guide: $ = less than $15, $$ = $15 - $35, $$$ = $36-$50, $$$$ = over $50

Price estimates are based on an average dinner for one, excluding drinks, tax and tip.
Listed restaurants accept major credit cards unless otherwise noted.
Symbols: L = lunch, D = dinner, BR = breakfast, B = brunch, R = reservations required, V = valet parking, W = wheelchair accessible, P = private room, BQ = banquet facilities.
Star Guide: 4 stars = superlative, 3 stars = excellent, 2 stars = very good, 1 star = above average. (Note: No stars will be assigned to a restaurant until it has been newly reviewed.)

Alamo Palace Chinese Restaurant: 120 C Alamo Plaza, Alamo MapIt!
(510) 820-1715
$/L Mon-Sat/D daily/W
This narrow slip of a restaurant serves both Mandarin and Szechuan cuisines, with an emphasis on traditional dishes such as honey-walnut prawns, dry-braised whole fish, and hot, spicy stir-fried eggplant. For lovers of mu shu dishes, there are versions made with beef, chicken, shrimp, or vegetables. A thriving takeout business hums both days and evenings.--Diablo
The Great Wall: 3500 Golden Gate Way, Lafayette MapIt!
(510) 284-3500
$/L/D daily/W
The barrel-vaulted ceiling and woven-cane dividers give this vast room an airy and distinctively Asian feel. Are we in Singapore, Rangoon, Kuala Lumpur, or maybe Bali? No, we're really in China, with a menu pretty well split between Mandarin and Szechuan specialties. Fish dishes make up a good chunk of the menu, including whole fish steamed, braised, or dry fried and sauced to your liking.--Diablo
Ha's: 531 Hartz Avenue, Danville MapIt!
(510) 838-3233
$-$$/L/D Tues-Sun/W
The Mandarin and Szechuan menu at Ha's is as long and inviting as this Victorian cottage is tiny. Everything here is geared to the demands of the diner. No MSG is used, and the talented cooks will prepare your meal "dry-wok style" (without any oil) if you prefer. Favorites include prawns with honey-glazed walnuts, and "ants climb up the tree," a Chinese version of the taco. They deliver, too.--Diablo
Hong Kong Flower Lounge: 5322 Geary Blvd., San Francisco MapIt!
(415) 668-8998
$$/L /D /W /P
At this outpost of Hong Kong's Flower Lounge restaurant empire, the chef regularly experiments with new and unusual dishes in addition to preparing excellent renditions of Cantonese favorites.
Mariposa Chinese Cuisine: 1670 Locust Street, Walnut Creek MapIt!
(510) 933-8883
$/L/D daily/W
Your meal can be interactive at Mariposa if you opt for the Mongolian-style barbecue. Pick your ingredients--thin slices of various uncooked meats, a salad-bar array of fresh vegetables, even chiles--and hand the bowl to the cook, who'll stir-fry it on a giant round flattop griddle. For the less participatory, the multi-page menu includes Szechuan, Cantonese, and Mandarin dishes.--Diablo
Ton Kiang: 5821 Geary Blvd., San Francisco MapIt!
(415) 387-8273
$/L /D /R /W /P
Serving the rich, honest country cooking of southern China, Ton Kiang offers the Hakka culinary mainstays, from succulent salt-baked chicken to meats and seafood cooked with fermented wine sauces.
Ton Kiang: 3148 Geary Blvd., San Francisco MapIt!
(415) 752-4440
$/L /D /R /W /P
Serving the rich, honest country cooking of southern China, Ton Kiang offers the Hakka culinary mainstays, from succulent salt-baked chicken to meats and seafood cooked with fermented wine sauces.
Uncle Yu's Szechuan: 999 Oak Hill Road, Lafayette MapIt!
(510) 283-1688
$-$$/L/D daily
There's an intriguing blend of elegance and comfort at Uncle Yu's. The welcome is warm, and the service and wine list are notches above any competitor. Several excellent "gourmet dinners" are available for the large group that doesn't want to fret over ordering. The kitchen here works wonders with fish--lobster, calamari, prawns, scallops, whole fish--and don't miss the wok-cooked vegetables in season.--Diablo
Yank Sing: 427 Battery St., San Francisco MapIt!
(415) 781-1111
$/L /R /W
For outstanding dim sum brunches, Yank Sing knows no peer. The stylish dining room and personable staff make a meal here a particular pleasure.