Chong's Cafe

My favorite lunch place during college with good food and good service. Mongolian beef over rice is my favorite

Really great Chinese food! Staff is friendly and fast. The food is probably a little different than what you're used to and it's great! I recommend getting the house Special Wonton Soup and the Sesame Chicken. The Sesame Chicken is savory/salty dish here, rather than the sweet dish you've probably had many times before - it's really good! Their hot tea is Chinese style tea (not barley tea, not western black/green tea) and is just right with your meal. If you're by yourself and just looking for a great place to lay low and have a meal and some drinks, it's a great place too as they have a full bar and wine ranging from table wine to some pretty decent choices. All in all, it's a relaxed atmosphere with great, non-conventional Chinese food. I love it and go there first every I'm in town.

Hidden gem with surprisingly tasty food. Seafood Soup, pork and bitter melon, fried calamari, lo mein, and general tao chicken wings. All delicious! Extremely reasonable! We had a birthday celebration there and the waitstaff were wonderful.

Chong’s Chinese Restaurant is an absolute staple and a true Monterey icon. The food is always delicious, fresh, and consistently on point every single visit. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, making you feel right at home the moment you walk in. And let’s talk portions — they are generous, satisfying, and well worth it. This is the kind of place you keep coming back to because you know the quality never changes. If you’re in Monterey and craving great Chinese food, Chong’s is a must. Highly recommended!

This place is a childhood favorite. I have been eating their shrimp fried rice and foil wrap chicken for years. Cross the street from the Monterey bus transit it is easy to find. I went on a Sunday early evening, very quiet, got my order to go no issues. Staff is nice and speak enough English to be understood

Best Chinese food I have had in ages! Everything was delicious! The lemon chicken tasted like real lemon, the miso soup was to die for, and the honey Walnut shrimp was the best I've ever had! Would recommend for anyone wanting high quality Chinese food!

Wonderfully delicious Special Chop Suey. My kids stole most of mine! Great location, great service, easy ordering on the website for pickup. I will definitely be making another stop here.

We’re driving down PCH and stopped by this quaint restaurant for familiar comfort food (we’re Malaysian) and it sure hit home. Tastes right if not better, portions are generous and good value for money. Had the chicken fried rice (highly recommended), sweet sour chicken (authentic taste), garlic shrimp and shrimp egg fu yong (above average). Definitely will return if coming thru again

Good amazing food that doesn’t break your bank! Has exactly what you want: a taste of Szechuan cuisine.

Brian Goldberg

Chong’s Chinese Restaurant is an absolute staple and a true Monterey icon. The food is always delicious, fresh, and consistently on point every single visit. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, making you feel right at home the moment you walk in. And let’s talk portions — they are generous, satisfying, and well worth it. This is the kind of place you keep coming back to because you know the quality never changes. If you’re in Monterey and craving great Chinese food, Chong’s is a must. Highly recommended!

Espererai

This place is a childhood favorite. I have been eating their shrimp fried rice and foil wrap chicken for years. Cross the street from the Monterey bus transit it is easy to find. I went on a Sunday early evening, very quiet, got my order to go no issues. Staff is nice and speak enough English to be understood

Syviren

Best Chinese food I have had in ages! Everything was delicious! The lemon chicken tasted like real lemon, the miso soup was to die for, and the honey Walnut shrimp was the best I've ever had! Would recommend for anyone wanting high quality Chinese food!

Jeremiah Lawson

Wonderfully delicious Special Chop Suey. My kids stole most of mine! Great location, great service, easy ordering on the website for pickup. I will definitely be making another stop here.

Izzat Afandi (Andy)

We’re driving down PCH and stopped by this quaint restaurant for familiar comfort food (we’re Malaysian) and it sure hit home. Tastes right if not better, portions are generous and good value for money. Had the chicken fried rice (highly recommended), sweet sour chicken (authentic taste), garlic shrimp and shrimp egg fu yong (above average). Definitely will return if coming thru again

Laurenz King

Good amazing food that doesn’t break your bank! Has exactly what you want: a taste of Szechuan cuisine.

I've been coming here for decades. At first there was a change in flavors with the new ownership. But, the flavors are back. Only place I can have my favorite, Hong Kong Chow Mein! It's the best.

Very delicious and fast after ordering, even though made fresh.

Do not sleep on Chows Szechwan Restaurant! My party and I (6 of of us in total) were on a standby/waiting list for a table at a near by restaurant. We waited 35 (like we were told) and returned to then be told it would be ANOTHER 20 minutes to wait! So we left and decided to head to Chows, and oh my god am I so happy happy we eneded up there! Each person ordered a main, a side of chicken fried rice, some potstickers and a bowl of white rice. We had some beers, some sodas and an iced tea. The food was AMAZING, the service was cheery and fast, and the prices were very reasonable. I would recommend Chows to anyone looking for a tasty group meal! 5⭐

Really delicious Chinese food with generous portion sizes. Menu options are excellent and reasonably priced. On the day of our visit (Dec 27th), dinner service was incredibly slow and it's obvious that they are understaffed (and not too welcoming). They did put up a hiring notice, so hopefully things improve soon. If you don't mind waiting to be seated/served, do give this place a try. Otherwise, you may want to go elsewhere.

This is my favorite Chinese restaurant. They have hands down the best special wonton soup, Hong Kong style chow mein, and mushu pork. Flavorful, fast, and just delicious. Whenever we visit from out of town we make it a point to stop here. The best!

Very good services. The women who works here is very kind to everyone and very service minded. The money we paid was worth it 100% and the restaurant is also very beautiful. After we ordered we waited only 5 minutes and then our food was ready to eat. I would definitely recommend you trying this place. 5/5 stars from me.

Great services and Food was very good Nice place😀

Salt and pepper fish, green beans and chicken were so good this evening. We don't eat Chinese very often, but now that we've found Chongs we do more often, and always come here. Hot, full of flavor, good service and reasonable prices. I think you'll enjoy it!

Good Cantonese and Chinese-American food. Hong Kong style chow mein is my favorite. They are good at wok tossed dishes: fried rice, chow mein, chow fun. Good flavor infused with wok-hei. Eat it there and eat it fresh. The stir-fries tend to be Chinese-American fare.

Marilu Muniz

I've been coming here for decades. At first there was a change in flavors with the new ownership. But, the flavors are back. Only place I can have my favorite, Hong Kong Chow Mein! It's the best.

Wenlong Xue

Great services and Food was very good Nice place😀

Jordyn McDonald

Do not sleep on Chows Szechwan Restaurant! My party and I (6 of of us in total) were on a standby/waiting list for a table at a near by restaurant. We waited 35 (like we were told) and returned to then be told it would be ANOTHER 20 minutes to wait! So we left and decided to head to Chows, and oh my god am I so happy happy we eneded up there! Each person ordered a main, a side of chicken fried rice, some potstickers and a bowl of white rice. We had some beers, some sodas and an iced tea. The food was AMAZING, the service was cheery and fast, and the prices were very reasonable. I would recommend Chows to anyone looking for a tasty group meal! 5⭐

Carley Anderson

This is my favorite Chinese restaurant. They have hands down the best special wonton soup, Hong Kong style chow mein, and mushu pork. Flavorful, fast, and just delicious. Whenever we visit from out of town we make it a point to stop here. The best!

Dustin Nguyen

Good Cantonese and Chinese-American food. Hong Kong style chow mein is my favorite. They are good at wok tossed dishes: fried rice, chow mein, chow fun. Good flavor infused with wok-hei. Eat it there and eat it fresh. The stir-fries tend to be Chinese-American fare.

Thomas Jefferson

Really delicious Chinese food with generous portion sizes. Menu options are excellent and reasonably priced. On the day of our visit (Dec 27th), dinner service was incredibly slow and it's obvious that they are understaffed (and not too welcoming). They did put up a hiring notice, so hopefully things improve soon. If you don't mind waiting to be seated/served, do give this place a try. Otherwise, you may want to go elsewhere.

Sebastian Wedelheim

Very good services. The women who works here is very kind to everyone and very service minded. The money we paid was worth it 100% and the restaurant is also very beautiful. After we ordered we waited only 5 minutes and then our food was ready to eat. I would definitely recommend you trying this place. 5/5 stars from me.

Joan Achermann

Salt and pepper fish, green beans and chicken were so good this evening. We don't eat Chinese very often, but now that we've found Chongs we do more often, and always come here. Hot, full of flavor, good service and reasonable prices. I think you'll enjoy it!

Allison M.

Delicious fresh food from a locally owned restaurant. The chefs are accommodating to my special requests. After trying many places in town, this is our family's favorite and go to Chinese restaurant

Excellent flavours! Fast service! And the price is right! Moreover, they customise your meal upon request which is awesome. As with any other Chinese restaurant, if you're sensitive to MSG (like myself) please use caution.

I think everything is fine and such --- the only reason why I give 4 stars is because is one time I went, my friends had drama and I wasn't okay with it, so I blame myself - otherwise, the staff and food are 5 stars! (I also want think they should be more Gluten-free friendly)

We went for lunch and were served pretty good chinese food very quickly. We weren't happy with the sweet 'n sour chicken. However, my mongolian beef was excellent. It was strange that there was such a difference between two plates. Anyway, lunch was cheap and service was very fast. Recommended... for lunch.

The one single thing I disliked about the restaurant was it's appearance. It's very worn down and faded, but everything else is up to par. The food is wonderful; spicy in the Szechuan fashion, beautifully presented, and delightful. The service is polite and one on one, making it feel personal, and adding to the feeling

The food was tasty. I just feel like it's a bit overpriced. Nice to take to the beach tho!

Super nice employees and the food is good. Restaurant is clean and tables are roomy. The owner is really friendly and personable. We had chicken chow main (which our kids said was good and they ate it... that says everything!), honey walnut shrimp, garlic chicken, and tofu fried rice (plus 4 drinks and a water). Whole bill was roughly $63 (before tip). Pretty average prices. Definitely worth eating at when you’re looking for Chinese food.

The lunch special is happening, cause you get a lot of food at a great price. I can spend the same amount for a hamburger and still be hungry when I’m done. The chicken chow mein is really good, and it’s real noodles, not ramen like Panda Express.

I have been enjoying lunch meals here since the mid 80's. The food used to be excellent but since changing ownership and/or cooks, they taste different, not as good and smaller portion sizes. They offer lunch specials a couple bucks cheaper than the regular menu. Get there before 3p. I like their Kung Pao or shredded pork. The chow mein is prepared a bit skimpy. no veggies no cabbage no bean sprouts no onion. Just noodles :(

Kiyotzi Estrada

I have been enjoying lunch meals here since the mid 80's. The food used to be excellent but since changing ownership and/or cooks, they taste different, not as good and smaller portion sizes. They offer lunch specials a couple bucks cheaper than the regular menu. Get there before 3p. I like their Kung Pao or shredded pork. The chow mein is prepared a bit skimpy. no veggies no cabbage no bean sprouts no onion. Just noodles :(

Nicholas Alexander Garbacz

The food was tasty. I just feel like it's a bit overpriced. Nice to take to the beach tho!

​I’m honestly surprised this place wasn’t packed when I visited. Chong's Szechwan Restaurant is a true "hole-in-the-wall" that deserves way more foot traffic for the quality of food they are putting out. If you can look past the slightly run-down and tacky interior, you are in for a fantastic, authentic meal. ​The Standout Dish: You absolutely have to try the hot and sour soup—it was "the bomb" and easily the highlight of the meal. ​Service & Customization: The service was excellent. They were incredibly accommodating and willing to customize dishes to fit my strict two-year diet restrictions, which I really appreciated. ​Value: The food portions are very generous, and the prices are extremely reasonable for the amount and quality of food you receive. ​The Vibe: The ambiance is definitely dated and a bit quaint, but you aren't coming here for the decor; you're here for high-quality Chinese classics. ​Overall, it’s a solid 4-star experience. It’s the perfect spot for anyone who prioritizes great flavor and large portions over a fancy setting. I’ll definitely be back for that soup!

Gavin Pathross

​I’m honestly surprised this place wasn’t packed when I visited. Chong's Szechwan Restaurant is a true "hole-in-the-wall" that deserves way more foot traffic for the quality of food they are putting out. If you can look past the slightly run-down and tacky interior, you are in for a fantastic, authentic meal. ​The Standout Dish: You absolutely have to try the hot and sour soup—it was "the bomb" and easily the highlight of the meal. ​Service & Customization: The service was excellent. They were incredibly accommodating and willing to customize dishes to fit my strict two-year diet restrictions, which I really appreciated. ​Value: The food portions are very generous, and the prices are extremely reasonable for the amount and quality of food you receive. ​The Vibe: The ambiance is definitely dated and a bit quaint, but you aren't coming here for the decor; you're here for high-quality Chinese classics. ​Overall, it’s a solid 4-star experience. It’s the perfect spot for anyone who prioritizes great flavor and large portions over a fancy setting. I’ll definitely be back for that soup!

Service was abrupt and cold. Had to flag waitress down several times to get chopsticks, tea, sauces to go with meal, check, etc. I thought the food was pretty bad...the only thing I could eat was the sizzling rice soup. But my husband was very pleased with the chow mein and lemon chicken. Probably won't go back.

Ordered something simple online for lunch. Chicken chow mein with no veggies, and no fried rice. I still got veggies, with fried rice. They're obviously not paying attention to the request. Food tasted dreadfully bland, but that may be a personal thing. Overall, would probably try to dine in, but not order online.

I do not understand the high reviews for this place. We ordered via DoorDash and our food arrived hot and fresh, but that's the only positive. My husband got the chicken & garlic sauce. According to him the veggies we're great but the chicken was lacking. I got the sesame chicken and it was greasy, salty, and tasteless. They make a solid eggroll and the fried rice wasn't terrible, but I'm sure there are better places to get Chinese food around here. Maybe we just ordered the wrong things, but we would suggest you not waste your money here.

Food was prepped quickly. Only good thing I can say. Sesame chicken SUPER salty and not sweet at all like everywhere else. Fried rice bland. Chicken and broccoli with extra garlic sauce boring. Would definitely not order again.

The food was not good, It was bland and swimming in oil. The atmosphere was dismal and depressing. The service was even worse. Two employees just stood and oddly stared at me the entire time I ate my meal without saying a word. When I asked for a water refill they simply ignored me. When I lifted my glass to gesture for more, they both turned their heads away from me. Finally, I was reluctantly given a refill. Needless to say, I can’t see myself returning.

Won't be going back. Worst dining experience in a while. The place is dirty, the table had years of scum build up, even the soy sauce container had a layer of scum on it, the silverware was dirty, menus were filthy, the plants in there had a layer of dust. Waitress was anxious, gave us the menus and continued to ask if we were ready to order, said no and she just stood there waiting. The food was OK at best. The meat in the dish was like rubber, thin sliced but unchewable. The fortune cookies arrived with some food on them. couldn't wait to get out of there.

We ordered 5 dishes, one of which smelled rotten. We told the restaurant about this, but the owner just told us: that's it, you don't have to come if you don't like here. This is, with no doubt, THE WORST restaurant I have ever been to in USA.

Carryout from Chong's leaves a lot to be desired. I ordered General's Chicken, which comes with broccoli from every other restaurant, and their dish included no vegetables of any type. Their carryout dishes do not include rice, and they will not ask you if you want rice, so you don't realize you have an incomplete meal until you get home and open the containers. The sauce that came with my crab wontons tasted off too. Very disappointing.

I would give less stars if I could. Plain rice comes with mushrooms, barbecue pork tasted like strawberries. Least terrible thing was the sweet and sour chicken, but even still the chicken was hard and chewy, like rubber. Best part of the meal was the can of coke.

Prices are cheap. Sometimes, after years of service, its just too difficult to retire.

Service was bad the young boy looked like he was playing eye spy bathrooms we’re disgusting made my stomach turn and throw up . And on top of it i was forced to pay a TIP when last thing i knew it’s optional . I will never go back and don’t recommend to anyone unless you don’t mind a stomach ache 🤢🤮rate a 0!!

Receptionist guy was sooo rude. Asked him what comes in fried rice, said I don't know and raised his voice when I asked him again..mean mean person keep your attitude in check kid and be professional because you'd be no where without us buying food from your restaurant. We pay you.

Food wasn’t worth the bad service. They were very rude. Forgot drinks and food.

Jennifer Luongo

Food wasn’t worth the bad service. They were very rude. Forgot drinks and food.

Az B

Receptionist guy was sooo rude. Asked him what comes in fried rice, said I don't know and raised his voice when I asked him again..mean mean person keep your attitude in check kid and be professional because you'd be no where without us buying food from your restaurant. We pay you.