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Chef Lee's
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Monterey

Chef Lee's

★★★★ 4.1 · 100 reseñas

En Chef Lee's, en Monterey, te invitamos a disfrutar de la auténtica cocina del norte de China en un ambiente elegante y acogedor, decorado con un toque tradicional. Nuestras recetas familiares, elaboradas con cariño y los mejores ingredientes, te transportarán a un rincón de Asi...

Chef Lee's

Chinese · Monterey

4.1 · 781 reviews Google
chefleesmandarinhouse.com
Yelp 3.0 (378) TripAdvisor 3.7 (119)

About Chef Lee's

En Chef Lee's, en Monterey, te invitamos a disfrutar de la auténtica cocina del norte de China en un ambiente elegante y acogedor, decorado con un toque tradicional. Nuestras recetas familiares, elaboradas con cariño y los mejores ingredientes, te transportarán a un rincón de Asia. Ven a compartir y...

En Chef Lee's, en Monterey, te invitamos a disfrutar de la auténtica cocina del norte de China en un ambiente elegante y acogedor, decorado con un toque tradicional. Nuestras recetas familiares, elaboradas con cariño y los mejores ingredientes, te transportarán a un rincón de Asia. Ven a compartir y celebrar momentos especiales con nosotros, ¡te esperamos!

What Customers Say About Chef Lee's

Chef Lee's is praised for its delicious food, beautiful atmosphere, and attentive service. Many reviewers specifically enjoyed dishes like beef and broccoli, orange chicken, and the Sizzling Rice Soup. Some found certain dishes bland or vegetables not fresh.

Popular Dishes

beef and broccoli (3) orange chicken chicken chow main pepper steak almond chicken Mongolian beef Chef Lee's Sizzling Platter Sizzling Rice Soup

Best For

Couples Families Groups Tourists Celebrations

Tip: Ask the hotel front desk for their opinion, as one reviewer did, before making a decision, and consider the Chef Lee's family deal for larger groups.

Features

🅿️ Parking Accessible 🍽️ Lunch 🌙 Dinner 🥗 Vegetarian 🌱 Vegan
🎯 Casual 🛋️ Cozy 👨‍👩‍👧 Family 👥 Groups

What to see nearby

St. John's Chapel
A 620m

St. John's Chapel

iglesia

View details

Data from Wikidata

Frequently asked questions about Chef Lee's

Chef Lee's is located at 2031 N Fremont St, Monterey, CA 93940, Monterey.
Chef Lee's offers chinese cuisine.
Chef Lee's has regular opening hours. Check their profile for updated schedules.
Chef Lee's offers the following services: dine-in, takeaway.
The most recommended dishes at Chef Lee's based on customer reviews are: beef and broccoli, orange chicken, chicken chow main, pepper steak, almond chicken.
Chef Lee's is ideal for couples, families, groups, tourists, celebrations.
Chef Lee's is praised for its delicious food, beautiful atmosphere, and attentive service. Many reviewers specifically enjoyed dishes like beef and broccoli, orange chicken, and the Sizzling Rice Soup. Some found certain dishes bland or vegetables not fresh.
Ask the hotel front desk for their opinion, as one reviewer did, before making a decision, and consider the Chef Lee's family deal for larger groups.
781
Reviews

Chef Lee's Monterey Reviews

4.1
781
5★
54%
4★
24%
3★
9%
2★
3%
1★
9%
Reviews (100)
R
Richard

Old time Chinese restaurant. Had Singapore noodles and mushroom water chestnuts. Food can out near immediate. Was very good. They accosted us by leaving our the oyster sauce.

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Michael Hill-Jackson

This place is a staple for the community. I've been going here since I was a kid and hope that I can take mine! For food, everything is good. The most common Chinese dishes are an easy win but everything is cooked with love, potstickers fried to perfection and the service is very friendly. I have so many memories from so many family celebrations.This place has always taken care of us. Thanks!!

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Courtney Hardy

No other Chinese place compares. Forever my favorite!

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Samuel Esposito

My wife and I come up to the Monterey area each year for vacation. One of our favorite stops is Chef Lee's. The service is excellent, the atmosphere is quaint and comfortable and the food is the best. In fact, this is the best Chinese Food we have ever had. We look forward to coming here each year for dinner and the price is very reasonable for the value we receive.

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Flora Racely

Good food, well prepared and fresh. Rice was just right. Mongolian beef was not too salty and the side of chili paste added just the right spice. My sister and niece enjoyed the brocolli chicken. Service and friendliness was A1. Would recommend. No

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Keith Sturgess

Delicious food. I remember eating here a little over 30 years ago while I was stationed at Fort Ord - the food is just as good as I remember. My younget daughter loved the vegetable plate and my other daughter and I shared the General chicken, which was wonderful. Lovely ambiance.

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Crystal Thurman

All around 10/10. The food was great, the service was excellent. The restaurants decor was beautiful and clean.

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Nainvi Vora

This place has been around for 45 plus years and the interiors are as good as the service and food. They prepared a fully vegetarian meal for us with lots of assorted vegetables and the portions were huge. The staff were very courteous and accommodative to food requirements and the lady owner at the front desk was very kind. I highly recommend this place as great option for vegetarians.

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guntomyheadhelp

Beautiful place! Amazing food. Try the sizzling rice soup!

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Bella Rodillas

The food was amazing! The flavor was better than any Chinese restaurant I have been to by far! The portion sizes are very decent, you can easily share a dish.

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Bridget Brown

In and out in 20 minutes on a Saturday night! Super fast service and the food was great. Whenever I’m back in the area, I know where to go for a great meal!

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Kevin Wolff

Huge portions and really good food. The atmosphere feels authentic and old school. Each time I'm in there I wonder about the history if the place. The menu is rather large so I imagine that you can find what you're looking for if you are in the mood for Chinese. There is also a bar and large tables for families.

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Bill Cloughley

Back in 1986-88 when I attended the Naval Postgraduate School and we lived in base housing, everyone's favorite Chinese restaurant was Chef Lee's Mandarin House. I loved it. I can honestly say that it ruined Chinese food for me for the rest of my life because rarely have I found a place that's even close to Chef Lee's. So whenever I go to Monterey, I go to Chef Lee's. We were in Monterey recently. Chef Lee's is still here after all these years, and is still great!

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Mark Mace Jr

Outstanding food! We ordered the War Won Ton soup, pork fried rice, Walnut shrimp, and vegetable chowmein. Everything was delicious and the service was impeccable. Food came out quick, and we never had to ask for a refill. At the end of our dinner, we had leftovers, and they happily boxed it up for us which was the end to a perfect dinner!

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Beth

Food and service was Excellent! And I love the decoration/design. Very pleasant experience.

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Ricky

Great place with staff being super friendly and helpful, each member of the staff helps each other out and makes the place feel very special. I've been coming here for years and food has always been great and full of flavor. Many dishes to choose from and plenty of lunch and family deals on the menu that will apeal any picky eater. Can get busy but trust me it's so worth the wait which in my opinion is never long.

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Tony Huerta

Most excellent service and food great room for 27 food was delicious and economical

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Matt C

Great place for families. Food is excellent. Price is reasonable (especially for the Monterey area) Portions are fairly large - we ordered too much. Our kids were a bit loud, but there is enough room that it didn't seem they were bothering anyone.

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Andres R (ARea)

They always have fresh and delicious food. I have never been disappointed visiting this restaurant. Beautiful artistry throughout the restaurant. Their ceilings are amazing! Hard to capture on camera. You have to visit to truly enjoy it.

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Shirley Gilliwag

Our favorite Chinese restaurant of all time. Friendly, helpful, courteous and fantastic food.

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Victoria Cuadrado

Such a beautiful atmosphere. The food is delicious, and the serving is more than enough.

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Jessica Paulin

Impressive!! Ticks all the boxes you want in an resturants; Fantastic Atmosphere, Amazing Food and Incredible Service. Highly Recommended!!

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Shauna Omori

Food was very delicious!!

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Robbie

I had a great meal here. It's a shame I was travelling on my own because the portions were very generous. Had the help of a couple of bottles of Tsingtao beer to wash it down.

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Paulina Bruns

This is an amazing place. The food and service was great. I would recommend eating here.

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Erin Geiger

We walked over after a concert at the fairgrounds because of proximity and we’re not disappointed. Moo Shu pork is my favorite Mandarin dish and Chef Lees is one of the best I’ve had in a while. Huge portion, pancakes were thin but didn’t fall apart and the ratio of pork and veggies was great. The Mongolian beef was tender and the onions were sweet and still crunchy, great balance of textures. The combination fried rice was ok, not a ton of flavor in the rice but the proteins were cooked well. When we visit again we’ll definitely be back!

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Bruce Tellardin

Eaten here on most trips to the area. Food has always been excellent. The restaraunt itself puts Chinese architecture on display. Worth a visit just to see the interior. Lacquer furniture and wood carvings are beautiful, although a little wear and tear is evident. Time to spruce up.

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C

Went there with a large group and we shared different plates, food was great! Service was ok, felt rushed and they seemed bothered with certain things like asking for multiple containers to take left overs she wanted to mix all the foods and really bothered them when I asked for cups to take my drinks. Also no refills.

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Traveling Kupo

Place was delicious very large portions at reasonable prices. Great for big family’s are office meetings. Place is big. Alot of parking. Great service. Spacious for wheelchair. Will go back for sure. Walking distance from nice decent hotels.

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Chuck Swaim

My wife and I had the Peking dinner for 2 on the menu. It was really fresh and delicious. It consisted of a pot of hot tea, wonton soup, almond chicken, sweet and sour chicken, 2 egg rolls and tasty wonton chips. The service was excellent and kind. The nice waitress that served us even boxed up our leftovers. Here’s a pleasant heads up, this dinner for 2 will give you many leftovers to take home with you!

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Richard Higgins

First time at Chef Lee's. The decor inside is well done with wood and tile painted ceilings. The staff was friendly and the service was quick. Ordered lunch, broccoli beef rice plate with chowmein. Food was presented well on the plate and tasted very good. This place is on the return list.

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P Largo

Chef Lee's In Monterey has got to serve the best combination fried rice we've ever tasted... I would give Chef Lee's in Salinas 2.5 stars.

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Gabriel Leung

Lovely American Chinese restaurant with great Wok Hei! Would come back again just fir the walnut shrimp and Chow Fun.

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Kira L'Heureux

Full parking lot on a Wednesday night you know it has to be good! Split Mongolian beef & chicken chow mein with my husband. Both were great! Also got the crab wontons and they were better than MANY crab wontons/Rangoon I’ve had before. Really, really fast service.

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Pam Licon

Excellence in dining! This place was outstanding and far exceeded our expectations. The quality, flavor, freshness, appearance, and service were the best we've experienced any place in Monterey. The atmosphere and decor were beautiful with ornate carvings and a ceiling that appeared to be stained glass. The sizzling rice soup was very good, fried prawns were the best I've had, Mongolian beef was very delicious, and the sweet and sour pork was the best! We've eaten at some very nice Chinese restaurants in San Francisco but this was the best!

Cassandra Coffman
Cassandra Coffman

My husband and i chose this place on a coin toss about 10 years ago. We now go at least one night every time we are in the area. The food is great and our kids love looking at the beautiful ceiling. We always get Chefs Lee's family deal that feeds 3 or more people. It's a great deal and we have never had anything we didn't like. Highly recommend.

Alexander North
Alexander North

A wonderful place with an incredible atmosphere - beautiful halls, exceptionally polite staff, and truly delicious food. I honestly can’t understand why the Google rating is so low. Everything was perfect: from the friendly hostess with her warm smile to the amazing meals. The prices are very reasonable, the portions are huge, and the overall experience is absolutely restaurant-level quality. I highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely come back the next time I’m in this city.

Sviatoslav Sudarikov
Sviatoslav Sudarikov

The food was incredibly delicious, the staff were polite and attentive, and the atmosphere was pleasantly inviting. We honestly didn’t expect it to be this good. Highly recommend visiting!

Tiffany
Tiffany

I absolutely loved this place. It has beautiful decor, polite servers, and delicious food. I feel like the prices are good for the times we’re in. They have big servings, too. If I visit Monterey again, I would eat here again. I had Mongolian beef and it was so tasty.

Wendy Brickman
Wendy Brickman

I've enjoyed countless dinners at Chef Lee's Mandarin House over the years, and each visit has been consistently excellent. Today's lunch was no exception--it was truly outstanding. I was struck by how the restaurant's elegant architecture is just as beautiful in the daytime as it is striking when illuminated at night. Specializing in Northern Chinese cuisine, Chef Lee's offers an extensive menu filled with lots of flavorful favorites. We began with perfectly prepared Chicken Potstickers served with a savory dipping sauce, followed by the exceptional Walnut Shrimp--crispy, sweet, and perfectly seasoned. The Shrimp Chow Fun, with its wide rice noodles, was absolutely delicious, and the Chicken Fried Rice complemented everything wonderfully. Generous portions offered great value, leaving plenty for me to take home and enjoy later. Service was friendly, efficient, and attentive, and I especially love dining in the spacious, beautifully decorated rooms that create a refined, yet comfortable atmosphere with beautiful Chinese accents. Chef Lee's is always ideal for family meals, friendly get-togethers, or business lunches. When I inquired, I was also reminded that they can easily accommodate groups of 25, 50, or even 100 guests--perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, wedding receptions, celebrations of life, and other gatherings, with a wide selection of tasty appetizers and entrees to suit every palate. It is open from 11 am - 9:30 pm so you can dine anything like I did today with a later lunch. An award-winning restaurant since 1981, annually voted "Best Chinese Restaurant" in Monterey County, Chef Lee's has been the recipient of numerous awards year after year. Conveniently located right off Highway 1 on North Fremont with a large parking lot, it's easy to see why Chef Lee's Mandarin House remains a beloved local favorite including mine. Highly recommended!

Zulema Britton
Zulema Britton

I read some negative reviews but decided to ask the hotel front desk about the food. She gave it a rave review so we took a chance, and I sure am glad we did! The food was absolutely delicious! I loved the beef and broccoli, chow mein, orange chicken, Kung pao chicken. All of it, flavorful and delicious. Atmosphere is really nice, a very authentic feel and the service staff was attentive to our needs. 5 stars!

Amber Talbott
Amber Talbott

Food was delicious. We had beef and broccoli and the beef was so tender!!! 5stars. Would definitely return!!!!

Steven Funderburk
Steven Funderburk

I had the Chef Lee's Sizzling Platter, and it was nothing short of amazing! From the moment it arrived at the table, the presentation was impressive—the dish came out sizzling, filling the air with an irresistible aroma that made my mouth water instantly. The combination of tender, perfectly cooked meats and fresh vegetables was packed with bold flavors, and the sauce tied everything together beautifully. The portion size was generous, making it a great value for the quality and quantity of food. Beyond the food, the service was outstanding. The staff was incredibly welcoming, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu, ensuring a fantastic dining experience. The ambiance was cozy yet elegant, making it a great spot for both casual meals and special occasions. If you're looking for an unforgettable meal, Chef Lee’s Sizzling Platter is a must-try! I will definitely be returning to explore more of the menu. Highly recommended!

Sadek Baroudi
Sadek Baroudi

The atmosphere is out of this world. There was so much thought and detail that went into the landscaping, building, etc. This restaurant is a piece of art. I was told that most of the art and furniture were hand made and imported from China. The service was perfection. The server was polite, checked in often, and treated us very well. The food was great as well! I live in San Jose, but I will be coming back next time I'm in the area!

Jesse
Jesse

Excellent selection of food, great prices, and the service was amazing. They were very tentative to our needs and kept an eye on our table. The serving sizes were perfect, with a little left to take home. The orange chicken and shrimp fried rice tasted great!

Angel Fisher-Plunkett
Angel Fisher-Plunkett

I got the broccoli and beef rice plate and it was a big plate! Very good taste and amount. Great atmosphere. The restaurant building itself is a beautiful sight to see as well, especially for an architecture and interior design enthusiast like me.

Natalie C
Natalie C

Loved it. We all shared a dinner for four (soup, egg rolls, wantons, pineapple chicken, pepper steak, almond chicken) and added chicken chow main and a plate of garlic chicken. The food was delicious. Not too much breading on the dishes that were breaded. The meats were well seasoned, vegetables were cooked well without being too soft. I highly recommend a visit for great dinner, great service, and a really cool atmosphere. Prices aren’t cheap, but also not overpriced. I think the quantity and quality was just right for what we paid.

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P Paul

Actually I was pleasantly surprised the food has improved since I last dined here. Had the chicken curry and it was good. Would ask for chicken to be cooked more next time but flavor was good, just like my meat well done and definitely want to eat it again!

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Google User

Chef Lee’s Mandarin House is as good place. The food has always been good. The decor is beautiful and interesting. The service is usually good. Honestly though, it would be more pleasant and welcoming if the owner could see fit to wear a smile.😁

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G. Yong

This is the most elegantly decorated Chinese resto I've seen in a small city. The owner put in quite a few wood carvings from China. Wished I had more time to linger. It was dinner for an Asian family after a long day of traveling and it hit the spot. Many local regulars here

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Mayra Valdes

Food was great. Love their sizzling rice soup. Service not so great, but it was our lucky day. We got a good waitress, checked on us every once in a while.

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Jordan Turley

The food was hot, fresh and flavorful, and portions large. Saucy. I had to request chopsticks, which I'd never done in a Chinese restaurant. The service was a bit slow; however it was a late dinner so I will forgive the restaurant for only having one server taking orders. While some parts of the restaurant could probably use some updating (e.g. the restrooms were relatively clean, albeit beaten from years of use), the dining area was fine and I appreciated the ceiling art.

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George

Outstanding decor! Wait staff professional. $75 3person dinner awesome flavors

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A.H. Plotts

This is a Monterey staple, has been around for years. Why is evident once you taste the food! Still so delicious and flavorful, every dish was a quality meal in itself. The service was good, we were seated a little far from everyone else and had to flag down our waiter for chopsticks but he and all the other servers were very professional and helpful. One thing that we were astonished by, the guy that came to clean up our table kindly and expertly boxed up our leftovers right at the table! We don't get that kind of service at most places we frequent, it's more akin to "here, " as the servers toss boxes or cartons at us and we are left to fend for ourselves. Not at Chef Lee's, it's part of the traditional service and we loved that. BTW, portion sizes are family sized, which goes with the family style of eating very common at Asian restaurants. Meals are social occasions and delicious food is meant to be shared!

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Amy Dai

The design of the restaurant is old-fashioned Chinese style, very attentive but rough. The food is large but cooked rather roughly, and the wrong dish was delivered. The taste is not good.

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txtova35

I went in for lunch and ordered the Mongolian beef with fried rice. They start you off with a cabbage broth then the plate arrives. There was enough for 3 people to share. The beef and vegetables were cooked perfectly. Great flavor from the sauce as well. It comes with 2 fried won tons and a slice of watermelon as well. I had plenty of leftovers and I believe the price was $11. I would have rated 5 stars but the spoon I got for the broth had food on it in 2 different places. It was quickly replaced though. I will definitely be back.

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Ben G

Best orange chicken I've EVER tasted! Make sure to communicate spice level when ordering. I ordered mongolian beef, and it had no spice to it at all. House Fried Rice was BOMB! Friendly staff as well.

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Belyn Domingo Wilson

Chef Lee's Monterey has been the Peninsula's #1 Chinese restaurant for over 50 years. The service is great. The food is quickly made, served hot, full of flavor and delicious. Thank you for hosting our family events from Baptisms, wedding rehearsal dinners, birthdays, and celebrations of life luncheons. The staff is always hard working, gracious, and very accomodating. Thanks for being my "chef" when I'm so busy and don't feel like cooking. I can relax and have a great meal.

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Heidi Brogan

I loved the wood carving doorways and the inlaid tables and the beautiful light fixture. You can tell it's an older building, but I thought it was cool authentic. We had the Szechuan beef, and it was really tender, and The Taste was really good. Also had the chow mein spicy. Chow mein was okay, also the potstickers pork. a little expensive, but what isn't in monterey.

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JHL

First I went to another Chinese restaurant 5 blocks away, but they cannot even speak the simplest Chinese such as “ Ni Hao” (how are you). Then I decided to try Chef Lee’s Mandarin House. At least the Spanish waitress can great you in Chinese, and they also have Chinese cook in the kitchen. I ordered “Chef’s special sizzling plate”, it comes with seafood, beef, chicken, and four different types of veggies. Taste good, I would give 4 stars.

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Louise Chen

Nice decor and dining room. Friendly service. Delicious food with good wok hei. The potstickers has thin wrapping stuffed with juicy pork filling. Chef Lee’s fried rice (combo meat) has the essential wok hei. Walnut shrimp is jumbo sized.

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Behnam M

This is a great place to eat some authentic Chinese food. I ordered the Kung Pao Chicken. Price was $12.95 which I found fair for the size and quality. It was delicious and the portion size was big enough for 2. I would give them 5 stars if they would give me an actual itemized receipt (not the card receipt) upon my request. Other than that highly to recommend.

Ken Johnson
Ken Johnson

Food is fantastic, very clean flavors, food was fresh and flavorful. Service was good and friendly, atmosphere was clean and delightful.

Cate Mulligan
Cate Mulligan

Flavorless has been reported and I can only attest that perhaps not all the vegetables are freshest? because I love this place. I don’t care maybe it’s the MSG I love. I don’t know. I just think this place is better than any place else. I just wish their egg-rolls didn’t cost so much!

Gina Hinds, Realtor
Gina Hinds, Realtor

A Pleasant Surprise When Dining Solo 🍽️✨ Had such a great experience here! Sometimes you just crave a delicious meal even if you’re dining solo — and that’s exactly what I did. I was pleasantly surprised when they rolled my Mu Shu Pork for me — I think that’s a first! The food was excellent, and the other diners were so friendly, which made the whole experience even better. A wonderful spot to enjoy great food and good vibes, whether you’re with friends or treating yourself. 🥢💛

Ryan Herceg
Ryan Herceg

Food was delicious, but sadly my lemon chicken was overcooked where the crust was falling off easily away from the chicken. Sizzling Rice Soup was Awesome. Service was very quick and the restaurant was welcoming and relaxing. Side note, idk what’s up with the water in Monterey but it tastes awful, compared to other parts of California.

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Sheryl de Vera

This place would have been great if they weren't so rushing to get us out the door, especially when there is a big party going on. We felt rushed. 30+ guests and felt like we had a timer.

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Jon Williams

The food was decent. The service left a lot to be desired. My glass was left empty and never refilled. There were a lot of flies and gnats all over the place, which is a shame because the restaurant does have a nice atmosphere otherwise.

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Benjamin

I like this place, really great sizzling rice soup. But I ordered a large size. Usually they give me one container of soup for 10-12 dollars. This time they insisted the large size is double what I usually receive. Charged me more too. So much food and more than I asked to pay. I will eat it because it is good food, but was frustrated how much they charged me. I am single person living along and I did not want this much food.

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Craig C

Tasty Chinese-American food. Very nice interior and friendly, attentive staff. Been going to for over 40 years. UPDATE OCT 2022: if my recent experience is any guide, the food quality and value for the money is in sudden decline. A take-out order of Oyster Sauce Beef today had much less beef than usual and was totally overloaded with zucchini in a way I've never seen there before. The price went up too. The fried wonton appetizers that are included with the lunch specials have changed and are not as good as they used to be A new, younger woman answering the phone lately is a bit less friendly compared to the wonderful ladies we have talked with over the years. Last week, an order of Kung Pao Beef was way over-spiced despite ordering it very mild to suit our son's taste. Sadly, after many decades of being a loyal (weekly!) customer we are reluctantly reconsidering changing to another establishment.

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Alan Tolerton

Disappointed by the takeout. Three dishes ordered, and no rice offered or supplied. The food was provided in an open box, requiring two hands to carry. This being California, I suppose the kitchen assumed customers were in cars, but I was walking from nearby motel, so--awkward. Too much batter in the two protein dishes.

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Tuan Dao

Food was good; ingredients tasted fresh and sauces were tasty. The restaurant itself could use some maintenance, and our waitress was not very attentive so our service was below average.

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Jane Marchman

As soon as I finished my take out food at home, I got very sick to my stomach. Had honey walnut shrimp and vegetable chowmein. Person who too our order did not great us or smile. Inside of restaurant very dark.

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Mo Mo

When you're meal comes out in 3 minutes, that's not a good sign. Grease was horrible and ruined the food. Waitress said they change grease every day. That is financially impossible. The food is precooked and warmed! You need lots of luck to eat here. The sweet and sour sauce was pretty good and soy sauce but the rest was definitely worth skipping.

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Brenda Bower

Nice staff. Eaten here 2x Food taste was flat taste both times. Noodles tasted a little old. No refills on soda drinks charged $3.50 for 1 glass.

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Sara Vizcarra

I really do enjoy coming here. For the most part the waiters are great and the food is ok too. Definitely American Chinese food plates...only one complaint, the owner. She is never nice to anyone who is brown, or anyone who isn't Asian or Caucasian. She greets others nicely and smiles and talks to them. Anyone who "looks like me", not so much. And its too bad the racism is definitely apparent here. I was waiting to be seated...didn't acknowledge me. 3 Caucasian men walk in and she bent over backwards to seat them. Wow what a shame. It wasn't just once either. She needs to work on that. It's wild to me because most who work there are brown. Thankfully they hired a nice young man for the front counter, who is very polite to everyone.

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Verdelle Reynolds

I ordered take-out and really wanted to have found a place that I could frequently go to. Food(eaten away from establishment)was great. However, the big deal breaker for me was that there was a small dog running in the dining area and back to the kitchen. Had I seen this prior to placing and paying for my order, I absolutely would not have given this place my business.

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Nicole Yeong

The manager/owner and the server were both very nice and friendly. I ordered a mixed veggies (snow peas, Chinese mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots) and Mongolian beef. The server forgot my mixed veggies and I should had not remind her to put it into the order for me. When the food was served, first thing I noticed there were 2 black dots on the rice, I didn’t make a big deal, scooped them away and gone! The rice was way too soft, didn’t taste good. Then, I tried both the dishes and damn! They were so so so salty!!! I am a Chinese and even the saltiness is out of my normal standard! Also, I noticed both the bamboo shoots and water chestnuts are from cans. I would definitely not recommend this restaurant for anyone who craves for a good Chinese food. Btw, there was also a fly flying around my table when I was eating. I didn’t finish the food and brought the leftover to go but I ended up throwing them away. Hopefully, I won’t get any stomach issues tonight.

Kai Blogs
Kai Blogs

I want to start off by saying the staff is so professional, nice and polite. I was very well impressed with their service. They take care of all your needs, check up on you with great attitudes. The Atmosphere is great, it is very clean and the decorations are so beautiful. The reason I cannot rate it higher is the food. The food is flavorless and very plain. I love Chinese food, but I think I get more flavor from water than their food.

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Nathan Lumpkin

Scratch the old review - I hate this place. The Staff don't look happy to be working here nor smile at the people, y'all don't accept Gluten-free foods/dietary people and the atmosphere is terrible. I kinda pray this place closes down or the owner starts accepting Gluten-free people OR get new people who would actually listen to this review (good vibes), I'm not coming back to this place and neither should y'all! #1Star

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gail grove

Called in order the person was very nice. They did get the order right. The sauce for the sweet and sour, honey, orange and walnut was so thin an watery that our chicken and shrimp tasted so bland. No flavor what so ever. Because the sauces were so thin that it wouldn't stick to the meat. The sweet and sour sauce we got extra for the steamed rice was thick as jello we couldn't use it. Not worth the 89.00 we spent. Won't go to again maybe they should read up on their reviews to help better their services that people are complaining about.

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david grant

Food wasn't great and service was even worse, rude people. The sprite tasted strongly of chemicals and bleach so I never drank it and the glass it was served in was ridiculous, I wish I had taken a photograph of it, I cannot believe someone would give a customer a glass with so many chips on the rim which was so uneven it resembled a mountain range.

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Joanne Kam

I have never seen a restaurant so unfriendly and racist . All staff, including the owner, were dismissive, arrogant and rude to us from the beginning. The food was also terrible. We just wanted a more professional server to make sure our orders were delivered to the kitchen, but after changed server the other server and other staff kept glancing at us and pointing fingers when they talked. What’s even more disgusting is that they arbitrarily charged me a tip without my consent. This is absolutely illegal! However, I decided to assume that the tip they cheated was given to the old Korean server who served our table. Of course I will never go again. They need to learn what is right customer service is.

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Cindy Gonzalez

BEWARE!!!!!! I've been coming here with my family for years as a local. After getting over a cold my family & I decided to come by for soup and dinner. Upon settling up to our surprise we saw something crawling from the top of the ceiling, then glass and finally the windowsill ended up being a COCKROACH! we quickly called staff over and after it was killed/ grabbed by a napkin, the manager came over to see what it was and said NOT ONE WORD ABOUT IT! and proceeded to shrug her shoulders. Absolutely disgusting, will never be coming back! Not only was this unsanitary, but the way this was handled and completely blown off and ignored was extremely disappointing.

r
r mills

We just left there. I almost IMMEDIATELY wished we had chosen a different location. I have never had a Chinese restaurant tell me they DON'T have green tea. It was worse when the options were given & I said "let me think". The server said "ok, 1 ___ for you (my wife) & nothing for you (me)" and walked off. We felt rushed to order. I told her, we will let you know when we're ready but that didn't stop her from hovering. The food was ok. I did like the beef dish & my wife ate most of her food. When it came time to pay, we had the check & I was shocked to discover the server- who had not been around for our entire visit was standing directly behind me a few feet back like she was trying to ensure we weren't going to run out without paying. I'm not sure what her issue was, I was wearing a military style doo-rag & biker attire so perhaps I didn't fit her preferred customer interaction. The whole experience just seemed strained from the very beginning. Not what you'd expect paying almost $80 for 2 people not including tax. BAD, VIBE - DON'T RECOMMEND. PERIOD.

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John “Marcus” Hurban

Came in with my family for dinner. It was about 5:30 on Saturday. Large restaurant, dated inside, but clean. Service was slow to non-existent. Took at least 5 minutes for someone to get a drink order. After 10 min of getting drinks had to leave because no servers were to be found. Also, looking at the menu, this is not an authentic Chinese restaurant. Would not recommend to anyone.

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B Leon

Found a ROACH in the Wonton Soup. I brought it to the owners attention, she was unfazed as well as the waiter. The waiter just wiped the spoon off with his apron, took away the soup and offered us another bowl. Like.... No Thank you!!!

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Tarianna Perez

The cashier lady was quite rude. The waitress got our meal wrong. It was not busy at all. This was my second time coming here in which my first time so all right. However, this service is one that I do not approve of. After paying, the lady literally ran after me to the parking lot saying I need to give a tip. I felt my service was not to my liking so felt no need to tip. She told me specifically that it needed to be 15% and something about paying government taxes. Last time I checked, tipping is not mandatory. I think I will stick to the one in Salinas.

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Carol Barton

I love your food, but there is a real problem with your online delivery. We specifically requested that we get extra sweet & sour sauce on a recent order that came to more than $50. All we got was 1 little cup with approx. a tablespoon of sauce. We have never had these issues when dining in, but it seems like you take to opportunity to short change your delivery customers. It is very disappointing to look forward to a great meal only to have a major part of it missing

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Jake Waiczis

It’s difficult to describe just how disgusting the food is here. Everything fried was over cooked and done in burnt fry oil. All the rest of the food tasted flat out old like it’d been sitting around all day. Judging by the picture below of the Generals chicken, the food does sit around all day. I called to ask for a refund and I was told that because of covid they can’t take the food back and if they can take the food back there’s no refunds. This lady, the same lady who works at the register, was so rude!

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Joe

This was the worst Chinese food I've ever had. I have eaten Chinese food thousands of times. Rice is not included, and they don't tell you ahead of time. The flavor is awful, and the dishes don't even remotely resemble what they are identified as. The service was as bad as it gets...when questioned about one of the dishes, the server simply said "well you ordered it" and walked away. Even the water and fountain drinks were terrible. Later, a new server came to us and asked if everything was good. I said no, and he said, "ok" and left.

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Christopher Fuchs

Over $160. Save your money and get much more. Could have fed 50 people at Panda Express for the price and would have gotten better food.

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Tamie Mack

This was, by far, the worst dining experience I have ever had in my life. We ordered the Sweet and Sour Shrimp, Orange Chicken and Cream Cheese Won Tons. The server brought the Won Tons out first and when I first opened it, it was not white like cream cheese is supposed to be, which I thought was weird. My girlfriend tasted it and spit it out into a napkin and said "that is not cream cheese......whatever that is, it is disgusting". So when the server finally came back to check on us, I explained that we ordered Cream Cheese Won Tons and she said those were Cream Cheese. I said where I come from Cream Cheese is white and this filling is orange and does not taste like Cream Cheese. She said you ordered it so you have to pay for it. I said please take it away from our table so I don't have to smell it. Then when she brought our entrees, my Sweet and Sour Shrimp did not look like any shrimp I had ever seen. So we opened up one of the pieces of what was supposed to be shrimp and it was pork. I hate pork and would never have ordered pork. When the server came back to the table after at least 15 minutes to check on us, I said that I ordered Shrimp and this is Pork. She looked at her order book and said, "oh I will bring it back and get you shrimp". I said no, don't bother because I am no longer hungry and we just wanted a box for my girlfriend's orange chicken which was the only thing they did get right on the whole order. When she brought us the check, I could not even read what she wrote or what she was trying to charge us for but the total bill was $35 and some change. We were going up front to pay and I asked the person what exactly we were being charged for? She said the Orange Chicken and the Won Tons. I said that I was not paying for the Won Tons cause they were not Cream Cheese Won Tons and they were disgusting. She went back into the kitchen and got the plate and brought it out and opened one up and said these are Cream Cheese Won Tons. I said they do not taste anything like cream cheese and I am not paying for them. I said I will pay for my girlfriend's orange chicken plate and that was all I was going to pay for. She finally said my total then was $19.65 so I gave her a $20 bill and we walked out. As we were walking out she slammed the register drawer and yelled something to us in a harsh tone of voice in her language and motioned for us to get out of the restaurant. Instead of apologizing for our bad experience and their mistake on our order, they were rude and not willing to even discuss what our issues were with this entire experience. I would highly recommend staying away from this place if you are looking for good quality Chinese food and a staff that cares because they have neither. Very disappointing.

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Ellyn Delgado

The food was good but the service is not good.I talked to the manager about the hair I saw from the duck,she made an excuse "it was a hair duck" but it literally long and looks like a human hair and didn't change with new one.I didn't ate it and it went to waste.

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Едем Дальше

Chinese is just the decor here. It's not tasty and it's too expensive for that.

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Michael Gastineau

My girlfriend and I ate here after a long day. After we paid our bill in cash and left a good tip, we were leaving our table and another waitress that was not ours starts yelling at us from across the restaurant, “NO YOU NEED TO PAY, YOU NOT LEAVE YOU PAY YOUR BILL” The whole restaurant is now looking! I didn’t even realize she was yelling at us until she ran over to us continuing yelling! I will never spend money at this place again the food wasn’t even that good definitely wasn’t worth the unprofessional rude staff. Jim’s Chinese is down the street way better food much better experience the lady running Jim’s is super friendly and is definitely the best Chinese food in the area.

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Bella Bearprints

I ordered online delivery through Delivery.com. When I received my order they were pretty much half size orders. I paid $20.79 per whole order for chowmein. Their online price on their website says $15.95. Seeing as you charged me more I should have gotten way more decent proportions. Not going to order here anymore. They can say it has to do with paying the delivery, but that was added on the side separately in addition to the upcharge on the actual order. Delivery fee $5.99, required tip $4.16, service charge $1.66. You guys are robbing people!

Lone Star
Lone Star

Foods are bland and some vegetables are not fresh. Panda Express is your better choice any time of day. Also, I’ve seen customers sitting next to us holding their menu for 20 minutes and no server was attending their table.

Laura & Walter Johnston
Laura & Walter Johnston

We ordered food to go. We were staying at a hotel close to the restaurant. We got back to the kitchen at the hotel and the Szechuan ribs were terrible so we brought them back. I paid cash, but they refused a cash refund. They said I had to order some thing else because they weren’t giving me my money back. As a paying customer, I deserve to request my cash back and receive that. I don’t know what kind of rules they have but if I would’ve known that the ribs were terrible and tasteless, I wouldn’t have ordered them.

Jeremiah Buie
Jeremiah Buie

The best part about our meal was leaving! Chinese cuisine is my favorite food so I can tell you NEVER EAT HERE! My party of 4 got 4 different meals and 2 appetizers. They were the worst tasting Chinese I have ever had and some of the most expensive. No one in my party ate more then a quarter of our food it was that bad Please if you care about your taste buds go anywhere else The service and Atmosphere were amazing but the food was so bad I can’t give anymore than 1 star.

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About Chef Lee's

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2031 N Fremont St, Monterey, CA 93940

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Highlights

Good Rating
4.1/5 stars
💬
Many Reviews
781 reviews
💰
Moderate Price
Price level
👨‍🍳
chinese
Cuisine type

Services

🍽️ Lunch
🍾 Dinner
🍰 Desserts
🥗 Vegetarian Options
🌱 Vegan Options
🥡 Takeout
🍴 Dine-in

Dining Options

🍽️ Dine In
🥡 Takeout

Restaurant Info

Status
Verified by owner
🕐 Hours Today
11AM-9:30PM
Rating
4.1/5
💬 Reviews
781
💰 Price Level
$$
⏱️ Typical Visit
People typically spend 30 min to 1.5 hr here
📞 Phone
+1 831-375-9551
🌐 Website
www.chefleesmandarinhouse.com
📋 Menu
View Menu

Amenities

🅿️ Parking
Wheelchair Accessible
🚻 Restroom
💳 Credit Cards
📱 Mobile Payments
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The Neighborhood

St. John's Chapel

St. John’s Chapel of Monterey, California

A 620m
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