Happy Dragon
Chinese · Monterey
About Happy Dragon
At Happy Dragon, we invite you to experience a warm and inviting atmosphere that sets the tone for a delicious meal. Our menu boasts an array of options, including vegan choices, all carefully prepared to bring out the best flavors. With exceptional service quality and attentive staff, your dining e...
At Happy Dragon, we invite you to experience a warm and inviting atmosphere that sets the tone for a delicious meal. Our menu boasts an array of options, including vegan choices, all carefully prepared to bring out the best flavors. With exceptional service quality and attentive staff, your dining experience is sure to be memorable. We're proud to offer takeout, dine-in, and fast service options, making us the perfect choice for any occasion or craving.
What Customers Say About Happy Dragon
Happy Dragon receives mixed reviews. Many customers praise the delicious food and friendly service, with some being loyal patrons for decades. However, others complain about bland flavors, small portions, and inconsistent quality, particularly regarding the orange chicken and fried rice.
Popular Dishes
Best For
Tip: Many reviewers suggest that the food is best enjoyed fresh, so consider dining in or ordering takeout for immediate consumption.
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What to see nearby
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Explore the area around Happy Dragon
Happy Dragon is located in Monterey, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.
Parks & Gardens
- Laguna Grande Regional Park (A 640m) — park in Monterey County, California, United States of America
- Work Memorial Park (A 746m) — park in Monterey County, California, United States of America
- Trinity Park (A 962m) — park in Monterey County, California, United States of America
Data from Wikidata
Frequently asked questions about Happy Dragon
Happy Dragon Monterey Reviews
I've tried a good chunk of the vegetarian dishes now, and everything has been really good. They have their own takes on a few dishes, which can be a little surprising, but I always enjoy the way they do it.
I wish this place was in Tennessee!!! Our service was great and the food was really good. Even my 4year old granddaughter finished her plate of food and she never finishes everything.
Not only is the food delicious, I was legitimately confused by how fast they got it ready. It was like going to Jimmy John's or something. Freaky fast! And the server is very down to earth and approachable.
IT WAS MORE CONVENIENT TO EAT IN A RESTAURANT NEAR YOUR MOTEL, I WAS SURPRISED HOW SATISFYING IT WAS FOR ME N' MY FAMILY DINING AT HAPPY DRAGON RESTAURANT WHILE VISITING MONTEREY, THEIR FOOD WAS GREAT. I'D CERTAINLY GO BACK THERE AGAIN N' I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO EVERYONE TO TRY IT, YOU'LL LOVE TOO.
Super delicious!!! Everything was fresh and tasty not sure why this place doesn’t have higher stars✨ Highly recommend!
We have come to this restaurant for years and it only gets better. I’m vegetarian and their vegetarian menu is loaded with very good choices.
Great place to eat. Love the sweet and sour eggplant super yummy. Nice staff and I love supporting a locally owned business. Good for lunch
After reading previous reviews I was a little apprehensive but it was Christmas, they were open, and we were hungry so we gave it a go. They have a great selection of vegetarian foods and the price is pretty good. It's the best mapo tofu I've had stateside. This place is worth looking at if you want good vegetarian chinese food at a good price.
Best Chinese food restaurant on the Monterey Peninsula. Forget sushi—Instead, enjoy the 40-year talent of the chef de cuisine here! You won’t be disappointed.
My family & I visited Monterey && we loved this place!! We got the dinner special for 2 letter A && the young gal was so nice!! Everything tasted fresh & delicious!! Will return thank you!!!
Really good food and lots of vegan options, I had the tofu garlic sauce and my mom had the one with fish and it was so good!! Really yummy and affordable, I would recommend them to get better and new cups/silverware it seems a bit old but other than that totally recommend this place
Am in the transportation industry and dropped off a passenger close by..so I stop here to have a late lunch ate chicken fried rice and was very delicious I thought I was going to eat half of it but definitely had to finish so good
Really good food and lots of vegan options, I had the tofu garlic sauce and my mom had the one with fish and it was so good!! Really yummy and affordable, I would recommend them to get better and new cups/silverware it seems a bit old but other than that totally recommend this place
Am in the transportation industry and dropped off a passenger close by..so I stop here to have a late lunch ate chicken fried rice and was very delicious I thought I was going to eat half of it but definitely had to finish so good
We came from Los Angeles to see the Cali Roots show and came here for a late lunch. The owner was very nice and the food was very good! We had shrimp fried rice, beef broccoli, pork dumplings, and almond chicken. Thank you Sir!! We will be back!! :)
My experience at Happy Dragon was nothing short of exceptional. The moment I stepped in, I was welcomed by a warm and inviting atmosphere, perfect for enjoying a delicious meal. The menu boasts a fantastic selection of dishes, each crafted with care and bursting with flavor. Every bite was a testament to the quality ingredients and skillful preparation. The friendly staff and comfortable ambiance made the dining experience even more memorable. Without hesitation, Happy Dragon earns a solid 5-star rating from me!
I've been going to Happy Dragon for 27 years, since they opened. Their food is delicious and excellent quality. To this day, I look forward to eating there.
Although I thought it might be a negative experience as we were the only party in the restaurant and it took over ten minutes to get our order taken...it turned out great. We were celebrating a birthday after spending all day at the aquarium and 17 mile Drive. The food was excellent and the service was great. I was surprised with their shrimp chowmein, deceptively delicious.
I've been going to Happy Dragon for 27 years, since they opened. Their food is delicious and excellent quality. To this day, I look forward to eating there.
My experience at Happy Dragon was nothing short of exceptional. The moment I stepped in, I was welcomed by a warm and inviting atmosphere, perfect for enjoying a delicious meal. The menu boasts a fantastic selection of dishes, each crafted with care and bursting with flavor. Every bite was a testament to the quality ingredients and skillful preparation. The friendly staff and comfortable ambiance made the dining experience even more memorable. Without hesitation, Happy Dragon earns a solid 5-star rating from me!
We came from Los Angeles to see the Cali Roots show and came here for a late lunch. The owner was very nice and the food was very good! We had shrimp fried rice, beef broccoli, pork dumplings, and almond chicken. Thank you Sir!! We will be back!! :)
Although I thought it might be a negative experience as we were the only party in the restaurant and it took over ten minutes to get our order taken...it turned out great. We were celebrating a birthday after spending all day at the aquarium and 17 mile Drive. The food was excellent and the service was great. I was surprised with their shrimp chowmein, deceptively delicious.
Family ran business. They are always friendly and give a little extra like giving out a roll of T.P. with take out orders during the COVID shortage. The food is always consistently good. One of my favorite spots.
Food, service and atmosphere were all very good. The sizzling rice soup was perfectly prepared. I was impressed by the full page of vegetarian options.
.We had the chicken chow mein and it was very good. The portion for take out was smaller than I expected but if I was in the area again I wouldnt mind stopping here again.
I'm not big on Chinese food. I didn't really want to go here. But I was very pleasantly surprised. The string bean chicken, and Lo mein were delicious. The serving size and quality were both satisfying. So good, there were no leftovers.
We stayed at the Pacific Inn across the street and went to Grandma's Kitchen on the lot, but after seeing the menu, not being properly greeted, and other factors we decided to risk crossing the street to the Happy Dragon. Food was good, service was good, quality and quantity very satisfactory, price was reasonable, and it was a good choice.
Prices went up $3 since last menu pix were posted. Still, the food was good and the portions were sizable. Everyone liked their order
The food was good and the waiter friendly.. enjoyed dinner!
Made our way here while trying to find a place that was open between lunch and dinner service. The service was actually very attentive and nice even though our waiter sounded a little gruff at first. The sheer number of options on the menu was very impressive. We got a few different things to try and every was cooked well and properly seasoned. The crispy rice soup really hit the spot today with the gloomy weather. There was also a lot of vegetarian options for those looking for that. The slightly higher cost is justified by the big portions. We would not hesitate to stop by again!
Made our way here while trying to find a place that was open between lunch and dinner service. The service was actually very attentive and nice even though our waiter sounded a little gruff at first. The sheer number of options on the menu was very impressive. We got a few different things to try and every was cooked well and properly seasoned. The crispy rice soup really hit the spot today with the gloomy weather. There was also a lot of vegetarian options for those looking for that. The slightly higher cost is justified by the big portions. We would not hesitate to stop by again!
The food was good and the waiter friendly.. enjoyed dinner!
It appears that many people get take out here. There were not many people dining in, but those who were, appeared to be regulars. The food was fresh, hot and cooked just right. The service was good, just not that personable. The atmosphere was not bad but didn't feel inviting either.
It appears that many people get take out here. There were not many people dining in, but those who were, appeared to be regulars. The food was fresh, hot and cooked just right. The service was good, just not that personable. The atmosphere was not bad but didn't feel inviting either.
The Lemonade was good The soup was good The employees looked like they don't care or unhappy They don't carry "Shrimp Sautee" or any of my Shrimp options They don't care about dietary needs & It's super small! 3 stars - I would improve on this!
Don’t follow online menu prices online. Our order ended up being far more than we anticipated. Food was just okay. Will be taking our business elsewhere next time..
I been here twice. The first time, the food only tasted like garlic; and the second time, the food only tasted like sugar. I won't go back; there is a better Chinese Restaurant down the road.
This place is a little bit pricey for what you get. I can’t say the food had any taste, and the service was good but it’s simply not worth the money and there are much better places around. And I ordered the Kung pao squid and rice. The portion size was small and the squid was overcooked.
This place is a little bit pricey for what you get. I can’t say the food had any taste, and the service was good but it’s simply not worth the money and there are much better places around. And I ordered the Kung pao squid and rice. The portion size was small and the squid was overcooked.
Orange chicken and egg drop soup had little flavor and do not taste good. Fried rice is decent but could also have more flavor. Disappointed with the quality received for the price payed.
The orange chicken was deep fried and the pieces had more of the breading than chicken. Wasn't very enjoyable. The fried rice was okay, but it wasn't even served hot, warm at most, and some of the vegetables were cold, so that tells that they use the frozen ones. Service wasn't even that fast considering that the place wasn't busy. The server was nice, which is why I give it 2 stars, but the food wasn't worth the price. I don't really recommend this restaurant as a great place to eat Chinese food.
Orange chicken and egg drop soup had little flavor and do not taste good. Fried rice is decent but could also have more flavor. Disappointed with the quality received for the price payed.
The orange chicken was deep fried and the pieces had more of the breading than chicken. Wasn't very enjoyable. The fried rice was okay, but it wasn't even served hot, warm at most, and some of the vegetables were cold, so that tells that they use the frozen ones. Service wasn't even that fast considering that the place wasn't busy. The server was nice, which is why I give it 2 stars, but the food wasn't worth the price. I don't really recommend this restaurant as a great place to eat Chinese food.
Fried rice was basically just steamed rice with a little meat in it, I only had a few bites because the shrimp didn't smell right and over took the smell of anything else. It was gross.
Negative stars. We ordered the orange chicken, and it tasted like beef and broccoli. I let the waitress know that we did not like it, yet we were still charged.
Very bad on the phone service. The guy that picked up the phone was rude and did not give me clear options about their menu. He obviously show impatience as I asked questions about food items. Finally he said he can not take orders on the phone until 5 pm when the restaurant opens (I wish he could have told me that from the very beginning. It would have avoided waste of time from both parts). When I said I would then call after 5 pm he said something that looked like a swearing and hung up on me.
I only gave it one star because I couldn't give it zero! It's absolutely disgusting service. We asked for another high chair because the high chair was caked on filthy dirty and they acted offended. We asked something about the menu and prices and she said she felt like we were going to nitpick. We walked out. Horrible service don't waste your time.
They put two pieces of beef meat in my vegan food. Was really gross.
INCREDIBLY RUDE PERSON AT FRONT DESK. I WOULD HAVE DECLINED THE ORDER AND WALKED OUT, BUT IT WAS FOR MY SISTER WHO WAS RECOVERING FROM SURGERY AND I NEEDED TO GET HER FOOD. VERY DISAPPOINTING!!!!!!!!!
Found a hard piece of plastic in my mongolian beef. No apology, in fact the waiter looked disgusted that I would even complain! They did comp our meal, or rather, they didn't stop us walking out.
Over priced. Food was not good. Waste of money. Young lady behaved as if we were interrupting her social media break couldn't put her phone down to help us.
This is literally the worst Chinese food I have ever had. I ordered the stir fried scallops and what came out was lettuce with carrots in.. What seemed to be watered down mayonnaise sauce. My husband ordered the chicken fried rice and it was dry with vegetables that were obviously taken from one of those freezer bags. We also ordered the steamed pork buns which were alright at least. I would never come here again and I regret every penny I spent here. I couldn't even finish my meal it was so awful.
First time in and at 8:30 pm the waitress welcome me with " we close at 9:00 but we only take To go orders" what kind a f+++ng restaurant is this? If you close at 8:30 at least turn off your f+++g open sign. First time there and it will be the last. I love Chinese food but this kind of unpleasant welcome is unacceptable especially in a hospitality industry. You should show some kind of appreciation for your customers. If your closing time is 9:00 then honored.
I always give second chances to restaurant but this place is bad. My chicken tasted li fish i did not order anything seafood. Another time the meat was extreme dry. And the last time the beef was slimy. Wouldn't recommended
No flavor. The guy was rude. Only cared for a car outside he was looking at. The food had no flavor at all. The vegetables not cooked at all.
Horrible food nothing was good it was all wrong everything was nasty and mushy spent 70$ on junk we called and they wouldn't fix it !!! Literally TRASH WE COULD NOT EVEN EAT IT WAS MUSHY EVERY SINGLE PART!!!!
First time here! I was craving foil wrap chicken and my usual place was closed. So I came here but I did take the time to vet it. ☹️ The foil wrap chicken was served with RED SAUCE and the chicken was bland. That is not foil wrap chicken. The service was fine. The plants were fake. The fried rice was good. Parking was plentiful Located next to 7-11 (probably where they get some of their food) Lastly, the "to go" box was not the stable traditional Chinese "to go" box it was this flimsy brown box. And I had to ASK for a bag. 😐 This stupid experience had made me "woman up" and make my own foil wrap chicken. We seriously to reevaluate why we send $45 plus tips at sub par restaurants. 😆
First time here! I was craving foil wrap chicken and my usual place was closed. So I came here but I did take the time to vet it. ☹️ The foil wrap chicken was served with RED SAUCE and the chicken was bland. That is not foil wrap chicken. The service was fine. The plants were fake. The fried rice was good. Parking was plentiful Located next to 7-11 (probably where they get some of their food) Lastly, the "to go" box was not the stable traditional Chinese "to go" box it was this flimsy brown box. And I had to ASK for a bag. 😐 This stupid experience had made me "woman up" and make my own foil wrap chicken. We seriously to reevaluate why we send $45 plus tips at sub par restaurants. 😆
No flavor. The guy was rude. Only cared for a car outside he was looking at. The food had no flavor at all. The vegetables not cooked at all.
Horrible food nothing was good it was all wrong everything was nasty and mushy spent 70$ on junk we called and they wouldn't fix it !!! Literally TRASH WE COULD NOT EVEN EAT IT WAS MUSHY EVERY SINGLE PART!!!!
The food was not good. I have had mandarin chicken in many places and this was the oddest. They were like mini chicken wings with very little meat. The fried rice had a strange flavor and was fairly bland. The service was good and the staff was polite but that was it.
I went to the Happy Dragon last night to get take out. I ordered the BBQ Pork Spare Ribs, Shrimp Fried Rice and Orange Chicken. All three were terrible!!!! BBQ Pork Spare Ribs Were so dry and tough that they were literally INEDIBLE!!! The Shrimp Fried Rice only had THREE Shrimp in it!!!! It should have been called SHRIMP-LESS FRIED RICE!!!! And lastly the Orange Chicken was over cooked. If you want delicious and traditional Chinese Food stay away from the Happy Dragon and try one of the other local restaurants. A friend treated me to The Happy Dragon years ago and they were a decent option for good Chinese Food. Since then this place has taken a nose dive. This restaurant is a poor excuse for a Chinese Restaurant. Waste of time and money.
I ordered the mandarin chicken and it had a horrible smell to it, it smelled like sewage and I had to throw it all away of how disgusted I was. Its unfortunate because I had start going to happy dragon because I liked their food last time we order from here but omg this time it was like a total opposite from last time. Chef Lee's is more expensive but they have quality food. Not like happy dragon.
We called for takeout, not expecting the world, just some chicken and some rice. Easy take out. They told us 20 minutes, no problem. My husband goes to get our food and is ignorned while the front staff just talks to other people, ignoring him entirely for almost 10 minutes. Finally comes to see what my husband is there for. The waiter Said he would go check in our food. Apparently it's not done, no big deal. But that was not communicated to us. The waiter proceeds to go talk to people sitting down and goes back to ignoring us. After 3 more people come in and are waiting for service, he gets our food. The food itself is mostly just batter, and the crab Rangoons are burnt to the point of being unedible. Terrible customer service and the food isn't worth it at all.
Got delivery w Uber Eats so only reviewing food: Chinese chicken salad had no dressing either on it or separate. Mixed fried rice missing chicken/pork AND shrimp. No protein in the combo? The beef and broccoli would have been lovely if there was more than a dot of sauce. Same with cashew chicken. What the heck happened here? 0/4 items done correctly? ☹️
Got delivery w Uber Eats so only reviewing food: Chinese chicken salad had no dressing either on it or separate. Mixed fried rice missing chicken/pork AND shrimp. No protein in the combo? The beef and broccoli would have been lovely if there was more than a dot of sauce. Same with cashew chicken. What the heck happened here? 0/4 items done correctly? ☹️
We called for takeout, not expecting the world, just some chicken and some rice. Easy take out. They told us 20 minutes, no problem. My husband goes to get our food and is ignorned while the front staff just talks to other people, ignoring him entirely for almost 10 minutes. Finally comes to see what my husband is there for. The waiter Said he would go check in our food. Apparently it's not done, no big deal. But that was not communicated to us. The waiter proceeds to go talk to people sitting down and goes back to ignoring us. After 3 more people come in and are waiting for service, he gets our food. The food itself is mostly just batter, and the crab Rangoons are burnt to the point of being unedible. Terrible customer service and the food isn't worth it at all.
I ordered the mandarin chicken and it had a horrible smell to it, it smelled like sewage and I had to throw it all away of how disgusted I was. Its unfortunate because I had start going to happy dragon because I liked their food last time we order from here but omg this time it was like a total opposite from last time. Chef Lee's is more expensive but they have quality food. Not like happy dragon.
I went to the Happy Dragon last night to get take out. I ordered the BBQ Pork Spare Ribs, Shrimp Fried Rice and Orange Chicken. All three were terrible!!!! BBQ Pork Spare Ribs Were so dry and tough that they were literally INEDIBLE!!! The Shrimp Fried Rice only had THREE Shrimp in it!!!! It should have been called SHRIMP-LESS FRIED RICE!!!! And lastly the Orange Chicken was over cooked. If you want delicious and traditional Chinese Food stay away from the Happy Dragon and try one of the other local restaurants. A friend treated me to The Happy Dragon years ago and they were a decent option for good Chinese Food. Since then this place has taken a nose dive. This restaurant is a poor excuse for a Chinese Restaurant. Waste of time and money.
The food was not good. I have had mandarin chicken in many places and this was the oddest. They were like mini chicken wings with very little meat. The fried rice had a strange flavor and was fairly bland. The service was good and the staff was polite but that was it.
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About Happy Dragon
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2329 N Fremont St, Monterey, CA 93940
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2329 N Fremont St, Monterey, CA 93940
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