China Palace Restaurant

The Lee family are a TREASURE!!! They need to be protected at ALL costs. Mama Lee Kelly, Papa Lee, Tiffany & Jay keep our Austin Asian American Film Festival well fed at many of our events throughout the year with their fantastic catering. From Chinese American classics to off the menu Taiwanese, they're so dependable for cooking large amounts of delicious food. Also high-key best General Tso's in town. Our absolute staples from the standard menu to order are Napa Salad, Basil Eggplant, General Tso's, Garlic sauce boiled pork, Sesame Chicken. They always delivery our catering orders promptly and efficiently!

The food here is delicious and a great value for the portion size you get! Definitely would be fun to go back and get a couple different dishes to share family style with a group. Lots of vegetarian options, the tofu here is great. The staff is kind and makes you feel very welcome. Yay!

I had one of the lunch specials of shrimp with vegetables. It included soup and an eggroll. It was delicious and I enjoyed it very much. There wasn't a buffet which I was hoping for but I guess Covid changed that. I did not ask if they ever offer a buffet anymore because I didn't think to ask. I was there just after 11 am and before any crowd. I'd definitely visit again. Very friendly staff.

Stopped into this restaurant on a whim. Doesn't look like anything special on the outside, but loved everything about my visit. The staff was so nice, the food was delicious especially for the price, and the atmosphere was lovely. Would highly recommend.

The vegetable fried rice has the perfect crisp and crunch on the veggies they were not shy with the bean sprouts and I just love that. In addition to the rice being brown and well seasoned. It was my first time trying the egg drop soup a pinch of salt and it would have been perfect. The egg roll is happiness in a bite. Kelly was super nice & offered additional service. She brought some out for me to try with red pepper and idk what else but it made the meal over the top. And they accept Apple / digital wallet forms of payment. At one point they had a buffet idk when it’s coming back but I be wanting. Very nice establishment.

My children & I usually eat buffet style Asian cuisine since we can see what we want to try. Thus place wasn't a buffet but we stayed anyways. The service was excellent & very friendly, especially when I explained we usually do buffet style. The food was perfect as well. Egg drop soup was totally different but very delicious. We tried each other's food lol. We enjoyed ourselves emensely.

I’m not sure what bit of luck drew me to this restaurant, but the unassuming facade doesn’t hint at the magic inside! Round, lacquered archways and ornate tables, 1970s era buffets, unused since the onset of the pandemic, and best of all, a fully stocked tiki bar. This place reminds me of restaurants that I used to go to as a kid in New York City’s Chinatown: This is a space built long before today’s designer dinning experiences, but it’s still charming, if a little worn, and it was clearly designed by someone with imagination. The food isn’t fancy, but it’s hot and fresh. I had the Happy Family dinner special—for the modest price of $12.95 you get a 3 course meal, complete with soup, eggroll, rice and main course. My dish had chicken, shrimp, beef, and imitation crab meat with a healthy serving of fresh, crisp veggies, smothered in a tangy brown sauce. It was delivered to my table piping hot by the restaurant matriarch, who’s family has been running the place for the last 20 years (the decor goes back even further). When I visited on a Wednesday night, it was just me and an endless run of to-go orders. I was assured that they still get a decent lunch crowd, but I’d argue this is a place for family dinners, or even a romantic night out. With so much of old, quirky Austin disappearing so fast, I highly recommend a visit to this gem—so it doesn’t fade away with everything else that makes our city so great!

I’m not sure why I haven’t reviewed this place yet. I order lunch from here (sesame chicken 🤤) and I have a big birthday party every year and have catered from here 2 years in a row!!! It’s a family owned business, their daughter Tiffany helps me order for my party every year, the mom and dad (chef) are really nice. My usually for lunch is sesame chicken. For my party, I usually order sesame chicken, egg rolls, fried dumplings, walnut shrimp, beef and brocolli, fried rice, lo mein. People especially loved the lo mein, walnut shrimp, and sesame chicken. One year I picked it up and this year I decided to pay the delivery fee of $15. The food is hot, delicious, they are accurate in their order, very communicative. They provide extra sauce for me and I just love the food so much. I also ordered a huge tray of egg rolls one time for a company pot luck and people kept asking me where I got it from. Thank you China Palace!!! 😊😊😊

I've only ever ordered delivery from China Palace, but every time I do, I'm genuinely impressed. The food arrives hot, flavorful, and exactly what I'm craving when I want something comforting and nostalgic. My go to fave is the egg foo young. It's perfectly cooked, super satisfying, and tastes just like the Chinese takeout I used to get as a kid. Portions are huge, and the prices are more than fair for how much you get. If you're looking for solid, classic Chinese-American takeout that delivers on both taste and value, China Palace is it.

I came here for lunch on my way home, and I must say the service not for nothing was made this an experience I would come back for, the staff were super friendly and accommodating.

For the price, this place is really good. Very big portions and the food was amazing. The server had several options and was helping us with our imagination. You can taste the food with the way she was explaining it. Very casual restaurant. Not fancy or anything to be amazed by as far as the atmosphere. What lacks atmosphere makes up with flavor in the food though. Would definitely come back and try more of the menu

The service here is always amazing. I learned that I prefer their wonton soup to their egg drop soup. The happy family and the hot tea were good. They always give my husband sesame balls which is very nice of them to do especially when they are getting ready to close.

This is what takeout should be! For a really reasonable price, from welcoming people, we got very generous portions of delicious food that we can get multiple meals out of. General Tso's Chicken and the Chicken with Garlic Sauce were both amazing! (The dinner combo specials are a half portion so unless you'd prefer to have soup and an egg roll included in the price I say just get the regular size because it's way more food! Note: I think the Chef Specials don't include a side of rice like the other dishes, so don't forget to add it on.) They included some wonton crisps, sesame balls, fortune cookies, and sauces, but you have to ask for chili oil. They also threw in an extra rice and extra hot and sour soup which was generous and appreciated. This place reminds me of the Chinese restaurant my family would go to growing up, that has since closed down. It brought back fond memories. Same packaging and everything. The generous service meant a lot. Thank you China Palace, we'll be back.

10/10 food was fresh and came out very quickly and the food was great would recommend to anyone wanting good cheap Chinese food

This a hidden gem. Definitely order from their secret Asian menu. For those of you that were around in 2000s Austin Chinese American restaurants used to also serve as Chinese restaurants and you would have to ask for the Asian menu to get more authentic dishes. This is a holdover from days past. Before bao's, XLB, Peking duck, and Schiuan dishes were part of the American foodie landscape. The food from the pink secret Asian menu is definitely tasty. On top of that the prices are very affordable. Dishes around $10 are unheard of in a city where $18 is the norm. This place isn't fancy at all. You won't be taking selfies here. The owners are nice and they will be pleasantly surprised if you order from the secret menu. I've ordered their Chinese American dishes before and they are just ok. So I really recommend that you try something other than General Tso's chicken and Hot and Sour soup. Yes, they have offal dishes so if you aren't a fan of those - they have tons of other more authentic dishes. And if you really believe in buying local - support these businesses too that have been here for decades.

I love their food! My go to favorite is moo goo gai pan. And their egg rolls are yummy too!

Great service! Delicious food! and really really sweet people. Tons of easy parking and clean and friendly inside.

The owners were really sweet and friendly. The service here was great. The food, however, I felt was a bit lacking. Our group got a bunch of dishes off their menu and none of them were bad, but they were just okay. I must say that the duck and the eggplants were really really good, so definitely get those. They do have a "secret" menu that has more traditional chinese menu rather than just your average chinese american dishes so make sure to check those out! Also considering how expensive austin food is nowadays, I was pleasantly surprised at how reasonably priced everything was!

LEGENDARY ... But legendary if and only if you order from the semi-secret Chinese menu. It takes work to get the semi-secret Chinese menu. It is not on their website. It is not in the paper menu they have near the cash register. It is not on the menu they hand you. You have to ask for it specifically. The "public menu" is standard American Chinese. Over 90 percent of their sales are standard American Chinese. The real Chinese menu is what you want. * * * In the 1990's, China Palace was one of the only restaurants in Austin serving non-American Chinese food. In those days, the extra menu was in Chinese. You had to ask for it. If you didn't know what things were - you just pointed at a random item and looked to see what you would get. Remember - in the early 1990's, Asia Cafe did not exist. Austin did not have Szechuan food. A+A did not exist. China Family did not exist. China Palace was all there was. But it was incredible for what it was. Over the years, I ordered many things by pointing to random lines on a menu I did not understand. I got all sorts of unexpected treats from the kitchen. There was never a bad dish in the lot. * * * Fast forward to 2022. There are a zillion Chinese Chinese restaurants in Austin. The Chinese themselves go to restaurants other than China Palace. The Chinese menu is now printed in English. You still have to ask for it as a special request. But at least you know what you are getting when you order. * * * The Chinese Menu is still incredible. China Palace is run by a him and her elderly couple with no obvious extra help. They get a lot of take-out American Chinese business. So the him and her are extraordinarily busy. She is constantly running back and forth from the back to the restaurant to the front with take out packages for this Uber driver and take out packages for that Uber driver. They are surprised and pleased when you order real Chinese. You will have to wait a while because they are so busy. But the Chinese Chinese is utterly extraordinary. * * * Our particular night - I had a boiled beef with noodles in soup that was absolutely and utterly addictive. It is hard to get boiled beef in this town unless you make it yourself. Theirs is lean, and amazingly flavorful. Their bowl of boiled beef soup and noodles must have practically a pound or more of boiled beef in it. I do a very fine boiled beef myself. Their boiled beef puts my boiled beef to shame. Another all star dish is the pork intestines with sour mustard greens. Their sour mustard greens are unapologetically tart and unapologetically sour. The pork intestines are very mild. The two flavors go together like the two halves of an Oreo. They may also do the best spicy Chinese cucumber in Austin. Most Szechuan restaurants do a version of spicy cucumber. The China Palace cucumber tastes more like cucumber than any other version I know. Plus the heat is subtle. Like Thai food the heat sneaks up on you subtly rather than pounding you on the head at the beginning. Fish with sour mustard green soup is mild ... but there is never anything wrong with a mild comforting fish soup. Chinese broccoli is deceptive. All the garlic is at the bottom of the dish. Toss before eating. Fried tofu here is salt and pepper tofu. All those crystals you see are rock salt. It makes a difference. * * * Generally, I like the more complex dishes like the beef and noodle soup, better than the simpler dishes. They have many complex dishes on the menu. In the 1990's, I ate here a lot because it was the only place you could get real Chinese food. For over a decade, I forgot about it. But the thrill is still there. This is one of the best Chinese eating experiences in the city ... If you can get yourself to forego egg rolls and sweet and sour pork.

Very reasonable and very good food. Is it the best Chinese food I've ever had? No. Is it very serviceable for a Tuesday lunch? Yes. Staff very friendly-a plus.

This Chinese restaurant is a hidden gem. Don't get me wrong, we were the only ones who were in the restaurant at 6pm on a Wednesday late afternoon, but, hey, the vibes were immaculate. Our host/waitress was so awesome, she was so friendly, and answered any questions we had about food, pricing, and more about the menu and details included. I recommend for any families visiting into Austin, for Chinese restaurant lovers, and people who love shrimp fried rice because their's was really good! One thing to note about Chinese restaurants is that I think everywhere you go, expect great service, great hospitality, and kindness. At least from my experience, to each their own. This restaurant did not disappoint as far as quality of food, pricing is reasonable, and hospitality was superb.

whatttttttt.... my plate was fantastic, i pulled up wit my boy brick and we got blessed!!!! 10/10 would recommend #greatness

RUN FROM THIS PLACE!!! My co-worker and I were starving so we decided to give this place a try since we work pretty close to it and ordered online. WORST MISTAKE! We ordered the General Tso's Chicken: his with egg drop soup & fried rice, mine with won-ton soup & steamed rice). Oh lord...where do I start? BOTH orders were the same: General Tso's Chicken with steamed rice and won-ton soup, even though the receipt is correct since I placed an online order! But that's not even the worse part...the riced tasted old, the soup was bland, and the chicken...oh my gosh... the chicken was soup! If you want General Tso's Soup then order from this place, this is my first in my entire life I get such a soupy General Tso's Chicken! It was nasty just to look at the soggy chicken (see pictures)...my co-worker ate some of it, I ended up throwing everything in the trash and just ate the egg-roll which was the only tasty thing of all. We are NEVER ordering from this place! Do yourself and get a "Jack in the Box" instead (right next to the restaurant) if you're really hungry, you won't regret it!

Delicious food, great vibe, and the family that runs it is sooooo kind and friendly!!!

Ordered online for delivery. Ordering process was very easy. Prices are very reasonable and there is a good selection of choices. Order was delivered right on time, with food still very hot and ready to eat. Delicious and plentiful. Special request of extra sauce was included as were all the extras. I'll order from here again!!

Got the sesame chicken dinner special with wonton soup and crab rangoons and everything was so delicious! Spring roll and sesame balls were included which was a great surprise. Family run, and they're so nice! Will definitely be stopping by again.

It's good enough to satisfy an (American) Chinese food craving. They're open a little bit later than some other Chinese restaurants in the area and they're a bit less busy so you don't have to wait as long at times so that makes this place convenient. I pretty much only order General Tso's chicken whenever I order Chinese and I gauge restaurants on their ability to prepare this dish well. As I previously stated, it's good enough. Don't forget to ask for more than one pack of soy sauce if you're like me and actually want condiments.

Great food, fast and friendly service. Location is a little sketchy but that's how you know the food will be good lol.

Ordered this during lunch and had it delivered through the Yelp app by Grub Hub. I has set the time for delivery for 12:30; however, my food came ar 11:30. No big deal for me but those who take lunch a specific time might need to make or verify with restaurant on the delivery time. The food was warm, not cold or hot, good temperature. You get a lot of food for the price and it has the traditional Chinese restaurant food taste we are use too. The cost was very reasonable for the amount of food you get. Everything was well packaged and came with alot of extra stuff like condiments and an egg roll, which was really good. I give this restaurant a 4 star because there was nothing spectacular about the food but it wasn't terrible. I recommend it if you have a taste for Americn style Chinese. Update: I ordered the second time but this go around a large order with my co-workers. The food is good and you get a lot for the money but the order was wrong. I know it happens and we will most likely order again because of how good the food is and the value.

Definitely a Hidden Gem, The General Tso is Always On Point. I'd definitely recommend, Miss Kelly and Her Husband are Awesome!!!

I really love this place. It's good for when I just want the classic Chinese take-out experience I've enjoyed all my life. I can tell the staff and owners are really nice. I've never been disappointed with their delivery service. I especially like the Live(Light?) & Healthy menu. The meat and shrimp are of good quality. Veggies always taste fresh too. Thank you China Palace for being you, even during this pandemic.

Great food, and fast service.. the staff greeted me and was very kind the food was delicious aside from the egg drop soup, it lacked flavor.. other than passing on the soup next time I'd definitely order again.

Overpriced, average Chinese food. Nothing special. Portion sizes are good though. atmosphere is ehh

For some reason it seems everyone only orders takeout from here and no one dines in! I love coming here more than any other restaurant! I love absolutely every dish I've had here and I've had at least 7/8 off the vegetarian menu. The food is fast and delicious and the woman who owns the restaurant is really cool. Can't recommend more highly

Nothing to be seriously wowed about. However, it was convenient, they were pretty quick, and the food was edible. I was hanging at the hookah lounge nearby and decided I wanted some General Tso with my hookah. It definitely wasn't freshly made, but the sauce was flavorful. The service was nice and the food was ready within the time advised for pick up. Not sure I would go back though.

The food was so good and fresh , this was my first time eating here . I recommended 10/10 and the woman was very nice . So delicious.

Been giving them my business for years now. Sure, a whole in the wall considering it's been there forever. But literally such a great value for what you receive. I ordered it to be delivered and the food was at my door within 20min. I ordered chicken and broccoli w fried rice, chicken cashew w steamed rice, egg drop soup and hot and sour soup, annnd crab Rangoon. Everything was hot and tasted great! Service was good, from the lady who took my order to the girl who dropped off my food w a smile on her face while it was like 30 degrees outside. 10/10 recommend!

I was excited to try this hole in the wall but I got food poisoning from the orange chicken. :( NEVER GOING AGAIN

Extremely average. Lowest common denominator Chinese food. No flavor. Very generous portions and fast service (pickup during covid times). I mistakenly ordered from here instead of China Family, which is one block away. Kung pao tofu had good texture, but sauce was sweet and not spicy, which is the opposite of why I order Kung Pao. Also, no peanuts. Steamed dumplings were inedible. Pasty and no flavor. Egg roll had less than zero taste. Sigh. Not what I was craving. Disappointing. Will not go back.

I moved to Round Rock this summer and MAN do I miss China Palace. I've literally been eating here my entire life - it was the first place my parents took me (to pick up an order) after I came home from the hospital. Then I actually enjoyed a meal from them with my dad just last night! Do yourself a favor and try the shrimp egg fu young! My dad and I always split that and whatever secondary dish we decide on for the evening. I swear it's one of the best-kept secrets in Central Austin. I wish I had photos to share, but I always eat it too fast, lol On top of that, the employees are always knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. The food is always ready when they say it will be and they're ready and willing to help with substitutions. Dangit. Now I made myself hungry. Good thing there's leftovers ^_^

Consistently delicious and always open when I want them to be. Recently started mixing hot and sour soup with my pork fried rice. MAGIC.

China Palace is delicious. The owner is kind, the workers here are professional, and plenty of parking is available. A rule of thumb is that if you want better quality food, then don't fill up your plate with buffet food. Only get buffet food if you want quantity over quality. I usually have the Happy Family lunch special. It's cheap, the egg rolls have an excellent tasty crunch, and the portions I received were huge. The egg foo young is is also a good choice if you're a huge fan of eggs, and like incorporating as many toppings as you can when you have omelets. Maybe try these things instead of getting the usual orange chicken? China Palace is not for you if you enjoy the trendy "Chinese" fusion restaurants that have been popping up at Austin recently. If that's what you like, then please go to those so I can enjoy the food at China Palace in peace and quiet.

I ordered the sesame chicken with the fried rice and a side of wonton soup ALL for $8.75 (plus the delivery fees from Postmates which made it come out to about $15). Not bad, right? Even cheaper than Panda Express! The food got to me in about thirty minutes still hot. Fried rice: As you can tell from the pic, the fried rice isn't what you traditionally think of as fried rice when you order it from an Asian restaurant. It was more like white rice mixed with soy sauce and egg and nothing else, but tbh I was down for it. It was way more moist than fried rice you get most places, and I actually liked the simple flavor. Just know that it's not going to be what you're expecting. Sesame chicken: The meal came with a ton of sesame chicken with a few pieces of broccoli. The sauce and breading on the chicken was good, but it was all dark meat chicken and was kinda gamey tasting (but still good for the price). Wonton soup: DO NOT GET! I can't complain that much because it came free, but it was literally just straight water with shredded iceberg lettuce and a wanton (which was disgusting and I normally like wantons). Overall, everything is what you'd expect for the price. It was a large quantity of low-mid quality food that got to me quickly and still hot. I'll probably do Panda Express instead next time, but I'm still glad I found it. I might try the chicken fried rice next time and see if I like it better.

Super sweet workers and very quaint environment. The portions are huge for the price and they're very quick to get it out to you. Definitely my go to for sesame chicken!

Best Rangoons ever and dumplings were good so was sesame chicken and mamma L was super nice

Great food and great people! You're missing out if you haven't tried this place! Everything on the menu is delicious!

For Austin, the best Chinese food I have found. I am from Houston, so I have high expectations here. I searched for a long time for anything in Austin that compares to my favorite spots in Houston....still no luck, but this one at least passes my bar...and with all the other cheap takeout options being far worse, I give China palace five starts for being the only acceptable option in the category of "affordable chinese takeout" It's not gonna blow your mind, but when it comes to filling the craving for a good price, that isnt total crap, this is the spot. - taste good - good portions - good price Old 1000s is the best Chinese I have found so far in town, but is twice the price with a third the portions.

Desperately seeking some good Egg Foo Young and took to Yelp. Came across China Palace and thought what the heck. With COVID-19, ordering by phone was a breeze. Settled on Combination Egg Foo Young, General Tso Chicken & fried wings (appetizer). Upon arrival started feeling uneasy at how deserted and condemned the restaurant looked. Not the best side of town. Was taken by how unkept the inside was. Chipping floor, cracked walls and junky tables. Stood at the dirty counter for a couple of minutes before a nice woman emerged from the rear. Nearly packaged and tied up bag, I paid $32 then left. Arrived home 15 minutes later and food was popping hot. While I wasn't too impressed with the wings (frozen type, soft breaded thrown in the dryer. Wasn't at all crispy or had an Asian flavor or seasoning. Basic) the Combination Egg Foo Young was pretty good (4/5 stars). Hot, freshly made large egg patties made with boneless chicken (index finger sized typical in chicken fried rice) shrimp bean sprouts and cabbage. Would have rated higher if the restaurant used true brown gravy and NOT the high sugared thin teriyaki sauce (think Mongolian grill sauce). The General Tso's chicken was thick chunks of dark meat chicken fried to production, perfectly sauced. While the food was pretty good I doubt I'd return just because the restaurant looked a mess. At any minute I'd thought a mouse would have ran by. Luckily one didn't but still, didn't feel easy thinking of the possibility of how the kitchen may had looked.

I really enjoy the food and the service at this family owned restaurant. Very consistent quality of food every time I

This place has the best hot and sour soup I've EVER had. I'm not exaggerating... I've moved away from Austin, and to this day I'll find myself day dreaming about it. Don't even get me started on the crispy wontons that come with it... Please, for me... go here immediately.

I haven't been there since I moved out of the neighborhood about 3 years ago. I see the different reviews, with some people saying it's good and some people saying it's bad. I have to say it varies. This may not still be true, but on weekday nights, when the old man is in the kitchen, it's excellent. At other times, it's not as good. However, it's never been "inedible" as some people say.

Worse Chinese Restaurant I have even been. Food quality and taste were terrible.

Haha, this might appear to be a joke but this shitty Chinese food is exactly what I am looking for when I want something cheap, American, and bad for me. I had General Tso's and Spicy garlic chicken delivered and they were reasonably priced and the wait wasn't too long (they were only 7 minutes late). I love being able to use Yelp weekend coupons to take a few bucks off and I will be using China Palace again in the future. Can't believe this place is better than Shanghai!

Short and sweet because I'm tired! I like China Palace * Like the food * Like the ease of ordering online * Like that the delivery guy never gets lost (employee of restaurant) * Like how quickly my order is delivered * Like that they don't have an exorbitant minimum ($15... reasonable for one person!) I also like that I always have leftovers to take to work the next day!

I like this place. I've been ordering from here for a couple of months now. I'm not a fan of very sweet/sugary Chinese food and have been looking for a good and cheap spot. This is it. I haven't tried dine-in or delevery but the pick up is always ready when I walk in and the order it always correct. They also send you home with a bag full of condiments and utensils. (Chop sticks upon request)

I ordered food to go on-line and when I arrived I had to wait another 20 minutes for my food to be finished past the time I was told with my on-line order. The lady at the cashiers desk told me my total and I told her that I paid on-line with a credit card. She looked it up and apologized. I ordered the beef kabobs and the Kung Pao shrimp dinner speacial which came with eggroll, soup choice and rice choice. The beef kabobs were the highlight of my meal; the right amount of soft, crunchy and sauce. This is a really large portion for the price and could be done as a meal with an egg roll. I chose the won ton soup and was really disappointed when I opened it to see one small and fallen apart wonton but, then I realized there was lettuce in it as well. I have never seen won ton soup with lettuce in it. The lettuce was warm, limp and the flavor permiated the entire soup. The eggroll was delicious so no complaints there. The kung pao shrimp had an overwhelming amount of peanuts on it. I picked through them and just ended up eating the shrimp which I thought the seasoning and sauce could have had a bit more flavor to it. I chose the fried rice and it was decent. The prices are good and you get large portions and I will be back to try something else since everyone has such good reviews of this place.

Solid Chinese-American fare. We order take out almost once a month from here. We like the generals chicken, honey chicken, and sesame chicken. The crab rangoons, fried dumplings and egg roles are our favorite appetizers. We usually order a dinner entree and split it as they are generous portions. The staff are always friendly and the food is hot and fresh.