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30 years in business
Family-owned & operated
Grab-and-go
Catering service
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About the Business
Little Chef is owned and operated by husband and wife team Frank and Maryann Hsu. Frank is the culinary artist and Maryann runs the rest of the show...genuine fresh Chinese cooking in a no-frills setting near the beach. Prices are low and portions are good sized. Due to popularity with many locals as well as long time return customers, the wait can be lengthy so calling ahead is recommended!
Ask the Community
Q:
Are you open on Christmas day this year? You have always been our favorite place for Christmas dinner! Thank you!
A:
Yes! We will be open on Christmas Day with normal hours (12pm-9pm)! We’d highly recommend placing the order online to reduce wait time. You can check out our online ordering website: WWW.LittleChefCatering.US… more
Kai C., Business OwnerÂ1 year ago 1 person found this helpfulQ:
Do you add MSG to your food?
A:
Hi, we do not add MSG to our food, although some ingredients may contain a trace amount
Kai C., Business OwnerÂ2 years ago
Recommended Reviews
Overall rating
394 reviews
5 stars
4 stars
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1 star
- Chaitra M.San Diego, CA4432044Jan 11, 2024
One of my favorite takeout places in OB and really good if you want Chinese food in SD. NOT A SIT DOWN PLACE! Just take out which honestly I love. My favorite thing is that you can get the chow mein without all the cabbage and extra stuff. The Szechuan beef and orange chicken are my favorite dishes here. The service here is fast and the staff is always friendly and helpful.
Helpful 1Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - JP B.San Diego, CA151310May 1, 2024
Came in in Wed, May -1.
Rude cashier with tattoos stole my money and made my experience awful.
I'm going to talk to the managers tommorow and let them know ive been coming here for ten years and this employee is not good at customer service in any way.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - 1007592847Dec 17, 2023
This is American Chinese food. This isn't actual Chinese food. I knew that but my husband wanted to try it.
For people that eat "Chinese food" like this, with a menu like this. They'll like it.
But I personally would not get food from here again.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 1Business owner information
Kai C.
Dec 20, 2023
Dear Samantha,
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about Little Chef Chinese Takeout. We understand and appreciate that culinary preferences vary greatly, and what might be appealing to one person may not be to another.
We recognize that our menu offers American Chinese cuisine, which is indeed a distinct style from traditional Chinese food. This style has evolved to suit a variety of tastes and preferences, and we strive to cater to those who enjoy this particular fusion of flavors.
It's great to hear that our menu might appeal to those who enjoy American Chinese cuisine, though we're sorry to hear that our offerings did not align with your personal preferences. We are always looking for ways to improve and diversify our menu and would love any suggestions you might have.
While we're saddened to know you wouldn't choose to dine with us again, we respect your opinion and are grateful for the opportunity to have served you. If you ever do decide to give us another try, perhaps to taste any new additions or changes to our menu, we would be more than happy to welcome you back.
Thank you again for your honest feedback. We wish you all the best in your culinary adventures and hope you find a restaurant that perfectly matches your tastes.
Warm regards,
Kai Chuang
Owner
Little Chef Chinese Takeout - Oct 17, 2023
Little chef Chinese takeout is located in Newport avenue in ocean beach. It's a tiny little takeout place for Chinese food that seems to have a lot of customers throughout the night.
I stopped in tonight for dinner food as I wasn't really in the mood for a sit down meal anywhere.
I ordered the beef and broccoli with white rice and an orange chicken with fried rice and some crab Rangoon.
The beef and broccoli was hot, the broccoli was crunchy and fresh and the beef was flavorful. The rice was a little crunchy however.
The orange chicken was delicious with big chunks of chicken and it had a lot of flavor as well and the rice was soft and tender.
The crab Rangoon was gooey and crisp and tasted quite delicious.
If you're looking for a friendly staff and delicious takeout Chinese food, this is the place for you. You won't be disappointed in the food.Helpful 0Thanks 1Love this 0Oh no 0 - I P.Gaslamp, San Diego, CA01May 15, 2024
I never ever get sick and this place made me throw up for hours. Don't ever go here it was terrible
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Jun 18, 2023
We placed an online order of chicken fried rice, chicken with broccoli and snow peas (added zucchini), and cream cheese wontons. Everything was ready on time for pick up, definitely super hot.
The veggies were very fresh, my only sorta negative feeling was about the chicken. Nice large chunks, but it tasted like it was just boiled, not my favorite texture and not a lot of flavor. Same with the wontons, cooked well but not very flavorful.
I will say the portions were big and the dishes piping hot, overall average tasting Chinese take-out.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 1Oh no 1 - Rebecca R.AZ, AZ011May 1, 2024
Great food right on Newport Ave in Ocean Beach! Staff is friendly and prices are fair.
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Gabriela H.Lakewood, CO64325Dec 31, 2023
Great tasting food. Fragrant, flavorful and fresh ingredients. Good portion size for the money.
Quick delivery and no mix ups with order.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Arden C.San Diego, CA2712Dec 6, 2023
The reviews on this place were so mixed. But I decided to go for it and order takeout anyways. And wow! So fresh! Entree was a huge portion (for 2 people) and the fried rice was nice and moist. Not dry like Panda Express. The wontons were fresh and crispy. Honestly the food was great quality! They even put extra sauces in the bag for me! And two fortune cookies, utensils and napkins! Don't listen to the bad reviews. This place has good takeout! Check out my pics.
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0Business owner information
Kai C.
Dec 20, 2023
Dear Arden C.,
Thank you so much for taking a chance on Little Chef Chinese Takeout and for sharing your wonderful experience with others! We are absolutely delighted to hear that you enjoyed our food and found everything to your liking, from the generous portions to the quality of our fried rice and wontons.
We're glad to know that our efforts to provide fresh, high-quality meals, along with thoughtful extras like sauces, fortune cookies, utensils, and napkins, added to your dining experience. It's feedback like yours that encourages us to continue doing our best.
We truly appreciate you recommending us and countering the mixed reviews with your positive experience. Your support means a lot to us, and we can't wait to serve you again soon. Don't hesitate to let us know if there's anything specific you'd like to try on your next visit!
Warm regards,
Kai Chuang
Owner
Little Chef Chinese Takeout - Apr 15, 2023
This is the first time that we ordered from the Ocean Beach restaurant. Everything was delicious except for the Mongolian Beef. I have only seen Mongolian Beef served with mushrooms once and it was lacking in flavor. We tried it, but I asked to leave out the mushrooms and add in onions. This is how it is typically served in most Chinese restaurants that I have been to across the country. The mushrooms were left out, but there were only scallions (and not that many) and no onions. It was disappointing.
We ordered enough to feed 5 adults and there was plenty to eat. Their portions are large. The steamed dumplings were excellent as was the Honey Walnut Shrimp. Everything was good and we would order from there again.Helpful 1Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 1