Ho Kee Cafe

Service friendly, food prices add up, make sure to come with a group. Hella leftovers afterward. No desserts. Mall tofu = ❤️ we also got pineapple fried rice and duck. We ordered a side of rice and it was huge 😵. Unfortunately afterwards, we decimated SpongeBobs house. The duck tasted like a beefy chicken. It was richer and heavier, but delicious.

Second location of the very popular Hong Kong style Cantonese cafe is now opened in Arcadia. This location is slightly bigger than the SG location but got a few private rooms set up for private parties. Some rooms come equipped with premium sound system for some karaoke sesh. Over the weekend, friends and I got one of those room, great food and a great time! Very surprised the room was superbly soundproofed! Also the table inside that room could seat 14 adults comfortably. Menu is essentially the same as the SG location. Many off menu dishes are available too. Some seafood or delicacies may require advance reservation. We had roasted squabs, roasted duck (of course, I still think Ho Kee’s roasted duck is best in LA. They only do a few ducks at a time and continue to roast more through out the day to ensure your duck never sit out for too long. I also love their seasonal seafood (market price & supplies limited, check first). Love the giant prawns! We tried the boiled cod in a mildly peppery sauce, tasty & not fiery like Szechuan cousin. There was also lobster in different styles of cooking. The orange pork chop was simple and yummy! Not as oily as the far cousin Panda’s ;) & much tastier. Had some offals too. Really liked their braised tripes with turnips, and a cold appetizers with thinly julienned beef stomach with cucumber, green onion, & bell pepper. Steamed oysters were yummy according to my friends (I only eat raw oysters :)) oh almost forget, foie gras chow e mein! So good! & the crispy pork belly stir-fries with a type of romanesco broccoli... just talking about this made me crave for some now! This place just makes me feel like home. One could order simple tasty noodles dishes & simple family style Cantonese food for 1 or a few. One could also host a fancy banquet dinner with ordering fancy seafood dishes and rare Cantonese delicacies. Love this place! Side note, their water system is entirely filtered. No worries about funky tap water. I highly recommended this restaurant. Even tho their name is a cafe, they offer so many culinary lost art in Cantonese delicacies that one could totally host a banquet there fit for an emperor. Gotta ask the ahead what could be available though. Reservation is recommended for peak hours.

HONG KONG 🇭🇰 Excerpt from Eat the World Los Angeles: Ever since opening, the original Ho Kee Cafe on Del Mar Avenue in San Gabriel has been busy, its smaller space often bursting at the seams with humanity. Lively groups of customers, people waiting for tables or takeout orders, and efficient service weaving their way in and out of both. This led to the opening of a second, larger branch in Arcadia in the spring of last year. These days (2020) you will not get to sit near the kitchen, see the roasted ducks hanging, and hear them being chopped up after putting in your orders, but the food remains at the same level it has since opening. Often times you will sit next to tables with Cantonese being spoken in Hong Kong accents, it almost feels like a Wong Kar-wai film when the foods start arriving. Wear your best vintage clothing!

Food was great! Place was moderately busy for Sunday lunch but I heard from a friend passing by that it was packed on Saturday lunch. Price is a little higher than similar HK cafes. Definitely try their house special chow mein and the pork hock soup was good. Front entrance has a self order kiosk for take out orders. Would recommend bringing friends for lunch. Atmosphere was good, spacious, and staff were very knowledgeable and on top of things.

I love this chain more than the one in San Gabriel. The staff was very friendly and attentive. We ordered Sauteed Diced Beef Tenderloin with Black Pepper and green beans. They offered us free red bean and tapioca soup as dessert. Sauteed Diced Beef Tenderloin with Black Pepper: it was very tender and juicy, and it was very flavorful. My mouth is watering as I was thinking about it. Green beans: very flavorful and crispy! It was a bit spicy, but I was able to handle. Red bean tapioca soup: very watery and lack of taste. I did not finish it. A bit sad. 1 star was taken off because the food was slightly oily, and the dessert was too watery.