Ho Kee Cafe

Ho Kee Cafe Review - San Gabriel - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"A popular spot for dinner in San Gabriel, Ho Kee Cafe serves Cantonese classics in a super -busy dining room. Duck is the best thing here - and you’ll know it as soon as you walk in and see rows of them hanging in the kitchen window. You’ve got plenty of options (you can get it shredded in porridge or soup, or chopped up with rice), but our favorite is just the roast duck with some house-made duck sauce. It’s sweet, salty, and the skin is perfectly crispy." - Brett Keating

The Best Places To Eat In The San Gabriel Valley

"Our Favorite Dishes: Roast Duck, Noodle Soup With Roast BBQ Pork A popular spot for dinner in San Gabriel, Ho Kee Cafe serves Cantonese classics in a super-busy dining room. Duck is the best thing here - and you’ll know it as soon as you walk in and see rows of them hanging in the kitchen window. You’ve got plenty of options (you can get it shredded in porridge or soup, or chopped up with rice), but our favorite is just the roast duck with some house-made duck sauce. It’s sweet, salty, and the skin is perfectly crispy." - jess basser sanders, amy clark, brant cox, brett keating

22 Landmark Cantonese Restaurants to Savor in Los Angeles

"Ho Kee is known for its roast duck and array of Cantonese and Hong Kong comfort dishes, but the specialty is its see fong choi (private kitchen dishes). These specialty menu items, which can be on the pricier side, include abalone and sea cucumber, winter melon soup, steamed egg custard in crab shell, garlic steamed razor clams, and jumbo shrimp." - Kristie Hang

8 Essential Hong Kong-Style Barbecue Restaurants in LA

"This Cantonese go-to in the San Gabriel Valley is known for playing the hits, though the crumbly, thinly sliced char siu is definitely not for everyone. The one thing that seems to be on every table is the Hong Kong-style roast duck, with the flavorful, gamey meat subtly scented by notes of anise and five-spice." - Euno Lee

Mario Chan

Google

We ordered the shrimp chow fun with egg and the shrimp was too salty, fishy tasting and had a sour aftertaste at the end. It seemed as though the shrimp was not fresh and on the verge of spoiling. The noodles had no wok hei despite being chow fun. After telling the staff about it, instead of preparing something else, they only gave a 5 dollar discount. The wonton noodles are nothing to write home about but the fried seafood noodles were okay. Afterwards the staff did give a plate of fruits and fortune cookies but it was still a disappointing dinner as the shrimp was rather unpleasant.

Jing Zhou

Google

We came with four people. This place offer a variety of Cantonese dishes. Their duck was very good. Their stir fired noodles has a great amount wok 气. Very reasonably priced. And great portions

kwok su

Google

Great hole in the wall location. The duck is a must, but my favorite thing to order was the pineapple bun with butter and bbq pork.

Chen Lisa

Google

Disappointed. Found a hair when almost done eating, which is definitely ruined everything. The stir fry rice noodles is mediocre at best, and it supposed to be a very common Cantonese dish. The soy sauce combination tastes fine until I see the hair. BTW I like the soy beans idea (prevent food dipping in the sauce for too long and enhance the flavor at the same time) but with the price paid, it feels a little cheesy. I rarely rate a restaurant with only one try, but finding hair in food is definitely a stop sign. Parking and the interior decor might be the best/strongest suit about this place.

Mavis

Google

Quality has gone down so much - The roasted duck doesn't taste fresh and lack the aroma it should have. The veggie is not fresh either. One could tell the leaves and stems were wilted even before it was cooked. Worst of all, there was sand or something gritty in the rice. It was so disgusting I had to spit it out.

Jessica You

Google

Not bad but maybe I need to order something different more to my liking. Came here with friends and one of them paid so I can’t comment on price. Parking is a tiny lot but thankfully we found parking. There are plenty of seats inside and it’s pretty clean. I liked the pictures they put up and they have the typical cooked duck hanging in a window. I tried their hong kong milk tea and coffee mixture and it tasted good but if you are lactose, stay away! It later on destroyed me. Henry’s cuisine HK Milk Tea Coffee combo is a lot better (tastes better and doesn’t hurt your stomach)! I stayed away from the wontons cause I heard they had shrimp. I thought i would be safe with dumplings but prob my fault for rush ordering and the dumplings ended up having fat shrimp inside of it! I just ate the veggies and egg noodles (those were good). I also had a bite of my friend’s meat and rice dish and it was pretty good (I have a pic of it). I would come back but will definitely be careful what I order (shrimp is so bleck).

Brian Ellison

Google

I used to come here regularly for the roast duck but the last three times I have come here, the quality of the ducks have been inconsistent at best. There has been a very gamey and tough quality of the meat and it makes me wonder whether they're using expired or frozen meat. Additionally when I order the whole duck, I've noticed that the chopped up portion is significantly smaller than the whole duck. I have a suspicion that they're secretly taking a portion out and giving it to the customers that are ordering duck over rice. I was a long term customer but definitely won't be coming back here again. There are better duck places in the SGV.

Oreo Oo。

Google

The waiter is very lovely, and the food is awesome. My friend, who is from Guangzhou, really like the noodle there, and he said it is pretty authentic. The shrimp is also pretty good. I would love to come there again for another food.

Agnes Y.

Yelp

Looking for a place to eat in San Gabriel instead of fighting traffic out of the area and found Ho Kee Cafe because the name sounded like an authentic Cantonese restaurant. The interior was very authentic looking, with roast ducks hanging and a milk tea station. Service was really good and friendly, the servers were a mother and son duo. Tea was constantly filled, and we were served sweet orange slices and snacks at the end. Ordered a Beef Chow Fun with Soy Sauce (dried style), Roast Duck, and Tender Green with Garlic. The wok flavor 鑊氣 was amazing for the chow fun and vegetable. Roast duck (regular plate) was a very generous portion with good meaty pieces. The taste was very good, only thing missing was a crispy skin! Prices were reasonable. This is a solid Cantonese style cafe.

Jazzy B.

Yelp

Food quality is terrible- noodle dishes have no flavor and bland. Ordered 4 dishes. Way over priced for quality of the food. Won't be returning.

Mark L.

Yelp

Crispy tofu 風味豆腐 - Excellent sauce, very crispy when first serve. But the sauce is so good, even not crispy still taste good. Roast duck - Crispy skin, great flavor Crispy jumbo shrimp - very crunchy. Great seasoning. Not too salty. Service - Meh

Franklin M.

Yelp

It's been a busy night at Chinese restaurants due to the New Year. We didn't have to wait to be seated and within a few minutes the waiter took our order. We ordered orange chicken, BBQ pork, and chicken fried rice. All the food was delicious and the flavoring was perfect. They kept filling our tea cup and it kept us wired.

My C.

Yelp

Fast service and delicious food. Most important when you need to satisfy your morning hunger. We loved everything we got. Porridge, noodles, fried tofu and pork belly. Hong Kong milk tea here is best. It's strong but not too sweet.

Cherlene L.

Yelp

I love Ho Kee Cafe especially for breakfast. I tend to go on the earlier side so it's usually empty but then crowds start to flock in not too long after. The servers are always attentive, especially since the area is not that big, which allows quick service. After countless times, I have not been disappointed with my food everytime I have been here. I personally only come for the breakfast sets and bring home a duck so I have the meals for the rest of the day. They are known in the area for their duck. Their drink sizes are huge as well. I am a big fan of the rice noodle with shrimp, aka Cheung fun. It's so hard to find some fresh ones for a decent price in today's economy. It's a very chill environment, Some TVS playing the news or random channels. It's a vibe. Keep in mind that parking is small and there is some street side parking as well. Definitely a place that I love being a regular at.

Cindy S.

Yelp

Incredible Hong Kong style roast duck! Not gamey or fatty; and properly clean (no excess fat or random feathers/hair on skin). Very tasty well seasoned not too salty with wonderful non-soggy skin and succulent meat. The best! Ho Kee has Better Chinese BBQ then Sam Woo which my family loves. However, I still think Wonton soup at Sam Woo is better. Best to visit here on weekdays- no crowd. This place is a hole-in-the-wall. If you want a nicer spot, go to their Arcadia location. The restaurant accepts credit cards with a minimum purchase and there is ample parking in the private lot.

Jeff L.

Yelp

This was my first visit to this location. I have previously gone to the Arcadia one a couple weeks ago. This restaurant is very tiny and only has a couple of tables. The Ho Kee Cafe locations have made a name for themselves the last couple of years so it's been a staple in the SGV. If there is a wait outside and be sure to check in and write your name down on the clipboard once you arrive assuming that there is a wait. The waitresses team seem to be pushing certain dishes that sounded very expensive she was asking if we wanted abalone, not sure how much success she had that evening. We got a couple of dishes to share and all were really good. The coconut pudding was great as a dessert, the coconut had a very strong flavor. There is a small parking lot connected to that restaurant itself but there are limited spots. Street parking is probably the way to go for this location.

Mary L.

Yelp

Got won ton for lunch and two takeouts. I even brought my own containers for the half duck and jellyfish. Jellyfish costs $1 more than NBC but the portions were bigger and tasted similar. Roast duck still taste delicious like before but price is up. This duck feels bigger.

Linh Y.

Yelp

My Mom and I were here a few weekends ago. Originally, we wanted to try Ho Kee Noodles, but they were closed on a Saturday... not sure what was going on with that. Anyway, we made it here at Ho Kee Cafe on a sprinkly afternoon. It's located on the off skirts of Del Mar Blvd. Surprisingly, it has good size inside seating... from the outside, it didn't look that big. It wasn't too busy at the time. My Mom ordered the Shrimp Egg Fried Rice... tons of shrimps, but too saucy and a tad salty. I got the Dumpling Egg Noodles... dumpling was the pan fried type dumpling which was not authentic for this item IMHO and portion was too small for the price. Both items were just okay. Nothing to rave about. Staff was pleasant. Prices are on the higher side. They do have a BBQ deli in case you want a whole duck. Anyway, we probably won't be back, but glad we tried it. Thank you Ho Kee!

Hannah H.

Yelp

Order takeout today, frustrated is not even comes close to how I felt. Everything spilled ...

Jackie X.

Yelp

I've been here twice now and will plan to return. The small parking lot had enough spots both times I've come during the weekend. The staff has always been quick and friendly. The inside is smallish but has room for a few different groups. There are photos of what I think is China or Hong Kong. They have a breakfast menu and lunch/dinner menu but they let us order the lunch/dinner when breakfast was still being served. Their roast duck is delicious. I got it both times. Also a great price, the half plate is $19. The other food is good, could use a bit more salt or flavor but they provide chili oil which we add. I've gotten the green beans and the Hong Kong wonton noodle soup. The green beans and the water spinach are on the pricier side, which is tough because they are 2 of 3 vegetable dishes. I probably wouldn't get them again, maybe the green beans because I love Chinese green beans but the spinach was $20 for a smallish portion. The beef chow fun was also fine. I really prefer to come here just for their duck options but their other entrees are not bad! I'd like to try their breakfast sometime, the prices weren't bad but some of the dishes are more simple and could be made at home. My dad enjoyed it and said it was authentic.

Katherine S.

Yelp

We got here right before 10 on a Sunday for breakfast and got seated right away. We got the breakfast combo, which comes with a congee or noodle soup and a side. We got the pineapple bun as a side and separately ordered a shrimp rice roll. The combo comes with a choice of coffee or milk tea (you can ask for a mix of milk tea and coffee too). The beef noodle soup is amazing! Great portions and the beef is super tender! Definitely give it a try if want to opt for something other than congee! The pineapple bun is a little bit smaller than expected and wish the top could be flakier (and warmer) but overall pretty good! The shrimp rice roll is slightly more disappointing since we wish it could be more silky/slippery. Will definitely come back and try out other things on the menu!

Victoria T.

Yelp

Yum! Delicious food and always consistent. I come hear at least once a month with my family as their duck is delicious. The service is always great and welcoming. This place is a must!

Andrew S.

Yelp

I was in the mood for Cantonese BBQ, and found my way out to the SGV. The interior was a step up from your average BBQ joint. I ordered the BBQ roast pork and it was excellent. The portion was huge and it was served over a bed of hot (not warm, but hot) rice. It was deeply satisfying. The waitress recommended that I try the duck on my next visit and I will be back to sample.

Kiona V.

Yelp

Still on a mission to satisfy my roast duck craving even though I just devoured one all by myself a few days ago. This restaurant was 45 minutes away, but I had big hope their duck would scratch the itch. Pro: Nice plastic to-go container with lid which was an improvement compared to the usual styrofoam container at most places Con: Roast duck was just average for me. Skin a little too chewy, and swimming in a dark broth that was a little too salty. The extra orange sauce did not go well with the duck at all. It tasted like the sauce on orange chicken. I prefer ABC Seafood restaurant in Chinatown over this one. That duck was better, cheaper, and closer.

Slu L.

Yelp

Hong Kong style BBQ dishes are the highlights, but I recommend the fish soup. BBQ duck is super lean, not fat. The taste is just so so.

Tammy T.

Yelp

Avoid at all costs if you want to eat here during the summer months. No A/C. Feels like your are eating in the middle of the jungle dripping of sweat. If you're craving duck, just to-go it and eat it at home or in your car. You will thank me! 90 something degree weather and there's no AC, it's ridiculous!

Ozzy R.

Yelp

It was ok. I came for the duck. Wasn't disappointed. But definitely not impressed. Photos looked good. Reviews did too. I was in the area so I had to come check it out. Service is ok. Location is low key. Very nice feel to it. Plenty of seating. I came around lunch time so I suppose it's fresh. I got the two meat lunch. It came with rice and boi choy. I chose duck and bbq pork. The pork was very basic. Kind of dry. Wouldn't recommend. The duck was ok too. Honestly, I've had better. Won't be back. But I wasn't unsatisfied either. Basic lunch stop. Nothing special. Try them for yourself. I could be wrong. Others love it.

Natalie T.

Yelp

I ordered wonton noodles and black bean sauce chow fun. The food was decent. The chow fun came with a lot of beef.

Constance L.

Yelp

So much amazing comfort food. Detailed breakdown below: **Service, 5/5** Friendly and food came out pretty quickly. **Price & portion, 5/5** Typical family-sized portions! Great for sharing and trying a bit of everything. **Taste, 5/5** Everything we ordered was fresh and tasted great -- hits the spot for sure. The fried rice had amazing flavor, and the roast duck was juicy and perfectly fatty. And omg the shrimp and egg chow fun was soooo good! The wok flavor really came through, and the silky eggs, bouncy shrimp, and smooth gravy made every bite heavenly.

Jennifer H.

Yelp

3.5/5 stars Got take out here. The menu was extensive and seemed to have a lot of authentic Cantonese dishes. Ordered the pigeon and the beef chow fun. The pigeon came as 4 small pieces, and it was pretty good (just tasted like chicken), but pricey for what you get. The beef chow fun was a large portion and was tasty. The beef was surprisingly tender. I would prefer the thick noodles for chow fun, but the thin noodles were still good. The lady working there was so sweet because she gave us a guava while we waited for our food

Diane T.

Yelp

Best roast duck I've had because a lot of places I've ordered had these really salty inedible pieces that we have to throw away. Every piece was roasted perfectly.

T M.

Yelp

We used to love this place for its authentic Chinese food. However, our last visit may be our last ever. We got dumpling noodle soup and had to spit out large pieces of pork rind that were chewy like cardboard - they didn't look like meat! It was disgusting! The bakchoi we ordered was so old and chewy, you could tell they were not fresh. Their low quality ingredients lost me as a once-loyal customer forever...

Aphinya C.

Yelp

Their BBQ pork and roasted duck are flavorful highlights, and the menu includes a wide range of traditional dishes, from congee to noodles. Service is quick, and the portions are generous, making it a popular spot for casual dining. A great choice for those craving classic Cantonese flavors in a no-frills setting.

Susan H.

Yelp

Plenty of parking for this restaurant. We came for the breakfast special. The order comes with milk tea or coffee too. Tasty and satisfying breakfast. Congee was good too, decent portion size. the waitress was very friendly and helpful.

Samuel C.

Yelp

Just not a good place if you can't use the restroom while working, I visited the place and they denied me of the bathroom.

Kai H.

Yelp

AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COST! Worst ever food I have had in my entire life. The chicken we ordered carry thousand of hair on the skin. It looks like the chicken they just caught on the street without any cleaning and washing procedure. The cabbage veggie we ordered tastes like from my 12 year old nephew who just start to learn how to cook a meal for himself. You go there you burn and waste all your money. Go eat tacos on the street is a much better choice.

Cheryl S.

Yelp

I went around 2:30pm today. Today is 87 degree and the restaurant did not turn on the A/C. The waiter said she doesn't know how to turn on, and people how know was stepped out on break. She opened the door for better air circulation but instead invited flies. 87 degree hot summer in California, can you imagine??!! Although she immediately gave us chopsticks when we dropped one, but the waiter service was not nice overall. And more importantly, we were the only table in the restaurant, why did waiter decided to sweep the floors when we were still eating? Food was ok, but not cheap. Nowadays everything is expensive. The suggested tips is calculated after tax, so be mindful.

Jimmy P.

Yelp

The restaurant has a laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere and manages to serve dishes promptly, which is quite impressive! The standout dish here is definitely the roast duck. It's a delightful blend of savory flavors with a glossy texture, and it doesn't feel overly greasy. The plum sauce adds a subtle sweetness that complements the dish beautifully. I also highly recommend trying the crab fried rice. It features tender shredded crab meat, fluffy rice, and eggs, creating a delicious combination. The finely diced asparagus in the dish adds a satisfying crunch, making it a fantastic choice for your meal. On plus side, nice quick service too!

Alice W.

Yelp

Came here for the roasted duck as it had been recommended by a friend. First time - I had placed a whole roasted duck order to go; but realized when I got home that the to-go box was a small black plastic container with the transparent lid and they didn't include wings, neck, and less meaty parts of the legs. Second time - ordered the same but told them to include everything (which the lady that served us nonchalantly replied with "ok ok"); although the to-go box this time was bigger than the first time I still didn't get the wings and some breast meat. The food tasted good but I feel cheated with not getting the "whole" duck which I had ordered and paid for. Check your orders before you take them home as this place will steal some parts from the duck and still charge you full price.

Julie L.

Yelp

They have the BEST breakfast Combo that I would drive all the way from West LA. Anita is my favorite sever that she always takes care of me. I always order A+C Combo that comes with "Hand-made" rice noodle & Chinese porridge + Hong Kong style Coffee I highly recommend this place & give it a 6 Star .

Annie N.

Yelp

The duck is really good! Don't come here for small talk and niceties. Service could feel abrupt and to the point, but certainly not mean. It's like a local, authentic spot. I would skip the chicken wings, and the brisket rice was not at all what I pictured (minced meat and rice). Instead it was really glossy, huge chunks. The green beans were delicious and portions are huge. Complimentary orange slices were awesome. Exquisite like fruit from Japan.

Chester C.

Yelp

Delicious corner is the popular HK style cafe left around the SGV, but I have to say Ho-Kee has the better quality of food. They run the same breakfast special, but lunch is just your regular dinner menu. Chinese bbq is good but the milk tea could use some work which I still think delicious is better.

Gary W.

Yelp

Food is great! The waitress was extremely kind and patient. Ordered wet beef chow fun and salt pepper fish. Will go again!

Ang K.

Yelp

More like a 3.5...I called to place order in advance, guy said picked up in 15 minutes but in reality was 30. Fish porridge had peanuts unexpectedly. I only had fish porridge at 2-3 other Cantonese places and they didn't have peanuts. Duck had a lot of meat but not very flavorful and a little gamey. Apparently they share a parking lot with a residential building. Some spaces are parked and some are unmarked. I thought unmarked ones were free game so I just parked at an unoccupied unmarked spot. There were two workers standing outside watching me and they didn't say anything to me about designated spots. After I got my food, walked to my car, sat in and before I close my car door, I heard someone knocking on my car's side. I stuck out my head and saw an old asian man, without a mask, with cigarette in one hand. "ThIs parking space is mine!" He said "What?" I replied since I am not fluent in Cantonese. He switched to English "This spot and the spot next to it are both mine. You can't park here." "Sorry it's unmarked and no cone or anything." "The spot is mind but I will let you go this time." "Ok sorry I've never been here. I didn't know" It's late on Sunday evening I didn't want to keep arguing with him or ask what did he meant by "he will let me go." This experience sure put a sour taste in my mouth. Didn't remember to check to see if car is keyed until I got home.

Chris L.

Yelp

We use to come here quite often but on our most recent trip we purchased half a duck for take out. The duck was dry, very tough to chew and smelly. Very disappointed. We ended up just throwing it out.

Jennifer P.

Yelp

I absolutely love this place. It's a great "brunch" spot for me or even late night! Their food is fresh and cooked to perfection, EVERY TIME. I love their braised or bbq pork and the egg drop noodles just hit the spot! They offer a lot of different dishes and the food comes out quick. There's a small parking lot and can be very busy on the weekends. Service is meh but not like they're rude or anything. I wish they made more locations so I don't have to drive so far but worth the drive!

Lucy C.

Yelp

Food is authentic. They have a skilled chef. Staff is small but they're fairly efficient despite. Very HK attitude

Nell C.

Yelp

I am always a fan of Ho Kee Cafe. Their food is good and comforting. Congee is excellent and prices are reasonable. Parking is limited but if you go non rush hour you'll find a space! Service was attentive and ambiance was clean.

Enrique D.

Yelp

Reminds me of hole in the wall restos in Taiwan and HongKong. The food was not bad.... and not too good either. Unfortunately, it was in the middle. we ordered a whole duck and i can't understand why it was cold. Maybe they could have heated it a little bit.... and yet I saw them cooking new ones and hanging a couple just as our meal was ending. The only good part was that it wasn't too fatty. It had the right ratio of skin to meat to fat ... and we didn't see the neck nor the head part though. The wanton noodles served huge pieces of siomai. Unfortunately, the broth seemed bland. When I asked the people with me, they said the same thing. Service wise, it was what you'll get at a typical legit Chinese resto. So you know they are legit. It was probably an off day for them, i'll give them another try soon. Price wise, it was just right.

S W.

Yelp

Our whole family used to like this place because they had the best roasted duck in the SG Valley. Recently, their food quality has gone down so much - roasted duck doesn't taste fresh and lack the aroma it should have. Veggie is not fresh either. One can tell they were wilted even before it was cooked. Worst of all, there was some sand/small rock in the rice. That is really disgusting. What happened to you, Ho Kee??

Andrew T.

Yelp

Good hong Kong style cafe that is popular for its duck. The food is decent but nothing special and it was relatively empty when I went.

Allyson L.

Yelp

A GREAT SPOT TO GET CANTONESE-STYLE ROAST DUCK!!! *PARKING* There is a parking lot adjacent to the restaurant and street parking as well. *AMBIENCE* The restaurant is casual, family-style, and very efficient - the dishes come out very quickly! *FOOD* ROAST DUCK Their roast duck is definitely the star of the show! It's savory and shiny, but not too oily and greasy. The plum sauce served with it is also very good and adds a nice subtle sweetness to the dish. CRAB FRIED RICE I would also recommend their crab fried rice. The shredded crab meat, rice, and eggs in the dish are super fluffy and pair well with the crunch from the finely diced asparagus in the dish.

Yelan C.

Yelp

Love their duck and their soy sauce combo. Also ordered the fried intestine to go, which was a mistake, it became socky when I got it home. I bet it will taste much better if you eat it in the restaurant.

W A.

Yelp

Comfort food that hits the spot and reasonably price. Clean restaurant and it looks like the roast duck is the specialty item on menu.

William E.

Yelp

Ho Kee is a small restaurant that has good Chinese BBQ. There's nothing amazing here, but simple traditional Chinese dishes. I went in with my family and we ordered a table full of food. Everything came out after 15 minutes and the food was good. I would recommend that you give this place a try.

Kyaw M.

Yelp

You can have hong Kong cafe breakfast like congee, doughnut, pineapple bun, or you can have more substantial dinner Cantonese dishes. Good, solid place in an area teeming with competition.

Hungry L.

Yelp

4 stars for the duck. 3 stars for the pigeon (a bit dry and expensive) and minced beef with raw egg (rice was dry)

Ho Kee Cafe Review - San Gabriel - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

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