The four-star rating of this place is deceiving.
We opted to venture there on a Monday night, having not lived in the area for long and still trying to find local places we can love.
This was not that place.
I ordered the sesame chicken. It was all dark meat, mealy, and greasy. The accompanying rice was the most interesting thing about the entree.
My fiancee had the Dragon and Phoenix. He shared similar complaints about the General Tso's chicken that was part of his entree; he didn't eat the shrimp because it was so bad.
He had hot tea, which was so weak, it was unrecognizable as tea. I ordered a Coke and discovered it comes in cans. Not the end of the world, but for what they charged for that can, I could have found a vending machine nearby and had two or three cans.
Service was okay, though it took longer than necessary to get our check, particularly given that we were one of only two occupied tables in the restaurant.
Other reviewers have said they don't understand why the restaurant is empty. Take the emptiness as a warning and find somewhere else to visit. We'll be doing the same.
I don't know why Fong's is always empty every time I go there. The staff here are as friendly and professional as they come. They will always remember you, even if you have only visited once. The decor here is very old school and has a 'lived in' feel.
The food is great, it's not too traditional or too Americanized. Whenever my family is feeling the Chinese food calling us, and we don't want buffet, we go here. The portions are big, We usually split the entrees because it is too much for one person. The prices are pretty good too. I hope you visit Fong's soon. In this area, Chinese food doesn't get better.
I would give them no stars if possible. Hope this knocks them down a star. NEWS FLASH! If you're going to a show at the nearby theater, MAKE SURE you give yourself at LEAST 2 hours for dinner. We got there at 6pm before a 7pm show. The place wasn't really all that busy, but as the hour went by, the place got more busy with people going to the same show. Long story short, at 6:55, no main entree. More and more people started complaining and became more hostile. We went to the show hungry because this place doesn't know how to handle a crowd and can't seem to properly staff a "popular" place on a Friday night. NEVER TO RETURN!
Review Source:Nothing here was great. Â The food wasn't terrible by any means, but average doesn't cut the mustard. Â I was fiending for some General Tso's Chicken and passed by this place while driving home. Â It was dissapointing. Â Poor cut of rubbery chicken, flavorless batter, soggy when it should be crispy, bland egg roll, soup was salty and boring, and the rice was just so-so. Â I wouldn't go here again.
Review Source:This place looks like it's been around a while... Â there's a good reason for this. Â The place does some really nice dine-in Chinese food -- that can be staying power, indeed. Â I suspect they also own the building.
Fong's Kitchen has been in my working repertoire for years; I have no idea why I haven't Yelped it until now. Â They cook here... Â that is to say, they know what they're doing and if you want something cooked or sauced a certain way -- they can do it. Â No substitution confusion, like I've seen elsewhere.
Now, this is westernized Chinese food, admittedly. They're pretty frank about that, too. Â They used to do more "authentic" Chinese items, but the traffic didn't get/support/understand/like it. Â The egg rolls are really nice; the dine-in service gets this little pot of pineapple sauce that's really good and a little pot of hot mustard that --if mishandled -- can burn the hair out of your nose. Â yeah.... feel the burn....
The General Tsao's Chicken and similar dishes here are very good; a blend of the right authentic coating (thin, almost invisible -- not massive awful "breading") and a more westernized sweet sauce. Â The orange beef gets the same treatment. Â Awesome. Â The fried Cantonese noodles are a treat, and its not often that I find a Chinese place in the 'burbs that does them right. Â The next nearest one is in Oakbrook Terrace, I think...
Is it like Chinatown? No. Â Sue (Tsao), Fong's owner has dinner with her mother down on Cermak every Sunday. Â She knows it's not Chinatown. Â But true Chinatown doesn't fly in downtown Waukegan; Â I mean, is anybody really going to order the jellyfish? Â But for excellent, fresh, familiar Chinese food, copious tea and friendly service ... you won't find much better out here in the hinterlands.
Drop in when you have the time to linger; you won't be disappointed.
Old, but clean. Seated upon walking in the front door. It was pretty empty in there; about 5 tables being used. Bathroom reminds me of an old chinese restaurant; it's very old and needs updating. They have a special menu for faster service before going to the shows at the Gennesee Theater across the street. Service was quick and friendly. Food was delicious. We had leftovers, which usually does not happen!
Review Source:Not as good as some, but certainly no slouch. As others have said, the decor looks more like 1970s American cafe, complete with Tiffany-style lamps blending with good luck kitties and Chinese beer bottles.
We went there on a Thursday night. My husband works across the street and has been there numerous times. It was apparently not their best night.
It was good, but not great. It is my second favorite Chinese in Waukegan.
As my husband put it, the interior is a little more 'diner' than ethnic, or asian; however, as so many people have said after trying the food there I can't believe it wasn't crowded - it was empty when we walked in around 5 p.m. on a Friday.
All of the ingredients - whether it was my husband's chicken dish or my tofu one - were totally fresh! After being exposed to so many Chinese chains it's easy to get disheartened and this place really sets a great standard.
The food also comes in very large portions so, depending on your appetite, you can easily have leftovers for lunch as well.
Our waitress was really attentive and offered additional rice for no extra charge.
The beer and wine, although there isn't much of a selection, is less than $4 - so that was a plus in my book.
If you like Chinese food definitely check this place out. It's also walking distance from Genesee Theater, so, if you are going to catch a show plan on eating local :)
gn bi ! Â (translation: Cheers!)
We were a little shocked when we walked in to see an empty restaraunt. Our view changed when greated by a friendly staff. The food was tasty, enough to please a picky appetite of a 3 year old... Who cleaned her plate. The portions were huge, with enough for lunch tomorrow. The price was good. In retrospect, there is no reason we shouldn't have walked in to a packed restaurant.
Review Source:The egg roll was pretty good. Â It was a good length, not too soggy or crunchy, and it didn't taste like it had been frozen. Â Overall, the place is okay but nothing special. Â The fried rice has a mostly dark brown color. Â The General Tso's Chicken is fried and covered with a sauce. Â The to-go orders come with the standard fortune cookie, a packet of soy sauce, a packet of sweet-and-sour, a plastic fork, and a napkin.
The experience was just bland, too sweet, and too indistinct.
The rice is really just some brown stuff poured in with white rice and fried. Â The General Tso's sauce consisted of a close approximation to a sweet-n-sour dish with sliced carrots and onions mixed in like you would see at any cheap buffet. Â The fried chicken component was boring.
The service was friendly, so I gave the place 3 stars. Â I don't expect I'll go back, but this area doesn't have many good choices for food.
The food is just lazy, and they would have a hard time making it look more unhealthy than it does now.
I was in the town of Waukegan, IL on Thursday to do a little shopping; I grew hunger so we decided to stop in to Fong's Kitchen. This is a location that we had stopped at once before about a year ago. The reason we decide to return was because the staff was very friendly and the food was really good. This time when we stopped in the staff remembered us from a year ago and we had a really great meal yet again. I do have to say if you are ever in the Waukegan area Fong's kitchen is the place to stop for lunch or dinner.
Review Source:This little gem of a Chinese restraunt sets the standard for tasty. The service is friendly and the food wonderful. I've enjoyed their meals on several occasions and have been delighted that they are consistent and an excellent value.
The atmosphere is relaxed and you never know who else will be dining - so consider it an adventure if you are hungry and in the Waukegan, IL area.
A little known gem in Lake county. Found this place a few years ago when I was on jury duty and it was a blazing bright spot in that horrible bureaucratic day!
Food is fantastic and the location is very cool: you're right down on the lake in the middle a neighborhood that looks like it could spring into artsy/ trendy at any moment.
The place feels like the old Chinese places we used to go to in Chicago when I was growing up. Open but intimate.
Foods fantastic: We've never had a bad meal here. In fact, it's as good as anything we get in China Town. Pan fried noodles: crispy and delicate. The egg rolls are the best north of Lake Cook road. The white sauces, flavorful and full. The sweet and sour sauces are complex--more Northern style: not like that horrible blazing pink candy sauce you get at most places up here! The brown sauces have more to them then just soy sauce. I hate the Lake County trend of smothering everything in sweet sauce or salty soy sauce and then saying: white people don't like it any other way! But not at Fong's; they don't insult your taste buds here!
The pot stickers aren't those horrible thick, sticky greasy things you get at most places: they are light and joyful pillows of pork! The crab Rangoon: divine and not too sweet! They have wonderful lunch specials and it's a great value for dinner too...
Now, we used to drive to Waukegan all the time to go to Fong's, but we haven't been here for at least a year. The other day we ate there and owner totally REMEMBERED I love almond cookies with my tea after a meal and made sure I got some. That is service! I LOVE THIS PLACE!
I guess i have a lot of pressure on me since i'm the very first to review this place!
I'll just start off with the basics and im sure all of the rest of the Yelpers out there can fill you in as time goes by.
I just came to town yesterday from Los Angeles, and my mother and i was desperatly wanting some Chinese food.We had been here throughout the years but i wouldnt say regularly.
What i noticed now is what i noticed then when i was younger and use to come here..The place reaks of chinese food.It's a strong odor that hits you the minute you walk into the door.
Enough said...The decor is ghettoy, its decorated like a innercity Chinese restaurant thats trying to be in a middle class area.They really do try their best with making you feel like you've steped into a China, If i may say.
We(mother and I) only order the rice.My family isnt too big on all of the extras.I am now that i live in Los Angeles but this place isnt really vegetarian oriented.
I liked how i was not charged for the fried rice without eggs and my mom had a good size portion of Chicken fried rice that she still has of right now.This was just yesterday so it's not like the rice will last you a few weeks..lol
Good for groups, large enough menu for carnivores looking to explore several different options of sea food, meat, chicken, duck..etc.
Staff was friendly and smiled.Vegetable fried rice was good and left me glad i came back to one of my cool chinese spots i'd go to when i was in the downtown area.
I highly recomend this place for trying out good food.Many of my friends and relatives like this restaurant and rate it the best..Ill just say their good and i recommend their buisness when in the area!
I tried to look for reviews from Yelp regarding this place and found a couple in google maps. There's not many Chinese restaurant in Waukegan. It's like gambling, you need to play your cards to know if it's a winner. Well, sad to say, I was bummed out. I placed a pick-up order and the minute I went in, I should have known better to turn around but not to be impolite, I went ahead and got our food. Crabmeat rangoon was a bit sweet which made it odd tasting. The mongolian beef didn't have much crunchy noodles. The sweet and sour chicken was over-cooked and it wasn't even funny. Lastly, the shrimp lo-mein sucked. There was a funny taste and smell. So we ended up throwing a good sum of money and wasted food. Â
You see, I know and understand my Chinese food cuz I have the ethnicity in bloodstream. I was so disappointed that inspite of good reviews I read, it just didn't make sense,
So if you want to taste it for yourself, feel free but if you get disappointed then I told you so.
I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone and not even to my enemies.
Good luck!
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