Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Charlie Hong Kong in Santa Cruz

4.4 (199) 1141 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, United States

Categories

Organic restaurant
Family restaurant
Gluten-free restaurant
Health food restaurant
Vegan restaurant
Vegetarian restaurant

Location on the map

Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, California, US

Phone: +1 831-426-5664
Site: http://charliehongkong.com/

Opening hours

Monday:11 AM–10 PM
Tuesday:11 AM–10 PM
Wednesday:11 AM–10 PM
Thursday:11 AM–10 PM
Friday:11 AM–10 PM
Saturday:11 AM–10 PM
Sunday:11 AM–10 PM

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.4

199 Reviews for Charlie Hong Kong 2024:

Review №1

2023-10-25 23:10:59

Love Charlie Hong Kong!Organic delicious food, very easy menu where you choose your base and then add any protein of your choice, though not required, and the outcome is amazing.Ive tried every of the classic options and my favorites are among; Pad Thai, Charlie Chow Mein, Yellow Curry Noodle, Rising Phoenix Red Curry, and others.Also very affordable, good side portions, and you feel great after eating a nice serving of organic veggies seasoned up nice!Check em out if youre hungry in the area🤙🏼

Review №2

2023-10-04 18:46:40

What a cool place! Has great beach town vibes and super fast service. We had egg rolls, a salad, and a vegan cookie and everything was delicious. Great place for vegans!

Review №3

2023-07-25 04:11:53

Love this space. Hidden gem of Santa Cruz! Food is always flavorful and fresh. Customer service is always friendly and accommodating! My favorite go to is the teriyaki chicken or salmon rice bowl with brown rice and vegetable medley!

Review №4

2023-07-22 01:06:35

We are visiting from out of town and we must be spoiled because I ordered the Charlie Pad Thai and it had no flavor and super salty, it looked like a soup versus a Thai dish. I have been to Thailand and this was not even close to the dish. I have had vegetarian Pad Thai as well and I felt I was eating a soup. The chef should really taste his own food. Not trying to sounds mean but I was really excited to eat here. I tried eating it because I super hungry but really disappointed.

Review №5

2023-11-04 22:41:25

Its very delicious especially The Green Curry Chicken Rice Bowl, The Curry Chicken, And The Peanut Sauce!

Review №6

2023-05-20 20:23:17

Great vegetarian options and priced accordingly for that - but as soon as you add anything into your bowl/dish the price adds up quick! There is some seating if you wanted to eat in and the staff seems happy to be there. Overall its a good spot to try once for yourself to determine if its your jam!

Review №7

2023-07-02 01:39:55

Read really good things about this restaurant, but kind of disappointed when trying it. Overall flavor is on the blander side since I was expecting full-on southeastern flavor profile. Housin pork is also on the tougher side.

Review №8

2022-07-11 00:54:24

It definitely is the best bites on a budget. This place was super generous with the portion, their flavor, and their additional sauces. With the price we didn’t expect to be served with big bowls completely filled up. We ordered hoisin pork rice bowl, chili sesame noodle salad and Thai coconut mushroom soup. The mushroom soup was very creamy and flavorful. The pork in the rice bowl was very tender and not too strong in flavor. The noodle salad sauce was addicted. Their veggies were very fresh, and the pickled radish and carrots were a wonderful flavor addition. They also offered self serve hoisin sauce, home made chili sauce (best with the noodle salad) and Sriracha sauce. They had limited space for dine-in and required you to self serve, so don’t forget to clean after yourself when you are done eating.

Review №9

2023-08-30 02:30:02

I didnt go inside. It was a to go order. My friend went in and picked up the food so I couldnt rate the atmosphere. The person who took the phone order was great. Patient and accommodating. She basically put our order together because my friend wasnt patient enough to look at the menu although we had the time. I enjoyed my chicken, noodles and veggies. He didnt particularly like his soup and noodles but that was his own fault 😆

Review №10

2023-12-03 04:24:38

First time coming here and did not disappoint! You can definitely taste how fresh everything is

Review №11

2023-10-18 15:45:53

10/10 totally recommend. Not only was the food AMAZING but the workers were super kind. They had a kitchen issue right after we ordered (which didn’t take them long to fix) but because of the small extra wait, they gave us free drinks. We just appreciated the extra attention!

Review №12

2023-12-03 01:41:13

Food came super fast, large vegan selection, fresh food. Highly recommend to try it. mushroom coconut soup is pretty great.

Review №13

2023-08-25 05:04:20

Friendly young man at the counter took my order. Got the vegan bowl, red curry and it is a generous portion even without any add-ons and the vegetables were tasty. Good value. Only knock on them is they started closing up 30 minutes before closing time and packed the napkins away, poor form. There were still at least three other customers eating in the dining area.

Review №14

2022-02-09 04:18:54

It’s getting late and after a flurry of visiting old friends and fancy restaurants, I am finally kicked loose with no clear itinerary, hungry, but tired, too early to go to bed, but too late to call old friends, so I stumble into Charlie Hong Kong’s which looks like a love child of Blade Runner and The Beach Boys. If youve traveled in Thailand on the hippy trail, you’ve seen places like this. Here, it where the locals go.I’ll have to say their Thai Curry soup seems a little watered down and other than mushrooms, there isn’t a pea, a pod, a tiny bit of vegetable of any kind, but it’s not bad, just not great.Then come the Teriyaki Chicken which has ample perfect rice-house rice with a good chewy grain that reminds me of shops all across Asia and a savory chicken that has simmered to tenderness and is saturated with flavor. The teriyaki soy appears to be home made and the ginger announced itself like a rooster announcing the morning.Not too sweet, not too complicated, not too fancy, but if I lived here, I’d eat there twice week for the rest of my life. They’d get so sick of my ugly old mug that they’d run and hide when I showed up, except I tip well.Its one of those places that drip character like an old roof drips water.Can’t wait to go there again.

Review №15

2022-11-11 16:27:17

Im sure theres many places in Santa Cruz that are wonderful to eat but this is the only place I ever go to. I discovered it in 2003 and have been going ever since!! My absolute favorite!! Hoison Pork Bowl!!!! So yummy and satisfying!!! So happy, this place is here!!!

Review №16

2023-12-06 02:03:26

Took away my favorite dish. Spicy Dan with ginger beef. Why? Many of us will not be back: hoisen pork is gross with spicy Dan. Ginger beef was magic. 😕. Fail whale.

Review №17

2023-08-17 04:34:47

Santa Cruz native.Right off the bat the Curly haired girl taking my order was rude and unfriendly. Looked annoyed. I ordered the Hoisen Pork Sandwich, kinda soggy and gross. They did not cut my sandwich in half. Nothing special here and way overpriced.Lees sandwiches offers a better sandwich at half the price with better service and a clean dining area.Outside patio was dirty and tables were filthy.Never going back here.

Review №18

2023-08-06 00:21:42

Good quality ingredients but uninspiringly cooked. Both our dishes tasted really bland. Could have been easily done better, they were 80% of the way there.Wouldnt recommend unless you like very mild food.I ordered what seemed like the most flavorful options - the red curry one and the spicy peanut sauce one..both bland.

Review №19

2023-05-29 19:06:52

Fuego on a budget. 🔥 Their take on Asian fusion cuisine is really creative and they have a lot to choose from. Service was prompt and cheerful. They even offer chili sauce and extra teriyaki on the house. This is one of my go-to places for late evening take-out. Hits it on the nail every time without fail. Thank you!

Review №20

2023-08-31 23:47:13

Update: Thank you for addressing this issue!5 Star Service and healthy dining!I have been coming to Charlie Hong Kong for years. The food is usually not bad; I like that they use farm to table ingredients; its not the authentic flavor you find in other asian fusion restaurants but its fine. Today I had the Curry Chicken Pad Thai for lunch and I was shocked that there was a rock in my food! How does this happen?

Review №21

2023-11-20 04:49:45

Outdoor patio, counter service, spicy if you ask!I had the salmon sandwich and enjoyed it. Possibly had a little too much of the vegan mayonnaise, it got a little slimy near the end

Review №22

2023-09-01 18:28:39

Decades of being a Santa Cruz favorite, this place never fails to serve healthy, delicious food, extremely fast! The ingredients are high quality and clean. Theres options for vegetarians through carnivores. Everyone except very picky children will find something they love. Picky kids are likely missing digestive enzymes and therefore missing out! As the sauces and seasonings are highly flavorful Asian fusion inspired enhancement.The menu has changed over the years a bit, allowing for more al a cart options. I do miss the hoisen beef, and hope its brought back! Amazing to still get the same excellent fast fresh and healthy cuisine this many decades later!Theres a small very casual and social dining area in a covered enclosed patio. Take out ordering is popular. Smaller children may need assistance staying on the picnic bench style seating. Theres a standard high chair. Watch out for kids and dogs in the narrow one direction parking lot!I understand the clashing of laws around dogs now being considered support pets, and therefore cancels all the restrictions on animals being near food prep, service and dining... But its not sanitary nor appropriate as those laws were in place for many decades to protect food sanitation and public health. That said, theres often dogs in the patio or parking lot. Restaurant owners are really being squeezed between a rock and hard place!

Review №23

2017-12-21 19:26:12

Charlie Hong Kong! First of all this restaurant has the best name of all! I luv it! This feels like one of those places you would see featured on a food tv show! If it already has been featured on one, then good for them if it hasnt? it should be! The food is so tasty its mouth watering delicious! If youve never been here? Then this is a must! Great Food served in a hip trendy atmosphere.

Review №24

2018-12-05 20:34:00

Good food and good folks! I was recommended the green curry noodles with hoisin pork and WOW! This bowl was excellent! Super flavorful and healthily filled with organic vegetables. The local folks here knows how to treat their customers well and it shows through their service, food preparation, presentation and awareness to this world we all live in. Cant wait to return to support and enjoy another bowl.

Review №25

2023-07-31 10:44:42

Came here after a beach boardwalk visit, super hungry. it didnt help.got two dishes, both really basic noodle and rice dishes. both had a weird, chemically stink and were lumpy and mushy, as if they had been left out, even though the food was warm. neither were really edible...even after reheating at home in a pan and being assaulted with every great spice that could possibly help.i dont know, man. im sure theres tons of great options for Asian food in the area. this isnt one of them.

Review №26

2019-08-01 07:45:45

This place has to be a blessing in disguise! Not sure why the bad ratings. Service is warm, friendly and prompt. We got greeted well at the counter and they explained what taste to expect in the bowls when we werent sure. This place is a flavor heaven for vegans. Such hearty and tasty food. Totally recommend the Spicy Dans Peanut noodle bowl which isnt spicy at all tbh. They got hoisin and chili-garlic sauce dispensers by the window where you collect your food. Everything is neatly organized. The atmospheres brilliant too with reggae music on them speakers. Will be back to try more bowls and some apps.PSA: nothing Hong Kong about the food/place. Its a merry fusion spread:)

Review №27

2021-11-17 20:19:27

I had the Gado Gado w/ Hoison Pork. It had lots of peanut sauce and was very filling. The pork was very soft and tasty. Lots of green onions and peanuts too which added to the meal.My friend had the curry chicken and I had a piece and the sauce was fresh and the chicken was soft. Less sauce on the curry chicken than the gado gado which is good if you’re watching your waistline.The atmosphere is fun and casual. I liked the lighting and how it’s outdoors but covered.I came back and had the Green Curry Noodles with Green Curry Chicken. It was tasty. Same level of tastiness as the Gado Gado in my opinion, but different in large part because the sauce wasn’t peanut based.The Green Curry Noodles were similar to the Gado Gado in being very filling and having a lot of sauce. I think if you want something cheaper with fewer calories then go with a rice bowl like the Green Curry Chicken rice bowl. That’s just my guess. I threw out part of the Green Curry Noodles and Gado Gado because I was full and didn’t want the calories, but if you’ve been surfing all day the extra calories and sauce could be exactly what you want.

Review №28

2023-07-29 22:11:43

Classic Santa Cruz experience. Pick a bowl and a topping, or their take on Pho. Its all good!Great events board and near the Rio theatre.

Review №29

2023-08-17 18:53:43

The dishes we got were great! But the pad Thai was not to our taste, unfortunately - very sour pad Thai. The food was made super fast, though, and it is worth the money.

Review №30

2023-07-01 18:42:27

Me and my boyfriend got two different bowls. Mine was the Szechuan Mushroom Medley Bowl, His was I believe some kind of sweet tofu bowl with rice. They were alright. I feel like it lacked flavor in both the bowls. He complained that his stomach was hurting shortly after consuming. Mushrooms and tofu portions in each bowl were small, I was disappointed. Really disappointed because all I see is good reviews. I will go back one more time to give it another shot because I learned online they still offer non vegan/vegetarian options for protien so maybe that was my mistake. I also asked if they could add a sauce to the bowl that seemed like it would make it more appetizing and they said that it was impossible and that they absolutely couldn’t do that. That was odd because it was a small modification and if they needed to charge me a miscellaneous .25¢ for it that’s fine. Overall really disappointed and hoping the next time I go it won’t be the same experience.

Review №31

2020-02-09 17:44:18

Look, take this place for what it is and be excited; a funky little private-owned dive that basically pumps out affordable and healthy food. Looking back into the cooking area, I saw a focused crew and fresh ingredients. We need more options like this in Santa Cruz. I ordered the Spicy Dans Peanut Delight. I pulled from a prior Google reviewers recommendations and got the wide noodles and extra peanut sauce. The extra peanut sauce was a good call for sure or I think it wouldve been lacking coverage. It is not very spicy by my palette yet the sauce has a warm undertone. If youre just not into very spicy foods, I wouldnt fear on this one. IMO it needed a touch of salt. Add a touch of soy and sriracha to the bowl... Im good to go! Theres also hoisin around if you want sweet. Overall, this was really tasty and satisfying. My only complaint and thus 4/5 stars is that the rice noodles were a bit overcooked which made them gummy. The sitting area is mostly a covered yet not inclosed side patio with picnic-style tables and electric heaters if needed; perfectly adequate for the context. There was staff watching and supporting the tables, but its a self-service setup. Grab your napkins, utensils, sauce, sit and eat. No frills, but nice. Perfect? No, but a really good value and worthy. Ill be back to try some of the other menu items.

Review №32

2019-01-03 17:59:22

I love this place. Id call it a gluten free/vegan alternative to fast food, in that the food is super delicious and quick. They have a large collection to choose from, with meat options available, and gluten free upon request. They have rice bowls, noodle bowls, sandwiches, a good selection of drinks and fresh baked cookies! The staff are always super chill, too.They have a bouncy ball machine, and as an adult that never grew up, this is the best thing in life.

Review №33

2023-05-14 23:04:14

This is my go to place for a super healthy post ride, post work out meal. Half of the menu is vegan and downright delicious! Open late and theres on site parking and on site dining. Keep in mind the patio dining is very low key and super casual.

Review №34

2023-06-19 15:21:06

Food does not taste this good in Texas. The quality of this vegetarian food goes hand in hand with how everything is more real, more authentic, higher quality- out here in central California as compared to straight boring Texas. I’m just going to have to get used to the fact that EVERYTHING is better out here.

Review №35

2023-04-05 18:58:13

I would give more stars if i could. Very delicious, yet great prices. We got curry noodles with side mushrooms and a spicy dish with rice (forgot the name) so yummy! Kids peanut noodles were very good and came with tons of veggies mixed in! Highly recommend!

Review №36

2023-06-20 17:58:05

This is Not a vegetarian restaurant !They do serve fish chicken, and pork. All of them are very goodThis is Not a restaurant, but rather a small but GREAT kitchen for take away. They do have few tables but no serviceThey have a very limited menu, but all dishes that I tried was just perfect and reasonably priced. I love the salmon teriyaki, but their best dish is the pad thai with pork or chickenI always stop to pick up some food on my way to the beach, Easy parking on site

Review №37

2017-02-05 03:23:12

Good quality ingredients and looks amazing but flavors while good were not as vibrant as we expected. The Teriyaki Chicken Noodle Salad was almost all noodles, so while the portions were a good size for the price they werent well distributed so I ended up with more than half a bowl of just noodles that lost my interest to eat. Still a good option but not our top choice.

Review №38

2022-09-26 03:36:34

So yummy and affordable place for vegans, vegetarians and GFs. The workers are so friendly as well. Happy to be here and definitely will come back.

Review №39

2023-05-21 00:45:37

I ordered one of the rice bowls with spice garlic sauce. It had lots of flavor.

Review №40

2019-01-24 16:04:22

I live 45 mins away and whenever I am in the area I always stop by. They have some of the best rice bowls I have ever had and their Spicy Dan is to die for. They have a ton of options for protein, gluten free and vegan. All of their food is organic and the taste is out of this world.

Review №41

2021-09-22 20:40:13

My go to spot in Santa Cruz for takeout. A friend showed me this place years ago and I make sure to stop by every time I visit the area. Best rice bowls and Spicy Dan ever! They also carry Boylans root beer

Review №42

2018-09-27 21:01:58

Great Asian noodle dish: spicy dan’s delight~ the mild version, tasty peanut sauce! Casual environment, good prices. Nice staff, waited 40 minutes though for carry out that I ordered ahead of arrival, they were training new staff. Would go back on a less busy night!

Review №43

2023-05-30 13:57:52

This restaurant is not pretentious at all. It serves delicious vegetarian food thats super fresh, healthy and heartwarming. We got the Dan noodles, the sweet chilli tofu sandwich and coconut soup.

Review №44

2021-07-15 05:16:01

Have only eaten here once, but good price for food, fresh and tasty🙂 customer service was fast and friendly. Would eat here again.👍

Review №45

2017-11-21 14:57:52

A favorite place of mine when I’m in the area.Nice atmosphere, super friendly people. Meet new friends at the community table or not. My favorite “go back for dish” is the Thai Coconut mushroom soup. Try it with a salmon add-on. Big plus if it matters to you... organic

Review №46

2023-10-19 02:59:47

Full spectrum fast food. Innovative dishes, they really make the effort to bring food to veg, non veg, gluten free

Review №47

2023-08-21 16:57:57

Very bland food with no flavor at all. We ordered the Kung Pao Chicken and it had no spice. Additionally, very rude and slow service. Can’t recommend.

Review №48

2023-07-01 02:02:20

Very friendly staff and the food is delicious with many ways to customize it. When I was working in Santa Cruz I would go here a couple times per week.

Review №49

2023-10-06 19:30:21

Get the Spicy Dan bowl and thank me later 💯😋 Amazing organic ingredients for an incredible price and serving size.

Review №50

2023-07-21 20:49:29

Charlie Hong Kong goes hard. Its a good casual date spot, friend hang out spot, quick to-go spot, etc. They have food for every type of eater from vegan to meat eater.

Review №51

2023-09-06 01:04:05

A GO-TO spot if you’re in the area - the green curry chicken is to die for! The ingredients are clean and portions are hefty if you add any add-ons.

Review №52

2023-10-14 20:08:57

Very classic diner experience, great food, cool music, overall rad.

Review №53

2021-04-14 03:36:19

Amazing, FRESH, healthy and definitely mouth watering. Anytime I stop in to Santa Cruz I make it a point to grab a bite at Charlie Hong Kong. The service is quick, efficient and well handled.

Review №54

2021-06-10 03:13:08

Extremely disappointed to say the least. Ordered hoisan pork over jasmine rice. Got 3 over cooked bite size pieces of pork with 2 cups of rice. Nothing was good about this dish.

Review №55

2019-09-09 04:52:55

Delicious vegan noodle bowl. Super helpful and friendly staff. Delicious drinks. Nice and filling after a mountain bike ride.

Review №56

2022-10-14 04:57:18

One of my favorite places in town to eat at that is quick and yummy. The Pad Thai is amazing and I love their peanut sauce. Its always fun to bring a newcomer into this place to share the delish foods and awesome atmosphere.

Review №57

2022-12-31 01:06:17

I ordered the spicy peanut sauce noodle bowl with spicy garlic tofu and it was absolutely delicious. Some of the best vegan food Ive ever had. And the portion was ginormous for the price - will definitely come back.

Review №58

2023-09-29 19:23:39

One of the best food places in Santa Cruz! The peanut noodles are insane!

Review №59

2023-08-25 03:30:42

Food is good, counter service is average for counter service, definitely like this place. Get the green curry noodles with the green curry chicken.

Review №60

2023-10-22 01:33:02

Good spot for takeout - great value for decently healthy food!

Review №61

2022-11-29 06:34:04

First visit, I’ll be back! Had the spicy tofu rice bowl and it was great. Not too spicy and super fresh. A simple place for a healthy meal in Santa Cruz.

Review №62

2023-07-23 22:03:10

The employee lied to my face about how much avocado i was buying, completely overcharged for underwhelming portions overall

Review №63

2023-06-08 23:21:39

Food is 4.5 stars but service here has sucked for many years. The online order app needs improvements as well as theor attitude. Maybe they only hire people who think their better than others. Update: food has gone down but service is better.

Review №64

2022-12-21 20:18:47

Love the king salmon rice bowl, comes with teriyaki sauce great!

Review №65

2021-08-30 20:31:56

This place is the bomb-diggitty. Leaves you full with healthy portions of healthy food that doesnt leave you feeling heavy like the more greeezy varieties of asian food. Nom nom nom

Review №66

2022-05-31 18:47:16

Got spicy dan with chicken so good love getting it everytime we go. Cant wait to go back again

Review №67

2022-07-21 00:27:05

Many of their dishes could use more of a kick in flavor; theyre all pretty bland and/or in need of more sauce. I like the Kung Pao, as this one has a nice array of spices. But today I ordered the Pad Thai and was disappointed by the tomato-heavy taste the sauce carried that does not taste like an authentic Pad Thai dish. Lastly, more times than not, Im having to pay extra to get enough veggies in my dish cause they too are skimpy.

Review №68

2022-05-09 01:19:45

Might be good for its vegan options, but its meat rice bowls were very bland. Nothing asian about this. The amount of sauces offered for free were the only source of flavor. Good price and quantity but the taste was no where

Review №69

2022-07-10 07:20:22

Confession: I love junk food. Now this food is anything but junk - fresh, local, high-quality ingredients. At the same time, however, it satisfies my craving for something fast and flavorful. Its plant-based, hyper-local, healthy fare thats satisfying and uniquely Santa Cruz. If you spend any time in Santa Cruz you owe it to yourself to give it a try.

Review №70

2021-04-21 14:22:26

Affordable, sustainable, delicious and unique food with friendly staff and parking in charming Seabright area! I had green curry noodles with chicken, and ate it at the beach while the sun set. As always the portions are large, the food is fresh, veggies are organic, very affordable (about $12 for the dish with added chicken). Ordering is easy, the place is clean and efficient and served with a friendly Santa Cruz stoke and smile. What’s not to love?

Review №71

2022-09-07 16:57:47

Great asian street food style place with very reasonable prices.

Review №72

2022-03-26 20:33:25

Sorry, no photos this time, but this place is awesome. Do not come here if you do not like strong 💪🏼 flavors... the food here reminds me of street food (hawker center) in Singapore, with the proper amounts of flavor and heat (FINALLY!). Nothing is held back, which is EXACTLY the way it should be. ❤️ I had the Pad Thai Bowl with the chicken teriyaki add on. Everything is about the bowl, whether its rice or veggies or noodles, then you add your protein. There are vegetarian protein options and the basic bowl is vegetarian to begin with. Portions are generous, so come hungry. 😋UPDATE 3/26/22Showed up again, had the same thing and Im still fighting my food coma... the default spice level is a bit warm, Im not crying, youre crying!

Review №73

2023-01-19 23:03:35

Charlie Hong Kong is a superb Santa Cruz institution with absolutely sumptuous and healthy food. The customization options are amazing. I cant recommend eating here enough.

Review №74

2022-08-03 18:05:04

Id rate it 5 stars for the food and service but the music they play seems more suitable for a place to dance..several of us would come here more often but the noise is so monotonous. Maybe lower it and skip the rap...update; been going there months after and no more loud noise or barking/ arguing/profanity filled music.. whatever they call it..we ate in peace as expected. I give it 5 stars..loved the 80s 🎶 tunes playing while there. Thank you

Review №75

2022-02-08 05:05:22

Stopped by after huge yelp reviews. Ordered the Dan spicy peanut and the pad Thai. The pad Thai had way too much sauce and was a tad strong for my taste. I think the food was okayish.

Review №76

2022-02-21 04:58:03

It had tanked for awhile, but seems to have been turned around. Not many vegan places here in SC, so its nice to have it back. My only gripe, this time, is that I would have liked a better ratio of noodles to mushrooms. Welcome back from the dark side Charlie.

Review №77

2023-10-17 05:34:22

Organic Chinese fast food thats tasty and affordable.

Review №78

2021-08-06 07:18:54

Came here for the pho since it was the only place available. It looks pretty but was disappointing. If youre looking for pho, go elsewhere.

Review №79

2022-03-29 06:12:50

I had high hopes for this place. Passed by a bunch of times and decided to try it. The chow mein tasted like nothing. The green curry chicken if I had to guess, was plain boiled chicken, pulled apart and thrown into watery sauce. Servings are tiny.. which was probably good cause it wasnt good. Also cashier asked for a tip right after ordering and paying for the food. This was before even tasting the food. Weird.

Review №80

2021-10-02 04:56:41

We had a great take-out lunch here while on a beach outing recently. I hadnt been for a few years and it was solid. My son (3 yrs) and I loved the barbecue pork with noodles. The noodles were very fresh and the additional onions and vegetables with the pork were a great added flavor/texture. My wife enjoyed her teriyaki chicken with a side of vegetables and rice. She found the teriyaki to be overly salty but it worked with the rice and vegetables as they werent too salty and could balance the chicken. All in all, it was good, fresh, quick food for a reasonable price. The place was very clean and organized.

Review №81

2022-09-27 15:42:30

Used to love Charlie Hong Kong. Portions are smaller now, my bowl was mostly rice and barely any tofu. Still tasted good and staff was friendly.

Review №82

2023-06-11 20:01:04

The best deal in town for veggies and sauces, and extra kudos for loving local organic dirt-farmers!

Review №83

2022-01-25 21:22:22

I got chicken teriyaki. It was terrible salty and tasted raw garlic. I couldn’t eat at all even a bite.It’s too sweet or too salty a lots a carbs. It supposed to be a health food, right!!This review is for encourage the owner to improve the food quality please! Also my family member got a Thai pad also and it was very very salty.

Review №84

2023-03-04 19:34:09

Hefty portions and fresh, feel-good food. When nothing else sounds good, I remember that this place exists. Thank you for your consistency, CHK!

Review №85

2022-03-29 01:59:24

Ive tried this place four or five times and really, really want to like it. Theres a lot of food and its cheap. However, the food is just average. Its bland. Ive asked for spicy and extra spicy. They put 🌶️ by the hotdishes, but they arent.

Review №86

2021-07-07 01:51:25

I used to love this place they had the best sandwiches in town. For some reason they don’t make them anymore before they said it was because of Covid but they are still off the menu.I also love the spicy Dan with salmon however the last time I ordered this the salmon was a joke such a small piece. Covid had been hard on all of us I’d rather see you raise prices than skimp on quality.

Review №87

2023-08-01 07:35:55

Visited years ago. It was terrible. Ate a couple bites and threw the rest in the trash.Never again.

Review №88

2019-09-30 04:42:13

Really good food. Very tasty and decent price. I love the dining set up. Nice variety with lots of vegan options. Rice bowls are gluten free and additions are available. They also have 1 Pho dish (chicken). Love it!

Review №89

2023-06-12 17:09:40

Taste 4.5, Health 5, Interior/Design 3.5, Atmosphere 4.5, Cleanliness 4.5, Location 4, Service 4.5, Value 4

Review №90

2023-04-11 19:03:57

The king salmon teriyaki rice bowl is the best deal in town. So yummy good!

Review №91

2017-09-12 16:26:39

Ive been going here for years and have noticed that theyve been putting less veggies and protein in, and more noodles/rice. I have to order double veggies to get enough in my order so it ends up costing too much. Flavors and sauce are still yummy though, and every time I get a messed up order they give me tons of stamps on my card, so cant complain about that! Staff is always friendly but on busy nights its good to just call ahead for pickup.

Review №92

2017-04-11 20:34:24

Cheap and fast service, not the greatest quality food, but definitely satisfies the late-night hunger strike!

Review №93

2021-08-05 01:11:27

We were in Santa Cruz for a few days and I wanted to try this place out. Maybe they were trying out a new cook during time we ordered but the food was bland, spiced strangely and dry. I ordered the curry chicken with rice and there was hardly any sauce on the dish. The sauce that was on there had very little taste. My kids ordered the teriyaki which had some flavor. If you mess up Teriyaki then you have a serious problem.Revise your sauces and youll have amazing food.

Review №94

2019-05-18 16:25:33

This is an interesting spot. The name is deceiving since they serve Thai and Vietnamese food. It’s an interesting, vegan based restaurant with options for adding meat. I did this spicy peanut sauce curry with a beef add; I think I should have added a different meat base but it was good. There are a lot of spots in Santa Cruz, so I would be up for trying other spots.

Review №95

2021-09-06 05:00:59

Went twice this weekend. Green curry veggies dish really bland, says spicy. Was not spicy.Next day ordered spicy tofu. Was mostly a big container of rice, not as shown in picture on website. Frustrated with the lack of sauce, really dry on the spicy tofu. Ill give them one more try and im done... Spicy tofu was really disappointing. Was 75 percent white rice with a touch of sauce on top which soaks in and is gone. Wasnt happy at all. Mushroom soup was bomb. Everything was fresh.

Review №96

2021-08-17 07:15:06

I thought this place would be really promising as a vegan friendly joint, but the food here was so bland. We ordered 3 items, Kung Pao Tofu, Chow Mein and Chaing Mai Noodles all lof them lacked flavor and salt. Additionally the food gave me a nasty stomach that lasted for 12 hours (could be due to cross contamination with cashews). I really wanted to enjoy the food here, but unfortunately it was too bland for me.

Review №97

2021-01-10 01:28:59

Absolutely terrible. Zero flavor. Expensive. Ordered the charlies chow mein thinking it would be a popular flavorful hit and boy were we wrong. Also a small cup of boiled chicken immersed in watery curry sauce is $8 and I really wish I just bought a rotisserie and shredded it in my own sauce. Im shocked. Ive been coming to SC every other weekend and pass it every time. Finally stopped and will nvr go back again. If you have any taste of even slight or mild authenticity whatsoever, please reconsider stopping here. Yikes.

Review №98

2019-03-26 16:11:44

Super delicious, fast, organic meals! Open till around 11pm which is awesome, and good heated patio seating! Everything on the menu has impressed me, noodles and rice bowls full of super fresh local veggies! My favorite is probably the spicy dan, with an extra of some spicy ginger beef!

Review №99

2021-07-18 06:14:13

Charlie Hong Kong has a number of pluses: very reasonably priced, generous quantity of food, open late..all good. But, how is it that the sauces are so flavorless? Things marked as Spicy arent even close. Its not that difficult, nor expensive to make flavorful and/or spicy sauces. Thats my critique...raise the bar on your flavor and spice profiles! With Gratitude, E

Review №100

2021-09-18 15:11:01

Appears affordable but the rice bowls are primarily white rice with a little tofu and minimal pickled veg. Not worth ordering unless you add on mixed veggies, broccoli, or avocado which brings the price up. The base dish isn’t very vibrant but you can add hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, or Sriracha. You could probably make these dishes at home but for a reasonably priced dinner with friends, not a bad option.

Review №101

2021-09-18 19:04:11

Interesting. This place is super popular. Prices are excellent. Plenty of parking in their parking lot or on the street. I craved for tofu and this was recommended for their banh mi organic tofu sandwiches but they no longer make them due to covid. Everything in a bowl and to go containers. I had organic tofu and rice noodles. I had other choices like rice or non egg noodle? There was a lot of thick rice noodles in my bowl that i couldnt finish. Nice that they had to go boxes handy. I would have loved to try next time their soup or their pad thai or their curry. My cohort had chicken teriyaki which was sad looking. 2 oz of chicken (looked like shredded) and a gigantic portion of rice. That was it. Ok, if you count green onions. But theres msg since cohort complained of thirst afterwards. There were plenty of families with kids, small ones, big ones. Tables semi outside (definitely air circulation). Order window on the corner street side. Pick up in the inside.

Review №102

2020-11-02 03:16:23

This place used to be the absolute best. But everything has changed and nothing is delicious. Pad Thai tastes like BBQ sauce and is full of random stalks, hardly any veggies. Chicken Teriyaki is just not teriyaki. It’s just blah. We’ve tried it a few times since, giving it the benefit of the doubt. But it just get worse. Quality control has gone super down hill. Super disappointed.

Review №103

2019-04-01 19:46:23

This place is easily one if my favorite spots in Santa Cruz. They have GREAT food for very reasonable prices. In addition, they have a large selection of vegan and GF options. Id post a picture of my meal, but I start eating it too fast. Highly recommend Charlie Hong Kong.

Review №104

2018-01-26 12:30:15

Delicious noodles!! Lots of variety!! Coconut soup is so very tasty! Indoor and heated outdoor seating. Parking lots are a little small, hard to get parking, but there is parking on the side street nearby. Interesting post board, with fitness, mental health and music posts, both concerts, and lessons. Speedy service, worth a try!

Review №105

2018-01-11 02:43:52

I like what this place does a lot from a restaurant perspective. A small adaptable menu, you can tweak your meal to your liking. The only reason why I want to give it 4 instead of 5 was because of my last couple visits. I had gotten the Ginger Beef, and I got home and it was so dry. So next time I asked about it, and asked if I could get extra sauce. And she explained that it didnt have a sauce. And when I asked if maybe they could add some, she had a hilariously serious reply, What do you want on it, like meat juice?I cracked up, she didnt have a solution for me so I just put sauce on it I had at home from a different restaurant.If youre a Vegan this is a great spot to take your meat eating friends because anyone can find something to eat here.And bonus its open 11-11!

Review №106

2020-04-03 00:40:25

Joining in on „ #thegreatamericantakeout2 “ fun, supporting local businesses like there is no tomorrow!! 😁We‘ll definitely jump on that train every Tuesday until this hell is over! 😊 This Tuesday we satisfied our craving for Asian food. Generally they offer vegan food but I rather accidentally got the baked tofu which I did enjoy a fair bit. Always open to new experiences! 👌🏼 Thanks for staying open and feeding us the goods! 😁

Review №107

2018-09-23 05:01:43

Clean, tasty, organic food. Great vegan options. Consistently good for years...never disappointed.

Review №108

2021-04-18 03:58:11

First time in Santa Cruz and I regret ever coming here. This was recommended to me by a friend of a friend (Paul) and now I never want to meet Paul. We ordered the spicy Dan’s peanut noodles and pad Thai and both were tasteless. Definitely will not be coming back

Review №109

2020-03-15 17:46:05

This place is for fast food. You order at the counter and then pick it up. Tasty, flavorful and as spicy as you want to make it. The setting is like a beach gazebo. Not fancy at all, makes you feel sitting in someones back yard.

Review №110

2022-08-12 17:02:46

Great meet up spot was some what busy lots of take out orders. Friendly staff. Not many meat options but decent portions

Review №111

2021-10-18 02:02:35

I used to be a big fan of Charlies a few years back, when I lived in Santa Cruz. Ate there tonight while visiting for the first time in a while, and sadly I was disappointed. The place seems to have gone downhill since the last time I visited.My friend and I both ordered in house, but my chicken teriyaki was delivered at the To Go window. As a result, I didnt know it was ready and waited for 30 minutes. My friends food arrived at the appropriate window, and she was almost done eating by the time I went up to the counter to ask what happened. After my luke-warm order was retrieved from the to go window, I opened the box to find dry chicken over unseasoned rice (there was no teriyaki sauce.) We asked for teriyaki sauce and got a cold container, so when I mixed it with the already luke-warm food, it was barely edible. The staff was friendly, but my friend and I were both disappointed with the food, and unfortunately wont be going back.

Review №112

2021-06-21 02:45:42

Dont eat here if youre allergic to glutten, my girlfriend ordered glutten free noodles and we confirmed that they gave her the regular noodles. Now she is sick, you would think that food allergies would be taken seriously.On top of the the meat is always dry.

Review №113

2018-10-17 13:34:53

The food was ok. Nothing special. Prices are high considering how little you get.I had my car broken into while I was eating around 7-8 pm. My group came back in and talked to the employees. They said that a manager would contact me in the morning, that was two days ago. I wouldn’t recommend this place. It isn’t anything special, and the food isn’t worth a broken cat window.I will say the employees there were helpful with giving us supplies to get the glass out of my car and patch my window, but the manager never called me back.

Review №114

2021-11-08 18:56:38

My favorite place to grab food in Santa Cruz, the Gato Gato is amazing: full of wok flavor and heaps of perfectly grilled veggies. This is place that pleases vegans and omnivores equally, with option such as adding green curried chicken as a topper, but be warned the Pad Thai is not what you’ll find in a traditional Thai place.

Review №115

2020-06-18 23:26:31

I have been to Charlies all of 2 times in 6 month period. (once in Oct 2019 & May 2020). The first time I was not impressed. It was mostly rice with a small amount of meat and veggies. For a $12 bowl (thats the price of the bowl plus additions), I expected at least more veggies. Additionally, they were exceptionally slow with my order for a non peak time of day. I decided to give them another chance recently during our current global situation by supporting local business while taking advantage of their online ordering. I even got an estimate on when I could pick it up. oh, that is an improvement, I thought to myself. I was wrong!! It was the same situation as before... mostly rice, very little meat and veggies. Once again, the order was late by 15 minutes. One last thing I will mention is that when I went to the Charlies website to place my order, I noticed that they are using a photo that includes Vivas, (the restaurant on the other corner). The photo has been clearly manipulated to make Vivas Mexican restaurant say Breakfast. Vivas has never served breakfast. (I asked the owner of Vivas to be sure). Seems to be a clearly dishonest attempt by Charlies to misrepresent! I wont be giving them any more of my money.

Review №116

2020-08-08 15:26:35

This place was amazing! To find gluten free teriyaki chicken..was under heard of for us. We ordered two teriyaki chicken bowls and a teriyaki shrimp just because we wanted to try it. You can tell it was very popular, lots of people waiting for their food. Most the the sauces are gluten free and has lots of flavor. We will be coming here again and again.

Review №117

2017-09-25 22:41:33

Santa Cruzs best-kept secret, healthy food that tastes wonderful. Its also one of the cheapest restaurants in town. Plus, they use organic produce. You cant go wrong.This is also a great, fun, and relaxed place to hang out with friends, and very family-friendly. I always feel good when I eat here.As any popular place does, it has a lunch rush around 12-1:30pm, so be prepared for a short wait around this time. However, one of the other great things about this place is that you get your food pretty quickly. I dont know how they do it.If they had another location on the westside, I would get to eat at CHK more often. Still, its well worth the trip! I love this place.

Review №118

2020-05-27 07:08:04

Interesting menu options informed by the organic vegan concept, but you can order toppers of chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu, plus interesting sides. The vegetables on offer are very good. Shame that the sauces are out of a jar; the spicy peanut sauce overwhelms in salt but underwhelms in peanut flavor. Good concept sloppily executed.

Review №119

2022-04-20 01:54:37

This place is interesting coincidence we run into. The Americans cooked many different Asian dishes and popular flavors from different country. That’s why called “Asian” fusion. But nothing authentic.

Review №120

2022-09-20 06:24:37

Good food and price. Had a rice bowl with chicken. Flavor was very tasty and my husband had noodles which he loved.

Review №121

2017-09-16 02:30:05

Very neat place. The tables are technically outside but covered and essentially enclosed. You can call in your order and theres a dedicated cashier for those picking up their food. Well lit at night, not noisy, low background music. Very pleasant. The guy calling out numbers for orders that are ready was a little annoying but you get used to it.

Review №122

2020-07-28 00:30:12

Consistently lacks spice, salt, zest, garlic, or flavor. The Hoison Sauce is sickly sweet. Spicy options are mild as mayonnaise.Often times the noodles are burned and have that scorched pot taste.The prices are pretty good though, and the portions are very large.

Review №123

2022-08-03 05:55:58

Ordered 5 meals, all decent but a few lacking the flavours they should have. All about $10 each. Seems to attract a queue

Review №124

2018-03-19 04:03:47

This will always be a go to place for us in Santa Cruz, have been going for over 10 years and still love it. Rice and noodle bowls with veggies from the UCSC organic garden! Such tasty sauces! Kids options! Lots of high chairs! A nice touch that has stood the test of time is that they always have push pots of hot tea for a dollar! Oh and the cashiers are always friendly.

Review №125

2019-05-22 20:44:44

Delicious fresh food for less than $15 per person. Not gourmet stuff, this is street food, and its very good street food. Never had a bad thing here, and although theres no table service (you just grab your food from the window), all staff are friendly.Highly recommended for some cheap, quick, good eats!

Review №126

2018-01-21 23:16:59

I went here the other night and it just wasnt an good of an experience, but really wasnt terrible either. If you want reasonably priced food, that tastes possible okay this might be the place for you. A lot of people really seemed to love it. Awesome for vegetarians, but if you want protein its not as affordable nor would I say its worth the price.Food:I ordered the pad thai and it was the worst pad thai Ive ever had. It tasted like vinegar and the vegetables were too bitter. I can eat pretty much any vegetable raw and enjoy it. They might have put uncooked kale in it, but I love cooked kale. Thats like the only raw vegetable I have a problem with. Im usually not a picky eater so that I was displeased was surprising to me, and pretty disappointing. Whatever my boyfriend had ordered was tastier, but still not something Id pay to eat. I couldnt eat my meal at the time, but when I got hungry enough and it had gone cold it tasted fairly reasonable.... Still wouldnt call it good but I wasnt as displeased. I wouldnt call this an authentic any culture place either.Price:It wasnt that pricey, but for that price I could have gone someplace tastier that at least had tofu or egg in the meal.Service:It was pretty quick and the person on the register was friendly enough.Environment:Loud as all heck. I left the dining area and waited outside. We ordered for there, but it was so loud we could barely have a conversation. I dont think there was any music playing, but since there were so many people there in such a small place it was way too crowded and unbearably loud. It was fairly clean, but the way things were colored were sort of nauseating. Not really a reason to complain though and I didnt think Id die from eating there.In conclusion:Im probably never going to eat here again unless Im forcibly dragged there by friends because the food wasnt very good and it was way too loud. Other people seemed enjoy it though so maybe it is just not my type of place. I would not recommend any of my friends to come here honestly.

Review №127

2018-09-25 02:06:09

Great and hip environment, you probably will wait for the food, but it is worth waiting!

Review №128

2014-05-02 17:02:46

Decent, cheap, and fresh. Eaten here a few times when Im craving something light and healthy, but otherwise Ive never been terribly impressed.Everything is generally of the rice or noodle plus lightly cooked veges or meat on top, usually accompanied by a delicate sauce. Its not particularly bold like Chinese or the careful balance of Thai. Theyre definitely trying to highlight their use of ingredients above all else, which is a mixed blessing.

Review №129

2018-12-30 19:22:57

Was a staple of mine when I lived nearby. Moderately priced, healthy, and decent tasting made for a go to on those nights I didnt feel like cooking. I wouldnt seek it out now that I dont live in the area, but it was a perfect neighborhood eatery.

Review №130

2015-04-02 04:21:49

We used to regularly come here every time we came to Santa Cruz on vacation. The food was inexpensive and delicious. We came to town today and stopped by for what we thought would be the first of many visits on this trip. Uh, no. Dont know what happened in the past two years since we were here but the dishes that all four of us got were bland and overpriced. I got Chiang Mai noodles with ginger beef. The noodles were limp and overcooked, the sauce was bland and tasteless. The beef was pretty good. Others in our party got rice bowls which apparently contained tons of mediocre rice and little else. Other people in our party liked the salad rolls, but I wasnt impressed. For $48 we got to fight for a table, bus our own dishes, get our own cutlery and water. Thanks, but I wont be back.

Review №131

2022-06-22 03:54:29

Kung Pao with tofu was okay. Chang Mai noodles were pretty disappointing. Not even remotely close to khao soi and severely lacking in flavor. Also the speaker that announces names is way too loud.

Review №132

2023-06-05 20:58:14

No chili sauce available???? And they said possibly for a few weeks? You think someone would go to Safeway and buy some?

Review №133

2020-01-28 05:59:32

Great vegan options! Tried the Green Curry and Chiang Mai noodles were delicious with lots of good choice veggies (not the typical frozen Chinese veggies). The Bahn Mi tofu sandwich was amazing! Didn’t like the Pad Thai (way too spicy for pad Thai)

Review №134

2018-05-01 19:21:40

Its a simple take-out or eat-in place that offers tasty Asian food. The environment reminded me of home (Asia) - with simple tables and chairs to eat at, nothing fancy. You may have to share a table with others if you cant find seats, which is typical Asian style. So dont expect restaurant standards of service - but if youre familiar with Asia hawker centers and that style of service, youd appreciate how straightforward and no-nonsense this is. Food we had was tasty with large Western portion servings. Cookies were yummy too. Oh - and its the one place we found Tiger beer being served.

Review №135

2016-03-16 07:56:14

I really like the Hoisin Pork and Pad Thai. They gave good quality ingredients, good prices and good portion sizes. It is a tiny place with a difficult parking situation, but worth it overall. Flavorful but I wish the dishes they listed were as actually as spicy as advertised. They dont put much of a kick in their food.

Review №136

2016-12-15 21:51:39

A decent place for a quick stop. If your very hungry a single dish or bowl wont be enough. But good tasting bowls. Prices range from 8 to 12 $ or so. Thats considered inexpensive in this town.

Review №137

2021-07-22 18:17:32

Santa Cruz institution. Affordable, Asian food served quickly. Unfortunately, quality has declined a bit over the years, but it is still great value and good food. Popular with students, hippies, locals and a variety of Santa Cruz alternative cultures.

Review №138

2022-03-08 16:13:06

The food is consistently rich with flavor and ORGANIC! Such a nice mix of affordable, healthy, and delicious. Santa Cruz is lucky to have such a business!!

Review №139

2019-06-12 02:26:35

Amazing food. Organic and fresh with lots of vegan and vegetarian choices, dont worry, plenty of choices for carnivores as well. The noodle bowls and rice bowls are my go to. Dont forget to try the ginger lemonade!

Review №140

2018-11-08 19:58:21

Good and tasty dishes! Was introduced to Charlie by my friends and now its one of my favorite Asian food restaurants! Ive only tried the Teriyaki bowl so far, What do you all recommend?😄 5/5 Wavez Approved!

Review №141

2015-06-08 01:13:30

Quick, cheap, open late night, good atmosphere, close to the Crepe Place and Rio music venues. Would be perfect if the food was anywhere near decent. Unfortunately for Santa Cruz its one of the only late night options but in my 4 or 5 times here I am yet to have a single dish that I can even finish (no matter how much I have or havent drank).

Review №142

2018-11-19 12:39:15

Our orders of take out came in those stylized boxes seen on TV - the tall white folded kind with red design on the side. Almost impossible to eat from the box! The noodles at the bottom were plain and rather dry. I agree with another review about little substance. It was noodles jammed Into said box with about as much chx meat as you would pull off a single drumstick on top and more scallion then meat dumped on top of that. A scant amount of sauce too. Nothing else. Nothing mixed together. Very odd. Note allergy peeps beware its a peanut palace! I had heard it was allergy friendly- nope only vegan friendly.

Review №143

2019-10-20 23:36:30

This is an old favorite, not to be missed even when just passing through town. Excellent bowls with garlic tofu. I get laughing phoenix red curry. Its not often you can get sweet potatoes in stir fry.

Review №144

2019-05-13 14:37:24

In all the years Ive lived in Santa Cruz I never made it to Charlie Hong Kongs. My birthday is coming so a friend asked me where Id like to go for a lunch. Im sorry I waited so long to go.I had a bowl of chicken soup whats green vegetables and big chunks of chicken I also had a side order peanut sauce it was delicious!The food at Charlie Hong Kongs is reasonably priced bowls pop starting at about $7. We had a cup of tea and I had Jasmine it was delicious.A very casual outing. Dont put it off like I did.

Review №145

2018-06-19 05:20:09

Man, I wanted to like this place. Got the chicken pho, which tasted great. But 10 minutes after I started eating, my stomach began churning, and within 30 minutes I was doubled over with cramps and diarrhea. Ugh. Something went badly wrong in that kitchen! I called to let them know, and they offered me credit for my meal, which was very decent of them.

Review №146

2021-08-18 01:23:46

My boyfriend absolutely loves Hong Kong Charlie’s. It’s a long-standing popular place for locals as well as out of towners. It is a different type of Chinese food that you may not of had before but very tasty.

Review №147

2020-08-07 23:23:25

Come here all the time and its so yummy, but this time you totally screwed me. The Pork bowl does not have enough pork to call it a meal. I paid 8$ plus tip for a big bowl of rice. If you didnt have enough for a full meat you should have said something.

Review №148

2017-12-10 04:25:02

First time eating here, great expectations based on reviews. I got the pad Thai, which was extremely vinegar with a lot of tamarind. I couldnt eat more than a couple bites even though I was very hungry. Reminded me of some lo mein I made a few years ago, if I had tripled the vinegar. I had teriyaki chicken on the pad Thai, and the chicken was good. Probably their teriyaki dishes are better.Wife got the spicy peanut, which was better but oddly very bland. Tasted like unsalted peanut butter on noodles.Liked the veggies, nice preparation there. But honestly the two things we had werent good enough to eat much of.

Review №149

2021-03-21 23:18:52

I ordered the salmon teriyaki bowl with a side of vegetables. If I went again I would probably get a side of broccoli instead as they was too much cabbage in the regular vegetables for me. Salmon was good. It was sliced very thin, but went well with the teriyaki sauce.

Review №150

2018-03-22 21:32:29

Charlie Hong Kong is a hidden gem in santa cruz. They have several different bowl options that work for everyone whether you are vegetarian or a meat eater. Good selection of authentic drinks as well as domestic.I feel like this restaurant is fairly priced they have their own parking lot, and never a very long wait. Ordered takeout from here many times as well as dined in, and its always been a pleasant experience

Review №151

2019-07-29 21:34:52

Love this spot for clean, organic healthy bowls. Love the chick terikaki rice bowl- gluten free! (Tamari💖) super gingery and fresh every time. And get their ginger lemonade, sooo tasty. Friendly staff, dog friendly outside benches, and parking. Always leave happy.

Review №152

2021-01-04 04:48:18

This place always delivers,fast, friendly, tastyAlso my last order i recieved complimentary summer rolls

Review №153

2020-09-29 20:17:51

We eat here a couple times a month. Great price for high quality, tasty food! Lots of fresh veggies, yummy sauces...everything is good! Have food for every dietary need that Im aware of.

Review №154

2019-01-11 03:49:03

Really tasty food at a reasonable price. Bowls had a lot of season vegetables and portion sizes were considerable. I really liked my green curry bowl with chicken and mushrooms!

Review №155

2021-01-25 02:56:00

Love love love Charlie Hong Kong!! Fresh organic super yummy food, reasonable prices and plenty of selections. From gluten free to meat to vegan, they got everyone covered.

Review №156

2023-02-07 04:51:48

I usually love this place, but this time they gave me the wrong order and I was so bummed out ! And with the expensive price I just wish I got what I had ordered!

Review №157

2020-05-02 15:04:00

Sadly I got extremely sick from eating your food last night (May 1st). I had all the classic signs of food poisoning: cold sweat, vomiting and diarrhea for hours. Lost about four hrs.of sleep. The peanut sauce was sparse, the noodles were so so and the vegetables were not so fresh but I ate it anyway as I was really hungry. Now I wish I hadnt. Its the next day now and Im still feeling weak and nauseous. I will never eat at your restaurant again.

Review №158

2021-04-02 05:52:49

Super not impressed. Restaurants are opening at 25% and they do not allow to sit down or use restroom. The dining area is outside but you cannot sit. The food was mediocre. Had the kun pao chicken, rice was not good and it was soupy and too sour. My friends love this place, i dont get it.

Review №159

2017-09-06 16:59:42

Whenever Im feeling a bit down or cant decide what Id like to eat this is always what I turn to. I love the Spicy Dans Delight!!!! I usually take it to go because it can get too loud for my taste but worth the trip!!!

Review №160

2018-12-14 04:58:57

Amazing noodles and fresh organic produce makes Charlie Hong Kongs a must try in Santa Cruz. They offer a wide variety of dishes, sauces and custom mixes of traditional dishes. Love the spicy dan! Also they have a side enclosed patio that is dog friendly.

Review №161

2020-07-17 01:45:34

So so so freaking good. Fresh, healthy ingredients and big portions make the pricing worth every penny. Its busy for a reason but be prepared to wait a little bit for your order

Review №162

2018-02-16 05:37:59

Just came back from CHK, and I love the food, but I feel I always I get stiffed on Take-out!! I ordered Green Curry Chicken and Brown Rice. 4 pieces of chicken at the top with some sauce, but not enough so rest is dry brown rice!! We’ve come to expect it, which is sad. We sometimes order in, and then use the boxes. So annoyed when I get home and feel ripped off. The salmon especially, order in, larger piece - order take-away, much smaller!! Come on CHK, stop doing this.

Review №163

2019-03-16 16:00:03

Disgusting! My daughter ordered Chow mein and the wok was not cleaned well so there was a overly charred / burnt taste throughout the dish, my son ordered Kung pao chicken they first forgot to add the chicken, when we got the dish back with chicken they dumped the chicken over the rice and vegetables with so much sauce it became a gross soup. We also ordered a salad and a chicken sandwich-it was alright. Ginger- Lemonade was good- stick with that. Thinking of the taste of everything still grosses me out - We called it our $45.00 hate meal.

Review №164

2017-06-03 02:47:36

Wow!!! What a great locals spot!!! Wonderful clientele! Share a table and meet new people! Green chicken curry rice bowl and prawns!!! Fabulous! Order take out or dine in....

Review №165

2010-11-18 16:36:13

MMmm, just had this last night. Definitely a standby for cuddling up to a warm bowl of noodles under the heated outdoor patio on a cold night (or just take it to go and cozy up at home!). This place is a classic case of simple but excellent. I love Spicy Dans Peanut dish with wheat noodles, and the yellow curry is also delish.

Review №166

2019-07-08 06:39:44

Charlies is an old stand-by. And still worth it. Not as affordable as it once was, but still a killer healthy take-out spot. I have one request for the owner: PLEASE REVIVE THE FORMERLY AWESOME LOCAL EVENT FLYER BOARD. (They made it smaller recently and its just...not...the...same. :(

Review №167

2017-08-16 04:44:57

This place was the worst food I have had in Santa Cruz. Not to mention when I asked for fried rice they looked at me as if I had offended them. We only serve steamed options that are healthy was the talk down I got about why a CHINESE AMERICAN RESTAURANT doesnt have FRIED RICE. The chow mein tasted like old dirty sock water and the charlie hot sauce is basically vinager and sugar *pukes* Not to mention its expensive. Youre better off going to Tams or Phoenix.

Review №168

2017-02-20 21:21:13

Vegetarian/vegan friendly. The food is yummy - I had the Gado Gado. Serving sizes are great. The wait was a little long, but worth it. I enjoyed the covered outdoor sitting area, especially since the weather was nice that day.

Review №169

2021-12-06 02:38:45

The quality has been going down while prices go up . I always get the Kong Pao chicken …. Even when you add five dollars of extra vegetable it comes with 80 % rice in a box . I’ll try getting extra veggies on the side next time

Review №170

2022-08-18 00:20:13

Forgot the sauce on noodles… then they were sarcastic when I asked if I could pick up sauce to put on top. The veggie wraps don’t come with sauce either

Review №171

2018-09-13 02:08:12

A must stop place in this beach town with the boardwalk, the mystery spot and other must see Santa Cruz spots.This fast casual food place is so quintessentially Santa Cruz, that I highly recommend stopping here to experience Santa Cruz.Hey this foods not Asian!It’s not fine authentic asian food.What it is is actually like what we imagine your lovable Santa Cruz hippie granola crunchy stoner grandparents might make for their own California food/ Asianish style food at home. Charlie Hong Kong’s has a uniquely Santa Cruz spin on “Asian” food.Even so the dishes are hearty and they do have some menu items for the health conscious crowd.Just saying, I am not in love with the service as service tends to be a bit slow But the workers are friendly enough and its a first job for many students.Overall good. The bowls and noodles are good. It’s family friendly and a decent place for ordering take-away.This place is sooo Santa Cruz!!

Review №172

2018-01-27 21:02:16

Really low key Santa Cruz institution.Good noodle or rice bowls with lots of fresh produce and a variety of sauce and topping options. Seating and parking are limited.Personally I love their take on Dan Dan noodles.

Review №173

2021-09-16 03:58:57

I thought i reviewed it as i ate there. couple weeks back i passed by and it was a good little joint. pork rice bowl and ginger lemonade. pretty well done

Review №174

2019-12-03 02:46:26

Great place for tasty, inexpensive, Asian inspired bowls. Can easily make the bowls vegan. Staff are friendly, and quintessential Santa Cruz. My favorite lunch place on the East Side of Santa Cruz.

Review №175

2020-05-16 23:32:40

Food was ok, I ordered the spicy tofu with extra broccoli. However the broccoli had a weird taste to the dish I got. Dont know if Ill be back. Not worth the $29 bucks

Review №176

2016-10-07 13:39:30

The food is fantastic. I especially love the Gado Gado. They use organic veggies in many if not most of their dishes. Not exactly a place for a date night (well it maybe depending on your date) but it wasnt meant to be.

Review №177

2018-01-03 00:55:22

Had Dans spicy peanut delight. Noodles came out steamy hot. Everything tasted very fresh and delicious. Have been going here for years and never been disappointed.

Review №178

2017-07-06 20:54:45

I LOVED IT!!!! The food came very fast, the decor was very unique and had a bamboo beach hut look. Food was awesome, it is a small local place. Fast food but good food. Will definitely go again!

Review №179

2021-07-06 05:15:52

I love this place, been going here since I was a kid. But EVERY time I place an order online they always mess up my order. When you say “extra” they think it means “remove” …. they have charged me extra for extra items that they ALWAYS forget to add and actually do the opposite.PLEASE GET IT TOGETHER KIDS! Xo

Review №180

2023-02-23 05:54:02

Delicious, healthy, great portions, affordable, comfy, fun, social, friendly staff, happy place

Review №181

2022-08-31 13:25:21

Great spot, especially if youre vegan/veggie, but options for meat eaters too. Dont miss this!

Review №182

2018-11-12 23:15:36

I had been here many years ago and now just back.A pleasant, low-key, colorful place with a very veg-friendly menu.Sandwich was too small, salad bowl had too much dressing, rice bowl was pretty good, but the star was what they called Chiang Mai Noodles (they spelled it slightly wrong), which was a khao soi with a much less liquidy base than is traditional in northern Thailand. This dish is hard enough to get in the US and quite rare to find veg, so I was thrilled to find it and absolutely loved consuming it (I got an extra side tofu thrown in for good measure).I would certainly go back for the Chiang Mai Noodles (khao soi) with tofu.

Review №183

2017-08-02 18:44:01

Overcharged credit card with wrong order, gave me a cash difference. Was just a basic bowl of rice with below average bits of chicken on top. They make it dIfficult to order, use the bathroom, and get utensils. Will not be returning.

Review №184

2019-03-03 08:21:22

I love Charlie Hong Kongs fresh, delicious, nutritious selections! All the veggie bowl are great; the Thai coconut soup is delicious, and the mushroom medley sandwich is my favorite.

Review №185

2023-02-16 01:59:58

Vegan paradise. Everything is pretty tasty. Seating can be tight so be strategic.

Review №186

2017-06-18 01:24:38

Charged $3.50 for extra sauce on a completely dry curry. The music was blaring punk rock the entire time I tried to enjoy my overpriced meal. The service was lackluster at best due to uninformed staff unable to answer basic questions

Review №187

2022-05-17 21:35:18

The food was drowning in sauce!!! The r&b slow music was soooooo loud. It was like the music U grind on ur boyfriend. Music did not fit the menu. What happened to world music???

Review №188

2019-03-05 03:27:18

Charlie Hong Kongs is easily one of my top 3 favorite places to eat in Santa Cruz. Casual order at the window place with a surprisingly wide menu that is very friendly for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike. If you cant find something you absolutely love here, then youre crazy!

Review №189

2015-01-05 05:31:41

Very tasty food (and somewhat healthy too), at a very reasonable price, fast and friendly service even on a busy Saturday night... Five Stars, hands down. As for a recommendation, try one of the cookies... O M Effin G! They are to die for!

Review №190

2022-09-09 06:13:30

So many options and all of them are great. Beer selection is pretty good too. Awesome place for a quick bite.

Review №191

2021-11-12 14:12:05

Gado gado was so good. Probably the best phad thai ive ever had. Plus, its not over priced. Im out of towner but will 100% stop in everytime im visit.

Review №192

2021-03-31 00:51:23

Very good. One of those places that once youve been, you cant stop going back to. Makes you turn your head every time you pass it, giving you an instant craving. Lots of variety too. And awesome people

Review №193

2018-01-12 06:18:45

This place creates delicious and healthy dishes. Everything on the menu is a must try, and there are always new specials when we go. My wifes must try suggestion is the green curry chicken. Grrreat!

Review №194

2019-10-15 02:39:53

This food was amazing! Didnt know what to order and the cashier make great recommendations. Spicey green beans rice bowl with added pork, wonderful!

Review №195

2019-10-06 02:00:33

Horrible deafening loud rap music, hard noodles, hard rice,green beans hard as a rock. Young kid serving who could care less about you. Asked them to cook the green beans more because they were hard as a rock and they told me they couldnt take them back and cook them because they were contaminated now. I would never go back there again.

Review №196

2022-01-08 02:56:06

Great food on a rainy night under their covered outdoor seating. Had the pork bowl. Outstanding!

Review №197

2016-07-05 17:00:33

A Santa Cruz institution! I love the Laughing Phoenix red curry with hoisin pork topping. DH loves Spicy Dans, the Chang Mai noodles, and the Green Curry noodles. Their seasonal dish of spicy garlic green beans is a must!

Review №198

2019-01-29 23:05:07

This place is in its 20th year hats off to Carol a nice place to eat what a good broad menu something for everyone.I dont really think it needs any reviews Im sure theres thousands out there but the food is good service is fairly fast even when theyre busy theres nothing on the menu I wouldnt eat if you havent visited this place its way overdue go check it out

Review №199

2020-02-19 04:00:43

Food is great but eveytime we go they mess up our order and it always takes long. This last time we went our ticket number kept going into what they called a loop and people that had ordered after us got there food first. Definitely tired of them alwats getting our order wrong. So always check your food if you dont want to come back.