Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Yan Flower in Santa Cruz

4.3 (199) 617 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, United States

Categories

Chinese restaurant

Location on the map

Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, California, US

Phone: +1 831-423-2574
Site: https://yanflowercatogo.com/

Opening hours

Monday:11 AM–9 PM
Tuesday:11 AM–9 PM
Wednesday:11 AM–3 PM
Thursday:11 AM–9 PM
Friday:11 AM–9 PM
Saturday:11 AM–9 PM
Sunday:11 AM–9 PM

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.3

199 Reviews for Yan Flower 2024:

Review №1

2023-09-17 13:57:48

Food and service was great! The quantity is a lot and well worth the price. A great authentic restaurant where I will definitely be coming back for more.

Review №2

2023-06-21 02:07:42

Food was delicious!!! Service was friendly, prices were decent, portions exceeded expectations. I ordered A-1 combo which was sweet and sour pork with pork rice egg roll and noodles. My boyfriend order wonton soup which was huge also excellent! Will come back next time we vacation.

Review №3

2023-05-29 19:15:17

A classic Chinese food establishment. Affordable and convenient, the food here never lets me down. The staff are friendly and will serve you within minutes, even if its busy. Lunch specials hit the hardest, from 11am-4pm and their selection of dishes spans the classics, with a wide range of favorites. Hot tea is even available for those who want the full experience. A Santa Cruz staple for those looking for authentic Chinese food.

Review №4

2023-11-05 04:34:19

One of the dishes was cold. It was not good, these are not cooked dishes but assembly and frying.Very dirty building. same toilet.no dishes but paper plates. Shame.

Review №5

2022-06-04 02:48:29

Delicious food! Highly recommend, out of all the Chinese food in Santa cruz this spot is a must stop! The pineapple chicken fried rice is very flavorful. The orange chicken is some of the best Ive had, good breast meat with a nice crisp to it! The portions were decent with exceptional and quick service. Friendly employees, nice atmosphere, great prices, and plenty of parking. Will definitely be back!

Review №6

2023-10-10 16:00:44

In my 50 years of coming to Santa Cruz I have never tried Yan Flower, it saddens me that this is one of the BEST Chinese food places I have ever tried. This will be our new go to place. The fried rice ws not overly seasoned, the chicken chow main was so fresh, all the veggies were perfectly cooked and not soggy. I always order my sweet and sour chicken with the sauce on the side, the fried chicken pieces were cooked great and to be honest, did not need the sweet and sour sauce. Kudos to the cook and staff! I cant wait to bring the other family members here!!

Review №7

2023-10-12 23:30:22

Nice place, great service. Food has large portions so you wont leave hungry. However the flavors are average at best. Egg roll was actually really good. As far as flavor you would do better going to panda express.

Review №8

2023-07-10 23:42:00

Very simple place from the inside and outside but the food was amazing.

Review №9

2023-01-02 00:50:27

It is Americanized Chinese food, very similar to Panda Express. Flavor is ok. Price is not expensive. There is only one person to serve so don’t expect much service. I don’t like that they use paper plates to serve food.

Review №10

2022-11-10 20:28:13

Delicious Food and great prices. The lunch menu includes rice and egg role. We called our order in and out was ready when we arrived. Very friendly staff but really busy.

Review №11

2022-04-06 16:16:33

Totally unexpected! It was a tasty experience. I really enjoyed the lemon chicken and the portions were big. Service was good. Overall a good experience and I would go back.

Review №12

2023-08-02 00:58:25

Very affordable and polite service. We were happy to see that its also dog friendly. However the veg chow fun was pretty average tasting and there was quite a bit of difficulty in getting the language across.

Review №13

2019-01-12 19:03:52

Super yummy food..authentic tasting for sure. Cute sit down decor though we got ours to go. Staff was very friendly and the place was quite busy with take out orders and people coming in to eat. I did wait a little longer than usual for my familys order but I didnt take off the review for it because we really enjoyed our food. I had the wanton soup and it was great. They gave me the quart size for take out which sometimes places dont do that for soup so I was glad that they did. The only down side is the plastic take away containers. That is the only reason I give four I stead of 5 stars. Restaurants should change this policy and use the paper quart containers. I have to bring my own.

Review №14

2023-11-20 01:26:42

My dads been coming here for 23 years and I grew up at this place, they always have amazing service, great food and great prices. Best Chinese food in Santa Cruz!

Review №15

2023-10-23 03:04:30

I am currently buckled over in pain by eating barely half of my meal. My roommate and I ordered A1 and B2 and feel as though we are about to throw up. There was something noticeably wrong with the noodles, would not recommend. My stomach feels like I’m about to explode or throw up

Review №16

2023-09-15 03:15:01

Great little place, there isn’t much to it but food was fab and so was the service. I cannot believe we got 2 meals and 2 beer for less than $40!! Highly recommended

Review №17

2023-11-12 06:07:40

Ive been coming here for years, and the quality of their food doesnt disappoint! Its fairly priced, too.

Review №18

2021-10-21 19:42:56

Visiting the Santa Cruz area I decided to go here. Got some shrimp fried rice and beef with broccoli. Well, my rice was kinda crunchy. Only five shrimps inside the container. Yall can do better!

Review №19

2023-10-15 19:43:26

Great food, great prices. Lunch is a good deal.Ordered 2 lunch specials, cup of soup and potstickers for 25$ 😱

Review №20

2023-09-22 15:44:05

Very friendly staff. We are returning Yan Flower customers for years to come. Thank you for showing such wonderful hospitality and making our little family feel at home. Food is good and prices are great. We plan on making Yan Flower our regular place for Chinese food in Santa Cruz.

Review №21

2018-04-16 05:28:10

Went with some friends of mine for a quick bite. We were there for a long time because the staff seemed to be preoccupied. The food was okay and the prices were good. The staff was very very sweet. I liked this place but probably will not be back again.

Review №22

2023-03-27 02:57:00

Literally one of the best restaurants in santa cruz. Huge portions and just straight up delicious. I love it here. Sizzling rice soup will revitalize your soul.

Review №23

2023-11-14 06:34:02

Good food for the price (had enough for 2 meals payed 16 with tip), costumer service is good and food comes out fast.

Review №24

2022-06-26 23:14:04

Oh man, this was pretty bad. I tried the pineapple fried rice and it tasted like normal rice, with chunks of pineapple put in the microwave. It was absolutely not fried, no where close to fried. I actually fried it myself, and tasted pretty good. 2 stars because the prices were incredible! But overall, very disappointing.

Review №25

2023-11-14 05:37:17

The food was excellent and the staff was friendly and courteous my first time eating there great restaurant

Review №26

2023-07-08 03:34:41

It quiet and very clean . The lady that take orders is a little serious but once you there you will realize she just take the business seriously . In general I would comes back here 100%

Review №27

2020-11-13 03:24:42

First time ordering, took ten minutes for our take out order to be done ! super fresh veggies, everything was great !

Review №28

2023-10-27 23:23:50

Cant beat the prices! It was clean food is served on paper plates which I like, more hygienic

Review №29

2023-11-05 19:25:55

Very good customer service, peanut allergy friendly, super fresh food, and quick service.

Review №30

2023-08-02 07:08:43

This is the first time i ate at a Chinese restaurant where the food was not what we expected—bland and dry, and served on paper plates. We also ate out of paper plates. Never going back..

Review №31

2021-04-14 21:59:11

Quite literally one of the best restaurants in Santa Cruz. Massive portion sizes, and prices you can’t beat anywhere else make this a must-stop if you’re on your way home and need to pick up dinner for the family (or maybe just a meal for yourself!)

Review №32

2023-11-11 06:45:11

Ten minute wait at the table and no one came by to even offer water or utensils. Others were there before us and were still waiting as well. We got up and left.

Review №33

2023-11-14 05:51:59

Great food, good portions, happy vibes! Try the singpaorian fried rice.

Review №34

2023-02-28 05:45:40

You ever walk into a place and just know the food is gonna be good? Yeah. Hands down the best pork potstickers I’ve ever had in my life. The steamed pork bao? Scrumptious. The egg flower soup is $2.50 per cup!! And the cup is in fact a small bowl!!! I will be coming here when I’m sick and need a delicious soup. To top it off, the portions are extremely generous for a really good price. I love you, Yan flower. Never leave Santa Cruz🫡💗

Review №35

2023-07-22 12:47:46

I love Chinese food, cept, Im hungry again in 30 min. Great Local Restaurant

Review №36

2023-06-13 15:43:24

They offer pretty big portions for the price..food is great and the atmosphere too.

Review №37

2018-05-04 04:03:38

Good place for a quick bite. Can order ahead. Family run and inexpensive food that have some flavors and no MSG. Have a special lunch menu.

Review №38

2023-01-14 04:54:51

The portions are good at $8 each

Review №39

2023-09-08 18:19:56

Excellent wor wonton soup, great shrimp egg foo yong, great cashew broccoli!

Review №40

2018-02-13 19:29:38

Great food and great value. They even provided to-go plates and silverware. Perfect!

Review №41

2023-07-04 02:07:03

Food and service was great. Atmosphere could have been better.

Review №42

2023-03-12 07:48:41

I dont recommend this place at all. The bathroom is dirty, and it stinks. The food quality was awful and bland. Food is served in paper plates. They even managed to get the worst fortune cookies ever. For the price we paid, I expected better.

Review №43

2022-06-23 20:09:45

Truly Dreadful! I have been eating at all sorts of restaurants for over fifty, years, and is the worst meal I have ever had. The decor was shabby and the service was spotty. We had the egg foo young with beef and it was overcooked and had no beef in it. We also had the ginger beef with ginger and it the beef was chewy, not well cooked and flavorless. Because the appetizers were very tasty, we only asked to be not charged for the two entrees. We got a flat refusal,from the chef/manages and she was rude about it too. Maybe they just serve slop to people who appear to be tourists and good food to those they know to be locals. Stay away!

Review №44

2022-08-10 06:59:09

Stopped in here for lunch with my friend who was about to marry me and my now wife. Friend has been coming here for over a decade and they knew her when she came in. Inside of the restaurant is a bit old but staff was very friendly.Lunch specials were cheap and if you are vegan or vegetarian there are options here for you. I got the Mongolian tofu and it was really good. I did add some of their chili oil to make it spicier. Some people complained about the paper plates but when I saw those come out I knew I was about to eat some awesome food. Will stop back in next time Im in Santa Cruz.

Review №45

2022-04-01 03:05:35

Service is great. Not the best Hot & Sour soup, but the portion is insanely generous for the price.

Review №46

2022-06-14 03:43:23

Lovely staff, but the food was the worst Ive ever ordered. This is the first time ever that not only I left my plate of food uneaten, but my husband did as well. I ordered snow peas with shrimp, which didnt seem to have any sauce on it. I also ordered the Crab Cream Wontons. They were not as bad, and I ate two of the 6. My husband ordered the pork combination plate, and said it all seemed very overcooked. Possibly it is different here, or possibly the chef had a bad day, who knows. It was an unfortunate experience for us.

Review №47

2023-07-29 00:09:19

It was ok.I had combo A.I would probably still go there again if Im in town for work.

Review №48

2023-03-12 00:22:19

One of those holes on the wall !! I got salmonela just looking at the “chiken and kitchen” we asked for diferente drinks and every time they went and checked and didn’t have it !!! The fortune cookies give you riddles input but this way !!! The food was ok but not good ….

Review №49

2022-05-10 04:55:23

This place has a great value for a absolutely delicious meal. Prices from $7.95 to 12.95 a plate which WILL fill you and is amazing? SOLD!! Great people work here as well, make the experience welcoming each time.

Review №50

2023-02-01 03:23:02

Great food, great service, clean and reasonably priced.I always get the general chicken with some young Joe fried rice my favorite

Review №51

2022-09-22 13:57:00

I came in as a hungry tourist from Chicago. The cashier who seemed to be the owner was friendly, and welcoming to everyone except me. She didnt even say hi to me... she just right away asked me if i was using cash or card. I saw her have more of a pleasant attitude with everyone except me. I was also the only black person there! She was very abrupt with me... almost stern. I watched her be more welcoming to the others. Very stupid way to be. I gave her no reason to act like that. Then, at the end i asked for sweet and sour packets. She made an odd statement, You didnt ask me. Lol... im nicely asking you now. I just watched her offer packets to the woman before me! But, she was weird with me and there was an odd energy. Really sad to be that way. Get over yourself. Plus, the food was LESS than average. I ordered beef fried rice. The meat was low quality. I ended getting a cup of noodles from 7-11 which was more satisfying.. odd ccustome service...and food that wasnt all that special. In my experience...chinese ppl have an issue serving blk ppl. If they dont want to happily serve us... we should stop going to these places.

Review №52

2022-10-05 06:36:40

Overpriced bland food with no seasoning. Broccoli wasn’t even salted probably. Chicken wings were so small, bland and dry. Was decent at best, but not worth it.

Review №53

2017-08-14 03:37:13

Great food, really cheap and good quality. The food portions are huge and the beer is cheap.

Review №54

2021-10-22 19:26:17

Food was so yummy. It looks so small on outside but really there is quite a lot of space inside. I assumed there was no seating but turns out there are seats inside. Booths actually. Its a very cute little place to eat and the service is wonderful and pleasant. Prices are not bad either.

Review №55

2022-07-09 01:17:35

Spring Rolls were excellent, especially paired with the sweet and sour sauce. Staff is extremely friendly. Overall, just a very enjoyable restaurant experience.

Review №56

2022-01-25 02:20:35

Love writing reviews for great experiences, over poor. Really great Kung Pao tofu, perfectly fried tofu and fresh vegetables cooked just right. Great portion and a super price. Everything you want in any takeout experience.

Review №57

2021-05-13 17:47:02

This place surprised me. I havent really had really good Chinese food before coming from San Diego, where most of the stuff is Vietnamese, Korean, or Filipino. It was huge portions too, great for two meals per persons order. Only downside was that it was a bit oily, but then again most restaurant food is

Review №58

2021-12-20 21:56:25

We have been ordering here for a long time, Yan Flower has very good food. If you live in Santa Cruz you know that, no news there.Yesterday, though, after we ordered here, we could not pick up the food, because our car battery had died. We called them up and told them about the predicament. They did not hesitate, drove the food to us at no extra charge and jump started our car. You are rockstars! Thank you for the awesome food and for your kind helping hand!

Review №59

2023-09-12 01:19:13

Best Chinese food in town and it’s not even close

Review №60

2023-08-25 20:07:12

Very good lunch special deal

Review №61

2019-03-02 05:41:24

Started eating here 8 or more years ago. The lunch is inexpensive, quick, filling, and superb, if simple and straightforward. Service is fairly matter-of-fact, but if you go there regularly and order the same thing over and over they will eventually remember your order.The decor is nothing special, but the prices have stayed the same forever. My fave lunch is the Hunan Beef or the Beef Broccoli. Every frugal foodie looking for the perfectly portioned dish for lunch, or a more involved dinner will appreciate the quality and freshness of the food here.

Review №62

2018-12-11 15:18:59

Yan flower is super affordable and fast. The food is good, prices are right, and staff is very sweet. Ive been coming here consistently for four years, and the staff know me and my husbands order, always ask us how we are, and make sure to cater to our vegan needs. Overall, excellent food, service and staff!

Review №63

2021-09-12 01:06:01

Nicest lady I ever encounter. Even though, because of the situation of Covid we can only do take out, she went out of her way to treat us the nicest I have ever been treated at a restaurant. Excellent customer service. And the food is great!

Review №64

2022-04-03 05:38:38

Just ordered this place and everything but the fried rice is just bland and flavorless starting with the Chicken chow mein to the Kung Pao chicken to the Driest chicken wing I may have ever ate, that includes frozen one’s I’ve made myself, Panda Express beats this place hands down and I don’t even like Panda Express so that’s saying something! How this place has 4.3 stars is beyond me, it’s either the only Chinese Place in Santa Cruz, which is not or it’s the first time these Reviewers have ever ate Chinese Food in their lives and have nothing to compare it with..

Review №65

2021-11-04 01:30:21

The food was delicious! Although they were only supposed to be open for takeout, we were allowed to eat in. The hostess was very gracious, the portions were very generous. The inside was clean and decorated well.

Review №66

2018-05-10 02:54:55

Got a couple of items to go. They were ready exactly when they said they would be and nice and hot obviously freshly made. Visiting from out of town so wasnt sure what to expect based on the looks.It was excellent. Everything was extremely fresh and perfectly prepared. The veggies were crisp and not soggy. The shrimp were literally succulent.Ill have to return when I can dine in and absorb some of the ambiance. It reminds me of places in San Francisco from my childhood. Not fancy. A different type of ambience.

Review №67

2019-04-05 00:05:18

Good, cheap Chinese food in copious quantities, friendly, helpful staff. Four of us ate a bevy of entrees and appetizers plus tea for $70, and had plenty of leftovers. Food was okay to excellent depending on the item in question... I loved the sizzling soup, wasnt super thrilled by the spring rolls.

Review №68

2023-02-19 22:11:18

Amazing chow fun. Friendly staff. Overall great but the dining room is due for a refresh.

Review №69

2018-08-12 00:43:39

This place has the best food it is always fresh and affordable. We went here for lunch and food is always consistent. Their prices are crazy cheap. We ordered Mongolian beef, tofu dishes, and Singapore noodlesand were all very memorable.The staff here was nice and very helpful.The lunch specials are worth it because they range from $4 - $6.50 and are big portions served with soup, egg roll, and rice.This restaurant is near to the Santa Cruz beach and have free parking on their lot

Review №70

2023-08-27 15:39:51

Good taste, great food, real chinese food

Review №71

2020-11-05 17:33:03

Yan Flower is without a doubt my favorite food spot in Santa Cruz. They have delicious food and its all at a very low price. Its usually hard for me to eat locally because its so expensive, but when I eat here I can feel good about supporting local business without the stress of spending too much money on food. Overall a great spot.

Review №72

2021-11-18 01:54:59

I was very happy when I got our delivery from door dash pretty fast and everything looked fresh, the food was all very good, we had pork steam bun, chicken broccoli, chicken chow mein and walnuts shrimp. Will deffinitly return again.

Review №73

2017-10-28 09:53:39

Local restaurant been here a while loyal local customer following. Booths a little run down. Fantastic prices. Food is good not outstanding, designed for American tastes, often sweet, never very spicy. Excellent parking. A great place to go to if youre hungry and want something tasty easy and satisfying without spending too much money. Or for takeout. Decent menu selection for me a vegetarian. Bok choy with black mushrooms is my favorite. Also they have two hot sauces including chili oil they will bring if you ask.

Review №74

2023-04-06 03:23:07

Yummy food, nice customer service. Been going for a long time. Singapore noodles are the best.

Review №75

2018-12-05 20:21:23

REALLY good prices, decent amount of veggie dishes. This is typical Chinese food, nothing fancy, the owners can be a bit aggressive, and the building is old, but what else would you expect from a cheap chinese place? The vegetables were fresh, the food was good, and the portions are big.

Review №76

2023-08-27 00:06:30

Great food that is a great price!

Review №77

2016-03-12 19:52:48

Great place for a casual eat out. Prices are pretty good for large portions. A lot of people like the lunch specials but I personally prefer the original plates since they give more of the entree. Love the walnut shrimp.

Review №78

2018-09-03 01:23:00

Good for family style meals and solo meals. Combination mein was good, wontons in soup were tasty, spare ribs were good, A1 (sweet and sour pork) want yummy. All ingredients were fresh and meals made to order. Remember to ask for spicy mustard if you want great hot mustard! Service was fast. On-site free parking! Bonus! Bathrooms are not horrible, but not in great shape. Would go again and try one of the other great options on the menu.

Review №79

2017-02-09 07:18:22

This is by far one of our favorite places in Santa Cruz. Hot, fresh food; amazing service; huge portions and reasonable prices. This place is very inexpensive for lunches too. We love the orange chicken, fried shrimp, cream cheese won tons, and their hot soup with the potstickers.

Review №80

2021-02-13 06:58:27

Ive usually had good food from Yan Flower, but tonight it was very bland. I wonder if they have a new cook. Also, I was told my order would be ready in 20 minutes. I got there after 20 minutes and waited another 25 minutes. Then, the food was essentially flavorless. Ill try it again during the middle of the week, but never again on a Friday at around 6:00 PM.

Review №81

2023-03-25 19:28:04

There hot and sour soup is reliably good. Getting it as take out! Yum!

Review №82

2019-04-17 23:33:55

I will admit this place may not have much going on for it appearance wise, and it may look a little run down inside, but trust me this place is amazing. The food is extremely cheap, I kid you not, I paid $5 for a plate of chow mein, fried rice, and a spring roll. It tasted great for the price. I should warn you that sometimes certain menu items will be unavailable if they are out of certain ingredients, which surprisingly happens more often than you would think.

Review №83

2019-01-02 11:47:54

Sorry, we ordered 3 main dishes . All were a fail for flavor . It’s like they dumbed down their flavor to appeal to the bland beige crowd . Nothing good to report but the waitress was nice, but bossy ... in a nice wayI wish I could report better . It’s your money, and there did seem to be locals in there . Maybe I’m too picky ? There is better out there, I’m sure of it . Good luck finding it, with reviews that rave about nothing, it makes it hard, ha

Review №84

2018-02-16 19:00:35

The place was packed on Sunday night. So service was a little slow, but the workers were awesome and friendly. My food was great.My brother goes there quite often for their lunch specials which are super cheap.

Review №85

2018-06-10 03:10:01

This place had good reviews so we ordered. We’re just visiting Santa Cruz for a few days. The employees were nice. The food was disgusting. This was the first time I’ve seriously wondered if I was eating cat or chicken. The sesame chicken tasted like peanut butter and jelly chicken/cat, I couldn’t even eat the Mongolian beef, the lo mein was tolerable. Literally gave the food away to one of the MANY homeless who actually started eating it when we walked away from it in the park for a few minutes. Try some other one place. If you’re dying to try it, maybe the homeless people left some the bench for someone else to clean up.

Review №86

2020-07-15 04:01:01

My girlfriends and I tried Yan Flower tonight and we were pleasantly surprised.A very sweet lady answered the phone and took our order and said it would be 15 minutes. We arrived and met this Woman that was very accommodating and very sweet! We went home with our takeout and their food was absolutely delicious!We will be back to visit Yan Flower when we visit Santa Cruz as the three of do several times a year! 😊

Review №87

2016-07-11 05:39:20

This is some of the best Chinese food Ive ever had outside of Taiwan, which travelers and long-time residents of East Asia say has the best Chinese food in all of Asia. The quality and flavor here make most other Chinese restaurants in the US seem very bland and skimpy with food. The pot stickers here have a delicate flavor entirely absent in other Chinese restaurants. The sizzling rice soup is so full of a wide variety of meats, fish and veggies, in addition to an egg-drop base (!), that its a whole meal in itself, and puts similar soups at other restaurants to shame. You really get a lot of value for the price, here, and the service is superb. And by the way, this is where the local Chinese students eat, so you know its good.

Review №88

2017-05-12 17:07:22

Hands down the best Chinese restaurant in Santa Cruz and possibly Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Monterrey counties, at least in my opinion. The food is always exceptional, the staff and service is always very pleasant, and the overall efficiency is top notch. Highly, highly recommended!

Review №89

2019-06-23 23:44:15

Ate here a month ago. Staffs are friendly, however the foods are terrible. We ordered Mushu pork, Kungpao chicken, mongolian beef, fried rice, snow peas and sesame balls. Snow peas dish is still okay but not other dishes that we ate. May be I was ordering the wrong thing considering this place receives good rating.

Review №90

2020-01-06 02:47:20

You can’t really ask for more from a Chinese restaurant. Stopped here with my kids, 8 and 5 year old. We had the fried rice, spring rolls, orange chicken, egg soup, hot and sour soup and Kong pho chicken for me. They were all delicious. My kids just couldn’t get enough. Definitely coming back next time I am in town.

Review №91

2018-06-27 16:41:20

Food was great, and the place is cute, but our take-out order took about one hour to fill (while we waited). They werent even that busy...so just make sure you pay and tip only after your order is completed!

Review №92

2017-02-12 15:15:54

Had ordered takeout from them every once in awhile. But a couple of the nights they were busy Id found random crap in my string beans like a bag tie or a clip. Rest of the stuff on the menu had been fine like the fried wontons

Review №93

2020-09-08 15:02:15

They provide large portions for inexpensive prices, and the people there are helpful and the food is prepared quickly. The flavor may not be authentic, but budget wise this is a good choice.

Review №94

2021-05-08 01:30:10

Best food around. Tastes awesome first time here but if I ever come back this will be the place I come to. Clean restaurant and really nice people.

Review №95

2020-02-18 15:32:36

Yan Flower is a decent, no-frills chinese restaurant conveniently located between Santa Cruz downtown and the Boardwalk. The staff is friendly and the kitchen is efficient enough Ive never had to wait too long, even when theyre busy.Their Kung Pao is solid. Even more-so for the price. The fried buns are WONDERFUL. But the sweet & sour dishes? Not so much. Theyre old-school, horrible-red-sauce sweet & sour. Stay away. (Unless you like that kind of thing. I obviously dont.)The decor is Mid-80s Naugahyde -- not really a romantic place (unless your date REALLY likes fried buns.)But... Friendly Staff. Inexpensive, decent food. Ive never waited too long for the food (even during the lunch rush.) And the fried buns. OH! THE FRIED BUNS! Seriously. If they had powdered sugar on them, you would think they were Cafe du Monde beignets.

Review №96

2023-04-02 21:29:13

Always good food and nice staff. Great lunch menu prices until 4 oclock.

Review №97

2019-08-18 03:16:10

From San José, my girlfriend Becky and I try to stop by whenever we can. The owner and staff are very friendly, great food, service and very reasonably priced. We usually have the house chow main and war wonton soup which is loaded with vegetables and different meats.

Review №98

2018-04-03 19:04:53

I stopped by here with my girlfriend for a quick bite before a movie. We shared one plate of orange chicken and an order of white rice. There was plenty of orange chicken and it was decent as well. It was pretty cheap for the amount we got. It ended up being $11 and both of us were full, with just enough room for some popcorn. My girlfriend also noted that their lunch specials are ridiculously inexpensive. I think it was listed as $4-$5 for basically what we had shared. Definitely something to look into if youre looking for a cheap place to get Chinese food at lunch.

Review №99

2019-09-21 07:26:20

Service was excellent I ordered mu shu pork and veggie pot stickers. The mu shu was good the pot stickers tasted like nothing but fried oil and ginger I couldnt get past the first bite but was omitted from my tab no complains.

Review №100

2022-12-19 06:16:35

Chicken is so good here. My girlfriend and I go weekly. She loves their tea lol

Review №101

2021-04-18 19:45:32

One of the best restaurants Ive been to in a while,hands down their service and freshest sea food are an excellent combo,good size portions, enormous fried prawns, you will love it

Review №102

2019-09-23 04:16:26

Really great experience. Lots of yummy food. The people were so nice. Everything tastes just great. I will definitely go back there again

Review №103

2019-01-06 19:31:51

Its pretty good. Definitely inexpensive. The fried tofu in my kung pao had been deep-fried twice, converting it from a puff of restaurant-style fried tofu to a crisp little square. Not super-appetizing.The pork fried rice was good, however. Under-fried if I must, but certainly crammed-full of delicious char siu pork in generously-sized chunks.All kinds of locals came in for the usual while I was there, so this is clearly a community establishment.

Review №104

2017-04-29 20:35:41

I come here every Saturday, for many years now. I know Yam and Raymond for over 30 years they are great people and Its a Great Restaurant. Come try it I Guaranty You will Love the Food and the service, You will come back for seconds!😎. ROBERT ALVAREZ.

Review №105

2017-12-10 03:12:41

Really a long standing traditional Chinese restaurant with delicious and large portions at very reasonable prices!Great Won Ton soup. Super specials for lunch and dinner. Close to the Warriors arena and downtown.

Review №106

2022-03-12 23:35:01

They serve plates and plastic utencils, my fork broke. The food is nit authentic AT ALL. fried chicken wings no flavor!

Review №107

2018-04-01 03:35:03

The service was okay, but the waitresses don’t speak/understand English well so it was hard to communicate with them. However, the food was terrible, there was no flavor, the meat was rubbery, and the tea was gray. Even though the dishes are all really cheap, it’s not worth it at all.

Review №108

2023-05-11 04:05:45

My favorite chinese spot in santa cruz. combination C1 is my fav.

Review №109

2013-01-04 03:55:26

Chow mein is acceptable, the pork tasted actually OK. The salt and pepper shrimp was good, though not as spicy as I expected it. The real problem dish was the half roast duck. Half of it was barely decent, clearly frozen, gummy skin very hard to chew through.I endured less than half of it until I bit into the quarter of the duck that was extremely overcooked and bitter as heck.Anybody who knows anything about poultry will instantly realize what this poor excuse for a chef is doing. The duck was not only frozen, it has been clearly left in contact with the Fridges walls long enough to be burned.Then instead of throwing the ugly thing away, the chef decided to try his luck and overcook that abomination so that the unburnt side would be edible. That is called cheating and its just a disgusting way to turn good customers away.I wouldnt be as bitter if the waitress didnt start arguing about taking that thing off the tab, so we ended up paying half price for awful food that I wouldnt get paid to eat.Well, there goes the tip!

Review №110

2021-10-12 02:24:08

Food was good. Had chicken fried rice, chicken chow mein, orange chicken with egg roll. Eating in is OK. Take out is available and so is call in ordering.

Review №111

2021-05-12 00:06:35

My choice for Chinese food. I tried the Yan flower seafood and Rice with vegetables last week and it was pretty good. Great potstickers too. The prices are the best around.

Review №112

2022-08-30 05:12:39

Dreadful. Ive eaten at many Asian restaurants around the world but this was the worst. Cheap ingredients and unsuitable vegetables (partly from the tin) tastelessly mixed.

Review №113

2019-09-20 02:54:35

Mediocre food at best. Our order was missing the rice for the orange chicken and they didn’t bother to include napkins and or plastic cutlery, knowing that we were staying in a hotel. I would NOT recommend.

Review №114

2018-12-24 03:33:05

I give it two! The food is okay if they make it right. Ive been there 3 times. The first time I went there I ordered War Won Ton soup which includes shrimp and pork. Before I left I dug through to make sur its right. There was no Shrimp in their. I took it up to the counter and showed it to the old Chinese woman and she dug through it with a spoon and found nothing. She pulled up a piece of pork and then stop her self and said, oh okay, then took it in back as she agreed there was no shrimp. She came back and said it was at the bottom an told me she told them to put more in. I was like whatever. She started talking angrily to the other Chinese women and I said excuse me? She said, she was talking about the guy in back. ( okay ). Both the next two times I went in there she adds under her breath ” I put shimp on top, I know you ”. Im thinking, you f$&kin b$&ch, you dug through it yourself with a spoon!!!! I KNOW YOU! REALLY?

Review №115

2022-08-11 03:04:03

Very nice service, the shop is so cute inside! Very authentic, decent priced, nice and cool as well. Would recommend any day :)

Review №116

2023-03-26 00:19:38

Food was bad chicken was unseasoned. Noodles were grey after a few days.

Review №117

2023-08-15 15:02:03

Best spot in santa cruz by far

Review №118

2021-11-03 02:33:04

Was served with plastic forks and paper plates. The water was tap water and had a horrible after taste. The only good food on the plate was the chow mane and rice 😕

Review №119

2021-02-09 06:44:52

Best place in town love it thereI let friends and family know about it. The food is fire and the wonderful lady in the front tops it offThank you for making me Happy 😁

Review №120

2019-01-13 00:38:42

Been going here since i moved here 7 years ago! My FAVORITE Chinese place in town!! Employees are so sweet and extremely helpful. I recommend getting the hunan tofu, its a fave in my household!

Review №121

2016-09-03 04:09:59

I have been there many times.THE owners are very nice.I had no idea that they were the boss for at least a few years.We really liked them.The service is great.The food is good and you get in and out in a timely fashion.Try it.

Review №122

2018-03-25 18:49:19

Lovely atmosphere with amazing food. The prices are really good, for what you get! If I lived in Santa Cruz, this would be a regular stop.

Review №123

2019-01-28 04:51:01

I have eaten at many Chinese restaurants up and down California. This is the WORST Chinese food that I have eaten.The waitress was loud and rude. I can not comprehend how this restaurant has such a high rating. I am so disappointed that I believed the reviews and regret stepping into this facility.

Review №124

2021-09-17 23:25:27

Menu items vary in quality from crummy to excellent, service is slow and they occasionally make mistakes, lunch special is incredibly good value.

Review №125

2023-01-27 22:46:24

Great food, fresh, good prices, nice staff.

Review №126

2022-09-19 02:38:43

Love this place as far as Im concerned they get my money for Chinese any day of the week any day of the year the people that are good during the covid thing they were still open and still helped everybody they could

Review №127

2018-06-22 01:05:27

Their lunch specials are amazing! Food presentation is great and the hot and sour soup is the best I’ve had. Love this place!

Review №128

2022-11-13 16:17:07

Great food, good service, and just the right proportions! Will come back.

Review №129

2019-03-13 05:05:06

One of our favorite Chinese restaurants in Santa Cruz. The Hunan beef makes me excited just thinking about it. Dont go there for the atmosphere, but for the food.

Review №130

2019-03-24 02:06:51

Not amazing food, but decent. Gave it a 4 for price. Two of us got the chicken chow mein, orange chicken, 2 giant servings of rice, 2 spring rolls, and 2 drinks for $13.

Review №131

2016-06-25 04:24:46

The food is delicious and the service is really good. The bathroom could use a cleaning and upgrade but there was seat covers, soap, tp, an paper towels so its cool.

Review №132

2016-02-02 07:46:53

Yan Flower is super low cost and yummy-full Chinese food. Definitely, love their combinations and affordable lunch specials. Staff are great too!

Review №133

2021-05-19 03:57:59

Good portion and reasonable price. The wonton soup I ordered is not salty. Good customer service. Will order again.

Review №134

2016-06-30 16:41:09

I got the beef and broccoli and it was okay. It was more broccoli than beef which is fine, and it was pretty tasty. I would probably try another Chinese place before I would go back to this one but it served its purpose in a pinch.

Review №135

2019-06-05 18:48:03

Water was salty like for real? What the hell 😂 anyways thee worst pork fried rice I have ever had ever dont recommend the food was average. Customer service was ok server was passive aggressive due to forgetting to bring part of the order to the table was very disappointed.

Review №136

2022-05-21 03:15:13

I dined in here. Tables were very clean, food was affordable and delicious and the owner is such a sweet lady

Review №137

2020-07-30 20:10:02

Very polite service and excellent food for the price. Especially their lunch special. Would absolutely recommend.

Review №138

2018-08-22 21:30:00

Terrible. Today I had this place for the first time and will not ever return. The service was probably the worst service Ive ever had at a restaurant. Even the food wasnt worth the bad service and usually I can overlook terrible service if its decent enough food. Not this place.

Review №139

2021-06-17 05:15:35

They had good food and we forgot our phone the lady was so nice to make sure it was ours and she had a lot of patience with us so sweet

Review №140

2021-09-10 21:08:27

Real Deal Good ole homegrown back in the day..... Lovee this place Garlic Eggplant SpicyVeggie Fried Rice with EggSesame ballsThank You

Review №141

2022-03-21 22:22:38

Lunch special was great. Fast service and authentic. Would come back again

Review №142

2016-07-10 02:38:03

COme for the lunch specials so worth it and the plates are huge. I love that they put corn in their soup!. Tastey greasy and super friendly service. I loved coming here.

Review №143

2021-12-31 21:56:29

Delicious and authentic. As good as when Im in Chinatown in the bay area! Try it...you wont be disappointed.

Review №144

2019-04-09 02:43:15

Worst place ever I dont even know how they can have 4.3 stars we went in there and they didnt even bother telling us or look to see if there was people waiting to be seated they literally took like 7 mins to sit us then didnt even offer us anything to drink while we waited!!2 couples came in and walked out cause they where waiting as well.their costumer service sucks

Review №145

2016-09-15 04:31:20

This place is GREAT! Tasty and plenty... OMG. The prawns... Huge and wonderful. Service is great too. Come here, you will be happy!!

Review №146

2019-03-13 23:06:26

Service is amazing. All the staff are very friendly. Prices are very good especially for the lunch specials. I would highly recommend visiting Yan Flower.

Review №147

2020-01-02 03:51:08

Good value. Basic ambiance, very large portion sizes, friendly service, okay food, low prices.

Review №148

2016-09-10 15:03:27

Nice decor, but the food was meh.The General Chicken tasted like frozen buffalo chicken thawed with Chinese hot sauce, with the former over powering the latter!!

Review №149

2022-06-23 00:44:11

Love the food and the customer service, looking for good food at a good price, this is for sure the place!

Review №150

2017-07-14 19:52:19

Friendly place that fits the budget. I have been in three times and they always remember me and make me feel welcome. Its like they are on a mission to make me a regular. It is working!

Review №151

2022-04-02 03:13:08

Yan Flower has good food at an affordable price. Lunch at Yan Flower is one of my favorite things.

Review №152

2018-08-09 03:30:40

Great place to fill up in Santa Cruz.A bit off the beaten path but well worth it - good food served fast.Great portions especially for hungry teenaged boys ;)

Review №153

2021-01-23 19:24:41

Phenomenal food for an awesome price. Their lunch specials are also an incredible deal.

Review №154

2018-03-09 08:44:49

The food was great and the price was reasonable. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful as well, would visit again.

Review №155

2022-05-10 04:44:00

Tasty food, generous portions and friendly service. Great place

Review №156

2018-02-27 08:26:12

Pretty good Chinese food. Prices great cant get it anywhere else cheaper.. Places clean but dated.

Review №157

2019-12-07 19:39:49

Good food at a great price. Friendly service one of my favorite places to have Chinese food in Santa Cruz.

Review №158

2022-11-10 21:53:40

Great Chinese food, reasonable prices, and good parking.

Review №159

2023-11-06 16:10:13

Beat chinese food in Santa Cruz!

Review №160

2019-06-30 00:45:04

The worst Chinese food I’ve ever had. No taste what’s so ever. Please take the chicken wings off your menu because they’re not cooked right. I eat one and threw the rest away. I will never eat here again when I’m in town.

Review №161

2018-11-25 00:54:10

The food it’s pretty bad, the place is ugly and smells weird.Ooooh and the drink water taste weird too. My husband ask for something in the menu and the owner said: what you see in the picture is what it is.

Review №162

2022-11-15 21:23:22

Good vibes and good food. Love eating here :)

Review №163

2022-12-27 17:52:17

Went no one ever helped me I kept asking to order they said wait so I finely walked out and went some ware else

Review №164

2021-11-08 22:21:22

Been a year since i moved in SC. Great lil joint. Food is well made.

Review №165

2018-02-28 00:52:21

Really good lunch deals, I believe its from 11-4 pm? But generally great service. Friendly folks there.

Review №166

2018-04-16 20:45:04

Lunch specials all day. Great food and so cheap too!My favorite hot and sour soup anywhere

Review №167

2018-10-17 15:49:51

I lived two blocks away from here for several years the food is pretty decent they have lunch specials for like 5 to $7 and the food comes out fast theyre very friendly and Ive had expensive Chinese food that I dont think was any better than this

Review №168

2019-01-15 06:51:14

Excellent food. Great prices. Fast service. What more could you ask for?

Review №169

2015-08-18 22:08:20

Staff are incredible attentive, food is super delicious, and the prices are great. We enjoyed our time there!

Review №170

2019-10-09 04:04:50

Large large servings very good my stomach is a happy stomach they were very nice they had good cheap beer to and I was like all like damn son

Review №171

2017-05-02 22:12:59

Lovely service, cheap food, extremely large proportions--I had no idea what a gem Yan Flower was until my friends suggested it. Highly recommended!!!

Review №172

2022-06-17 03:22:27

The customer service and the food is top tier. Would definitely recommend!!!!

Review №173

2017-05-26 14:46:54

The food here is great, I have been going to this place on weekends since I was a kid and I never leave disappointed!

Review №174

2021-04-01 03:18:10

When I just feel like its too much for me to cook at night and Im nearby here I drop in their food is excellent

Review №175

2020-06-23 20:22:23

I love this place the prices and food is amazing everytime I come into Santa Cruz I have to get a plate from here

Review №176

2018-03-12 15:52:39

Best place for Chinese food in Santa Cruz. Lunch specials sweet and sour pork for 450 it cannot beat that big combination plates for dinner for $8

Review №177

2018-08-28 04:18:21

No bueno!! The rice is okay, not good but okay. Noodles are a no go. The potstickers were okay too. Below average but not terrible.

Review №178

2018-01-27 00:21:38

Good for students in a low budget. They have vegetarian options, and dinner plans. The staff have always treated me nice.

Review №179

2020-10-29 13:13:08

Great price and delicious food.Only to go available, at this time.Conveniently located downtown Santa Cruz.

Review №180

2022-02-09 07:18:12

Good lunch special prices, nice size servings

Review №181

2022-10-02 00:27:44

Very pleasant staff, atmosphere, and great orange chicken!

Review №182

2018-08-21 02:29:15

Food was very average and the server was slow and blind...the price Was high for the taste of the food. They need more server cause they cant keep up with the costumer needs.

Review №183

2021-03-31 02:18:14

Nice place . good service. Food is great. A.little different from other . more taste.

Review №184

2021-11-02 05:15:08

Completely bland and flavorless food, served on paper plates with plastic utensils. We will not go back.

Review №185

2021-01-25 18:40:34

Solid value quality food

Review №186

2020-02-06 22:01:19

Good food and cheap price Love it, not from around hear but I love it good customer service 👍

Review №187

2019-02-20 03:29:55

Fast food if you like to order to go.Excellent American Chinese food.I say this because real Chinese food is different.Plenty of tables nice atmosphere.Plenty of parking at the quiet end of Pacific ave.

Review №188

2021-02-17 07:03:23

I appreciate the lunch menu very much, cant go wrong with the sweet and sour pork

Review №189

2018-12-31 01:46:52

Love this place great lunch so many things to choose from at a very reasonable price.

Review №190

2016-05-24 15:02:33

We ate here and got food poisoning. Our friend ate the chicken chow mien and was puking for 24 hours. She even missed work.

Review №191

2017-11-27 08:51:54

The food is cheap but heavenly. Big portions too. Very satisfied.

Review №192

2019-03-07 06:15:02

What a fantastic place to go before or after an event at the arena.The staff is friendly and I think they make good food.

Review №193

2017-06-09 18:11:51

Easy on your wallet while still giving you A LOT of great tasting food. Love this place

Review №194

2017-12-26 21:48:17

Delicious food and friendly staff! If I was staying in Santa Cruz longer I would have tried it again!

Review №195

2017-01-09 05:23:36

Super fast service and always feel welcome. Great quality food for a nice price.

Review №196

2019-04-15 05:12:19

Very nice food. Bit of a hole in the wall. Prices are reasonable

Review №197

2019-10-19 03:57:12

Great food, with large portion, for a great price!Will return again!

Review №198

2020-01-24 20:21:25

I loved their curry chicken dish and the soup!The tea was excellent also.

Review №199

2021-10-11 10:19:26

Just the fact that they survived this pandemic is nothing short of miracle but these are the best people and the food is delicious!