3 Brothers From China

Twice have hair in our food. First the soup the a veggie dish. Manager just said sorry and thats it!!! Wow poor poor reponse! Over priced with small portions. We ordered dinner for 8 for a table of 6! For $ 170.00 bill we could of had a better NY dinner elsewhere. Guess they are right. 3 bro from China. They dont know the meaning of service and cleanliness.

I liked all the veggie options until I found a chicken foot in my takeout veggies w spicy sauce. After shaking off the ick factor the sauce wasn’t very good either, so I gave up on it. The hot and sour soup was overly thick and tasted mostly like soy sauce.

This is my favorite Chinese place ever, and mind you, I don’t usually like Chinese food. This place has such good food they always leave me wanting more. The taste of the food here is amazing and the service is very friendly as well. They have the best sweet and sour pork I’ve ever had! SO GOOD! I’ll always come back and get some more!

Location with a «captive» clientele is in itself a privilege.
As Chinese restaurant their service is about the same as most on their category.
War Wonton soup really poor and below any one I tried before, dish more expensive than the «lunch special», not recommendable at all!

I’ve eaten at 3 Brothers approximately six times during the past year, enjoying each experience. Unfortunately, tonight was totally unacceptable and very aggravating.
Upon entry into the restaurant, I viewed the «specials» board offering a number of specials. There were no prices indicated. I ordered one of the specials, lobster with ginger and scallions served with noodles. Previously, most dishes had been reasonably priced with generous amounts of protein. Therefore, I assumed that this dish would be the same. Was I ever wrong in my assumption!
The dish made a spectacular first impression, as the pieces of lobster in the shell were served over a mound of noodles. Upon closer scrutiny it became apparent that there was far more shell, gills and large pieces of ginger than lobster meat. The shell pieces were swimming in sauce, which made it a very messy gastronomical challenge to separate the non-​existant meat from the shell, with the help of only a large fork and chopsticks. Upon further scrutiny it became apparent that there was no tail meat and only one large claw. The balance of the lobster pieces were just shell and gills.
To add insult to injury, I was shocked to receive a bill for $ 75.00, including $ 38.50 charged for this miserable excuse for lobster! This was double the price stated on their menu for similar dishes. When I politely spoke to the owner about my dissatisfaction, explaining that I eat lobster frequently, he began to yell loudly at me. I repeatedly asked him to lower his voice, but he continued to yell loudly, insisting that I didn’t «know about» live lobster and didn’t know the price of live lobster. I assured him that I often buy live lobster at Ranch 99 for a very reasonable price. He challenged me to prove it him. I took his name and phone number to do so.
It should also be mentioned that last time I ordered shrimp with scrambled egg, the eggs were very watery. This time I specified «creamy,» and they were overcooked.
Their soups are generally excellent.
No accommodation was offered for the very inferior, very overpriced lobster. Given the fact that there was no stated price and that the bill was double the price of the highest priced dish on the menu, I think it is a real «bait and switch» rip-​off.

The best Chinese food in the Diablo Valley … Great food n service … Love the twice cooked pork

If your expectations are low, then this is your place. My sister had received a recommendation from a friend to order from ‘3 Brothers’. About half of the dishes purchased were bland or ‘off’ in taste. The dumpling soup was especially disappointing. The ‘fried rice’ had barely anything really added to differentiate it from ‘white rice’. The ‘prawn’s dish was uninspiring.
What did work was the eggplant dish. The chicken and beef dishes with the vegetables (covered in candied ‘red’ sauce’) were passable.
Overall, I’ve had better tasting food at other Chinese restaurants in the same price range. IF these guys can’t even get the fried rice dish’ right’ then they are going to be less sensitive to the food recipe ‘prep’ on the more mainstream dishes as well.

I’m sorry but this place is just way off. The mushroom pith soup was completely bland… period. The Peking Duck has no taste and the fried shrimp chip was stale. The fried rice was very greasy and their vegetables was way too salty and their included dessert was completely watered down. The fried lobster was okay but the coating was very uneven and some pieces had good taste and other pieces were greasy. One thing I hated is they kept on refilling the tea pot with water instead of putting new tea bags.

Awesome place to eat! Go for the early bird special if your able. The money you save is worth it. Either way, its a solid good place for some good food.
Very friendly staff and nice clean plave to dine.

Enjoyed everything on the Family Dinner A! Substituted honey walnut prawns for green bean shrimp, no problem. Service was fast and courteous.
Four of us came here tonight because we were turned away at Ming’s on Alhambra. We love Ming’s, but they were having an unfortunate «kitchen problem» and couldn’t seat anyone. Gave us a chance to revisit 3 Bros, another PH Chinese favorite that we had been ignoring for too long.
Every dish was delectable, in our opinion. It’s Americanized Chinese, yes, but who cares? It tasted great.
Overall, our evening at 3 Bros was a pleasure in every way – Highly recommended.

We were there for a red egg and ginger party and it was a buffet luncheon. We got there the last hour of the party and they still had food for us which included beef and broccoli, Peking style spareribs, chow mein, fried rice, potstickers, eggrolls, roast duck, roast suckling pig, green beans and punch. There was plenty of food, the usual items for a buffet but I got very thirsty while I was eating and afterwards. So there must be have been MSG in the food. However, we were there for the company and not the food.

What a surprise since my mom picked this out as we have very different tastes when it comes to food! I give this place a 4.5. I’m looking forward to going back again. Here’s why:
Service was great. I know many of the earlier reviews said the service was poor and one guy was surly, but who we thought was the surly guy was very, very nice. It did help that the fiancé speaks Chinese, so things seemed to be a bit friendlier I guess. But nevertheless, he recommended some things off their special menu and one really turned out to be a great suggestion.
So the food: we went to town that night! Well actually it was late afternoon as we finished the Alcatraz tour around 3:30pm and BART’d it back to Walnut Creek. My mom and her golf buddies came here a few weeks before and my mom was raving about the lobster noodle dish. So of course we ordered that. We also ordered snow pea leaves in garlic sauce, a shrimp dish whose name I forget, and another dish I forget because I missed the photo op!
The snow pea leaves were really delicious. Not drowning in any heavy sauce or garlic’d out to death. A great vegetable side for our meal. Then came the lobster noodles. It was cooked in a light garlic sauce and the noodles were cooked to perfection. They used the same kind of noodles one would see in a ja jjang myun or jjampoong. The lobster was perfectly cooked and of a good size (about 1.5lbs it seemed). Everything about that dish was awesome. But the highlight of the night was the steamed black sea bass cooked in a light soy marinade with garlic and scallions. Hooo boy that was daaamn good! We are definitely going to order that again, price be damned. Fiancé is convinced she can make it herself, but until then, this will be the place we’ll be getting it from.
Parking was really easy in this plaza, but then again, we came at around 4:30pm-ish.
Skeptic turned customer. Definitely looking forward to coming back here again!

Sister made a reservation for 11 but they seem to not have a table reserved… place was packed for a Sunday evening as there were many large parties going on. Eventually, they were able to set up a table for us and very accommodating.
Food was pretty good except the kung pao chicken and mandarin chicken looked like the same dish… both had the same sauce, bell peppers, onions… I’m used to kung pao with carrots, peanuts, bell peppers, water chestnut which seemed absent but still tasted good.
Other items:
* salt and pepper pork chops — scallions, red chilis — yummy
* walnut prawns — not overly dressed with mayo with candied walnuts
* braised tofu with black mushrooms and bamboo shoots — flavorful sauce and nicely done
* chicken chow mein — thick noodles with pieces of chicken with onions… not much else in it but still good
Staff were very attentive but since this place is popular, you feel a little rushed…

The food is the best, the waiter we get sometimes is on the impatient side from time to time but god bless him, he is very efficient, this time we got the sweet and sour prawns, combination fried rice and Hong Kong style chicken chow mein, also the fried won tons were good. I loved cranky cat waiter but he might not be some peoples cup of hot and sour soup, that’s why the four stars… Maybe he’s the adopted fourth brother.

3 Brothers has been our go-​to restaurant for Chinese food in the Walnut Creek-​Pleasanton-​Concord area for nearly twenty years. Both the Pleasant Hill and San Ramon location have hosted a number of family events ranging from birthday to red egg and ginger parties as well as a number of casual lunches and dinners. Why do we keep coming back? Probably due to a combination of the affordable prices, nice décor, friendly staff, generally good food, and above average portions.
The restaurant itself is located in a small strip mall off of Contra Costa Boulevard. The parking lot is relatively small, and it can be a little difficult to find spaces during peak lunch and dinner hours. Avoid parking in the spaces dedicated to the neighboring business.
Although the price of food has increased in recent years, it still is relatively affordable for both lunch and dinner. Lunch plates are generally under $ 10 an excellent option if you want a mixture of items; rather than getting one whole dish, you get a mix of your entrée, rice/​chow mein, fried wonton wrappers, and soup. The quality of food is pretty good; it’s clearly a step above of Chinese fast food restaurants like Panda Express, but maybe not as swanky and refined as some of the more expensive Chinese restaurants I’ve been to in the Bay Area and LA. Consistency, however, seems to be 3 Brother’s primary issue.
When my family orders, we typically get a combination of the following:
HONG KONG STYLE BBQ PORK CHOW MEIN (Recommended)
This is one my favorite noodle dishes because I like the crispiness of the thin egg noodles and the savoriness of the gravy. (If you want this style, you have to specifically ask for Hong Kong style.) The version here is pretty standard; it’s served with okay bbq pork (char siu), bok choy, carrots, and mushrooms.
TOMATO BEEF CHOW MEIN
While I like the tomato beef chow mein here, I do wonder whether food coloring is added to the noodles because they are unnaturally red. The overall flavor is good; it definitely has the essence of tomato without being overwhelming. (That’s a good thing since I’m not really a fan of tomatoes.)
BEEF CHOW FUN
he quality of the chow fun served here varies, as the flavor of the noodles can range from bland to gingery/​garlicky. There can be a lot of bean sprouts and onions, which may or may not be a bad thing.
MANDARIN CHICKEN
This item is a mixture of stir-​fried chicken (e.g. not deep fried or steamed), green bell peppers, and onions in a spicy sauce. The sauce goes nicely with rice. The quality of the chicken varies; sometime’s it’s tender and other times it’s gristly.
LEMON CHICKEN
The bright yellow sauce in which the battered/​fried chicken is smothered has just the right amount of lemon flavor. The ratio of chicken to coating is variable since the chicken has sometimes been unnecessarily pounded into submission. If you order this dish to go, the sauce will come in a separate container, allowing you to smother the chicken in the sauce. Sometimes, however, there’s not enough sauce to soften the overly crispy coating. (That’s not an issue if you order it in the restaurant.)
SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
A nice mix of chicken, zucchini, pineapple, and onions in a bright red sweet and sour sauce. The chicken is battered and fried. Chicken to coating ratio is tilted in favor of the latter.
DRY SAUTÉED STRING BEANS
This dish is basically green beans sautéed and covered in a spicy sauce. When the beans are fresh and perfectly cooked, this is an awesome dish, but when they’re overcooked or old, it isn’t that good. Nonetheless, I could eat these beans with rice as an entire meal (and actually have).
PRAWNS WITH ASSORTED VEGETABLES
Whenever we order prawns, it is usually a treat, as seafood dishes generally cost a little more. This dish definitely has enough vegetables to satisfy any cravings; there’s a healthy mix of peas, broccoli, and water chestnuts. The shrimp is either succulent or bland. The biggest problem with this dish is undoubtedly the sauce, which doesn’t have much flavor.
While I’ve had several other dishes, these are the ones that I most frequently eat. But there’s definitely more I’d like to try on the menu, and will have to be more adventurous one day!
Overall, I recommend this restaurant for solid Chinese food in the area. You may not be blown away by the food (because it certainly doesn’t compare to what you’d find in China or Hong Kong), but it’s definitely a good place to come with your family (or by yourself) for a satisfying meal if you’re unwilling to travel to the city or abroad.
Note: They have a promotion where you receive 10% off your bill if you order takeout!

Ordered Mongolian beef, sweet and sour chicken, and pork chow mein.
Chow mein = so so, literally no veggies at all. A first for me.
Sweet and sour chicken = tasted like fatty, & over-fried…something was wrong here
Mongolian beef = the smell of it should have been enough warning for me not to eat it. Smelled like meat that was a week past it’s expiration date. Stupidly, I was so hungry, I ate it anyway. Big mistake. Stomach pains all evening and in to the night.
These brothers should’ve left their food back in China.

This is my aunt’s favorite Chinese food place, but I’m just not quite as big of a fan as she is. The food was very basic, kind of on the uncreative bland side, the service was good, but it seemed like they were rushing to get us out so they could keep people rotating quickly throughout the day.
The worst thing were the egg rolls, they didn’t taste that great & were soggy. The location is also hard to find parking if it’s really busy.

I must give creds to the 3 brothers that came all the way from China to the East Bay. They certainly know how to prepare a delicious meal and most of all, without draining your wallet.
4 stars for the food, 4 stars for the value!
BEEF TOFU ($ 8) was super soft and topped with minced beef, slightly marinated. The FRIED FISH ($ 9) was very light and soft, with broccoli and green beans on the side. The SWEAT AND SOUR FISH ($ 9) had the typical, artificial-​looking red marinade, that sweet&sour dishes need to have, and was great in taste. Finally, the CHOW MEIN NOODLES ($ 5) came in a super large bowl; thick noodles with seafood in it. Delicious.
So this must be my favorite Chinese restaurant from now on. Service was quick, attentive, and patient.
From China with love!

I’ve had different dishes from this restaurant but the salt and pepper pork chop was not very good on a recent trip. A few pieces were cooked longer and on the burnt side and a few pieces had a lot of fat on them. The price wasn’t bad for $ 8.64 but I won’t be ordering it again.

Three Brothers from China in Pleasant Hill is a Chinese restaurant that’s a cut above. Large seating area divided into two rooms, and a very pleasant dining atmosphere (white table cloths). You could comfortably bring a date here, unlike some Chinese restaurants that have decent meals but rather spartan surroundings.
We recently had our annual office Christmas luncheon here, as we have had for several years. As ever, the food was wonderful: Honey Walnut Prawns, Mongolian Beef, Chow Mein Noodles and a tofu dish were all excellent. The restaurant is a favorite with our Chinese coworker that organizes the luncheon, which is how we discovered it.
It’s easy to miss if you don’t know where it is (as I did the first couple of times!). Coming from 680 S., exit at Gregory Lane and turn right onto Contra Costa Blvd. Immediately get in the left lane and make a U-​turn at the first light. Three Brothers is in the small strip mall immediately on your right. Parking there at lunch can be a challenge: I usually have good luck heading to the back of the parking lot and finding something there.
Good food, nice dining environment, central Pleasant Hill location: 3 Brothers is a winner.