North China Restaurant

Their buffet is small and the food looked over due. I didn’t go there to eat buffet, but to order from their menu. I ordered some pork fried rice and pad thai. They used processed pork meat for the pork (yuck!). Both the fried rice and pad thai taste the same. They both tasted saturated with dried roasted garlic (the ones you get in a plastic container from the Asian store).
I also ordered some chicken wings. The batter they used on the chicken wings seemed to be the same batter they use for sweet and sour chicken. No taste to them at all.
I’ve driven past this place several times over the past decade and could never convince myself to eat there when there’s Great Moon Buffet and Panda Express close by. The quality of Great Moon has diminished over the years and the line at Panda Express is just ridiculous for a fast food joint, which led me to North China. Next time, I’ll just wait it out at Panda, but if you want real Chinese food, Tea House, on the other south end of White Bear Ave is really good.

This place is pretty good, and you get a lot of food for your money in the combination platters. My wife and I decided to try this place out as we were both in the mood for some Chinese/​Asian food and we didn’t want to go to Leann Chin or any other fast food-​ish joint. I had the lemon chicken combination which came with an egg roll and fried rice, and she had General Tso’s chicken with an egg roll and fried rice. We also got a small order of beef & broccoli — and other than it coming in a small to go box, there was nothing small about it — and some cream cheese won-​tons. Other than the two of us ordering way too much food, it was awesome and I’ll be returning (my wife on the other hand thinks they use MSG and she will not be returning) for lunch some day when I work from home.

Ordered take out from here today for lunch. It was dead inside when we picked it up which made me a little nervous about how it would taste. It was pretty good though. We got lo mein, chow mein, sesame chicken, and wontons. It wasn’t great or bad, just pretty standard I would say. The sesame chicken didn’t taste fresh, but the the lo mein was pretty good. They had very generous portions and we probably only ate about half amongst 4 people. When you figure it gave us two meals, it’s a pretty good deal.

Was here many years ago and didn’t care for and it is just like before. Limp veggies and greasy meat but tastes ok. No hot sour soup on their 20 foot buffet. OK eggrolls. Skimpy fried rice. Good egg foo yung. Very greasy chicken or pork skewers. Loud asian hip hop music.
Not coming back. It’s cheap but there is better right down the street.

This was my Valentine’s treat after the half-​price book sale. They don’t have a huge buffet, but what they have sure is tasty and a little different. They offered a pork entrée that I liked and the meat was tender, same on the chicken dish. They offered the same sticky sweet sugary chicken one which in all establishments, I refer to as the killer. I like how they put just the right amount of onions in everything and not by the fistful, with the token meat added. What was perfect on this bitter cold day was the soup was a chicken soup. I filled up more on that, than anything else. Service was super friendly, and she knew all the regulars names. The place was pretty full, yet you seemed to have privacy. A cozy place to be a regular, up on the hill.

By far my favorite Chinese food. My husband and I do not order from anywhere else anymore. Haven’t tried the buffet, but the take out is phenomenal. Customer service is ridiculously awesome, and friendly. I am always asked about my husband, and invited for buffet. Highly recommend!

I had the take-​out szechuan tofu/​bean curd and vegetables. The brown sauce was nice and thick, with a good flavor, but not very spicy. The thicker veggies were still cool inside! Yikes! The tofu was well-​braised. I would have rated it higher if some of the veggies weren’t still cool inside.

A smaller version of Great Moon but cheaper and no line to deal with. Service is 5 stars and you won’t leave hungry. Awesome buffet by Maplewood mall.

Good food good service

Better than average for buffets in the area.
Service is great and the food is consistent. It’s nothing to write home about but for a Chinese buffet (in this area) it’s pretty good. I’ve only had one better.
It seems to be the same food every day which makes it hard to go on a regular basis. I like three or four dishes in the buffet but that would be boring more than once in a while.
If you’re in the area, it’s worth checking out. I wouldn’t go out of my way for it.

For me and the boys, North China was one of our Chinese buffet standbys when I lived in St. Paul and Oakdale over 8yrs ago. Was back up for a visit, and we hit the lunch buffet after a round of golf. .. and nothing has changed. It’s still about the best all-​you-​can-​eat for about $ 7 – 8. A wide variety of entrees, and not being to much into rice, as I remembered they seem to always have lo mein noodles

As far as chinese restaurants go here in the great Midwest, this is one of the best. The buffet is average to good, but where they really shine is the take out. Everything is made to order with quality meat and produce. Very fresh and VERY flavorful. Most other Chinese restaurants tend to have everything on the menu taste the same. Not here. Each dish is distinctly different in flavor and attitude. The chicken, beef, and pork are quality cuts of meat and not just frozen packaged stuff bought in bulk. The workers are very friendly. Most people that come are regulars. They know your name, what you usually order, and always ask about your family. Wonton soup is fresh and very flavorful. Try the Szechwan beef or chicken, lo mein, sesame chicken, or the Cantonese chow mein. I think you will be happy with anything you choose.

Pretty much rubbish unless you have been scouring the city for water. I’m guessing they bought some really good water system that allows them to pump out water like its going out of style. There was never more than 5 mins in between water fillings, and I don’t think my glass ever went below a two sip level.
Where they are lacking is in the food, besides the fortune cookies. Luckily for them they made a smart choice and went with Shang Pin fortune cookies, which to me would be the best in the biz. The rest of the buffet was pretty meh. Nothing really stood out as a star performer so I don’t think this one will make it into the lunch rotation.

I had my first Chinese Restaurant experience here in the Twin Cities at this place and well… It was great quantities at great prices. They have a buffet here but I didn’t do it any of the times I went there.
They do have a claim to fame with me… They have the GREATEST Orange Chicken I ever had in my life. Your glass NEVER goes empty and your stomach never leaves empty either.
They are located across from Maplewood Mall but its a trek worth making. I say you make it too.