Santa Rosa's Chinese food scene thrives quietly among the vineyards and oak-studded hills. From family-run spots serving hand-pulled noodles to modern kitchens putting fresh spins on classic dishes, the city offers surprisingly authentic flavors.
These nine restaurants represent the best Chinese dining the area has to offer, chosen for their consistency, flavor, and the kind of word-of-mouth reputation that keeps locals coming back week after week.
📍 All 9 Locations
⚡ Quick List
- Royal China Restaurant — Crowd-Pleasing Consistency
- Ting Hau Restaurant — Authentic Cantonese Comfort
- China Garden — Neighborhood Chinese Done Right
- Kirin Restaurant — Banquet Hall Excellence
- Great China — No-Frills Flavor Focus
- Boiling Bowl — Hot Pot Haven
- China Star — Strip Mall Surprise
- Silver Moon Chinese Food — Budget-Friendly Basics
- Amy's Place — Family-Style Favorites
1. Royal China Restaurant
✨ Best for: Crowd-Pleasing Consistency
📍 Santa Rosa · ⭐ 4.0 · 705 reviews · $$
Royal China has earned its reputation as Santa Rosa's most reliable Chinese restaurant through decades of consistent execution. The dining room buzzes with multigenerational families sharing lazy Susans loaded with honey walnut prawns, crispy orange chicken, and silky beef with broccoli. The kitchen excels at Americanized favorites without sacrificing quality, producing tender meats in glossy sauces that hit every comfort food craving. Wine country newcomers and longtime locals alike pack the spacious dining room, making reservations essential on weekends.
Must-Order:
Honey Walnut PrawnsOrange ChickenBeef with Broccoli
Insider Tip: Make weekend reservations at least a day ahead – this place fills up fast with large family groups who know to call early.
2. Ting Hau Restaurant
✨ Best for: Authentic Cantonese Comfort
Tripadvisor📍 Santa Rosa · ⭐ 4.0 · 306 reviews · $$
Ting Hau brings Hong Kong-style cooking to Santa Rosa with an emphasis on fresh seafood and traditional Cantonese preparations. The kitchen turns out exceptional salt and pepper fish, whole steamed rock cod with ginger and scallions, and some of the area's best dim sum on weekends. The dining room feels like stepping into a proper Chinatown restaurant, with round tables perfect for sharing and servers who know their way around a proper tea service. Regulars rave about the chef's way with live crab and lobster from the tanks up front.
Must-Order:
Salt and Pepper FishSteamed Rock CodWeekend Dim Sum
Insider Tip: Hit the weekend dim sum service between 11am and 2pm when the selection is fullest and turnover keeps everything fresh.
3. China Garden
✨ Best for: Neighborhood Chinese Done Right
📍 Santa Rosa · ⭐ 4.0 · 207 reviews · $$
China Garden occupies a cozy corner spot where the focus stays firmly on the food rather than flashy decor. The kitchen produces stellar kung pao chicken with perfectly balanced heat, tender beef and snow peas that retain their crunch, and fried rice that avoids the greasy pitfalls of lesser spots. The owners clearly care about ingredients, sourcing quality proteins and keeping vegetables crisp and bright. Local families treat this place like their neighborhood joint, often calling ahead with their usual orders.
Must-Order:
Kung Pao ChickenBeef and Snow PeasHouse Fried Rice
Insider Tip: Call ahead with your order during dinner rush – the kitchen moves faster when they can prep your favorites in advance.
4. Kirin Restaurant
✨ Best for: Banquet Hall Excellence
📍 Santa Rosa · ⭐ 3.6 · 334 reviews · $$
Kirin Restaurant operates on a grand scale, with banquet rooms that host everything from birthday celebrations to business dinners. The expansive menu covers all the classics plus more adventurous dishes like whole Peking duck and elaborate seafood preparations. The kitchen handles large groups with impressive efficiency, turning out consistent plates of sweet and sour pork, ma po tofu, and beautifully presented whole fish. The atmosphere leans formal, making it the go-to choice for special occasions when you need to feed a crowd.
Must-Order:
Peking DuckSweet and Sour PorkWhole Steamed Fish
Insider Tip: Book the private banquet room for groups of eight or more to get the full lazy Susan experience and better service.
5. Great China
✨ Best for: No-Frills Flavor Focus
Tripadvisor📍 Santa Rosa · ⭐ 3.7 · 226 reviews · $$
Great China strips away the frills to focus entirely on bold, authentic flavors that transport diners straight to Sichuan province. The mapo tofu arrives bubbling with numbing peppercorns and silky bean curd, while the twice-cooked pork balances fat and lean with perfect precision. Spice levels here mean business – the kung pao dishes pack genuine heat that builds with each bite. The modest storefront attracts serious eaters who prioritize flavor over atmosphere, creating a loyal following of heat-seekers.
Must-Order:
Mapo TofuTwice-Cooked PorkSichuan Kung Pao
Insider Tip: Start with mild spice levels even if you love heat – their 'medium' packs more punch than most restaurants' 'spicy.'
6. Boiling Bowl
✨ Best for: Hot Pot Haven
📍 Santa Rosa · ⭐ 4.3 · 83 reviews
Boiling Bowl brings modern Chinese dining to Santa Rosa with an emphasis on hot pot and contemporary preparations. The individual hot pot setups let diners customize their experience, cooking paper-thin sliced meats and fresh vegetables in aromatic broths. Beyond the bubbling pots, the kitchen excels at dry-fried green beans, cumin lamb, and hand-pulled noodles that arrive with a satisfying chew. The younger crowd gravitates here for the interactive dining experience and Instagram-worthy presentations that don't sacrifice substance for style.
Must-Order:
Individual Hot PotDry-Fried Green BeansHand-Pulled Noodles
Insider Tip: Come with at least three people to make the hot pot experience worthwhile and try multiple broth flavors.
7. China Star
✨ Best for: Strip Mall Surprise
📍 Santa Rosa · ⭐ 3.6 · 161 reviews · $$
China Star operates from an unassuming strip mall location where the real action happens in the kitchen. The cooks here understand wok hei – that elusive smoky flavor that comes from proper high-heat cooking in well-seasoned pans. Their chow mein noodles emerge with perfect char, beef with black bean sauce carries deep umami notes, and the fried chicken wings achieve golden crispiness without drying out. Takeout dominates the business, with regulars calling in orders from their cars.
Must-Order:
Wok-Fried Chow MeinBlack Bean BeefFried Chicken Wings
Insider Tip: Order for pickup rather than delivery – the food stays much hotter and crispier when you grab it fresh from the kitchen.
8. Silver Moon Chinese Food
✨ Best for: Budget-Friendly Basics
📍 Santa Rosa · ⭐ 3.9 · 98 reviews · $
Silver Moon Chinese Food proves that great flavors don't require high prices or fancy surroundings. This bare-bones operation focuses on generous portions of well-executed basics like orange chicken, vegetable fried rice, and hot and sour soup that actually delivers on both temperature and tang. The egg rolls emerge from the fryer golden and grease-free, while combination plates provide enough food for two meals at prices that won't strain anyone's budget. College students and budget-conscious families make up the core clientele.
Must-Order:
Orange ChickenVegetable Fried RiceFresh Egg Rolls
Insider Tip: Stick to lunch combos for the best value, and always ask about daily specials that aren't listed on the regular menu.
View Silver Moon Chinese Food →
9. Amy's Place
✨ Best for: Family-Style Favorites
Tripadvisor📍 Santa Rosa · ⭐ 4.1 · 45 reviews
Amy's Place operates as Santa Rosa's best-kept secret for satisfying Chinese comfort food that hits every nostalgic note. The garlic chicken arrives glistening with aromatic sauce and tender meat that falls apart at the touch of chopsticks. Fresh egg rolls crack open to reveal perfectly seasoned vegetables without a trace of grease, while the teriyaki chicken with chow mein creates an East-meets-West combination that somehow works perfectly. The family behind the counter remembers regular customers' orders and treats everyone like extended family.
Must-Order:
Garlic ChickenTeriyaki Chicken with Chow MeinFresh Egg Rolls
Insider Tip: Order large portions even for small groups – the generous servings reheat beautifully and taste even better the next day.
Tips for Finding Great Chinese Food in Santa Rosa
Skip Peak Hours: Visit between 2-5pm for faster service and the kitchen's full attention to your order. Most spots get slammed during traditional dinner rush.
Ask About Specials: Many family-run restaurants offer off-menu dishes or seasonal preparations that showcase the chef's true skills beyond standard American-Chinese fare.
Bring Cash: Several of the best spots still prefer cash payments and may offer slight discounts for avoiding credit card processing fees.
Order Family Style: Chinese food shines when shared – order multiple dishes for the table rather than individual entrees to experience the full range of flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
How We Picked These Spots
We selected these restaurants based on consistent local recommendations, online ratings, and repeat customer loyalty over multiple years. Each spot demonstrates reliability in both food quality and service that keeps Santa Rosa diners returning regularly.
Every restaurant on this list has a full profile on our site with photos, hours, reviews, and insider tips.
Last updated: February 2026
