Little Shanghai Chinese Restaurant

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Inside Little Shanghai
Little Shanghai Restaurant is located in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz, right off the bustling Pacific Avenue is a local’s all time favorite; Little Shanghai. In August 1986, Jack and Sue Chiao started the restaurant in the downtown courtyard, that was shared with Kelly’s Bakery, Santa Cruz Bookshop, Caf Zino. As one of the oldest first generation family locally owned restaurants in town, you’ll be happy with the experience of food, service, and warm ambiance. Named after a thriving city that pays homage to Jack’s mother’s favorite city, Shanghai.
The restaurant’s menu has expanded exquisitely from the very first Dan Dan Noodles. Here at Little Shanghai, we offer the basic entities of stir fry Chow Mein to sweet and sour dishes. Special to Santa Cruz, one can find unique dishes such as Gan Bien String Beans, Tang Tzu Ribs or Sa Cha Chow Mein. Try a local favorite of Gan Sao Tempeh and maybe a Ginger Ale to wash it down. Or indulge a classic General Tao Chicken with one of our many imported beers. To be really adventurous, try the hip bubbly tapioca drink of Boba with three delicious sweet milk tea flavors to choose from.

Our family have been going Little Shanghai for quite a few years.The atmosphere of the restaurant is very cozy. It is very clean and comfortable for us to eat. The food is very mouth-watering and price is inexpensive. I love one of the dishes named "Fun-quei noodle" which is dry-noodle mixed with peanut butter & jasimine oil and add vegetable and BBQ pork. It is one of the best dish that I have eaten. My daughter loves the "Walnut shrimp" dish. Give Little Shanghai a try and you will become addicted to the food, same as us.

I'll parrot what everyone else said about this place. It's a find.
My daughter, who is just "learning" Chinese food, ordered S&S pork (maybe chicken?) last time and rather than the smacky sweet, gooey red sauce that is the norm, they serve it with a very nice, lighter sauce that does not overpower the other ingredients or stay with you until you drink bleach. The vegetables in the dish were crisp, and the coating on the meat was not soggy, which is virtually a given everywhere else. Everything we've had there has been a pleasure.
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I love, love, love Little Shanghai, or at least their Fu-Guay Noodles. I've been going there regularly since I moved to Santa Cruz, but I've only ever had the one thing on the menu, since I enjoy it so much. Fu Guay Noodles are a cross between Dandan Noodles (with a peanut-based sauce) and Peking Noodles (with a ground pork and hoisin sauce). One of the yummiest things ever. Sue and Jack Chiao, the owners, are super-nice, and I appreciate their persistence: when I first found them, not long after the Loma Prieta quake, they were in one of the tents, then they moved to the little mall running between Pacific and Cedar at the north end of the avenue, then finally settled in one of the storefronts in the Locust Street Garage building. The location's changed, but the noodles have always been terrific. They've got a Mongolian barbeque for dinner, which I've been meaning to try out...

I love the Little Shanghai so much I went there for the first time last year. Every time that I go out to eat for lunch that is the only place that I go.

Little Shanghai is not only the best Chinese restaurant in Santa Cruz, I believe it is the best restaurant of any kind in the area. I have the pleasure of eating lunch at Little Shanghai's nearly every Friday --- a personal treat for myself. No matter the size of the group, the service is always fabulous and the food is incredible. My nicest experience was a dinner that I gave for my mother and about 9 guests. Jack and his staff treated my mother like a queen. The service was perfect. The food was a culinary delight. One last thing. I highly recommend the KUNG-PAO CHICKEN. One bite and you're in heaven!

If you want seriously good Chinese food in this part of the state, you need to go to Little Shanghai in Santa Cruz. There is nothing that even comes close. Little Shanghai is 4-star all the way.

I love Little Shanghai! I love the spicy salt shrimp! It is the best in town! The price is reasonable and fair. I go there all the time! The service is great! The foods i reccomend is Kung Pao Chickes,Beef Broccli,Chicken Chow mein, Curry chicken,and Sweet ans Sour Chicken! They´re all my favorite Dishes! I hope that all of you would go and eat there!