China Pavilion image

China Pavilion

Restaurant Chinese restaurant

Local go-to for a variety of Chinese eats & weekend dim sum with authentic dishes on a special menu. People often mention dishes, Chinese, shrimp, good, order, dish, service,


Address

1202 Chapala St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, United States

Website

www.china-pavilion.com

Contact

+1 805-560-6028

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.20 (487 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Saturday: 11 am to 3 pm, 5 to 9:30 pm
  • Sunday: 11 am to 3 pm, 5 to 9:30 pm
  • Monday: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, 5 to 9:30 pm
  • Tuesday: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, 5 to 9:30 pm
  • Wednesday: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, 5 to 9:30 pm
  • Thursday: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, 5 to 9:30 pm
  • Friday: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, 5 to 9:30 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: dishes (12) Chinese (10) shrimp (10) good (9) order (8) dish (7) service (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Andrew 5 years ago on Google
    Went for lunch and ordered the Szechuan Style Beef Noodle Soup. The broth was rich and savory and just the right amount of spicy. The dish reminded me of oxtail soup. The staff was friendly and attentive throughout the meal.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Lauren C. 2 years ago on Google
    This restaurant is spacious, but I recommend calling to make a reservation. Good Chinese food is rare in SB, so it's nice this place is downtown. The food quality here is mixed. We ordered a wanton soup, basil beef, mixed vegetables delight and salt & pepper pork rib. The wanton soup, which arrived first was amazing. We were excited for the other dishes. The mixed vegetable delight was just ok. It was a bit too wet and greasy. The basil beef was delicious. The salt & pepper pork rib was nothing like what we expected, so we should have asked first. It was deep, deep fried bits of pork rib and tasted more like chicken nuggets, which was disappointing. Service was quick and friendly though. Pricing was fair as all plates are designed to be shared by two or three people. I wouldn't write off this place, but we're not sure we'd go back.
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Will H. 1 year ago on Google
    Their Tung Po Pork is my favorite. Other dishes were really good too. If you go as a large group, I'd recommend including dongporou, sanbeiji, mapo tofu, and veggies with basil.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 M.A. E. 2 years ago on Google
    Delicious dim sum and dumplings. Judging by the looks of the wine display, they must have an excellent wine list. As if to show off and impress their clientele, a opulent display of exquisite bottles of cognac, sake, tequila, etc. beckons the eye. The stocked bar is a reason to have happy hour drinks. Order the plates first and then the waitstaff brings each dish and checks off each item till you are stuffed. Plenty of diners. an inviting interior, and freshly cooked dishes makes this a place to revisit.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 * d. 1 year ago on Google
    My wife and I got China pavilion to go and it was absolutely fantastic! We now have found our new Chinese restaurant for pickup! We cannot wait to go back! I'm not going to go on and on about different dishes, but I will say, ,,You must eat here!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Xiaoyi L. 1 year ago on Google
    Excellent experience. They are short staffed recently so we waited for about 40 minutes, which was kind of too long. But it turns out that the food and service were worth the waiting time! Certainly will come back again. My partner really like their seafood porridge and I like the sweet potato cake best.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Rich J. 1 year ago on Google
    Ordered food to go. Website took order through qmenu system. I show up to pick up and they didnt have the order so they put it in and i had to wait 20 mins. Did not offer me anything to drink while i waited then they forgot to give me the sauce forone of the dishes. Food was good but not great service.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Irvin Y. 2 years ago on Google
    Surprisingly very authentic Chinese food. As good as it gets. Owner is the cook which explains why. Environment is excellent perfect for a night out and when you want to impress your date.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Brianna G. 9 months ago on Google
    The food was good but the service was horrible! This has happened to us twice unfortunately so it’s becoming a pattern. We were a party of 5 and waited 40 minutes to be seated while parties both larger and smaller were seated before us (none of them with reservations). Once we were seated and had placed our order, the food took forever with the first dish coming out over an hour after we ordered. Once we had finished, we waited for 20 minutes for someone to bring the check and ended up having to ask a server for it and then had to do the same thing for someone to pick up the check after another 20 minutes. Over the course of the 2 and a half hours that we were there, the staff never checked on us. We watched tables order, get their food, pay, and leave in the time that it took for our food to come. The food was good but not worth the horrible service.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 大霖 1 year ago on Google
    Totally American style Chinese food, I give two star is cause the fish is not fresh and only three table in restaurants have to be served but server also can forget my napkin request, until I leave no one ask me the food or service, even no goodbye. Idk what is going on but this is a bad experience.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Drew T. 1 year ago on Google
    Xiaolongbao. They are handmade, plump, and delicious. The dough is a perfect texture, the filling is a great consistency and the just inside is just enough and very flavorful. It to mention the seasoned black vinegar they serve with it! Delicious. Make sure to also try the scallion pancake, and the spicy wonton. These are must have dishes. The service is also great, with the servers being friendly, knowledgable, and agreeably sassy! Quickly has become one of my go-to spots in downtown.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Sikun 4 years ago on Google
    Idk.. just feel something/some flavor is off. Tried several times weekend dim sum, and this time weekday dinner... all these make me want to move to NY/LA for better Chinese food
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Aaron E. 5 months ago on Google
    Excellent authentic Chinese food, coming from someone who lived in China for 5 years. Try the Shanghai Rice Dumpling, Mapo Tofu (if you like spice), Ants in a Tree, Xiaolong bag (soup dumplings/stuffed buns, Three Cup Chicken, and the black pepper beef.

  • 3/5 Elvin D. 9 months ago on Google
    Food was tasty but table cover was very dirty. Also better to get drinks somewhere else. My margarita didn't taste tequila at all Feels like they started cutting corners

  • 5/5 Gogo P. 10 months ago on Google
    Great service, and delicious food as always. Waitresses were kind and attentive. Food fresh and tasty. Lunch special is a good value. Plenty of options for regular American style Chinese food, or for the more adventurous and authentic styles.

  • 5/5 Laura H. 1 year ago on Google
    Best Chinese food in Santa Barbara! The food is always fresh and delicious. The lunch specials are a real bargain.

  • 4/5 Sergi P. 1 year ago on Google
    Perhaps the best Chinese restaurant in town. High quality food. Their king pao chicken is 9/10. Would definitely continue to enjoy their food there

  • 1/5 Dayleen l. 1 year ago on Google
    Went in very excited yet out of several dishes we tried all were OK none of them were bad. It just wasn't good enough to buy again. The tea even tasted like plain hot water! and there was a gross residue inside the teapot spout that wasn't cleaned out. And to top it off we were charged for a item we never received.

  • 5/5 Kathryn 1 year ago on Google
    Delicious food. Can't wait ti eat the leftovers. Very friendly and attentive. We'll be back.

  • 4/5 Daddi o. 2 years ago on Google
    My regular destination for Dim Sum now. Most of items on dim sum menu are good. I like the lótus wrap sticky rice, all the shu mai porks shrimp and chicken

  • 1/5 Gertrude B. 2 years ago on Google
    We ordered 2 large takeout meals for Chinese New Year's eve dinner and weekend dim sum. The food was good for Santa Barbara, albeit greasy, with a few unexpectedly deep fried dishes that is not usually served as deep fried (sauteed shrimp for the shrimp noodle dish, deep fried taro cake). The portions were small. Dim sum was ordered on sunday, aproximately 20 separate dishes. We did not receive 3 dishes (triple order of shrimp cheung fun, which is a steamed rice noodle dish with shrimp and specialty soy sauce) that my grandchildren liked. In addition, shrimp chow mein, which I had specifically requested as one of the party liked crispy chinese pan fried noodles, was misordered as shrimp lo mein, a soft noodle dish. When I called to have them rectify the mistake, the receptionist initially told me the dishes would be refunded, as the dishes as requested were charged. I received a second call from the restaurant that the manager refused the refund as they claimed the 3 triple order of shrimp cheung fun was sent in the order. No explanation was offered for the shrimp noodle dish cooked wrong. A further communication that triple order shrimp "chow fun" was sent is also wrong as that also was not sent. This left a bad taste for what should have been a nice meal for an extended family gathering.

  • 5/5 Alan P. 2 years ago on Google
    Dim sum is amazing! Great prices and great food!


Call +1 805-560-6028 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Kerbside pickup
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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