Shanghai River Restaurant

Environment feels dirty. Floor is visually unlevel, the carpet is full of wrinkled up spots, and it seriously needs to be replaced. It's a definite trip hazard. Food is bland & seriously overpriced & waiter is grumpy.

Upon entering you feel like you are transported to a different time period. The setting and the service will keep me bringing back over and over again. Last night we had the most fantastic service even though we came in a little after 8pm on a Monday night. It is an ode to classic Chinese American cuisine in all categories. Most favorite to least favorite: General Tso's chicken, shrimp fried rice, hot and sour soup, and the beef lo mein. The reason why I absolutely loved the General Tso's chicken was because it was crispy on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside. The sauce wasn't too salty and the chicken stayed crispy until the very last bite. The shrimp fried rice could have used a little bit more crisp on the rice but otherwise it was cooked to perfection. Hot and sour soup had too much pepper. Not sure if it was the bottom of the barrel or just not mixed enough properly while it was poured into my bowl. Lastly the beef lo mein. The lo mein had a very celery heavy taste, way too much egg and the beef tasted slightly different than what I was expecting. Now mind you, none of the food tasted bad but this is my ranking from most favorite item to the least favorite item.I can't wait to return to Shanghai River and become a regular patron because it is just so cute on the inside!

We had an excellent 7-person family supper this evening. The staff immediately recognized the grandson as their "famous chicken fried rice boy." So that was nice! We enjoyed the following dishes:Pu pu platter to start (good variety, do not hesitate)Won ton soupMongolian beefSesame chickenGreen beansPork fried rice, and of courseChicken fried rice Every dish was shared and enjoyed.Atmosphere is quiet and very old school with a dark red theme and comfortable seating.Service was excellent.多謝

Good news: Parking is available. Bad news: looks like the local gathering spot for the triads based on Rush Hour movies. Interior is very 70's niche and still hasn't been updated. The carpet is probably older than me and hasn't seen a Dyson in years. If they're going for a retro style, they really would benefit from a little remodel. It just felt a little bit dingy. Came by for lunch service, and the menu is a little bit long, and consists of very Chinese American items from decades past. How can you not love crab puffs (with no crab) and various dishes (in brown sauce lol). The food is very non-authe tic if you are looking for Chinese; it is almost strictly Americanized. Honestly the food isn't bad, but it's definitely very average at best. Nothing was great or overtly bad but if you're going out, it shouldn't be settling for average. The price point is surprisingly high (but not for the area of River Oaks). It's Chinese competition nearby is definitely taking a lot of business away (looking at you Pepper Twins). Glad I tried it, however I probably won't be coming back when looking at the amount of options nearby.

Great food and service. I love the Special Wonton soup. So good and excellent delivery service

This little neighborhood spot is tucked away in the corner of a shopping center but has some quite tasty General Tso's & Orange chicken. The spring rolls from this place might even be worth a call home, but be prepared to pay-up as dinner for two will run you in the ball park of $50-60

Easy five star review. We came in after the lunch rush and we're very happy with our meal and service.Food: I went with the Mongolian beef. It was absolutely amazing. Full of flavor and very tasty. Side of fried rice was actually really good. Probably some of the best fried rice I've had in a long time. The egg roll was just as good. as always I tried to my girlfriend's meal and I really enjoyed the cashew chicken. I'll definitely get that next time I come. Both of the dishes were top-notch. Cooked to perfection.When you walk in there it's like stepping into a time capsule. I like the decor. And everything is pretty cool looking. The customer service is really good as well. Everyone that works here is very friendly. Their ships really really good American Chinese style food. Do yourself a favor and stop on in. I really really don't understand the low reviews here because the food was great as well as the customer service. Will definitely be back soon.

One of my favorite Chinese restaurants in Houston! I come here primarily for the pan fried dumplings. They do not deep fry them like so many other places. Can't stand when they are deep fried. They do a great job pan frying them!!!I also love their chicken and vegetables (Moo Goo Gai Pan). The veggies are always so crisp. The white sauce is tasty. And the chicken is just perfect. The restaurant is large but very warm and welcoming. The staff is incredibly attentive and accommodating. Great service!! They have lunch specials 7 days a week, so that's always nice. If you are craving some good American Chinese food, give them a shot! They have been open for almost 45 years....so they have perfected their craft.

Have been coming in for DECADES and even knew the GREAT Mr. Marvin Zindler... that said, had the WORST RUDEST SERVIE EVER and acceptable food this past week. WHAT happened guys. You are a proud RIVER OAKS staple...?"Wen" was our waitress -absolutely terrible. SORRY.

This place is an institution. If you haven't been. Go. If you haven't been in a while. Go. Keep this place in our neighborhood. Great food. Nice little bar. All of the nostalgia.