Little Mandarin

Ok look, I understand, they have a low budget, but that doesn’t mean you can’t clean the damn place! Little Mandarin is pretty much a sketchy cheap Chinese food place with the exact right amount of cheapness, because $ 5.00 is the right amount of money a small chow mein, fried rice, and orange chicken that all gave me FOOD POISONING should cost. They do have a good selection of food and drinks though.
Let’s start off with the chow mein. Pretty much just the exact opposite of REAL chow mein. Here at little mandarin, you’re pretty much just getting fat noodles that just taste like flour, mixed in (with no sauce or glaze for some reason), with a few bits of lettuce and celery. No complaint about fried rice though. Heart of the meal. The orange chicken, man, it was delicious. But then again, the best tasting dish always has something wrong with it. In this case, they might’ve overlooked it because it hard as a rock. I mean, I could barely fit one piece in my mouth (because I can’t take bites), and the plastic fork that came out with my to-​go meal broke when I first tried to pick up a piece.
Well, at least 2 dishes tasted good.

$ 5.75 LUNCH: CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
Last semester I was taking business law. Last weekend before studying for my business law final with a study group I came here for the first time. This place is place close to the Berkeley Bart Station. Little Mandarin is similar to other Chinese eateries where you can select one, two, or three items from the steam table along with fried rice of chow mein. It’s very cheap to eat here as a 3 items for lunch is $ 5.75. There aren’t a lot of items in the steam table. However there was one item I would always order — chicken drumsticks. These fried drumsticks aren’t the skimpy ones you buy at fast food places or supermarkets. They are huge. In addition they are heavily breaded then deep fried. I highly recommend if you come here to eat one of those items has to be the chicken drumsticks. If you don’t order them you’re missing out. Also you can’t beat a cheap lunch for $ 5.75.

They just opened so I thought OK cheap and hasn’t been sitting.
The chicken is dry, sesame. I said y’all don’t have extra sauce, she couldn’t understand or didn’t want to.
Then gave me 6 chucks of chicken, I said wow, that’s it. She screamed thank you.
What the world?
I ate part of it and it is of no surprise. Its nasty. I’m heading down the street to Amazing Crab. This is garbage…
Oh NO BATHROOM, jeezzz. She walked me out of the door, lolol

I’m just a young college student with a tight budget. I see their prices and my pants fly off. I grab my wallet as their flying off and pay the cashier who is a lovely woman. She is super nice and knows exactly what I want. THe food is good for its price. This is the spot for those broke college kids. #blessed

Don’t understand how this place still in business. .worst resturant ever. the lady that work there is very rude. but they r the cheapest in town.

Well. It’s been about four years since I last was here and the quality has only gotten worse. Service was speedy but the food was horrible. No shrimp fried rice either. Several bits of beef were extremely hard with no flavor. Even the «chicken fried rice» was flavorless

Very affordable, but you really get what you pay for. The price of the plate depends on the number of items. You start with chow mein or rice, and you can pick one other item for $ 3.50, 2 items for $ 4.50, or 3 items for $ 5.50. I got the 2 item plate with chow mein, potstickers, and some type of chicken that looked like orange chicken but was not labeled with its name. The chow mein looked good at first. The noodles are thick like I prefer. Unfortunately, it was soggy and had very little flavor. The potstickers were also too soggy. The chicken was the best, and only because of the sauce that was on them. The chicken itself had a hard shell with very little chicken inside the batter. The sauce was really good though. If you have little money and just want food in your stomach then you might enjoy this place. I will not be going back.

Discovered this unassuming spot when my friend smelled «dirty Chinese food» on our way to the bus stop. Followed our noses back, and our stomachs and wallets promptly gave us a pat on the back. Only $ 4.50 for a filling 2 item and of course cash only. The lady who runs everything is accommodating and friendly and unlike other places with similar style food (Peking Express and Chinese Express) I didn’t feel nauseated and regretful upon finishing my meal. As far as cheap, fast meals goes, this place is a winner.

5-​star on price. They only charge 3.50 for a one item plate. The food is moderately good but plenty of rice is served and who can’t afford two items ($ 4.50). Outside there are nice trees to sit under and the inside is comfy warm if you have a chill on the bones.

No way. Okay — so, if you have $ 4, you can get food here. That’s the positive.
I stopped in, had serious doubts, but was in a hurry. Never again. Very gross food. Fried shrimp — fried in the shell. Crunchy. Terrible. Greasy, cheap ingredients. You definitely get what you pay for here.
You couldn’t pay me to eat there again.

I’ve only been here once and it’s not that great. What is great is that this place is super cheap — you can get an incredibly filling meal (fried rice or noodles with 2 dishes) for $ 4.50. It’s awesome, but the food isn’t as awesome. The chicken was super tough and the fried rice was not seasoned well. I feel a little weird complaining about such good prices, but I don’t think I’ll be back here again unless I’m really in need of saving money.

Hole-​in-​the-​wall vibe, but at these low prices, the food and service is fine.
Cash only though (to be expected).

Food court style Chinese for $ 5.
Came here for a quick lunch while attempting to try some of the hidden and less overtly popular restaurants in Berkeley. The food was about what I expected for the price. On the plus side, everything was warm and their fried chicken was crispy. The portions were on the small side, but again, it was $ 5.

I paid $ 5 for a ton of slightly above-​average Chinese food.
Good enough!

I’ve travelled to numerous 3^rd world countries & regularly eaten off food carts in the street so I think my stomach is stronger than most. That said, I’ve eaten at Little Mandarin countless times (especially when I first moved to Berkeley) and never gotten sick. It’s a little hole in the wall, no décor to speak of, but is quick, and like the other reviewers have mentioned, DIRT CHEAP. $ 4.08 (including tax) for a two item plate with rice/​chow mein or chow fun. Ridiculous. The chow fun is usually really good… thick, filling, tasty. The entrees are fine. Of course, it’s not the highest quality stuff, but for $ 4, what can you expect?
I don’t frequent this place as much, now that I’ve had a chance to discover more Berkeley eateries but I will go back now and then when I’m down for a quick & cheap meal.

CASH ONLY. It is dirt cheap, but you get what you pay for. I spent $ 3.75 for chow mein and two items. Got the lemon chicken and beef broccoli. The beef broccoli had one sliver of beef in it. The lemon chicken was drenched in lemon sauce. The chow mein was cold and kind of gooey.
If you are in a rush to get somewhere as I was and want dirt cheap chinese food, come here. If you are looking to eat out with friends or go on a date, stay away!

$ 3.02 for Chow mein and Sweet and Spicy Chicken… and a stomach ache. The noodles were sooooo oily and bland. The chicken was decent… if it wasn’t drenched in the sauce!
Honestly not good, but cheap as hell, so if you’re broke and hungry this is where you should go.

If you want to spend very little and leave full, then come to Little Mandarin. If you actually like Chinese food with flavor, then go somewhere else. Their lo mein is seasoned with the toil of immigration, but nothing else. Their various chicken dishes are one note and more breading than chicken. This is not to say that I will not be back. One just needs to have the proper expectations.

I’m embarrassed to admit I tried this place out, given that it is one of the «Dollar Food» locations in downtown Berkeley, but I thought:
«It’s been here forever. How bad can it be?»
This is how bad:
Cold steam table Chinese.
Welfare fried rice.
Meat of unknown provenance and speciation.
And to be super-​Jewey in my criticism, I add «…and such small portions too!»
AVOID.

Food is 2, but Value is 4.
You can eat a meal for $ 2.75. It isn’t very good, but it’s $ 2.75 for a meal.