Lakeview Chinese Restaurant

Ive been coming here since i was in elementary school. Its still tbe place i go for my American Chinese food fix.
Service: sometimes hit or miss. It’s traditionally Chinese. Meaning they arent big on conversation or warmth. Quick. Direct. Sometimes seeming harsh. Also a bit forgetful. But overall thats how normal Chinese service is. Its not personal in any way.
Food: is done very well. I have my standbys of course. Im in love with their fried dumplings. I could just have three orders of those and the vinegar dipping sauce and I’d be set. The cashew chicken, chicken and broccoli, seseme chicken and general tsos are great. Even with the heavy sauces. Also the lunch combo is soup, rice and protein for five dollars.
Atmosphere: having just recently remodeled and its very asian in display and less cafeteria styled. Still very small and more geared towards groups of four or less and take out. Its a staple for the collage kids and those of us who grew up with place.

The food is good, definitely not the best.
The service is extremely bad though. The waiter just pointed us to our table and he just mildly threw the menus on the table. I ordered a vegetable fried rice, he gave us rice with ham and then when i told him to change it for us he literally just picked the ham out and handed it back to us. I didnt see him doing that but the rice tasted like ham. I would not come here again! But then again, the food is good so if you dont care for good service this is the place for you!

Endlessly inventive, Tao Yuan is a gem of a restaurant. On the recommendation of some locals, we came from North Carolina not to long ago to try the tasting menu several weekends ago. Course after course was as pleasing as it was surprising. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming with zero pretension even though a waiter messed up.

I have been eating at Lakeview since high school (15 years+), and it is literally my favorite restaurant on the planet (and I’ve been a lot of places– big, small, urban and remote). I always get the same thing, and my family also orders from here at least once a week… it is truly a gem and I will be very sad if the day ever comes when they retire/​shut their doors.

Best chinese in town. They have a cold sesame noodle dish that costs like $ 3.50, but it is huge. It’s on the appetizer menu and I am sure it gets overlooked most of the time. The hot and sour soup is the best I have had anywhere and I have had Chinese many places. The vegetable delight soup is fresh and, well, delightful. Only issue is that one waiter sometimes mixes things up and is not very chipper. When ordering over the phone, it helps to give the numbers from the menu so you get exactly what you want.

Decided we would switch it up and try a new place yesterday and now I wish I hadn’t, everything was way over cooked and honestly none of it tasted good, I’m sorry to give a bad review but it honestly was the worst Chinese I’ve ever had.

We have stopped at Lakebiwe for years. «Mr. Personality» the server is quiet and ??? Lady (owner) in kitchen is So Sweet. For the $$ Best place Around for fresh chimes food. Lately does seem to be more ho hum than before. Like I said we have been coming for years. Broccoli is always fresh. Peanut is chicken is Very good. Shrimp is good size and fresh. Don’t be looking for Fancy Place but has been refurbished lately. Beer is Cold. That makes Mr. Personality bearable.

I’ve been here multiple times, Usually for lunch. $ 4.95 lunch special is a great deal! The food is good for the money. The lunch staff sucks, waiter just sets things on your table and walks away, stands at table with pen in hand when ready to take order (or so I assume because again, he says nothing). I was staying a hotel across the street and ordered dinner takeout, women working was very nice & helpful. Inside is small but nice.

Much like other reviewers say on here every town has that little Chinese food place that’s got cheap food. It isn’t necessarily all good, but it’s a warm meal at a fair price… Until you dine here that is.
Drove by this place for a few years now and never paid any attention to it. Nestled in a small old semi run down plaza right next to a furniture rental store I wasn’t expecting much of it. After eating at the same old places day in and day out I stopped in to try something new.
The main server was very odd. He came to the table not saying anything. He had his pen and order pad just waiting at the end of the table? Ok… I proceeded to order. It was only when he asked fried or white for the rice I picked up on he might either be really shy or doesn’t speak much English. Either way I placed my order. My favorite dish general sous chicken with white rice. I was pleasantly surprised to see for I think it was 4.95 you get a soup, a main dish and rice. WHAT A DEAL!!!
I’ve got to say this is just about the best own ton soup I’ve ever had. Nothing else compares for sure. Almost resembles a chicken noodle soup but still that Chinese food taste. The chicken came out amazing too. A hint of spice just the way I like it not too over powering and fried to perfection.
I have to say as far as the cattaraugus county goes this is hands down the best Chinese food in the county. Just don’t let the anti social waiter deter you.

Very good quality Chinese food! Great for take out!

When it comes to American Chinese, few places do it as well as Lakeview. It’s your generic small town Chinese joint… but just better. It’s not super pricey food but the flavors are superb for this type of place. Lunch for 2 can easily be had for 12 bucks (including tip). Service is always a little gruff, but you’ll never leave hungry or unsatisfied.

Best Chinese food you can probably get in Western New York! The food is fresh, comes out hot and steaming, and of course delicious. Om NOM NOOOOMMMMM my mouth is watering just thinking about their food.

Let’s be honest. Every small town in America probably has their own cookie-​cutter, Americanized, aptly-​named Great Wall/​China Sea/​Emperor Wok/​Panda Kitchen, uninspired, basic Chinese takeout place. That’s certainly true here in Western New York, and the Southern Tier definitely has its share of bland, tame-​menu, non-​authentic, repeat interpretations on this tired theme where Joe NASCAR Sixpack can bust out of his Applebee’s rut and get really adventurous by orderin’ some beef with broccoli and sweet and sour chicken (yawn).
[Seriously, why do all these places have a section on their menus entitled «Seafood,» when all it consists of is «shrimp? Why not just label that section shrimp? Why do they have a «poultry» section when it’s really just chicken — no duck?]
But Lakeview Chinese Restaurant (not sure what lake they’re talking about) on the Allegany/​Olean border is SLIGHTLY different. It has the same standardized menu that other places around here offer, BUT this place makes their own fresh Wontons, rather than the weak, previously-​frozen, non-​brain-​shaped, bland offerings at the other places. It’s not Hong-​Kong style authentic, but its as close as you’re going to get around here outside of New York or Toronto.
They also use fresh (and quartered) mushrooms. It may not seem like much, but my experience has been that the other places use flavorless canned vegetables. If you dine in or ASK for it in your take out (which, of course, will be ready in «10 minutes»), they’ll also give you REAL seasoned hot mustard rather than the whimpy packets that the cookie-​cutter places give you.
So I suppose Lakeview is the best of a weak Southern Tier (Salamanca, Olean, Allegany, Cuba, etc.) lot of fairly basic Chinese restaurants. Hey, in this non-​culinary corner of New York State, you take what you can get.