Qingdao Garden

Certainly not the best takeout ever but good for the price.

I ordered takeout. Customer service was poor. Food was average. When I opened my fortune cookie, it said, "Customer Service is like taking a bath you have to keep doing it." Maybe they can learn!

When I called to let them know that the chicken fingers/fried shrimp was hard & uneatable, they acted like they didn't understand English. It seems that they can take your money, but can't offer any value when the food turns out bad. I've ordered several times in the past, and will consider writing a letter to the owner to let them know that in this economy & with local competitive restaraunts, they can't afford to pretend they don't understand when the food turns out bad.

I've eaten here and had take out. The food is great. I don't understand the complaint another reviewer had about service - they've always been extremely friendly there - the owner is the chef and he LOVES to talk about Chinese food to the customers! My only complaint is that the dumplings as packed for delivery tend to arrive soggy - the water steamed in condenses within the container so they lose some of their consistency in transit. Otherwise, it's a great place, good mix of "American" and "real" Chinese food on the menu and I definitely recommend experimenting with things you might not have had before!

Other reviewers have mentioned Qingdao's excellent dumplings. They, are, indeed, delicious. I'm addicted to Chinese pork dumplings, and Qingdao's pork & leek dumplings satisfy my craving. And I was surprised at how much I also like their various vegetable dumplings. Qingdao also serves a tasty pork chop noodle soup. The most eye-opening items at Qingdao, though, are on the "Northern Style" section of the menu. The Shredded Pork with Dried Bean Curd and Pork with Cilantro are stunning. Americans might be put off by the Zhongqing Fried Hot Chicken, because there's bone in it and you have to work a bit. But chicken tastes better this way -- and this spicy dish is definitely worth the effort. Eggplant Peking Style is the best eggplant dish I've ever tasted. The vegetable is flawlessly cooked, and lathered in a delicious meat sauce which enhances the eggplant. I look forward to exploring more of the Northern Style dishes. A previous reviewer mentioned their casserole, but I can't find it on the Qingdao menu. Is it an off-menu special? Or is it the "Meatball Hotpot" listed under the "House Specialties"?

Food is mostly but not entirely excellent. The dumplings are great, and the quality of the meats seem to be very good for the most part. The spareribs aren't 50% fat like other places, and the egg rolls are perfect. Most of the entrees I've had are among the best I've ever tasted in this type of Chinese restaurant. The service is not so good. I literally live upstairs, and I do takeout rather than go downstairs to eat. The server never smiles, and I always feel like an intruder. I really don't enjoy this, having worked in food service so long myself.

A friend bought me a couple bags of their frozen dumplings as a thank you for helping her move-and what a thank you! Their spinach dumplings are my favorite as well as the leeks. I keep my freezer stocked with these and anytime I need something quick, healthy and easy to make it's there-it is also great comfort food. Awesome dumplings!