Alright, I got to go two tier with this review.Five stars for atmosphere.This place really is a throw back to 1970's brown sauce Chinese food. Pick any sitcom or movie from that time period. Find the scene where they go to a Chinese restaurant, and grab a few token Asian's to fill their quota. This is that kind of place. The decor hasn't changed a bit since 1979.On a personal note, I come from a restaurant family. Walking into the place, seeing the young girl (with much better English than the older staff) behind the counter, it was a throw back to my childhood. Even the air in there -- sticky air due to weak AC and kitchen air-- felt like my childhood.Three stars for the food.Certain things they do well. They know how to handle a deep fryer perfectly, and don't mix sauces for things like sweet and sour pork and orange chicken with the deep fried stuff in their take out orders.But they aren't that honest about their menu. The http://allmenus.com menu underreports the full price of certain items, and includes stuff that isn't there anymore. I asked for a Beijing Spareribs, they gave me Cantonese roast pork thin sliced.Overall -- check out knowing what you are getting into. The best analogy is from Anthony Bourdain's Disappearing New York episode, when he goes to hole in the wall restaurant with Chris Chu in Chinatown. It's the same kind of place.

When I was a kid in San Francisco, we loved to go to Chinatown to Louie's on Grant Avenue. You'd walk up a long stairway covered with shabby red carpet and a bad fish smell at the bottom to a warm restaurant with great food that we kids loved. The waiter with the long stone face would bring the food and ask, "Eveh body happy?" We especially loved to get Oyster Sauce Beef Wonton, dry. (You had to specify "dry" or it would come as soup.) Louie's is gone now and for years I couldn't find a place that made Oyster Sauce Beef Wonton, dry.The first time I went to China House, I climbed the long stairway with the shabby red carpet and felt like I was a kid again (mercifully, the bottom of their stairway smells ok). The waiter with the long stone face was exactly like the waiter in Louie's so long ago. And on the menu I saw something called "Beef Wonton with Gravy." I ordered that and said, "If I ask for it 'dry,' will you know what I mean?" "Sure. You don't want soup." And when they brought it, I was in heaven. My childhood favorite dish had not vanished from my world.They make first class Chinese food, still very reasonably priced, even though they finally raised their prices after many years. The Sweet and Sour Pork is crunchy and crispy in a light golden sauce instead of a neon red candy sauce. The Garlic Chicken has big chunks of garlic and fresh zucchini. The Honey Walnut Prawns has candied walnuts and perfectly crispy fried prawns. The only halfway bad thing I've ever had here was the lackluster Popo platter.I remember times sitting at a table in China House looking out the second story windows at Park Street glistening in the rain, with the bright traffic lights and busses going by. Can't tell you how many lunches and dinners I've had there. My ex and I had a habit, whenever we were sick, of getting a big bowl each of Chicken Wonton Soup. I'm glad this restaurant is here.

FILTHY! If I could give this place zero stars, I would. Had I visited the restroom before I ate, I would have left. As it was, I was left feeling nauseated.The restroom was filthy. No toilet paper - even though there was space for two rolls. NO SOAP in the dispenser. Paper towels all over the floor and what was that pile of black stuff in the corner???Stay away!

Good food if not great. Friendly and attentive service. The first impression leaves a lot to be desired - as we were entering, the old smelly carpet, and walls that obviously have been in need of a fresh coat of paint, almost made us turn around before being seated.New floor coverings and paint are improvements that don't cost a lot, and yet yield a lot of bang for the buck - so I'm not sure why a restaurant owner wouldn't try to invest a bit in these improvements.Decided to skip a visit to the restroom, since I'm pretty sure they are not nice - maybe I'm wrong though.....In the end, the experience was pretty good. If it wasn't for the so-so first impression, I would have given 4 stars for the food and service.